Intermittent "Authorization Required" exception when logging into servicem8 API from FileMaker

Question

I have a FileMaker application which pulls Jobs (and clients etc) from servicem8 using the API. As its a private application I just use username/password in the GET_URL. It usually works, but now and then will not login correctly, and I get the message: - "Authorisation Required"

Restarting FileMaker and/or pasting the URL directly into a browser then trying again seems to resolve the problem.

The only other consistent behaviour seems to be that once it fails once, it will not work again until I restart as above.

Anyone found similar issues or have any ideas?

Answer 1

For Private applications servicem8 uses HTTP Basic Authentication. You can try to reset cached request by calling the same url from FileMaker with a different, but incorrect username and password and then repeating the original request with correct credentials.

servicem8 documentation uses curl for authentication examples and I think this will work better. To implement curl you will need a plugin, like BaseElements or MBS, although on a mac curl could be called through AppleScript.

Answer 2

Try using

• BE_Curl_Set_Option ( "CURLOPT_HTTPAUTH" ; 1 )

---

From This BaseElements help article, we can be sure that Basic clearly isn't the default method:

• BE_Curl_Set_Option ( "CURLOPT_HTTPAUTH" ; 1 ) forces Basic auth for some sites that won't work with the defaults.

ServiceM8 will work consistently with basic auth for private applications as you say, but there are other authentications that will only work when other valid session data is present, which can be misleading when it works at times and not others.