SOLVED Sorry, non-Teensy question, but I need help getting data from a web server using ESP32

[KrisKasprzak]

All,

I realize this is purely an ESP32 question, and I apologize for asking it here, but this forum is too helpful for me to go elsewhere.

I have a working ESP32 can can ping the national weather service for data. I can also get stock data from yahoo. Passing a special URL and i get a JSON back--which I can parse.

I'm now trying to get data from Race Monitor https://www.race-monitor.com/. I have an account, a personal token ,and end point addresses--basically everything I need to ping their sever and get JSON data back. I have a test curl that works and returns data, so I know my token and end points are valid.

curl: curl https://api.race-monitor.com/v2/Common/CurrentRaces --data "apiToken=MY_PERSONAL_TOKEN"

I'm trying to feed the url and token into the ESP like I do with other programs but I only get back a 403 error. I'm not sure how (or if I can send the curl using the web libraries for the ESP

The help documentation makes is sound easy, but i'm out of my area of expertise

Here's my code, I'm guessing the issue is how I use the POST method, but not sure. Any know what I can do? Race Monitor support will not assist debugging at this level.

#include <WiFi.h>        // Use in additional boards manager https://dl.espressif.com/dl/package_esp32_index.json
#include <WebServer.h>   // Use in additional boards manager https://dl.espressif.com/dl/package_esp32_index.json
#include <HTTPClient.h>  // Use in additional boards manager https://dl.espressif.com/dl/package_esp32_index.json


// enter your local intranet SSID and password
#define HOME_SSID "MY_HOME_SSID"
#define PASSWORD "MY_PASSWORD"


const char *token = "apiToken=MY_PERSONAL_TOKEN";
const char *serverName = "https://api.race-monitor.com/v2/Common/CurrentRaces/";

int httpResponseCode = 0;

IPAddress Actual_IP;
IPAddress PR_IP(192, 168, 1, 1);
IPAddress gateway(192, 168, 1, 1);
IPAddress subnet(255, 255, 255, 0);
IPAddress ip;

WebServer server(80);
HTTPClient http;

void setup() {

  Serial.begin(115200);
  Serial.println("Starting");

  WiFi.begin(HOME_SSID, PASSWORD);
  while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED) {
    delay(500);
    Serial.print(".");
  }
  Actual_IP = WiFi.localIP();

  // print the SSID of the network you're attached to:
  Serial.print("SSID: ");
  Serial.println(WiFi.SSID());

  http.setTimeout(6000);

  http.begin(serverName);

  httpResponseCode = http.POST(token);

  Serial.print("HTTP Response code: ");
  Serial.println(httpResponseCode);
 
  // if successful I can parse the JSON.
 
  // i get a 403
  //"You'll receive this message if your API Token isn't valid,
  // or if you're not allowed to access the requested data. Some data may
  // not be available via the API for varying reasons (e.g., race has forbidden
  // third party access).

  http.end();
}


void loop() {
}

 

[KrisKasprzak]

SOLVED....

posting as this may help others

1. build complex string with url AND token AND any optional switches
2. send same complex URL to begin and POST


const char *serverName = "https://api.race-monitor.com/v2/Live/GetSession?apiToken=MY_PERSONAL_TOKEN&raceID=140423";


Then later in code
http.begin(serverName);
httpResponseCode = http.POST(serverName);