Qualtrics API Stability | XM Community

Qualtrics API Stability

  • 24 October 2018
  • 6 replies
  • 77 views

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Hi folks,
Has anyone had generally inconsistant behaviour when using the Qualtrics APIs? Im running an app that runs 5 extracts, 2 of them via https://api.qualtrics.com/docs/get-directory-mailinglist and the other 3 via https://api.qualtrics.com/docs/create-response-export-new.
All 5 of them run, inconsistantly as below, so Im pretty sure structurally everything is fine.
However, every so often I get an 500 - Internal Server Error, for no obvious reason and with no relevant error information returned so I have to assume the problem is on the Qualtrics api side. I have retry functionality built into the app, sometimes after a 500 error, the next attempt retry will work without a problem, other times I will get a repeated 500 error and then a successful run, other times 500 error will repeat constantly.

Anyone else hit this issue?
Cheers,
Mark

6 replies

Userlevel 7
Badge +33
Yes it happens sometimes, we have to keep returning until get 200 OK
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> @bansalpeeyush29 said:
> Yes it happens sometimes, we have to keep returning until get 200 OK

Yes I am aware of that. Im not looking for a solution, I already work around the problem. Im wondering why there is a problem in the first place.

Consistant behaviour in an API is pretty key. If an endpoint is unavailable, fine, but if your call craps out, followed by a successful call, followed by another failure when the 3 calls are the same, you've got a problem that needs to be looked at.
Cheers,
Mark
Userlevel 7
Badge +13
Hi @MarkCVL! At times we may experience connectivity issues. Be sure to check the Application Status page, as it may be telling of why you are receiving a 500 Internal Server Error! Otherwise, feel free to reach out to our Support Team, as they may be able to provide additional insight on the occurrence!
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> @LaurenK said:
> Hi @MarkCVL! At times we may experience connectivity issues. Be sure to check the Application Status page, as it may be telling of why you are receiving a 500 Internal Server Error! Otherwise, feel free to reach out to our Support Team, as they may be able to provide additional insight on the occurrence!

Unfortunately that doesnt seem to apply to the instability Ive documented above. Ive just had a cluster of failures of "500 - Internal Server Error" with a code of "BRE_0.2" (which is just one of the codes I regularly get) and the Application Status page was showing all good at the time.
Cheers,
Mark

Hi MarkCVL,

I'm reading your thread and you mentioned that you have created a retry functionality built into the app. Would you be able to share how you do it?
Thank you in advance!
Best,
Ken

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Regarding retry functionality, initially, I just had a loop in python with a sleep function until it was successful. I did have some code to avoid an infinite loop.
However, I have moved to using the retry function in the tenacity package. It is very flexible. https://pypi.org/project/tenacity/
Hope that helps.

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