Create an API in SAP API Management to upload file without using Postman

Hello Everyone!

            This is my first blog post. For the past few months, I have been working on APIs as part of my work. An API is a software intermediary that allows two applications to talk to each other and also various policies can be applied to these APIs. I have created APIs in ‘Create in API designer’ component of SAP API Portal and tested various pre-packaged APIs to understand how they behave.

Introduction:

This blog post describes how to design API to upload file from your system to target system without using Postman. I have configured one iflow in SAP CPI with HTTPS on sender side and FTP adapter on receiver side. I have triggered that iflow from SAP API management to send file to target end point of iflow.

Prerequisites:

Access to SAP API Portal and SAP CPI (Cloud Platform Integration).

Host server url.

Target server url.

Steps to be followed to upload file.

Step 1: Configure iflow.

Configure an iflow in SAP CPI with HTTPS on sender side and FTP adapter on receiver side. FTP adapter can be configured to send file to DriveHQ as it provides virtual FTP server to store files. Deploy the iflow and copy the end point.

Step 2: Create API

Create an API in ‘Create in API designer’ section in SAP API Portal in OpenAPI Specification 3.0.1 and add target server url of iflow end point. This API will consume Multipart/form-data and will upload file.

Note: Keep the Post method end point same as CPI iflow end point and don’t add that end point in target server url, it will add Post method end point and trigger an iflow.

Step 3: Try Out in API Portal

Now save and deploy the API and try uploading the file in try out option in ‘Resources’. Click on choose file to select file from your system.

Note: Add header as Authorization and value Basic Base64 encoded credentials same as your CPI credentials.

Step 4: Execute and file will be sent.

Click on execute, your CPI iflow will be triggered and file will be sent through FTP adapter to DriveHQ.

Note: Files with .txt format can be downloaded and opened. But files with .pdf and .docx formats have to be edited in DriveHQ and add extension of file format (.docx,.pdf ) before downloading.

Conclusion: SAP API Management supports API-led integrations across various parties and systems. It’s very interesting and simple to design APIs in Create in Designer section in OpenAPI Specification 3.0.1.  This API helps to send file from your system to target system without using Postman.