Step by Step Guide to Building a Paperform API Integration in Python

Introduction

Hey there, fellow code wrangler! Ready to dive into the world of Paperform API integration? You're in for a treat. We'll be crafting a sleek Python integration that'll have you manipulating forms like a pro. Let's get cracking!

Prerequisites

Before we jump in, make sure you've got:

• Python 3.7+
• requests library
• A Paperform API key (if you don't have one, grab it from your Paperform dashboard)

Setting up the environment

First things first, let's get our ducks in a row:

pip install requests

Now, let's keep that API key safe:

import os

os.environ['PAPERFORM_API_KEY'] = 'your_api_key_here'

Basic API Connection

Time to test the waters:

import requests

API_KEY = os.getenv('PAPERFORM_API_KEY')
BASE_URL = 'https://api.paperform.co/v1'

headers = {
    'Authorization': f'Bearer {API_KEY}',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
}

response = requests.get(f'{BASE_URL}/forms', headers=headers)
print(response.json())

If you're seeing form data, you're golden!

Core API Operations

Retrieving form data

Let's fetch some forms:

def get_forms():
    response = requests.get(f'{BASE_URL}/forms', headers=headers)
    return response.json()

forms = get_forms()

Submitting form responses

Time to fill out a form programmatically:

def submit_form_response(form_id, data):
    response = requests.post(f'{BASE_URL}/forms/{form_id}/submit', headers=headers, json=data)
    return response.json()

response_data = {
    'name': 'John Doe',
    'email': '[email protected]'
}
result = submit_form_response('your_form_id', response_data)

Updating form fields

Let's tweak that form a bit:

def update_form_field(form_id, field_id, data):
    response = requests.patch(f'{BASE_URL}/forms/{form_id}/fields/{field_id}', headers=headers, json=data)
    return response.json()

field_update = {
    'label': 'Updated Field Label'
}
result = update_form_field('your_form_id', 'field_id', field_update)

Advanced Features

Webhooks integration

Listen up for form submissions:

from flask import Flask, request

app = Flask(__name__)

@app.route('/webhook', methods=['POST'])
def handle_webhook():
    data = request.json
    # Process the webhook data
    return '', 200

if __name__ == '__main__':
    app.run(port=5000)

Handling file uploads

Dealing with files? No sweat:

def upload_file(form_id, field_id, file_path):
    with open(file_path, 'rb') as file:
        files = {'file': file}
        response = requests.post(f'{BASE_URL}/forms/{form_id}/fields/{field_id}/upload', headers=headers, files=files)
    return response.json()

result = upload_file('your_form_id', 'file_field_id', 'path/to/your/file.pdf')

Error Handling and Best Practices

Always wrap your API calls in try-except blocks:

try:
    forms = get_forms()
except requests.RequestException as e:
    print(f"Oops! API call failed: {e}")

And don't forget to implement rate limiting to play nice with the API!

Testing and Debugging

Unit testing is your friend:

import unittest

class TestPaperformAPI(unittest.TestCase):
    def test_get_forms(self):
        forms = get_forms()
        self.assertIsInstance(forms, list)

if __name__ == '__main__':
    unittest.main()

Example Use Case

Let's put it all together with a simple form submission tracker:

def track_submissions(form_id):
    while True:
        submissions = get_form_submissions(form_id)
        print(f"Current submission count: {len(submissions)}")
        time.sleep(60)  # Check every minute

track_submissions('your_form_id')

Conclusion

And there you have it! You're now armed with the knowledge to build some seriously cool Paperform integrations. Remember, the API docs are your best friend for diving deeper. Now go forth and create something awesome!