Connect to Xero Data in JRuby

JRuby is a high-performance, stable, fully threaded Java implementation of the Ruby programming language. The CData JDBC Driver for Xero makes it easy to integrate connectivity to live Xero data in JRuby. This article shows how to create a simple JRuby app that connects to Xero data, executes a query, and displays the results.

Getting Started

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Configure a JDBC Connection to Xero Data

Before creating the app, note the installation location for the JAR file for the JDBC Driver (typically C:\Program Files\CData\CData JDBC Driver for Xero\lib).

JRuby natively supports JDBC, so you can easily connect to Xero and execute SQL queries. Initialize the JDBC connection with the getConnection function of the java.sql.DriverManager class.

To connect, set the Schema connection property in addition to any authentication values. Xero offers authentication for private applications, public applications, and partner applications. Set the XeroAppAuthentication property to PUBLIC, PRIVATE, or PARTNER, depending on the type of application configured. To connect from a private application, you will additionally need to set the OAuthAccessToken, OAuthClientId, OAuthClientSecret, CertificateStoreType, CertificateStore, and CertificateStorePassword.

To connect from a public or partner application, you can use the embedded OAuthClientId, OAuthClientSecret, and CallbackURL, or you can register an app to obtain your own OAuth values.

See the "Getting Started" chapter of the help documentation for a guide to authenticating to Xero.

Built-in Connection String Designer

For assistance in constructing the JDBC URL, use the connection string designer built into the Xero JDBC Driver. Either double-click the JAR file or execute the jar file from the command-line.

java -jar cdata.jdbc.xero.jar

Fill in the connection properties and copy the connection string to the clipboard.

Below is a typical JDBC connection string for Xero:

jdbc:xero:InitiateOAuth=GETANDREFRESH;

Create a JRuby App with Connectivity to Xero Data

Create a new Ruby file (for example: XeroSelect.rb) and open it in a text editor. Copy the following code into your file:

require 'java'
require 'rubygems'
require 'C:/Program Files/CData/CData JDBC Driver for Xero 2018/lib/cdata.jdbc.xero.jar'

url = "jdbc:xero:InitiateOAuth=GETANDREFRESH;"
conn = java.sql.DriverManager.getConnection(url)
stmt = conn.createStatement
rs = stmt.executeQuery("SELECT Name, QuantityOnHand FROM Items")
while (rs.next) do
 puts rs.getString(1) + ' ' + rs.getString(2)
end

With the file completed, you are ready to display your Xero data with JRuby. To do so, simply run your file from the command line:

jruby -S XeroSelect.rb

Writing SQL-92 queries to Xero allows you to quickly and easily incorporate Xero data into your own JRuby applications. Download a free trial today!