Reports WebData Reference

Use WebData sources in reports.

Reference → Modules → Reports → UI → Forms Editor | Forms | Monitor | WebData | WebData Editor

Configuration Properties

Creating WebData Objects

1. Navigate to Reports → WebData
2. Click Add button
3. Configure minimum requirements:
   • Name: Unique identifier
   • Encoding: Select format
4. Optional: Set DefaultURL and Authorization
5. Click OK

Authentication Methods

No Auth

No credentials sent:

Authorization: NoAuth

Bearer Token

Token-based authentication:

Authorization: Bearer <token>
Headers: {"Authorization": "Bearer {{Tag.APIToken}}"}

Basic Auth

Username/password authentication:

Authorization: Basic
Username: {{Tag.Username}}
Password: {{Tag.Password}}

Custom

Define custom authentication:

Headers: {
  "X-API-Key": "{{Tag.APIKey}}",
  "X-Client-ID": "{{Tag.ClientID}}"
}

Request Methods

GET Requests

Execute data retrieval:

// Async GET request
string response = await @Report.WebData.MyAPI.GetRequestAsync();

// Store in tag
@Tag.APIResponse = response;

// Access via DocumentClient
string data = @Report.WebData.MyAPI.DocumentClient;

POST Requests

Send data to API:

// Execute POST
await @Report.WebData.MyAPI.PostRequestAsync();

// Response stored in specified tag
string result = @Tag.PostResult;

In POST requests, the response from the server is not returned directly by the method call. Instead, the response binding is configured declaratively in Reports / WebData, using the Headers column. There, you map the built-in ResponseTag property to any Text-type tag in your solution using the standard tag reference syntax, you can see the example in the table below. Once that mapping is in place, executing the request with await @Report.WebData.MyAPI.PostRequestAsync() will automatically store the server's response body into the linked tag.

WebData Editor

Define request structure and bind tags:

JSON Format

{
  "timestamp": "{{Info.Date}}",
  "values": {
    "temperature": {{Tag.TankFarm/Tank1/Temp}},
    "pressure": {{Tag.TankFarm/Tank1/Pressure}},
    "status": "{{Tag.Equipment/Status}}"
  }
}

XML Format

<data>
  <timestamp>{{Info.Date}}</timestamp>
  <temperature>{{Tag.TankFarm/Tank1/Temp}}</temperature>
  <pressure>{{Tag.TankFarm/Tank1/Pressure}}</pressure>
</data>

Response Handling

Store Response Methods

Method 1: Direct Assignment

@Tag.JSONResponse = await @Report.WebData.API.GetRequestAsync();

Method 2: DocumentClient Property

await @Report.WebData.API.GetRequestAsync();
string data = @Report.WebData.API.DocumentClient;

Method 3: Tag Binding in Editor Map response fields to tags in WebData Editor

Headers Configuration

Common headers:

{
  "Content-Type": "application/json",
  "Accept": "application/json",
  "ResponseTag": "Tag.APIResult",
  "X-Request-ID": "{{Tag.RequestID}}"
}

File Operations

Save Response to File

// Configure SaveFileName
@Report.WebData.API.SaveFileName = @"C:\Data\response.json";

// Execute and save
await @Report.WebData.API.GetRequestAsync();
@Report.WebData.API.Save();

Dynamic File Names

C:\Data\API_{{Tag.Date}}_{{Tag.Time}}.json

Padding Options

Error Handling

try
{
    string response = await @Report.WebData.API.GetRequestAsync();

    if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(response))
    {
        @Tag.Status = "Success";
        ProcessResponse(response);
    }
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
    @Tag.ErrorMessage = ex.Message;
    @Tag.Status = "Failed";
}

Common Use Cases

Weather API Integration

@Report.WebData.Weather.DefaultURL =
    "https://api.weather.com/v1/location/{{Tag.City}}";

string weather = await @Report.WebData.Weather.GetRequestAsync();

IoT Data Upload

// Configure POST body with sensor data
await @Report.WebData.IoT.PostRequestAsync();

Database Sync

// Get external data
string data = await @Report.WebData.External.GetRequestAsync();

// Parse and update local database
UpdateDatabase(data);

Best Practices Checklist 

• Validate URLs - Check endpoints before deployment
• Secure credentials - Use tags for sensitive data
• Handle timeouts - Implement retry logic
• Parse responses - Validate JSON/XML structure
• Log errors - Track failed requests
• Test thoroughly - Verify all scenarios
• Document APIs - Clear descriptions

Troubleshooting

Connection failed:

• Verify URL accessibility
• Check network/firewall
• Confirm authentication
• Review proxy settings

Invalid response:

• Check encoding format
• Validate JSON/XML syntax
• Verify content-type header
• Review API documentation

Authentication errors:

• Confirm credentials
• Check token expiration
• Verify header format
• Review API permissions

Performance issues:

• Implement caching
• Reduce request frequency
• Optimize payload size
• Use async methods

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