Discussion Forum: Thread 351107

 Author: apc View Messages Posted By apc
 Posted: Dec 3, 2023 21:03
 Subject: API searches should include alternate numbers
 Viewed: 61 times
 Topic: Suggestions
 Status:Open
 Vote:[Yes|No]
Cancel Message
Cancel		Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

apc (15)

Location:  Germany, Berlin
Member Since Contact Type Status
Nov 23, 2011 Member Does Not Allow Contact Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store Closed Store: BrickItAwayNow
I am using BL API to maintain my own small Collection Inventory sheet.

BL API to get item is GET /items/{type}/{no}
(docs: https://www.bricklink.com/v3/api.page?page=get-item) and apparently there
is no other way

I have a Lego set 6435196 , for which BL API returns an error, since this it
is listed in BL DB as 5007489
https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?S=5007489-1

It can be searched up on BL manually via 6435196, since it is its alternate number.
But unless I am mistaken, this can't be done per API.

If this is the case, API should be made aware of alternate numbers:
* If look up using main number returned nothing, run another search via alternate
numbers.
Depending on your internal architecture and % of items with alternate numbers
it might be an easy job to implement or would require an additional index/cache.

P.S. It would also be nice to add instructions on where to send API-related feedback
to this page [ https://www.bricklink.com/v3/api.page?page=feedback-suggestions-requests
], since there is no API-dedicated forum.

Thanks.