Level Extreme .NET Magazine April 2008 issue

Universal Thread Magazine March 2007 issue

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Universal Thread documentation

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Manage your account for the messages area options, your subscription information, your invoicing, youir banners and your picturesSubscribe to the Universal Thread and get all the benefits related to the messages areaA corporate subscription is needed for companies that have more than one developerAccess the Universal Thread store to purchase your subscription and bannersThe Universal Thread is covering several conferences per year. On site, reporters cover the technical aspect of the conference as well as making interviews, taking pictures and videos and other related content. Get all the reports from our coverages site.Universal Thread home pageLevel Extreme .NET Magazine, a newly published online magazine by Level Extreme about Microsoft .NET technology and its communityUniversal Thread Magazine, a magazine dedicated to the Visual FoxPro community

The Universal Thread Web Service provides access to specific methods to retrieve specific content either from the messages area or from specific content such as the latest news, the upcoming events, the list of articles and the list of user group meetings. By that, you can manipulate specific content locally as well as the ability to query for specific requests.
List of methods supported

The Universal Thread Web Service is bound to the same copyright as the Universal Thread. Thus, any data downloaded locally is for your own needs only.

For security reason, we do not include the relationship fields in the table.

Some of its functionalities are intended to allow members to download specific pieces of data. It is in no way a replacement for the online interface. Despite the fact that it might be interpreted in some ways as a mechanism to read messages offline, it is not replacing the online interface. Those functionalites only provide some mechanisms to download specific pieces of data which could be used as a local search and for your own archive.

Methods specific to the authentication: Methods specific to the messages area: Methods specific to the content publishing: Methods specific to user groups: Generic methods: You must execute the Login() method prior to any other calls.

List of methods supported by a DataSet

The following list of methods are supporting the result into a DataSet format.
  • GetAvailablePositionDataSet()
  • GetConsultantDataSet()
  • GetConferenceDataSet()
  • GetForumDataSet()
  • GetNewsDataSet()
  • GetProfileDataSet()
  • GetUserGroupMeetingDataSet()
  • GetUserGroupPictureDataSet()
  • GetUserGroupSpeakerDataSet()
GetCategory(lnForum)
    Extract the category list.

    ParameterExplanation
    lnForum The forum ID can be obtained by issuing a query to get the forum table

    0 - All forums
    n - Forum ID
GetForum()
    Extract the forum list.
GetLogged()
    Retrieve the list of logged members in the Universal Thread online interface.
GetMessage(ldDate,lnForum)
    Extract all messages for a specific day.

    ParameterExplanation
    ldDate Enter the date to retrieve the messages
    lnForum The forum ID can be obtained by issuing a query to get the forum table

    0 - All forums you are participating into
    n - Forum ID
GetMessageID(lnMessage)
    Retrieves a specific message.

    ParameterExplanation
    lnMessage Enter the message ID to retrieve
GetMessageNoAnswer(ldDate)
    Extract all messages for a specific day which didn't get a reply.

    ParameterExplanation
    ldDate Enter the date to retrieve the messages
GetNewMessage(lnForum)
    Extract all new messages.

    ParameterExplanation
    lnForum The forum ID can be obtained by issuing a query to get the forum table

    0 - All forums you are participating into
    n - Forum ID
GetPrivate()
    Returns the list of your privates messages which hasn't been read. When executing this method, this does not affect the Web interface. Thus, when logging in, those messages will still be available as unread private messages. This is mainly to be used as an identifier to let you know you have new unread private messages and also for your reading purpose.
GetReply()
    Returns the list of replies to your messages which hasn't been read. When executing this method, this does not affect the Web interface. Thus, when logging in, those messages will still be available as unread reply messages. This is mainly to be used as an identifier to let you know you have new unread reply messages and also for your reading purpose.
GetThread(lnThread)
    Extract all messages for a specific thread.

    ParameterExplanation
    lnThread Enter the thread ID to retrieve the messages for
IsLogged(lnMember)
    Return .T. if the specific member is logged. This is in regards to the Web interface. The retrieve time goes back 5 minutes in time.

    ParameterExplanation
    lnMember Enter the member ID to detect if he/she is logged
IsNewMessage(lnForum)
    Return .T. if new messages are present since the last time you visited the related forum(s).

    ParameterExplanation
    lnForum The forum ID can be obtained by issuing a query to get the forum table

    0 - All forums you are participating into
    n - Forum ID
Login(lcUsername,lcPassword)
    This is the method you need to call prior to any other methods. This will establish your login to the Universal Thread.

    ParameterExplanation
    lcUsername Universal Thread username
    lcPassword Universal Thread password
Methods specific to the content publishing

GetArticle(ldStartDate,ldEndDate)
    Retrieves the article entries that have been created between the two given dates and for the given forum.

    ParameterExplanation
    ldStartDate First day to retrieve the entries
    ldEndDate Last day to retrieve the entries
GetAvailablePosition(ldStartDate,ldEndDate)
    Retrieves the job entries that have been created between the two given dates and for the given forum.

    ParameterExplanation
    ldStartDate First day to retrieve the consulting companies
    ldEndDate Last day to retrieve the consulting companies
GetBook(ldStartDate,ldEndDate)
    Retrieves the book entries that have been created between the two given dates and for the given forum.

    ParameterExplanation
    ldStartDate First day to retrieve the consulting companies
    ldEndDate Last day to retrieve the consulting companies
GetConsultant()
    Retrieves the consultants.
GetConference(ldStartDate,ldEndDate)
    Retrieves the upcoming conference entries that have been created between the two given dates and for the given forum. This is in regards to upcoming conferences only. It is not related to a conference coverage. If you wish to get the upcoming conferences as per their date of presentation, you may use GetConferenceOnDateOfPresentation().

    ParameterExplanation
    ldStartDate First day to retrieve the entries
    ldEndDate Last day to retrieve the entries
GetConferenceOnDateOfPresentation(ldDate)
    Returns the upcoming conferences based on their date of presentation based on a start date and for the given forum.

    ParameterExplanation
    ldDate Retrieve any entry from that date
GetConsulting(ldStartDate,ldEndDate)
    Retrieves the consulting companies which match the specific criterias.

    ParameterExplanation
    ldStartDate First day to retrieve the consulting companies
    ldEndDate Last day to retrieve the consulting companies
GetDownload(ldStartDate,ldEndDate)
    Retrieves the download entries which match the specific criterias. The difference between the start date and end date should be between 30 days.

    ParameterExplanation
    ldStartDate First day to retrieve the entries
    ldEndDate Last day to retrieve the entries
GetFAQ(ldStartDate,ldEndDate)
    Retrieves the Frequently Asked Questions entries which match the specific criterias.

    ParameterExplanation
    ldStartDate First day to retrieve the entries
    ldEndDate Last day to retrieve the entries
GetLink(ldStartDate,ldEndDate)
    Retrieves the link entries that have been created between the two given dates and for the given forum.

    ParameterExplanation
    ldStartDate First day to retrieve the consulting companies
    ldEndDate Last day to retrieve the consulting companies
GetMagazine(ldStartDate,ldEndDate)
    Retrieves the magazines entries that have been created between the two given dates and for the given forum.

    ParameterExplanation
    ldStartDate First day to retrieve the consulting companies
    ldEndDate Last day to retrieve the consulting companies
GetNews(ldStartDate,ldEndDate)
    Retrieves the news which match the specific criterias. When you enter 0 for the forum ID, this will also include all the general news. Those news will be identified with a NoForum field value of 0. The difference between the start date and end date should be between 30 days.

    ParameterExplanation
    ldStartDate First day to retrieve the news
    ldEndDate Last day to retrieve the news
GetTraining()
    Retrieves the training companies.
VFPApp()
    Extract the list of Visual FoxPro applications.
Methods specific to user groups

GetUserGroup(ldStartDate,ldEndDate)
    Returns the user group entries that have been created between the two given dates and for the given forum.

    ParameterExplanation
    ldStartDate First day to retrieve the user group news
    ldEndDate Last day to retrieve the user group news
GetUserGroupMeeting(ldStartDate,ldEndDate,lnUserGroupID)
    Returns the user group meetings entries that have been created between the two given dates for the corresponding user group.

    ParameterExplanation
    ldStartDate First day to retrieve the user group news
    ldEndDate Last day to retrieve the user group news
    lnUserGroupID The user group ID can be obtained here.
GetUserGroupSpeaker(ldStartDate,ldEndDate,lnUserGroupID)
    Return all speakers who give at least one presentation for a specific user group.

    ParameterExplanation
    ldStartDate Start date to look up for meetings
    ldEndDate End date to look up for meetings
    lnUserGroupID The user group ID can be obtained here.
GetUserGroupSpeaker(lnUserGroupID)
    Return all pictures for a specific user group.

    ParameterExplanation
    lnUserGroupID The user group ID can be obtained here.
Generic methods

GetProfile(lnMember)
    Return the profile of a member.

    ParameterExplanation
    lnMember Enter the member ID to obtain the profile
How to use it?

From your environment, you can instantiate an object to our Web Service and you should be ready to consume it.

Our WSDL file is at http://www.universalthread.com/WebService/UniversalThread.asmx.

Here is a sample for .NET developers. 
' This assume the Web reference has been added in the project under this name
Dim loUT As UniversalThread.UniversalThread = New UniversalThread.UniversalThread

Dim llLogged AS Boolean
Dim lcXML As String

' Create the cookie container
loUT.CookieContainer = New System.Net.CookieContainer

' Do the login and just show the status
llLogged = loUT.Login("myusername", "mypassword")
If llLogged Then
   MessageBox.Show("Login successfull!")
   Else
   MessageBox.Show("Login failed!")
End If

' Call a method as an example to retrieve the latest .NET news for the last 15 days
lcXML = loUT.GetNews(DateAdd("d", -15, Date.Today), Date.Today(), 44)

' Just show the XML string that was returned
MessageBox.Show(lcXML)

Here is a sample for Visual FoxPro developers. 
* Create the SOAP object
loUniversalThread=Createobject("mssoap.soapclient30")
loUniversalThread.mssoapinit("http://www.universalthread.com/WebService/
 universalthread.asmx?WSDL")

lcUsername='something'
lcPassword='something'

* Do the login
loUniversalThread.Login(lcUsername,lcPassword)

* Call a method
* Get the message for one day
lcXML=loUniversalThread.GetMessage(DATE(),5)
Version history for Universal Thread Web Service

May 4, 2008 - Version 4.8
Universal content now applied to Web Service.

January 14, 2006 - Version 4.7
The GetFAQ() method no longer has a restriction on the number of days to retrieve the FAQ.

August 4, 2004 - Version 4.6
The Search() method is no longer supported. All the search requests should be done from the Universal Thread Web site by the use of the messages area.

September 17, 2004 - Version 4.5
Addition of GetAvailablePositionDataSet(), GetConsultant() and GetConsultantDataSet() methods. GetAvailablePosition() also now includes the city, state and country.

October 29, 2003 - Version 4.4
Addition of GetUserGroupPicture() and GetUserGroupPictureDataSet() methods.

October 27, 2003 - Version 4.3
Adjustments in the GetUserGroupMeeting() method. Support for DataSet return for GetConferenceDataSet(), GetForumDataSet(), GetNewsDataSet(), GetProfileDataSet(), GetUserGroupMeetingDataSet() and GetUserGroupSpeakerDataSet().

June 10, 2003 - Version 4.2
GetMessage() now accepts a second parameter to specify a forum or 0 for all forum. GetNewMessage() has been created to get the new messages since the last login. It accepts one parameter to specify a forum or 0 for all forum.

June 2, 2003 - Version 4.1
The IsNewMessage() method has been added. This allows a member to know if new messages have been created since the last login.

February 11, 2003 - Version 3.0
As of today, the Universal Thread Web Service includes all methods for the Visual FoxPro Zone. So, you only have to use this Web Service from now on. New methods have been added: GetConferenceOnDateOfPresentation(), GetConsulting(), Get FAQ(), GetUserGroupNews(). Actual methods have been adjusted at the parameter level: GetArticleMagazine(), GetAvailablePosition(), GetBook(), GetConference(), GetLink(), GetMagazine() and GetUserGroupMeeting().

November 3, 2002 - Version 2.1
GetDownload() now includes the Url field in the returned XML string. GetArticle() now includes articles as well from the GetArticleMagazine() method. GetArticle() now includes two additional parameters to specify the start and end dates. Those two parameters, in order to remain standard as per the other methods, are parameter 1st and 2nd.

July 12, 2002 - Version 2.0
We released today our new version. This new version is faster, does not require any manipulation with the SOAP header and uses a conventional login approach that can be done on your first call to our Web Service in order to identify yourself. You need to use the Microsoft SOAP Toolkit 3 or newer.

November 29, 2001 - Version 1.0
This was our first version of the Web Service.

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