To help customers get the most out of Planview AgilePlace, we provide Web Services for automating common tasks, such as creating, updating, and moving cards on a board. In addition, there are software clients available for common programming languages and platforms, making it easier to take advantage of Planview AgilePlace’s Web Services. In this article, I want to introduce the Planview AgilePlace Client for Node.js.
At a glance
What can you do with Planview AgilePlace Web Services? Here are a few examples.
- Automate repetitive tasks, such as updating many cards at once.
- Monitor Planview AgilePlace for specific conditions, and send notifications.
- Synchronize information between Planview AgilePlace and another system.
The Planview AgilePlace Client for Node.js makes it easy to
- retrieve a list of boards,
- retrieve a board with all its lanes and cards,
- search for cards,
- add, update, move, and delete cards,
- and many other tasks.
Why Node.js?
- Node.js runs on Windows, Mac OSX, and Linux.
- Node.js applications are written in JavaScript, arguably the most popular and universal language.
- Node.js can easily consume and use Web Services.
- There are thousands of free and open-source software components available to expand Node.js capabilities.
- No special programming tools are required, just a good text editor.
Chances are systems you may wish to integrate with Planview AgilePlace also expose Web Services. Node.js is an ideal solution for connecting Web Services.
Quick start guide
Node.js vocabulary
Before we begin, it may be useful to define some common terms used in building applications with Node.js.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| module | Software that can be used with Node.js. The Planview AgilePlace Client for Node.js is a module. 3rd-party modules are also commonly referred to as “packages.” |
| package | Often used interchangeably with “module.” |
| npm | The “package manager” for Node.js. It is an application used to download and install modules. |
Install Node.js
If you don’t already have Node.js, simply go to nodejs.org and download the installer. You can verify Node.js is installed and working from a command prompt or terminal window.
This should print to the console the version of Node.js you have installed.
Create a project folder
Next, create a folder for your application. From the command/terminal window, you can use the following. Feel free to change the name or path of the folder.
Install the Planview AgilePlace client
Installing the Planview AgilePlace client for Node.js is easy with npm.
Hello Planview AgilePlace
Create a plain text file named leankit.js with a text editor. Add the following code and save the file.
Now, run the Node.js application by entering the following.
If all goes well, you should see a list of your Planview AgilePlace boards printed to the console.
Get a Planview AgilePlace board
The Planview AgilePlace client for Node.js makes it easy to get a board with all its lanes and other information.
Create a new JavaScript file named board.js. Add the following code, and update it to match your account. Last, save the file.
Run the application using the following.
Retrieving cards
The Planview AgilePlace client for Node.js also makes it easy to query for cards.
Create a new JavaScript file named cards.js. Add the following code, update it to match your account, and save the file.
Run the application using the following.
You can use the query search criteria to further narrow your list of cards. You can also remove the `board` property to list cards from across all the boards you have access to. For example, use this query to search for card with “my card title” on any board:
Add a new card
In this final example, we will automate adding a card to a board.
Create a new JavaScript file named add-card.js. Add the following code, update it to match your account, and save the file.
Run the application using the following.
If all is successful, a new card should soon appear on your board in the default drop lane!
Wrap up
The Planview AgilePlace Client for Node.js is an easy way to automate Planview AgilePlace tasks using Node.js. This introduction only scratched the surface. You can update cards, move cards, manage taskboards, add comments and attachments, and much more. For more information, you can check out the documentation and source code. And, be sure to check out the sample projects!
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