CODEWITHSUNDEEP
box-api
Kevin
Kevin

Reputation: 6292

Stream Position Returned By Box API Cannot Be Used To Track Events

Thanks for your reply for my question: Is this a bug of Box API v2 when getting events

This is a new problem related to this. The problem is that I cannot reliably use the next_stream_position I got from previous calls to track events.

Given this scenario:

Given the following two GET HTTP queries:

1. GET https://api.box.com/2.0/events?stream_position=1336039062458

This one returns the JSON file which contains one file entry of myfile.pdf and the next stream position = 1336039062934

2. GET https://api.box.com/2.0/events?stream_position=1336039062934

This call uses the stream position I got from the first call. However, it returns the JSON contains the exactly same file entry of myfile.pdf with the first call.

I think if the first call gives a stream position, it should be used as a mark for that exact time (say: TIme A). If I use that stream position in subsequent queries, no events before "Time A" should be returned.

Is this a bug? Or did I use the API in the wrong way?

Many thanks.

Upvotes: 2

Views: 988

Answers (3)

Peter
Peter

Reputation: 2599

In order to help you be able to figure out if an event is a duplicate, we have now added to each event an event_id that will be unique. It is our intention that the event_id will allow you to de-duplicate the responses you receive from subsequent GET /events calls.

You can see this reflected in the updated documentation here, including example payloads.

Upvotes: 0

Peter
Peter

Reputation: 2599

Box events currently give you a window roughly 5 seconds into the past, so that you don't miss some event.

We have considered just delaying the events we send you by about 5 seconds and de-duplicating the events on our side, but at this point we've turned the dial more towards real-time. Let us know if you'd prefer a fully de-duped stream, that was slower.

For now, (in beta) if you write your client to check for duplicate events, and discard them, that will be best. We are about to add an event_id to the payload so you can de-duplicate on that. Until then, you'll have to look at a bunch of fields, depending on the event type... It's probably more challenging that it is worth.

Upvotes: 2

seanrose
seanrose

Reputation: 8695

Box’s /events endpoint is focused on delivering to you a highly reliable list of all the events relevant to your Box account. Events are registered against a time-sequenced list we call the stream_position. When you hit the /events API and pass in a stream_position we respond to you with the events that happened slightly before that stream position, up to the current stream_position, or the chunk_size, whichever is lesser. Due to timing lag and our preference to make sure you don’t miss some event, you may receive duplicate events when you call the /events API. You may also receive events that look like they are ‘before’ events that you’ve already received. Our philosophy is that it is better for you to know what has happened, than to be in the dark and miss something important.

Upvotes: 2

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