FileHold Web Services API overview
FileHold software uses a Microsoft .NET Service Oriented Architecture (SOA). All interactions between clients and the application server and between application server components use the HTTP protocol. This ensures all standard and custom clients are internet ready by default. Any environment that can send and receive HTTP messages is able to communicate with the FileHold application server. Most messages are written in SOAP/XML, which is supported by a wide variety of environments such as C#, Python, Powershell, Java, etc. A subset of the application server functionality can accept REST API calls.
This architecture provides tremendous benefits to our customers, our partners and to product development and professional services teams in terms of product scalability, flexibility and performance.
The main subsystems of the software system communicate with each other via secure and fully authenticated web service calls. All FileHold clients including the Mobile and full Web Clients, and the Desktop Application interact with the Server using the same SOAP/XML web services. The Nexus client exclusively uses the REST API.
These same Web Services make up the Web Services API for integration of custom clients with the document management library. Examples of custom solutions include integration of the document management software functionality into other productivity applications, the development of connectors to import documents and metadata into the document repository from other applications or the ability to retrieve data and documents from the document library through a custom Intranet portal.
The SOA architecture provides the ability to deploy web services on different servers for the ultimate in system scalability and performance management.
The use of the FileHold API is subject to the terms of use. The REST API portion also requires a license option.
API documentation
This is the reference documentation of the libraries and Web Services which are part of the public API of the document management system. Its purpose is to help both in creating custom client applications and integrating existing third party applications into the document management system.
The first part of this documentation contains general information about the design and usage of the document management API along with sample code written in C#. The second part contains a list and brief description of all services, classes and methods which constitute the public API. Coding examples in Powershell and Python are available on this web site.
For FileHold Cloud customers, the API documentation is downloadable online. Contact support@filehold.com if you require documentation for a version that is not listed.
You can find this documentation on your FileHold Application Server in the following locations:
FileHold 15.2 and higher - C:\Program Files\FileHold Systems\Application Server\ApiKit
FileHold 15.1 and lower - C:\Program Files\FileHold Systems\Application Server\FHAPIDocumentation and C:\Program Files\FileHold Systems\Application Server\APIDemo.
A help file is provided to give details on the SOAP/XML API methods and parameters. The help does not describe how FileHold operates. A reader of the help file should have basic knowledge of operating FileHold before attempting to program with the API. The normal FileHold clients use the same API that is available to developers. A good rule of thumb for the capability of the API is to consider that if you can do something interacting between a standard classic client and the application server, you will also be able to do it a custom application and the application server.
The API reference documentation can be found online for versions starting from 17.0.
The REST API OpenAPI format documentation is available on every FileHold system at https://<my-server>/fh/filehold/api/swagger/. This page also provides a tool for executing methods in the API without any additional programs. See Using the REST API documentation for an example of using this tool.
FileHold Software APIs Terms of Use
See your software agreement for the terms of use. In most cases, your agreement will include the terms on the following pages. https://www.keymarkinc.com/legal/
Support: All standard clients use the FileHold web services that make up the FileHold API. As such, support for the FileHold API is included with FileCare, but support for a custom application you build using the API is not included. If you need assistance beyond what is covered by your FileCare subscription you may enter into a separate professional services billing arrangement. This can include training for your software developer on specific use cases for the API, development of a solution design including relevant references to the API to jump start your development and other services as may be required.