1 | #LyX 1.1 created this file. For more info see http://www.lyx.org/ |
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2 | \lyxformat 218 |
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3 | \textclass docbook |
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4 | \language english |
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6 | \fontscheme default |
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9 | \spacing single |
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11 | \paperpackage a4 |
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12 | \use_geometry 0 |
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13 | \use_amsmath 0 |
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14 | \paperorientation portrait |
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15 | \secnumdepth 3 |
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16 | \tocdepth 3 |
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17 | \paragraph_separation indent |
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18 | \defskip medskip |
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19 | \quotes_language english |
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20 | \quotes_times 2 |
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21 | \papercolumns 1 |
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22 | \papersides 1 |
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23 | \paperpagestyle default |
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24 | |
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25 | \layout Title |
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26 | |
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27 | Proposal for a Common Groupware Interface Standard |
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28 | \layout Author |
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29 | |
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30 | (C) 2001-2004 Miles Lott <milos@groupwhere.org> |
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31 | \layout Date |
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32 | |
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33 | September 13, 2001 and December 29, 2003 |
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34 | \layout Standard |
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35 | |
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36 | |
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37 | \begin_inset LatexCommand \tableofcontents{} |
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38 | |
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39 | \end_inset |
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40 | |
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41 | |
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42 | \layout Section |
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43 | |
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44 | Scope |
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45 | \layout Standard |
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46 | |
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47 | As many different opensource and freesoftware groupware systems are being |
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48 | developed, the full realization of the dream of a connected world should |
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49 | be prefaced by an agreement to interoperate. |
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50 | There are limited ways in which cooperation with these and commercial groupware |
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51 | systems may be achecived, the majority if not all of which were derived |
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52 | via the establishment of open standards. |
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53 | These might include email (POP3/IMAP), contacts(LDAP,vcard), or scheduling(ical |
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54 | /vcal). |
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55 | It is felt that while these have proven themselves to be very useful, they |
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56 | are insufficient to satisfy the real needs of a typical business environment. |
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57 | \layout Standard |
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58 | |
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59 | This document hopes to provide a reasonable, if limited, recommendation |
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60 | for a set of standardized methods to be used for groupware services interaction. |
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61 | More specifically, it hopes to address the need for such a standard as |
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62 | well as to spur discussion about the common service names and methods themselve |
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63 | s. |
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64 | \layout Standard |
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65 | |
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66 | Examples will be given for implementations in XML-RPC, since this standard |
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67 | is relatively fixed and open. |
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68 | \layout Standard |
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69 | |
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70 | This document does not provide recommendations for the underlying access |
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71 | control system which would allow or deny a particular action. |
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72 | \layout Standard |
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73 | |
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74 | Also not discussed here is login and authorization to be used for initial |
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75 | access to a service provider. |
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76 | \layout Section |
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77 | |
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78 | The Services |
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79 | \layout Subsection |
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80 | |
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81 | Overview |
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82 | \layout Standard |
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83 | |
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84 | There are a few common services types that will be needed for minimum useability |
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85 | of a groupware server or application. |
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86 | They are: |
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87 | \layout Itemize |
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88 | |
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89 | Contacts |
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90 | \layout Itemize |
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91 | |
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92 | Schedule |
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93 | \layout Itemize |
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94 | |
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95 | Notes |
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96 | \layout Itemize |
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97 | |
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98 | Todo |
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99 | \layout Standard |
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100 | |
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101 | These services are represented already in places such as existing groupware |
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102 | client-server applications and also in the PalmOS basic-4 buttons and applicati |
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103 | ons. |
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104 | Different systems may have different names for these services internally, |
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105 | e.g. |
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106 | Contacts - addresses, addressbook, people, Schedule - calendar, agenda, |
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107 | meetings. |
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108 | \layout Standard |
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109 | |
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110 | Within each of these services are some common methods that would be called |
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111 | to store, retreive, or update data: |
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112 | \layout Itemize |
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113 | |
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114 | read_list |
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115 | \layout Itemize |
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116 | |
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117 | read |
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118 | \layout Itemize |
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119 | |
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120 | save |
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121 | \layout Itemize |
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122 | |
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123 | delete |
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124 | \layout Subsection |
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125 | |
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126 | Detail |
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127 | \layout Subsubsection |
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128 | |
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129 | Contacts |
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130 | \layout Standard |
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131 | |
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132 | The concept of contacts may encompass local addressbooks, LDAP, and lists |
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133 | stored in other media. |
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134 | The purpose of the contacts service is not to duplicate or attempt to replace |
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135 | these. |
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136 | In some respects, it might do just that. |
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137 | But its goal is more so to provide a common and shareable way for the other |
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138 | core services to create, edit, and read a common user and address list. |
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139 | All of the other services may use the contact service to obtain record |
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140 | owner information to be used in access control. |
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141 | They would also use them when it is required to share this data, as with |
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142 | a meeting where other local and non-local users will be invited to attend. |
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143 | \layout Standard |
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144 | |
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145 | Contacts may include the local installed user base, users on other cooperative |
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146 | servers, or email addresses used for limited cooperation with other groupware |
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147 | services that are not compliant with this service scheme or implementations |
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148 | thereof. |
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149 | It could also include individuals using web-based or local ISP email services. |
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150 | The scope of this document, however, is to define the service with regard |
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151 | to the common methods to be used for server-server and client-server communicat |
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152 | ions: |
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153 | \layout Itemize |
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154 | |
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155 | read_list |
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156 | \layout Standard |
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157 | |
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158 | This method is used to list contacts, with or without limits, filters, or |
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159 | search criteria. |
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160 | In this way it can be used for simple lists or to search for contact records |
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161 | and their identifiers. |
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162 | The optional search criteria includes: |
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163 | \layout Enumerate |
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164 | |
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165 | start - Start at this identifier (integer: default 0) |
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166 | \layout Enumerate |
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167 | |
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168 | limit - Limit to this number of records returned(integer: unlimited by default) |
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169 | \layout Enumerate |
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170 | |
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171 | fieldlist - limit to showing only these fields (array: default to identifier, |
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172 | owner identifier, possibly firstname and lastname) |
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173 | \layout Enumerate |
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174 | |
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175 | filter - Show records that are public or private only, or other system-specific |
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176 | filters, e.g group or company(string: default '') |
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177 | \layout Enumerate |
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178 | |
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179 | query - Search internal fieldlist for a value (string: default '') |
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180 | \layout Standard |
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181 | |
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182 | The return for this method includes: |
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183 | \layout Enumerate |
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184 | |
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185 | count of number of records returned(integer) |
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186 | \layout Enumerate |
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187 | |
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188 | array consisting of: array: identifier => (array: fieldlist key => value |
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189 | pairs) |
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190 | \layout Itemize |
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191 | |
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192 | read |
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193 | \layout Standard |
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194 | |
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195 | Once the identifier for a single contact record is known, the contact may |
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196 | be read for more detail using this method. |
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197 | This takes two parameters: |
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198 | \layout Enumerate |
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199 | |
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200 | identifier - (integer: no default) |
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201 | \layout Enumerate |
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202 | |
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203 | fieldlist - limit to showing only these fields (array: default to identifier, |
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204 | owner identifier, possibly firstname and lastname) |
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205 | \layout Standard |
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206 | |
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207 | And returns: |
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208 | \layout Enumerate |
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209 | |
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210 | array consisting of: array: identifier => (array: fieldlist key => value |
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211 | pairs) |
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212 | \layout Itemize |
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213 | |
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214 | save |
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215 | \layout Standard |
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216 | |
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217 | This is a method used to save an existing record or create a new one. |
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218 | If the identifier for an existing record is not passed, a new entry will |
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219 | be created. |
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220 | \layout Itemize |
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221 | |
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222 | delete |
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223 | \layout Standard |
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224 | |
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225 | This will allow deletion of a record by passing its identifier. |
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226 | \layout Subsubsection |
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227 | |
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228 | Schedule |
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229 | \layout Subsubsection |
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230 | |
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231 | Notes |
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232 | \layout Subsubsection |
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233 | |
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234 | Todo |
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235 | \layout Subsection |
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236 | |
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237 | Examples in XML-RPC |
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238 | \layout Standard |
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239 | |
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240 | Query the contacts service for read_list, using only start and limit to |
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241 | grab the first 5 records, starting with identifier 1. |
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242 | Additionally, return only the firstname and lastname fields n_given and |
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243 | n_family (firstname and lastname in pseudo vcard format): |
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244 | \layout Code |
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245 | |
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246 | <methodCall> |
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247 | \layout Code |
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248 | |
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249 | <methodName>service.contacts.read_list</methodName> |
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250 | \layout Code |
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251 | |
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252 | <params> |
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253 | \layout Code |
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254 | |
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255 | <param> |
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256 | \layout Code |
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257 | |
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258 | <value><struct> |
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259 | \layout Code |
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260 | |
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261 | <member><name>start</name> |
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262 | \layout Code |
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263 | |
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264 | <value><string>1</string></value> |
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265 | \layout Code |
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266 | |
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267 | </member> |
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268 | \layout Code |
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269 | |
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270 | <member><name>limit</name> |
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271 | \layout Code |
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272 | |
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273 | <value><string>5</string></value> |
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274 | \layout Code |
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275 | |
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276 | </member> |
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277 | \layout Code |
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278 | |
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279 | <member><name>fields</name> |
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280 | \layout Code |
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281 | |
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282 | <value><struct> |
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283 | \layout Code |
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284 | |
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285 | <member><name>n_given</name> |
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286 | \layout Code |
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287 | |
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288 | <value><string>n_given</string></value> |
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289 | \layout Code |
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290 | |
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291 | </member> |
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292 | \layout Code |
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293 | |
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294 | <member><name>n_family</name> |
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295 | \layout Code |
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296 | |
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297 | <value><string>n_family</string></value> |
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298 | \layout Code |
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299 | |
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300 | </member> |
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301 | \layout Code |
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302 | |
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303 | </struct></value> |
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304 | \layout Code |
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305 | |
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306 | </member> |
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307 | \layout Code |
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308 | |
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309 | <member><name>query</name> |
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310 | \layout Code |
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311 | |
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312 | <value><string></string></value> |
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313 | \layout Code |
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314 | |
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315 | </member> |
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316 | \layout Code |
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317 | |
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318 | <member><name>filter</name> |
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319 | \layout Code |
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320 | |
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321 | <value><string></string></value> |
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322 | \layout Code |
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323 | |
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324 | </member> |
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325 | \layout Code |
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326 | |
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327 | </struct></value> |
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328 | \layout Code |
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329 | |
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330 | </param> |
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331 | \layout Code |
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332 | |
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333 | </params> |
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334 | \layout Code |
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335 | |
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336 | </methodCall> |
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337 | \layout Section |
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338 | |
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339 | Conclusion |
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340 | \layout Standard |
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341 | |
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342 | This document outlined the following services and methods: |
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343 | \layout Subsection |
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344 | |
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345 | Contacts: |
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346 | \layout Itemize |
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347 | |
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348 | service.contacts.read_list([search criteria]) |
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349 | \layout Itemize |
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350 | |
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351 | service.contacts.read(identifier,[fieldlist]) |
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352 | \layout Itemize |
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353 | |
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354 | service.contacts.save(fields) |
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355 | \layout Itemize |
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356 | |
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357 | service.contacts.delete(identifier) |
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358 | \layout Subsection |
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359 | |
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360 | Schedule: |
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361 | \layout Itemize |
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362 | |
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363 | service.schedule.read_list([search criteria]) |
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364 | \layout Itemize |
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365 | |
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366 | service.schedule.read(identifier,[fieldlist]) |
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367 | \layout Itemize |
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368 | |
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369 | service.schedule.save(fields) |
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370 | \layout Itemize |
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371 | |
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372 | service.schedule.delete(identifier) |
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373 | \layout Subsection |
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374 | |
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375 | Notes: |
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376 | \layout Itemize |
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377 | |
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378 | service.notes.read_list([search criteria]) |
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379 | \layout Itemize |
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380 | |
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381 | service.notes.read(identifier,[fieldlist]) |
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382 | \layout Itemize |
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383 | |
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384 | service.notes.save(fields) |
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385 | \layout Itemize |
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386 | |
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387 | service.notes.delete(identifier) |
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388 | \layout Subsection |
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389 | |
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390 | Todo: |
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391 | \layout Itemize |
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392 | |
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393 | service.todo.read_list(search criteria) |
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394 | \layout Itemize |
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395 | |
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396 | service.todo.read(identifer,[fieldlist]) |
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397 | \layout Itemize |
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398 | |
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399 | service.todo.save(fields) |
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400 | \layout Itemize |
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401 | |
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402 | service.todo.delete(identifier) |
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403 | \the_end |
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