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Passing variables from Console

note

Using with Fetch module​

It is possible to customize a spec. or config's variable data while passing it from console in CHKware. We will use XKCD API for this tutorial.

Consider this following sample test config. Notice <% JokeId %> is written to be injected within the request URL.

one-xkcd-joke.chk
---
version: default:http:0.7.2

request:
  url: https://xkcd.com/<% JokeId %>/info.0.json
  method: GET

expose:
  - <% _response %>

and run it as

chk fetch one-xkcd-joke.chk -V '{"JokeId": 614}'

CHKware should return content for joke id 614, See, the content body have "num": 614, in it.

However, If we run this without passing the variable i.e. -V '{"JokeId": 614}' part. CHKware should return a random joke. See the content body "num": 614, not in it. Rather, the server returns another joke.

info

I thing very important is, only JSON formatted string is supported with -V, --variables option.

Keep in mind not all service API behave like this, rather the API response will throw exception when there is a default value not set.

However, setting default value is pretty easy with CHKware specs. Updated code below.

one-xkcd-joke.chk
---
version: default:http:0.7.2

variables:
  JokeId: 614

request:
  url: https://xkcd.com/<% JokeId %>/info.0.json
  method: GET

expose:
  - <% _response %>

Now if we run again without variable e.g.

chk fetch one-xkcd-joke.chk

The response should fetch data for joke id 614, in this case. However, when pass with variable, CHKware should still get content for given id. i.e.

chk fetch one-xkcd-joke.chk -V '{"JokeId": 2004}'

With the above command run, CHKware should return content for joke id 2004.

See variable example and variable reference for more.