Sample Call to Fetch the Catalog in PHP

Since a large number of folks have asked, Here's a sample of how to fetch the Netflix Catalog in PHP

Note that for this example, I'm going to use a open source library I created called OAuthSimple to perform the actual signing process. Unfortunately, there's no standard way (yet) to sign requests, and every library has a different take on how this should be done, mine included. I will attempt to explain things as clearly as possible. I'll also note that this uses PHP5 (although it's not difficult to downgrade it to php4, but really, you shouldn't use php4 anymore).

Please note: The keys and signatures used here are fictional and will not work! Please be sure to substitute in your own key and signature.

Now, let's begin:

Here's the code in one big ol' chunk:

view plain

<?php
/* The following is a sample code snippet. Please note that the API key and
shared secret are bogus and will not work.
I'm using OAuthSimple as the library to perform the signatures. It
currently is available for PHP and Javascript, but I'd REALLY appreciate
it if folks could help flesh out versions for Python, .net, and other
languages.
*/
include ('./OAuthSimple.php');
/* Remember, these are bogus. Swap them for the API key and Shared Secret
you got when you registered your Application at
http://developer.netflix.com
*/
$apiKey = 'b0gusK3y001';
$sharedSecret = '1nv4lidS3krit';
// Some sample argument values
/* You can pass in arguments to OAuthSimple either as a string of URL
characters or an array. (See the documentation for OAuthSimple for
details. There's nothing magical going on here, just simple key=>value
pairs. */
$arguments = Array(
term=>'fargo',
expand=>'formats,synopsis',
max_results=> '1',
output=>'json'
);
// this is the URL path (note the lack of arguments.)
$path = "http://api.netflix.com/catalog/titles";
// Create the Signature object.
$oauth = new OAuthSimple();
$signed = $oauth->sign(Array(path=>$path,
parameters=>$arguments,
signatures=> Array('consumer_key'=>$apiKey,
'shared_secret'=>$sharedSecret
/* If you wanted to do queue functions
or other things that require access
tokens and secrets, you'd include them
here as:
'access_token'=>$accessToken,
'access_secret'=>$tokenSecret
*/
)));
// Now go fetch the data.
$curl = curl_init();
curl_setopt($curl,CURLOPT_URL,$signed['signed_url']);
curl_setopt($curl,CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER,1);
curl_setopt($curl,CURLOPT_ENCODING,'gzip,deflate');
curl_setopt($curl,CURLOPT_SETTIMEOUT,2);
$buffer = curl_exec($curl);
if (curl_errno($curl))
{
die ("An error occurred:".curl_error());
}
$result = json_decode($buffer);
?>
Your signed URL:
<?php print $signed['signed_url'] ?>;
And the output is:
<pre>
<?php print print_r($result); ?>
</pre>

<?php
    /* The following is a sample code snippet. Please note that the API key and
      shared secret are bogus and will not work.
      
      I'm using OAuthSimple as the library to perform the signatures. It
      currently is available for PHP and Javascript, but I'd REALLY appreciate
      it if folks could help flesh out versions for Python, .net, and other
      languages.
    */
    
    include ('./OAuthSimple.php');
        
    /* Remember, these are bogus. Swap them for the API key and Shared Secret
      you got when you registered your Application at
      http://developer.netflix.com
    */
    $apiKey = 'b0gusK3y001';
    $sharedSecret = '1nv4lidS3krit';
    
    // Some sample argument values

    /* You can pass in arguments to OAuthSimple either as a string of URL
      characters or an array. (See the documentation for OAuthSimple for
      details. There's nothing magical going on here, just simple key=>value
      pairs. */
    $arguments = Array(
        term=>'fargo',
        expand=>'formats,synopsis',
        max_results=> '1',
        output=>'json'
    );
    
    // this is the URL path (note the lack of arguments.)
    $path = "http://api.netflix.com/catalog/titles";

    // Create the Signature object.
    $oauth = new OAuthSimple();
    $signed = $oauth->sign(Array(path=>$path,
                    parameters=>$arguments,
                    signatures=> Array('consumer_key'=>$apiKey,
                                        'shared_secret'=>$sharedSecret
                                        /* If you wanted to do queue functions
                                          or other things that require access
                                          tokens and secrets, you'd include them
                                          here as:
                                        'access_token'=>$accessToken,
                                        'access_secret'=>$tokenSecret
                                        */
                                        )));
    
    // Now go fetch the data.
    $curl = curl_init();
    curl_setopt($curl,CURLOPT_URL,$signed['signed_url']);
    curl_setopt($curl,CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER,1);
    curl_setopt($curl,CURLOPT_SETTIMEOUT,2);
    $buffer = curl_exec($curl);
    if (curl_errno($curl))
    {
        die ("An error occurred:".curl_error());
    }
    $result = json_decode($buffer);
?>
<p>
<b>Your signed URL:</b></br>
<?php print $signed['signed_url'] ?>;
</p>
<p>
And the output is:</br>
<pre>
<?php print print_r($result); ?>
</pre>
</p>

And the output is:

view plain

Your signed URL:
http://api.netflix.com/catalog/titles?expand=formats%2Csynopsis&max_results=1&oauth_consumer_key=b0gusK3y001&oauth_nonce=iYVfb&oauth_signature=2iVzdkZFYIaPWdV9H3kVoeDjrgY%3D&oauth_signature_method=HMAC-SHA1&oauth_timestamp=1228937002&output=json&term=fargo;
And the output is:
<pre>
stdClass Object
(
[catalog_titles] => stdClass Object
(
[results_per_page] => 1
[url_template] => http://api.netflix.com/catalog/titles?{-join|&|term|start_index|max_results}
[link] => Array
(
[0] => stdClass Object
(
[href] => http://api.netflix.com/catalog/titles/index
[rel] => http://schemas.netflix.com/catalog/titles/index
[title] => index
)
[1] => stdClass Object
(
[href] => http://api.netflix.com/catalog/titles/autocomplete
[rel] => http://schemas.netflix.com/catalog/titles/autocomplete
[title] => autocomplete
)
)
[start_index] => 0
[number_of_results] => 806
[catalog_title] => stdClass Object
(
[average_rating] => 4.0
[box_art] => stdClass Object
(
[large] => http://cdn-7.nflximg.com/us/boxshots/large/493387.jpg
[small] => http://cdn-7.nflximg.com/us/boxshots/tiny/493387.jpg
[medium] => http://cdn-7.nflximg.com/us/boxshots/small/493387.jpg
)
[category] => Array
(
[0] => stdClass Object
(
[term] => R
[scheme] => http://api.netflix.com/categories/mpaa_ratings
[label] => R
)
[1] => stdClass Object
(
[term] => Drama
[scheme] => http://api.netflix.com/categories/genres
[label] => Drama
)
[2] => stdClass Object
(
[term] => Indie Dramas
[scheme] => http://api.netflix.com/categories/genres
[label] => Indie Dramas
)
[3] => stdClass Object
(
[term] => Crime Dramas
[scheme] => http://api.netflix.com/categories/genres
[label] => Crime Dramas
)
[4] => stdClass Object
(
[term] => Dark Humor & Black Comedies
[scheme] => http://api.netflix.com/categories/genres
[label] => Dark Humor & Black Comedies
)
)
[id] => http://api.netflix.com/catalog/titles/movies/493387
[link] => Array
(
[0] => stdClass Object
(
[href] => http://api.netflix.com/catalog/titles/movies/493387/synopsis
[rel] => http://schemas.netflix.com/catalog/titles/synopsis
[title] => synopsis
[synopsis] => Frances McDormand earned an Oscar for her turn as pregnant Sheriff Marge Gunderson, who's sharper than her Northern Minnesota dialect suggests. The intrepid Gunderson bangs on doors and asks questions to unravel a kidnapping plot and the string of murders it provokes. McDormand receives grand support from William H. Macy as a car dealer who conspires with hotheaded kidnappers Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare.
)
[1] => stdClass Object
(
[href] => http://api.netflix.com/catalog/titles/movies/493387/awards
[rel] => http://schemas.netflix.com/catalog/titles/awards
[title] => awards
)
[2] => stdClass Object
(
[href] => http://api.netflix.com/catalog/titles/movies/493387/format_availability
[rel] => http://schemas.netflix.com/catalog/titles/format_availability
[title] => formats
[delivery_formats] => stdClass Object
(
[availability] => stdClass Object
(
[category] => stdClass Object
(
[term] => DVD
[scheme] => http://api.netflix.com/categories/title_formats
[label] => DVD
)
[available_from] => 966297600
)
)
)
[3] => stdClass Object
(
[href] => http://api.netflix.com/catalog/titles/movies/493387/screen_formats
[rel] => http://schemas.netflix.com/catalog/titles/screen_formats
[title] => screen formats
)
[4] => stdClass Object
(
[href] => http://api.netflix.com/catalog/titles/movies/493387/cast
[rel] => http://schemas.netflix.com/catalog/people.cast
[title] => cast
)
[5] => stdClass Object
(
[href] => http://api.netflix.com/catalog/titles/movies/493387/directors
[rel] => http://schemas.netflix.com/catalog/people.directors
[title] => directors
)
[6] => stdClass Object
(
[href] => http://api.netflix.com/catalog/titles/movies/493387/languages_and_audio
[rel] => http://schemas.netflix.com/catalog/titles/languages_and_audio
[title] => languages and audio
)
[7] => stdClass Object
(
[href] => http://api.netflix.com/catalog/titles/movies/493387/similars
[rel] => http://schemas.netflix.com/catalog/titles.similars
[title] => similars
)
[8] => stdClass Object
(
[href] => http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Fargo/493387
[rel] => alternate
[title] => web page
)
)
[runtime] => 5880
[title] => stdClass Object
(
[regular] => Fargo
[short] => Fargo
)
[release_year] => 1996
)
)
)
1
</pre>

Notice that values in the URL are encoded (e.g. the oauth_signature=2iVzdkZFYIaPWdV9H3kVoeDjrgY%3D) Also notice that the secrets are not included in the URL, they're only used for signing the request.

Needless to say, I'm very interested in any feedback you may have and will happily offer additional examples once someone wants to provide them.

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