Use this procedure to access the built-in API Inspector and view internal API messages between the GUI and the operating system. You can filter and search these messages to automate key network operations or develop external applications using the API.
When you perform a task in the APIC graphical user interface (GUI), the GUI creates and sends internal API messages to the operating system to execute the task. By using the API Inspector, which is a built-in tool of the APIC, you can view and copy these API messages. A network administrator can replicate these messages in order to automate key operations, or you can use the messages as examples to develop external applications that will use the API.
Procedure
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Log in to the APIC GUI.
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In the upper right corner of the APIC window, click the System Tools icon to view the drop-down list.
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In the drop-down list, choose the Show API Inspector.
The API Inspector opens in a new browser window.
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In the Filters toolbar of the API Inspector window, choose the types of API log messages to display.
The displayed messages are color-coded according to the selected message types. This table shows the available message types:
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Name
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Description
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trace
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Displays trace messages.
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debug
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Displays debug messages. This type includes most API commands and responses.
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info
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Displays informational messages.
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warn
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Displays warning messages.
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error
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Displays error messages.
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fatal
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Displays fatal messages.
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all
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Checking this checkbox causes all other checkboxes to become checked. Unchecking any other checkbox causes this checkbox to be unchecked.
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In the Search toolbar, you can search the displayed messages for an exact string or by a regular expression.
This table shows the search controls:
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Name
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Description
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Search
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In this text box, enter a string for a direct search or enter a regular expression for a regex search. As you type, the first matched field in the log list is highlighted.
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Reset
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Click this button to clear the contents of the Search text box.
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Regex
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Check this checkbox to use the contents of the Search text box as a regular expression for a search.
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Match case
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Check this checkbox to make the search case sensitive.
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Disable
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Check this checkbox to disable the search and clear the highlighting of search matches in the log list.
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Next
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Click this button to cause the log list to scroll to the next matched entry. This button appears only when a search is active.
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Previous
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Click this button to cause the log list to scroll to the previous matched entry. This button appears only when a search is active.
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Filter
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Check this checkbox to hide nonmatched lines. This checkbox appears only when a search is active.
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Highlight all
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Check this checkbox to highlight all matched fields. This checkbox appears only when a search is active.
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In the Options toolbar, you can arrange the displayed messages.
This table shows the available options:
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Name
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Description
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Log
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Check this checkbox to enable logging.
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Wrap
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Check this checkbox to enable wrapping of lines to avoid horizontal scrolling of the log list.
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Newest at the top
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Check this checkbox to display log entries in reverse chronological order.
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Scroll to latest
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Check this checkbox to scroll immediately to the latest log entry.
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Clear
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Click this button to clear the log list.
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Close
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Click this button to close the API Inspector.
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Example
This example shows two debug messages in the API Inspector window:
13:13:36 DEBUG - method: GET url: http://192.0.20.123/api/class/infraInfra.json
response: {"imdata":[{"infraInfra":{"attributes":{"instanceId":"0:0","childAction":"",
"dn":"uni/infra","lcOwn":"local","name":"","replTs":"never","status":""}}}]}
13:13:40 DEBUG - method: GET url: http://192.0.20.123/api/class/l3extDomP.json?
query-target=subtree&subscription=yes
response: {"subscriptionId":"72057598349672459","imdata":[]}