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Charon API

This Charon API provides a simplified mechanism for executing VistA RPC. The REST API allows business applications the ability interact with VistA without the complexity of integrating EJB technology.

components

Why?

This approach

  • Hides the EJB connection details and knowledge to a single application.
    • Business-level applications just use REST.
    • EJB is communication is difficult to mock for testing or lab use.
    • Easier to ensure EJB and JAAS practices are done correctly since they are done in only one place.
  • Business-level services must know RPC details.
  • Connection details (host, port, etc.) are encapsulated in one location, but still allows specific details to be optionally specified, e.g., the RPC request can just say 673 to connect to Tampa.

Note:

  • Division IEN is needed and determined as station number for the VistA instance. Since the number of Vista instances is fixed and small, this could be "configuration" for the application. Recommendation is to place configuration in a file loaded at boot. The Vista connection file would be managed with deployment unit. Since Vista instances rarely change, this file would rarely need updates. For example:

Invoking RPCs

Clients will invoke the Charon API by posting a request. Requests contain three pieces of information:

  • The VistA credentials. The Charon API does not provide credentials, each application must provide their own.
  • The target vistas. The Charon API allows clients to interact with VistA instances by name, in which case details such as host, port, division IEN, and network connectivity are handled by the API, or directly by specifying Vista coordinates.
  • The RPC details. Clients must provide the RPC name, context, and any parameters. RPC details support macros for performing common, but complex tasks, such as substituting an ICN with vista site specific DNF value. See Macros

typical-use-case

Request structure

POST /charon/v1/rpc

{
  principal: {
    applicationProxyUser: SOME APP PROXY, .. (Optional) Application proxy user
    accessCode: ABC123, .................... Access code
    verifyCode: XYZ987, .................... Verify code
  }
  vista: name/coordinates................... The Vista instance to connect to
  rpc: {
    name: SOME RPC NAME
    context: SOME CONTEXT
    parameters: [   ........................ Optional list of string, reference, or array type parameters
      { string: value },
      { ref: reference },
      { array: [ value, value, ... ] },
      { namedArray: { key: value, key: value, ... }
    ]
  }
}

Response structure

{
   vista: name ........................ The Vista name, typically a site
   timezone: zoneId ................... The timezone of the Vista instance
   response: <payload>,  .............. Whatever the RPC payload is
}

HTTP Status

  • 200 if call is successful.
  • 400 if an RPC fails.
  • 401 if login fails.
  • 403 if any RPC is not available to the RPC context.

    This error is detected by response, e.g., Code: '182006'; Type: 'VPR GET PATIENT DATA JSON'; Message: 'The remote procedure VPR GET PATIENT DATA JSON is not registered to the option XOBV VISTALINK TESTER.'

  • 408 if an RPC times out.

Error Response Structure

{ error: message }

Configuration

Configuration is managed per environment and deployed with the Charon API. You may inspect the configuration using by invoking GET ${charon-url}/v1/rpc/connections

{
  vistas: [
    { name: lomalinda, host: loma-linda.med.va.gov, port: 18105, divisionIen: 605 },
    ...
  ]
}

Authorization Status Support

Charon supports a special API for some authorization use cases. See Authorization Status for details.

Local Development

  • Execute src/scripts/make-configs.sh (requires secrets.conf from a team member)
  • See lighthouse-vista-docker for a local VistA instance

Manually Testing RPCs.

The Charon API provides a test image that can be used for ad-hoc testing of RPCs. There are two Docker-based techniques

charon-tests/test-request-file

  • Recommended technique
  • Specify Charon RPC request as a file
  • Supports all Charon authentication mechanism

Additional Considerations

Charon uses VistaLink XOB libraries that are not available in an easy to use Maven repository. The xob-1.6.0.028 module in this repository provides a utility that can be used install the required libraries locally.