When you write a VistA application that calls VistA Remote Procedure Calls (RPC) it is always a challenge to find the right RPC. You go to FileMan, list RPCs and review them. It gets more complicated if a developer has no FileMan access or knowledge. In the scenario where two developers are involved, front-end and back-end, the M developer has to send the RPC interface updates to the front-end developer. And let’s not forget a technical writer or business analyst that has to document the new or changed RPC at the same time.
VistA RPC Viewer is a development tool that allows to search, list, review, and execute an RPC. It is a web-browser application written using EWD.js. To learn more on a solution to call RPC in EWD.js you can read Calling VistA Remote Procedure Call in EWD.js.
To install VistA RPC Viewer:
- Download VistA RPC Viewer.
- Import the M routines from folder M into your VistA database. You may need to run dos2unix command if you import the routines in GT.M.
- Copy nstVistARPCViewer folder into your EWD.js applications folder (e.g., /home/osehra/www/ewd/).
- Copy the JavaScript files from the node_modules folder into your EWD.js node modules folder (e.g., /home/osehra/node/node_modules/ ) .
To run the application, type the following URL in your browser:
https://localhost:8080/ewd/nstVistARPCViewer/index.html
NOTE: You may need to change localhost or port to point to your EWD.js VistA server.
How to use VistA RPC Viewer.
- Enter the RPC search criteria and click Search for RPC(s). A list with all RPCs found is displayed.
- Click the RPC name from the RPC’s list to view the RPC details.
- Click the Tag value in the RPC details panel to view the corresponding RPC routine.
- Click the RPC name in the RPC details panel to test the RPC.
- Enter the input parameters for the RPC in the RPC Tester form and click Execute. The RPC result shows in Result panel.
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