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iContact 2.0 API Integration PHP ExampleMike Peters, 12-25-2009 |
One of the cool features of SPI's Autoresponder service, is its ability to seamlessly integrate with third party autoresponders.
Once you designate an autoresponder as a third-party one, SPI will continue applying your predefined rules for adding/removing members from that autoresponder, while notifying the third-party service (GetResponse, iContact, AWeber) automatically.
Over the last few days, we have battling with iContact's new API. iContact announced their 2.0 API back on February 2009, but it's still labeled as "beta" and there's little to no documentation available online.
The SPI-iContact integration was using version 1.0 and our intention was to continue using that version until 2.0 is officially released.
Unfortunately, with no prior warning, version 1.0 stopped working and is no longer honoring requests to add contacts / subscriptions records.
iContact's API external login page is down. The help section is down:
And the developer forums are ghost town USA.
Ok, rant over.
We really like the folks at iContact. They offer an easy to use and inexpensive entry-level autoresponder service. I just wish they would update the API documentation.
The purpose of this post is to help others who are going through integrating with the iContact 2.0 API by providing simple PHP examples for adding a contract, subscripting a contact to a list and unsubscribing.
We haven't been able to find anything like this online, so I'm pretty sure this will help others going through the integration process.
The code below is self-contained. No need to use any other libraries.
function IContactLogin($account_id, $key, $user, $pass, &$client_folder_id)
{
// Build iContact authentication
$headers = array(
'Accept: text/xml',
'Content-Type: text/xml',
'Api-Version: 2.0',
'Api-AppId: ' . $key,
'Api-Username: ' . $user,
'Api-Password: ' . $pass
);
// Connect to iContact to retrieve the client folder id
$ch=curl_init("https://app.icontact.com/icp/a/$account_id/c/");
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, $headers);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYHOST, false);
$buf = curl_exec($ch);
curl_close($ch);
// Extract client folder id from response
$client_folder_id = "";
if (($pos=strpos($buf,"<clientFolderId>"))!==false)
{
$client_folder_id = substr($buf, strlen("<clientFolderId>")+$pos);
if (($pos=strpos($client_folder_id,"<"))!==false)
{
$client_folder_id = substr($client_folder_id, 0, $pos);
}
}
// If we have a non empty client_folder_id,
// then everything worked well
$result = ($client_folder_id+0 > 0);
// Return result
return $result;
}
function IContactSubscribe($account_id, $key, $user, $pass, $email, $list_id, &$result_str)
{
// Get client folder id
if (!IContactLogin($account_id, $key, $user, $pass, &$client_folder_id))
{
$result_str = "Failed retrieving client_folder_id for '$user'";
return 0;
}
// Build iContact authentication
$headers = array(
'Accept: text/xml',
'Content-Type: text/xml',
'Api-Version: 2.0',
'Api-AppId: ' . $key,
'Api-Username: ' . $user,
'Api-Password: ' . $pass
);
// Find contact_id for the given 'email'
$ch=curl_init("https://app.icontact.com/icp/a/$account_id/c/$client_folder_id/contacts/?email=".URLEncode($email));
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, $headers);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYHOST, false);
$buf = curl_exec($ch);
curl_close($ch);
// Extract contactId from response
$contact_id = "";
if (($pos=strpos($buf,"<contactId>"))!==false)
{
$contact_id = substr($buf, $pos+strlen("<contactId>"));
if (($pos=strpos($contact_id,"<"))!==false)
{
$contact_id = substr($contact_id,0,$pos);
}
}
// If we don't have a contactId, can't add subscription
if (empty($contact_id))
{
$result_str = "Failed finding a contact with the email address of '$email'";
return 0;
}
// Build subscription record
$data = '<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>'."\r\n<subscriptions>\r\n";
$data.= "<subscription>\r\n";
$data.= "<contactId>$contact_id</contactId>\r\n";
$data.= "<listId>$list_id</listId>\r\n";
$data.= "<status>normal</status>\r\n";
$data.= "</subscription>\r\n</subscriptions>";
// Add subscription
$ch=curl_init("https://app.icontact.com/icp/a/$account_id/c/$client_folder_id/subscriptions/");
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, $headers);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, $data);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYHOST, false);
$buf = curl_exec($ch);
curl_close($ch);
// Extract subscriptionID from response
$subscription_id = "";
if (($pos=strpos($buf,"<subscriptionId>"))!==false)
{
$subscription_id = substr($buf, $pos+strlen("<subscriptionId>"));
if (($pos=strpos($subscription_id,"<"))!==false)
{
$subscription_id = substr($subscription_id,0,$pos);
}
}
// If we have a subscription id OR this subscription already existed, we're good
$result = !empty($subscription_id) || strpos($buf,"could not be updated")!==false;
// Set result string
$result_str = ($result ? "Updated subscription $subscription_id" : $buf);
// Return result
return $result;
}
function IContactAddContact($account_id, $key, $user, $pass, $email, $firstname, $lastname,
&$result_str)
{
// Get client folder id
if (!IContactLogin($account_id, $key, $user, $pass, &$client_folder_id))
{
$result_str = "Failed retrieving client_folder_id for '$user'";
return 0;
}
// Build iContact authentication
$headers = array(
'Accept: text/xml',
'Content-Type: text/xml',
'Api-Version: 2.0',
'Api-AppId: ' . $key,
'Api-Username: ' . $user,
'Api-Password: ' . $pass
);
// Build contact record
$data = '<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>'."\r\n<contacts>\r\n";
$data.= "<contact>\r\n";
$data.= "<email>$email</email>\r\n";
$data.= "<firstName>$firstname</firstName>\r\n";
$data.= "<lastName>$lastname</lastName>\r\n";
$data.= "<status>normal</status>\r\n";
$data.= "</contact>\r\n</contacts>";
// Add contact
$ch=curl_init("https://app.icontact.com/icp/a/$account_id/c/$client_folder_id/contacts/");
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, $headers);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, $data);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYHOST, false);
$buf = curl_exec($ch);
curl_close($ch);
// Extract contactId from response
$contact_id = "";
if (($pos=strpos($buf,"<contactId>"))!==false)
{
$contact_id = substr($buf, $pos+strlen("<contactId>"));
if (($pos=strpos($contact_id,"<"))!==false)
{
$contact_id = substr($contact_id,0,$pos);
}
}
// If we have a contact id, we're good
$result = !empty($contact_id);
// Set result string
$result_str = ($result ? "Added new contact $contact_id" : $buf);
// Return result
return $result;
}
function IContactUnsubscribe($account_id, $key, $user, $pass, $email, $list_id, &$result_str)
{
// Get client folder id
if (!IContactLogin($account_id, $key, $user, $pass, &$client_folder_id))
{
$result_str = "Failed retrieving client_folder_id for '$user'";
return 0;
}
// Build iContact authentication
$headers = array(
'Accept: text/xml',
'Content-Type: text/xml',
'Api-Version: 2.0',
'Api-AppId: ' . $key,
'Api-Username: ' . $user,
'Api-Password: ' . $pass
);
// Find contact_id for the given 'email'
$ch=curl_init("https://app.icontact.com/icp/a/$account_id/c/$client_folder_id/contacts/?email=".URLEncode($email));
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, $headers);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYHOST, false);
$buf = curl_exec($ch);
curl_close($ch);
// Extract contactId from response
$contact_id = "";
if (($pos=strpos($buf,"<contactId>"))!==false)
{
$contact_id = substr($buf, $pos+strlen("<contactId>"));
if (($pos=strpos($contact_id,"<"))!==false)
{
$contact_id = substr($contact_id,0,$pos);
}
}
// If we don't have a contactId, can't add subscription
if (empty($contact_id))
{
$result_str = "Failed finding a contact with the email address of '$email'";
return 0;
}
// Build subscription record
$data = '<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>'."\r\n<subscriptions>\r\n";
$data.= "<subscription>\r\n";
$data.= "<contactId>$contact_id</contactId>\r\n";
$data.= "<listId>$list_id</listId>\r\n";
$data.= "<status>unsubscribed</status>\r\n";
$data.= "</subscription>\r\n</subscriptions>";
// Add subscription
$ch=curl_init("https://app.icontact.com/icp/a/$account_id/c/$client_folder_id/subscriptions/");
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, $headers);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, $data);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYHOST, false);
$buf = curl_exec($ch);
curl_close($ch);
// Extract subscriptionID from response
$subscription_id = "";
if (($pos=strpos($buf,"<subscriptionId>"))!==false)
{
$subscription_id = substr($buf, $pos+strlen("<subscriptionId>"));
if (($pos=strpos($subscription_id,"<"))!==false)
{
$subscription_id = substr($subscription_id,0,$pos);
}
}
// If we have a subscription id OR this subscription already unsubscribed, we're good
$result = !empty($subscription_id) || strpos($buf,"could not be updated")!==false;
// Set result string
$result_str = ($result ? "Updated subscription $subscription_id" : $buf);
// Return result
return $result;
}
Once you designate an autoresponder as a third-party one, SPI will continue applying your predefined rules for adding/removing members from that autoresponder, while notifying the third-party service (GetResponse, iContact, AWeber) automatically.
Over the last few days, we have battling with iContact's new API. iContact announced their 2.0 API back on February 2009, but it's still labeled as "beta" and there's little to no documentation available online.
The SPI-iContact integration was using version 1.0 and our intention was to continue using that version until 2.0 is officially released.
Unfortunately, with no prior warning, version 1.0 stopped working and is no longer honoring requests to add contacts / subscriptions records.
iContact's API external login page is down. The help section is down:
And the developer forums are ghost town USA.
Ok, rant over.
We really like the folks at iContact. They offer an easy to use and inexpensive entry-level autoresponder service. I just wish they would update the API documentation.
The purpose of this post is to help others who are going through integrating with the iContact 2.0 API by providing simple PHP examples for adding a contract, subscripting a contact to a list and unsubscribing.
We haven't been able to find anything like this online, so I'm pretty sure this will help others going through the integration process.
The code below is self-contained. No need to use any other libraries.
function IContactLogin($account_id, $key, $user, $pass, &$client_folder_id)
{
// Build iContact authentication
$headers = array(
'Accept: text/xml',
'Content-Type: text/xml',
'Api-Version: 2.0',
'Api-AppId: ' . $key,
'Api-Username: ' . $user,
'Api-Password: ' . $pass
);
// Connect to iContact to retrieve the client folder id
$ch=curl_init("https://app.icontact.com/icp/a/$account_id/c/");
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, $headers);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYHOST, false);
$buf = curl_exec($ch);
curl_close($ch);
// Extract client folder id from response
$client_folder_id = "";
if (($pos=strpos($buf,"<clientFolderId>"))!==false)
{
$client_folder_id = substr($buf, strlen("<clientFolderId>")+$pos);
if (($pos=strpos($client_folder_id,"<"))!==false)
{
$client_folder_id = substr($client_folder_id, 0, $pos);
}
}
// If we have a non empty client_folder_id,
// then everything worked well
$result = ($client_folder_id+0 > 0);
// Return result
return $result;
}
function IContactSubscribe($account_id, $key, $user, $pass, $email, $list_id, &$result_str)
{
// Get client folder id
if (!IContactLogin($account_id, $key, $user, $pass, &$client_folder_id))
{
$result_str = "Failed retrieving client_folder_id for '$user'";
return 0;
}
// Build iContact authentication
$headers = array(
'Accept: text/xml',
'Content-Type: text/xml',
'Api-Version: 2.0',
'Api-AppId: ' . $key,
'Api-Username: ' . $user,
'Api-Password: ' . $pass
);
// Find contact_id for the given 'email'
$ch=curl_init("https://app.icontact.com/icp/a/$account_id/c/$client_folder_id/contacts/?email=".URLEncode($email));
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, $headers);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYHOST, false);
$buf = curl_exec($ch);
curl_close($ch);
// Extract contactId from response
$contact_id = "";
if (($pos=strpos($buf,"<contactId>"))!==false)
{
$contact_id = substr($buf, $pos+strlen("<contactId>"));
if (($pos=strpos($contact_id,"<"))!==false)
{
$contact_id = substr($contact_id,0,$pos);
}
}
// If we don't have a contactId, can't add subscription
if (empty($contact_id))
{
$result_str = "Failed finding a contact with the email address of '$email'";
return 0;
}
// Build subscription record
$data = '<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>'."\r\n<subscriptions>\r\n";
$data.= "<subscription>\r\n";
$data.= "<contactId>$contact_id</contactId>\r\n";
$data.= "<listId>$list_id</listId>\r\n";
$data.= "<status>normal</status>\r\n";
$data.= "</subscription>\r\n</subscriptions>";
// Add subscription
$ch=curl_init("https://app.icontact.com/icp/a/$account_id/c/$client_folder_id/subscriptions/");
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, $headers);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, $data);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYHOST, false);
$buf = curl_exec($ch);
curl_close($ch);
// Extract subscriptionID from response
$subscription_id = "";
if (($pos=strpos($buf,"<subscriptionId>"))!==false)
{
$subscription_id = substr($buf, $pos+strlen("<subscriptionId>"));
if (($pos=strpos($subscription_id,"<"))!==false)
{
$subscription_id = substr($subscription_id,0,$pos);
}
}
// If we have a subscription id OR this subscription already existed, we're good
$result = !empty($subscription_id) || strpos($buf,"could not be updated")!==false;
// Set result string
$result_str = ($result ? "Updated subscription $subscription_id" : $buf);
// Return result
return $result;
}
function IContactAddContact($account_id, $key, $user, $pass, $email, $firstname, $lastname,
&$result_str)
{
// Get client folder id
if (!IContactLogin($account_id, $key, $user, $pass, &$client_folder_id))
{
$result_str = "Failed retrieving client_folder_id for '$user'";
return 0;
}
// Build iContact authentication
$headers = array(
'Accept: text/xml',
'Content-Type: text/xml',
'Api-Version: 2.0',
'Api-AppId: ' . $key,
'Api-Username: ' . $user,
'Api-Password: ' . $pass
);
// Build contact record
$data = '<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>'."\r\n<contacts>\r\n";
$data.= "<contact>\r\n";
$data.= "<email>$email</email>\r\n";
$data.= "<firstName>$firstname</firstName>\r\n";
$data.= "<lastName>$lastname</lastName>\r\n";
$data.= "<status>normal</status>\r\n";
$data.= "</contact>\r\n</contacts>";
// Add contact
$ch=curl_init("https://app.icontact.com/icp/a/$account_id/c/$client_folder_id/contacts/");
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, $headers);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, $data);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYHOST, false);
$buf = curl_exec($ch);
curl_close($ch);
// Extract contactId from response
$contact_id = "";
if (($pos=strpos($buf,"<contactId>"))!==false)
{
$contact_id = substr($buf, $pos+strlen("<contactId>"));
if (($pos=strpos($contact_id,"<"))!==false)
{
$contact_id = substr($contact_id,0,$pos);
}
}
// If we have a contact id, we're good
$result = !empty($contact_id);
// Set result string
$result_str = ($result ? "Added new contact $contact_id" : $buf);
// Return result
return $result;
}
function IContactUnsubscribe($account_id, $key, $user, $pass, $email, $list_id, &$result_str)
{
// Get client folder id
if (!IContactLogin($account_id, $key, $user, $pass, &$client_folder_id))
{
$result_str = "Failed retrieving client_folder_id for '$user'";
return 0;
}
// Build iContact authentication
$headers = array(
'Accept: text/xml',
'Content-Type: text/xml',
'Api-Version: 2.0',
'Api-AppId: ' . $key,
'Api-Username: ' . $user,
'Api-Password: ' . $pass
);
// Find contact_id for the given 'email'
$ch=curl_init("https://app.icontact.com/icp/a/$account_id/c/$client_folder_id/contacts/?email=".URLEncode($email));
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, $headers);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYHOST, false);
$buf = curl_exec($ch);
curl_close($ch);
// Extract contactId from response
$contact_id = "";
if (($pos=strpos($buf,"<contactId>"))!==false)
{
$contact_id = substr($buf, $pos+strlen("<contactId>"));
if (($pos=strpos($contact_id,"<"))!==false)
{
$contact_id = substr($contact_id,0,$pos);
}
}
// If we don't have a contactId, can't add subscription
if (empty($contact_id))
{
$result_str = "Failed finding a contact with the email address of '$email'";
return 0;
}
// Build subscription record
$data = '<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>'."\r\n<subscriptions>\r\n";
$data.= "<subscription>\r\n";
$data.= "<contactId>$contact_id</contactId>\r\n";
$data.= "<listId>$list_id</listId>\r\n";
$data.= "<status>unsubscribed</status>\r\n";
$data.= "</subscription>\r\n</subscriptions>";
// Add subscription
$ch=curl_init("https://app.icontact.com/icp/a/$account_id/c/$client_folder_id/subscriptions/");
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, $headers);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, $data);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYHOST, false);
$buf = curl_exec($ch);
curl_close($ch);
// Extract subscriptionID from response
$subscription_id = "";
if (($pos=strpos($buf,"<subscriptionId>"))!==false)
{
$subscription_id = substr($buf, $pos+strlen("<subscriptionId>"));
if (($pos=strpos($subscription_id,"<"))!==false)
{
$subscription_id = substr($subscription_id,0,$pos);
}
}
// If we have a subscription id OR this subscription already unsubscribed, we're good
$result = !empty($subscription_id) || strpos($buf,"could not be updated")!==false;
// Set result string
$result_str = ($result ? "Updated subscription $subscription_id" : $buf);
// Return result
return $result;
}
 |
Peter, 01-08-2010 |
Hi Mike,
I'm the product manager for the API at iContact. I noticed your blog post over the holidays and wanted to reach out to you. Thank you for your sample PHP Code. I'm sure it will help our API v2.0 Developers.
We do have a developer portal dedicated to API v2.0. Please feel free to send me an email so I can follow up regarding your concerns.
Thanks,
Peter Ghali
I'm the product manager for the API at iContact. I noticed your blog post over the holidays and wanted to reach out to you. Thank you for your sample PHP Code. I'm sure it will help our API v2.0 Developers.
We do have a developer portal dedicated to API v2.0. Please feel free to send me an email so I can follow up regarding your concerns.
Thanks,
Peter Ghali
 |
Kandarp, 06-30-2010 |
right now i am using the Knowledge tree document tree management system (KTDMS)for document management , i want INTEGRATE my site to this KTDMS ,and i also want that , when user upload document from our site , it also upload in KTDMS ,
if u have any idea about this please help me in that case .....
if u have any idea about this please help me in that case .....
 |
henderpender, 07-15-2010 |
I am trying to decipher all of the variables in this and I am getting stuck at the $account_id
Can you help?
Can you help?
 |
Shekhar, 10-05-2010 |
This post is good to get an idea of integration. is there any snippet for .net ?
 |
sdf, 12-21-2010 |
fgjfgj
 |
najam, 05-24-2011 |
hi,
i want to send users information in two forms. ie user signups with username and email address information is sent to icontact and a new form appears with some more fields now i need to update the fields against the sent username and email can any body tell me how to do so?
i want to send users information in two forms. ie user signups with username and email address information is sent to icontact and a new form appears with some more fields now i need to update the fields against the sent username and email can any body tell me how to do so?
 |
Rasmus, 08-16-2011 |
Awesome post man, I agree on the fact that iContact needs to update their API documentation, cause it's really poorly documented.
Keep up the good work, this helped me out lots after cursing for about an hour, at the iContact API documentation.
Keep up the good work, this helped me out lots after cursing for about an hour, at the iContact API documentation.
 |
drums, 08-31-2011 |
Hey, nice post
How can i get my account id?
im trying to do what the website sais but i cant make it because i get a SSL error (SSL certificate problem)
Thanks
How can i get my account id?
im trying to do what the website sais but i cant make it because i get a SSL error (SSL certificate problem)
Thanks
 |
Nitesh Hardia, 11-08-2011 |
Hello peter
i want to know about unsubscribe contact from list
can u please tell me about that?
thanks in advance
i want to know about unsubscribe contact from list
can u please tell me about that?
thanks in advance
|
|
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