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Forms

In this document

Forms

Forms are a hypermedia control that creates new resources. Forms are generally rendered on the UI as input fields or submit buttons.

With forms, you can discover:
  • The properties required to create a resource.
  • The link to invoke the creation of a resource.
Cortex forms follow this format:
  • A type that indicates the properties that will be created in the resource.

  • Properties that define the data required to create a resource. Properties are optional, as some resources don't require data to create them.

  • Links, called action links, that invoke the creation of a resource. If an action link doesn't exist on the form, the resource cannot be created.

Form Example: Adding to cart

The items resource's addtocartform form link enables you to add the item to a cart, which means a new cart lineitem resource is created for the item. The form's type application/vnd.elasticpath.cart.lineitem indicates the form creates a cart lineitem resource: 
  1. {
  2.   "rel": "addtocartform",  
  3.   "type": "elasticpath.carts.line-item",
  4.   "uri": "/commerce-legacy/carts/items/mobee/m5yxi=/form",
  5.   "href": "http://api.elasticpath.net/cortex/carts/items/mobee/m5yxi=/form"
  6. }
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Retrieving the addtocartform form link returns the form resource, which lists the properties and actions available for the form. In this example, the form contains:
  • quantity - this property indicates the item's quantity must be specified before the item can be added to cart.
  • addtodefaultcart - this action link adds the item to the shopper's cart.
  1. {
  2.   "self": {
  3.     "type": "elasticpath.carts.line-item",
  4.     "uri": "/commerce-legacy/carts/items/mobee/m5yxi=/form",
  5.     "href": "http://api.elasticpath.net/cortex/carts/items/mobee/m5yxi=/form"
  6.   },
  7.   "quantity": 0
  8.   "links": [
  9.     {
  10.       "rel": "addtodefaultcartaction",
  11.       "uri": "/commerce-legacy/carts/mobee/default/lineitems/items/mobee/m5yxi=",
  12.       "href": "http://api.elasticpath.net/cortex/carts/mobee/default/lineitems/items/mobee/m5yxi="  
  13.     }
  14.   ]
  15. }
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To add the item to the cart, construct a POST request using the form fields as the request body and the URL defined by the action link: 
  1. POST /carts/mobee/default/lineitems/items/mobee/m5yxi=
  2. Content-Type: application/json
  3. {
  4.   "quantity" : 1
  5. }
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If the action succeeds, Cortex returns status code 201 CREATED and a Location header with a reference to the newly created resource. If the action succeeds but results in modifying an existing resource rather than creating a new resource, then Cortex returns status code 200 OK and a Location header with a reference to the modified resource. 
  1. 201 CREATED
  2. Location: http://api.elasticpath.net/cortex/carts/mobee/mjt=/lineitems/gyz=  
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Forms can be used with the FollowLocation request parameter to reduce the number of calls required to retrieve a newly created resource. Followlocation instructs Cortex to retrieve the resource referenced in the Location header and return it in the response body.