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Key words, explained
In this section, we will review the technical terms used throughout this documentation. Wherever a term appears with a dotted underline, hover over it to see its definition.
- API
- An API (Application Programming Interface) allows two software systems to communicate and exchange data with one another.Your software sends a request to THE EXCHANGE, and THE EXCHANGE returns the requested data.
- JSON
- A standard format for organizing data as simple name-and-value pairs inside curly brackets.THE EXCHANGE sends responses in JSON, and all examples on this site use it.
- Latitude
- How far north or south a location is from the equator, expressed as a decimal number (e.g., 45.4215).In a request it is called dblLatitude.
- Longitude
- How far east or west a location is from the prime meridian, expressed as a decimal number (e.g., -75.6972).In a request it is called dblLongitude.
- Operation
- A specific action or function you can request from THE EXCHANGE (such as Return
Atm Search By Postal Code).Each reference page on this site covers a single operation. - Parameter
- A specific detail you send in with your request to control or filter the result, such as a service key, a postal code, or a true/false setting.
- Radius
- The maximum distance from a location to search, measured in kilometres (for example, bytRadius=25).In a request it is called bytRadius.
- Request
- An instruction or question your software sends to THE EXCHANGE.With this service, a request is formatted as a web address.
- Response
- The data or status message THE EXCHANGE sends back after receiving your request, usually formatted in JSON or XML.
- Return
- To send back information in response to a request.Every request name starts with Return because each one returns information from THE EXCHANGE. For example, Return
Cities returns the list of cities. What comes back is called the response. - SOAP
- A legacy protocol for sending requests using XML formatting.THE EXCHANGE continues to support SOAP to maintain compatibility with older systems.
- Status Code
- A standard code returned with every response to indicate the result of your request:200: Indicates success.400 & 404: Indicate a problem with the request format or a missing resource.500 & 502: Indicate an issue occurred on THE EXCHANGE server.
- Web Service Key
- A unique credential assigned to your institution that authorizes access to THE EXCHANGE ATM Web Service.Every request must include the key assigned to your institution. This key acts as your identity, letting THE EXCHANGE know who is making the request.The key can be found in the Overview section of your Financial Institution page on the FI Portal.If your key is not visible in the portal, contact support@ficanex.ca for assistance.
- XML
- A structured format for writing data using named tags inside angle brackets (such as <bytRadius>).THE EXCHANGE also supports answers in XML format.