# How to BBJ?

## Input

BBJ is interacted with entirely through POST requests, whose bodies are json objects.

The endpoints, all listed below, can be contacted at the path /api/ relative to the root of where BBJ is hosted. If bbj is hosted on a server on port 80 at the root:

`http://server.com/api/endpoint_here`

The body of your request contains all of it's argument fields, instead of using URL parameters. As a demonstration, to call `thread_create`, it requires two arguments: `title`, and `body`. We put those argument names at the root of the json object, and their values are the info passed into the API for that spot. Your input will look like this:

    {
        "title": "Hello world!!",
        "body": "Hi! I am exploring this cool board thing!!"
    }

And you will POST this body to `http://server.com:PORT/api/thread_create`.

A few endpoints do not require any arguments. These can still be POSTed to, but the body may be completely empty or an empty json object. You can even GET these if you so choose.

For all endpoints, argument keys that are not consumed by the endpoint are ignored. Posting an object with a key/value pair of `"sandwich": True` will not clog up any pipes :) In the same vein, endpoints who dont take arguments don't care if you supply them anyway.

## Output

BBJ returns data in a consistently formatted json object. The base object has three keys: `data`, `usermap`, and `error`. Visualizied:

    {
      "error":   false, // boolean false or error object
      "data":    null,  // null or the requested data from endpoint.
      "usermap": {}     // potentially empty object, maps user_ids to user objects
    }

    // If "error" is true, it looks like this:

    {
      "error": {
          "code": // an integer from 0 to 5,
          "description": // a string describing the error in detail.
      }
      "data": null   // ALWAYS null if error is not false
      "usermap": {}  // ALWAYS empty if error is not false
    }

### data

`data` is what the endpoint actually returns. The type of contents vary by endpoint and are documented below. If an endpoint says it returns a boolean, it will look like `"data": True`. If it says it returns an array, it will look like `"data": ["stuff", "goes", "here"]`

### usermap

The usermap is a json object mapping user_ids within `data` to full user objects. BBJ handles users entirely by an ID system, meaning any references to them inside of response data will not include vital information like their username, or their profile information. Instead, we fetch those values from this usermap object. All of it's root keys are user_id's and their values are user objects. It should be noted that the anonymous user has it's own ID and profile object as well.

### error

`error` is typically `false`. If it is not false, then the request failed and the json object that `error` contains should be inspected. (see the above visualation) Errors follow a strict code system, making it easy for your client to map these responses to native exception types or signals in your language of choice. See the full error page for details.

# Authorization

See also the Authorization page.

## check_auth

Arguments:

- target_user: string: either a user_name or a user_id

- target_hash: string: sha256 hash for the password to check

Returns boolean `true` or `false` of whether the hash given is correct for the given user.

# Threads & Messages

## delete_post

Arguments:

- thread_id: string: the id of the thread this message was posted in.

- post_id: integer: the id of the target message.

Requires the arguments `thread_id` and `post_id`.

Delete a message from a thread. The same rules apply here as `edit_post` and `edit_query`: the logged in user must either be the one who posted the message within 24hrs, or have admin rights. The same error descriptions and code are returned on falilure. Boolean true is returned on success.

If the post_id is 0, the whole thread is deleted.

## edit_post

Arguments:

- thread_id: string: the thread the message was posted in.

- post_id: integer: the target post_id to edit.

- body: string: the new message body.

- OPTIONAL: send_raw: boolean: set the formatting mode for the target message.

Replace a post with a new body. Requires the arguments `thread_id`, `post_id`, and `body`. This method verifies that the user can edit a post before commiting the change, otherwise an error object is returned whose description should be shown to the user.

To perform sanity checks and retrieve the unformatted body of a post without actually attempting to replace it, use `edit_query` first.

Optionally you may also include the argument `send_raw` to set the message's formatting flag. However, if this is the only change you would like to make, you should use the endpoint `set_post_raw` instead.

Returns the new message object.

## edit_query

Arguments:

- thread_id: string: the id of the thread the message was posted in.

- post_id: integer: the id of the target message.

Queries the database to ensure the user can edit a given message. Requires the arguments `thread_id` and `post_id` (does not require a new body)

Returns the original message object without any formatting on success. Returns a descriptive code 4 otherwise.

## message_feed

Arguments:

- time: int/float: epoch/unix time of the earliest point of interest

- OPTIONAL: format: string: the specifier for the desired formatting engine

Returns a special object representing all activity on the board since `time`.

    {
        "threads": {
            "thread_id": {
                // ...thread object
            },
            // ...more thread_id/object pairs
        },
        "messages": [
            ...standard message object array sorted by date
        ]
    }

The message objects in `messages` are the same objects returned in threads normally. They each have a thread_id parameter, and you can access metadata for these threads by the `threads` object which is also provided.

The `messages` array is already sorted by submission time, newest first. The order in the threads object is undefined and you should instead use their `last_mod` attribute if you intend to list them out visually.

## set_post_raw

Arguments:

- thread_id: string: the id of the thread the message was posted in.

- post_id: integer: the id of the target message.

- value: boolean: the new `send_raw` value to apply to the message.

Requires the boolean argument of `value`, string argument `thread_id`, and integer argument `post_id`. `value`, when false, means that the message will be passed through message formatters before being sent to clients. When `value` is true, this means it will never go through formatters, all of its whitespace is sent to clients verbatim and expressions are not processed.

The same rules for editing messages (see `edit_query`) apply here and the same error objects are returned for violations.

You may optionally set this value as well when using `edit_post`, but if this is the only change you want to make to the message, using this endpoint instead is preferable.

## set_thread_pin

Arguments:

- thread_id: string: the id of the thread to modify.

- value: boolean: `true` to pin thread, `false` otherwise.

Requires the arguments `thread_id` and `value`. `value` must be a boolean of what the pinned status should be. This method requires that the caller is logged in and has admin status on their account.

Returns the same boolean you supply as `value`

## thread_create

Arguments:

- body: string: The body of the first message

- title: string: The title name for this thread

- OPTIONAL: send_raw: boolean: formatting mode for the first message.

Creates a new thread and returns it. Requires the non-empty string arguments `body` and `title`.

If the argument `send_raw` is specified and has a non-nil value, the OP message will never recieve special formatting.

## thread_index

Arguments:

- OPTIONAL: include_op: boolean: Include a `messages` object containing the original post

Return an array with all the server's threads. They are already sorted for you; most recently modified threads are at the beginning of the array. Unless you supply `include_op`, these threads have no `messages` parameter. If you do, the `messages` parameter is an array with a single message object for the original post.

## thread_load

Arguments:

- thread_id: string: the thread to load.

- OPTIONAL: op_only: boolean: include only the original message in `messages`

- OPTIONAL: format: string: the formatting type of the returned messages.

Returns the thread object with all of its messages loaded. Requires the argument `thread_id`. `format` may also be specified as a formatter to run the messages through. Currently only "sequential" is supported.

You may also supply the parameter `op_only`. When it's value is non-nil, the messages array will only include post_id 0 (the first)

## thread_reply

Arguments:

- thread_id: string: the id for the thread this message should post to.

- body: string: the message's body of text.

- OPTIONAL: send_raw: boolean: formatting mode for the posted message.

Creates a new reply for the given thread and returns it. Requires the string arguments `thread_id` and `body`

If the argument `send_raw` is specified and has a non-nil value, the message will never recieve special formatting.

# Tools

## db_validate

Arguments:

- key: string: the identifier for the ruleset to check.

- value: VARIES: the object for which `key` will check for.

- OPTIONAL: error: boolean: when `true`, will return an API error response instead of a special object.

See also the Input Validation page.

Requires the arguments `key` and `value`. Returns an object with information about the database sanity criteria for key. This can be used to validate user input in the client before trying to send it to the server.

If the argument `error` is supplied with a non-nil value, the server will return a standard error object on failure instead of the special object described below.

The returned object has two keys:

{ "bool": true/false, "description": null/"why this value is bad" }

If bool == false, description is a string describing the problem. If bool == true, description is null and the provided value is safe to use.

## format_message

Arguments:

- body: string: the message body to apply formatting to.

- format: string: the specifier for the desired formatting engine

Requires the arguments `body` and `format`. Applies `format` to `body` and returns the new object. See `thread_load` for supported specifications for `format`.

## user_map

requires no arguments

Returns an array with all registered user_ids, with the usermap object populated by their full objects. This method is NEVER neccesary when using other endpoints, as the usermap returned on those requests already contains all the information you will need. This endpoint is useful for statistic purposes only.

# Users

## get_me

requires no arguments

Requires no arguments. Returns your internal user object, including your `auth_hash`.

## is_admin

Arguments:

- target_user: string: user_id or user_name to check against.

Requires the argument `target_user`. Returns a boolean of whether that user is an admin.

## user_get

Arguments:

- target_user: string: either a user_name or a user_id

Returns a user object for the given target.

## user_is_registered

Arguments:

- target_user: string: either a user_name or a user_id

Returns boolean `true` or `false` of whether the given target is registered on the server.

## user_register

Arguments:

- user_name: string: the desired display name

- auth_hash: string: a sha256 hash of a password

Register a new user into the system and return the new user object on success. The returned object includes the same `user_name` and `auth_hash` that you supply, in addition to all the default user parameters. Returns code 4 errors for any failures.

## user_update

Arguments:

- Any of the following may be submitted:

- user_name: string: a desired display name

- auth_hash: string: sha256 hash for a new password

- quip: string: a short string that can be used as a signature

- bio: string: a user biography for their profile

- color: integer: 0-6, a display color for the user

Receives new parameters and assigns them to the user object. This method requires that you send a valid User/Auth header pair with your request, and the changes are made to that account.

Take care to keep your client's User/Auth header pair up to date after using this method.

The newly updated user object is returned on success, including the `auth_hash`.

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