Call the Qlik Sense QRS API with Python

Damien_Villaret · Jan 4, 2019 9:22:35 AM

This article is a guide on how to call the Qlik Sense Repository API using Python.

Environments:

Qlik Sense any version
Python 3.x

Prerequisites to host the app on a different server

Export the certificates from the QMC, provide a password and select platform independent PEM-format in the Export file format for certificates option.
Copy the client.pem and client_key.pem certificates to the external server where the application is hosted.

The Qlik Sense Repository (QRS) API is a RESTful API, so in order to call it from Python, you would need to use a module such as requests

This can be simply installed using pip:

pip install requests

Option 1: Connecting using certificates

Create a python file test.py with the following contents (strings in red should be replaced to match your environment):

import requests

requests.packages.urllib3.disable_warnings()

#Set up necessary headers comma separated
xrf = 'iX83QmNlvu87yyAB'
headers = {'X-Qlik-xrfkey': xrf,
"Content-Type": "application/json",
"X-Qlik-User":"UserDirectory=DOMAIN;UserId=Administrator"}

#Set up the certificate path
cert = 'C:\certificates\clientandkey.pem'

#Set the endpoint URL
url = 'https://qlikserver1.domain.local:4242/qrs/app/full?xrfkey={}'.format(xrf)

#Call the endpoint to get the list of Qlik Sense apps
resp = requests.get(url, headers=headers, verify=False, cert=cert)

if resp.status_code != 200:
    # Returns an error if something went wrong.
    raise ApiError('GET /qrs/app/full {}'.format(resp.status_code))
for app in resp.json():
    print('{} {}'.format(app['id'], app['name']))

The clientandkey.pem file should look like below and contains both private key and certificate in pem format (Certificate and private key can be exported from QMC and it can be merged manually using a text editor)

If you get an error involving certificates change the following line in the code
cert = 'C:\certificates\clientandkey.pem'
by
cert = ('C:/certificates/client.pem', 'C:/certificates/client_key.pem')

Option 2: Connecting using Windows authentication

You will need to also install the following module to handle NTLM authentication:

pip install requests_ntlm

Create a python file test.py with the following contents (strings in red should be replaced to match your environment):

import requests
from requests_ntlm import HttpNtlmAuth

requests.packages.urllib3.disable_warnings()

#Set up necessary headers comma separated
xrf = 'iX83QmNlvu87yyAB'
headers = {'X-Qlik-xrfkey': xrf,
"Content-Type": "application/json",
"User-Agent":"Windows"}

#Set up user credentials
user_auth = HttpNtlmAuth('domain\\user1','MyPassword')

#add xrfkey to URL
url = 'https://qlikserver1.domain.local/qrs/app/full?xrfkey={}'.format(xrf)

#Call the endpoint to get the list of Qlik Sense apps
resp = requests.get(url,headers = headers,verify=False,auth=user_auth)

if resp.status_code != 200:
    # Returns an error if something went wrong.
    raise ApiError('GET /qrs/app/full {}'.format(resp.status_code))
for app in resp.json():
    print('{1} {0}'.format(app['id'], app['name']))

Example of result obtained:

PS C:\certificates> python test.py
9b428869-0fba-4ba5-9f94-901ae2fdf041 test1
72e183c7-f838-4a8e-8e16-1014aa80acb4 License Monitor
38476273-ae47-475b-bee0-68cffa384ae1 Operations Monitor
9cdad10c-a230-4c78-b4f7-0d97ca30a48a testuser2
9fa859ed-b59c-4574-bf26-2620e09f1289 test1(1)
d3c96fe7-2b3b-457a-82d7-2b32edbf4190 License Monitor_22.0.4.0
df32a902-bccb-4187-8c64-4223f6694f7c Operations Monitor_22.0.4.0

! The information in this article is provided as-is and to be used at own discretion. Ongoing support on the solution is not provided by Qlik Support.

cpra_qlik · ‎2022-02-25

Hi @Damien_Villaret ,

this is an amazing article, which I have been able to use and works as expected. I have a question though:

We are using a third party server provider for our ssl certificate.

The question I have is using the PEM files, as per above i.e. Qlik default ones is the connection secure?

Or do we need to generate equivalent PEM files from our ssl certificate ?

Damien_Villaret · ‎2022-02-28

Hello @cpra_qlik

In the current product design, it's not possible to replace the QlikClient certificate by a 3rd party generated certificate. The API can only be called by the QlikClient certificate generated by Qlik Sense itself.

DavidFosterVF · ‎2022-05-19

@Damien_Villaret will this approach work via the proxy server rather than direct to port 4242?

Damien_Villaret · ‎2022-05-19

@DavidFosterVF

Yes, that's what option 2 is explaining if you scroll down in the article.

DavidFosterVF · ‎2022-05-19

@Damien_Villaret got it working now. Thanks

LDR · ‎2022-10-24

Hi @Damien_Villaret ,

First at all thanks for sharing this example.

I'd like to know how to adapt your script to obtain the script for each app. I mean, I'd like to send the request below:

{
"handle": 1,
"method": "GetScript",
"params": {}
}

I understand your script is working with the Global object and to run the GetScript request I have to work with Doc object. The list of docs objects can be obtained from your script however I don't know how to request "GetScript".

Thanks

Sonja_Bauernfeind · ‎2022-11-03

Hello @LDR

To receive more direct assistance with your customisation request, I would recommend posting about this in the correct forum (APIs and Intregations ).

All the best,
Sonja

LDR · ‎2022-11-03

Hi @Sonja_Bauernfeind

I'll do that. However, so far I'm learning about Qlik APIs maybe REST APIs will be enough according my requirements.

Thanks for your point of view

Kellerassel · ‎2023-08-22

@Damien_Villaret Works perfectly. But how can I verify the certificates to avoid getting warnings all the time?

Call the Qlik Sense QRS API with Python