Name: https

Type: keyword

Syntax: https

Summary: Used as a <URL> type with such <command|commands> as <put> and <get> to designate a <file> on the World Wide Web.

Introduced: 2.5

OS: mac,windows,linux,ios,android

Platforms: desktop,server,web,mobile

Security: network

Example:
set the htmlText of field 1 to URL "https://example.org/data.html"

Example:
put URL "https://www.example.com/output?this=that" into testData

Example:
put line 2 of URL "https://www.example.com/stuff/" into testDate

The result: If an error occurs during transfer of the data, the error is placed in the result <function>. The first <word> returned by the <result> <function> is "error", followed (where appropriate) by the text of the error message returned by the HTTP <server>, including the server response code. >*Important:*  If there is an error downloading an <https> <URL(keyword)>, the <URL(keyword)> <container> does not necessarily <evaluate> to empty. Most <HTTP> <server|servers> send an error page when the file is not found or another error occurs, and the URL <container> will evaluate to the contents of this page. Before using the data in a URL <container>, check the <result> to make sure it is empty and there was no error. >*Important:*  If a <blocking> operation involving a <URL(keyword)> (using the <put> <command> to <upload> a <URL(keyword)>, the <post> <command>, the <delete URL> <command>, or a <statement> that gets an <ftp> or <HTTP> <URL(keyword)>) is going on, no other <blocking> <URL(keyword)> operation can start until the previous one is finished. If you attempt to use a <URL(keyword)> in an <expression>, or put data into a <URL(keyword)>, while another <blocking> <URL(keyword)> operation is in progress, the <result> is set to "Error Previous request not completed". Downloading a URL does not prevent other messages from being sent during the download: the current handler is blocked during the download, but other handlers are not. This means that if, for example, your application has a button that downloads a URL, the user might click the button again (or click another <button> that <download|downloads> another <URL(keyword)>) while the first <URL(keyword)> is still being <download|downloaded>. In this case, the second <download> is not performed and the <result> is set to "error Previous request has not completed." To avoid this problem, you can set a flag while a URL is being <download|downloaded>, and check that <flag> when trying to <download> <URL(glossary)|URLs> to make sure that there is not already a current <download> in progress.

Description:
Use the http <keyword> to work with <files> on the Web.

The URL scheme "http" indicates information located on a web server. An http <URL(keyword)> consists of:
        1. The string "https://"
        2. An optional user name and password, separated by a colon (:) and followed by "@"
        3. The name of the server (for instance, "example.net") followed by a slash
        4. The location of the resource (often, a file path).

Here are some examples of valid <https> <URL(glossary)|URLs>:

https://www.example.com
The main page for the server "www.example.com"

https://www.example.com/directory/
A directory on the server

https://www.example.com/directory/file.html
A file on the server

https://user:password@www.example.com/file.txt
A file accessed by a user name and password

https://www.example.com/directory/stuff.html?list=yes
A page generated by a query--possibly generated by a CGI

>*Important:*  If your user name or password contains any of the characters ":", "@", "/", ".", or "|", use the URLEncode <function> to safely encode the user name or password before putting them into the <URL(keyword)>. The following example constructs a <URL(keyword)> for a user whose password contains the "@" character:

        put "name" into userName
 put "jdoe@example.com" into userPassword
        put "https://" & userName & ":" & URLEncode(userPassword) \
            & "@www.example.net/index.html" into fileURLToGet
        get URL fileURLToGet

An http <URL(keyword)> is a <container>, and you can use the <expression> URL httpURL in any statement where any other <container> type is used. When you get the <value> of an http <URL(keyword)>, LiveCode downloads the <URL(keyword)> from the <server>. (If you have previously <cache|cached> the URL with the <load> <command>, it fetches the <URL(keyword)> from the <cache>.)

>*Note:* Transferring a <URL(keyword)> by using it in an <expression> is a <blocking> operation: that is, the <handler> pauses until LiveCode is finished getting the <URL(keyword)>. Since contacting a <server> may take some time due to network lag, <URL(keyword)> operations may take long enough to be noticeable to the user.

The following example shows how to set a flag in a global variable to prevent multiple downloads. The variable "downloadInProgress" is set to true while a download is going on, and back to false when the download concludes. If the user clicks the button again while the download is still going on, the handler simply beeps:

  on mouseUp
    global downloadInProgress
    if downloadInProgress then
      beep
      exit mouseUp
    end if
    put true into downloadInProgress -- about to start
    put URL (field "Page to get") into field "Command Result"
    put false into downloadInProgress -- finished
  end mouseUp

For technical information about URLs and the <https> <URL(keyword)> scheme, see RFC 1630 at http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1630.txt.

>*Important:*  The <https> <keyword> is part of the <Internet library> and the SSL & Encryption library. To ensure that the <keyword> works in a <standalone application>, you must include this <Revolution custom library|custom library> when you create your <standalone application|standalone>. In the Inclusions section of the <Standalone Application Settings> window, make sure "Internet" and "SSL & Encryption" is selected in the list of script libraries.

>*Note:* When included in a <standalone application>, the <Internet library> is implemented as a hidden <group> and made available when the <group> receives its first <openBackground> message. During the first part of the <application|application's> startup process, before this <message> is sent, the http <keyword> is not yet available. This may affect attempts to use this <keyword> in <startup>, <preOpenStack>, <openStack>, or <preOpenCard> <handler|handlers> in the <main stack>. Once the <application> has finished starting up, the <library> is available and the http <keyword> can be used in any <handler>.

References: startup (message), openBackground (message), preOpenStack (message), openStack (message), preOpenCard (message), Internet library (library), library (library), Revolution custom library (library), URL (keyword), file (keyword), ftp (keyword), button (keyword), word (keyword), http (keyword), application (glossary), standalone application (glossary), evaluate (glossary), server (glossary), blocking (glossary), cache (glossary), statement (glossary), URL (glossary), command (glossary), container (glossary), expression (glossary), main stack (glossary), keyword (glossary), Standalone Application Settings (glossary), upload (glossary), download (glossary), message (glossary), flag (glossary), handler (glossary), result (function), files (function), libURLErrorData (function), value (function), post (command), put (command), load (command), group (command), delete URL (command), get (command), libURLSetCustomHTTPHeaders (command), function (control_st)
