# Fetch a document API **URL:** \ **Category:** API Issues\ **Created:** [February 10, 2017, 12:13pm UTC](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/t/fetch-a-document-api/978 "2017-02-10T12:13:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mjyurag](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@mjyurag](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/u/mjyurag)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 12:13pm UTC](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/t/fetch-a-document-api/978/1 "2017-02-10T12:13:41Z")
Hi Guys, I have some issue in exploring the API for fetching the document. It asks me the following: 1. ID (The unique identifier for the document) → where can I find this? 2. Authorization (This header parameter contains the token\_type and the access\_token) → what does this mean? How can I obtain this? 3. Accept (Gives the Content-Type that the document will be returned as. If the Content-Type is unsupported, a 406 error will be generated.) → what is this? Can you please give me sample? Please help me. Thank you guys a lot! MJ ---
**Author:** ![MArkWilliams](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/user_avatar/forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/markwilliams/32/194_2.png) [@MArkWilliams](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/u/MArkWilliams)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2017, 10:13am UTC](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/t/fetch-a-document-api/978/2 "2017-02-14T10:13:19Z")
Please read :- > [@Document API - Fetch a doc - How to complete 'Explore this API' form?](http://forum.aws.chdev.org/t/document-api-fetch-a-doc-how-to-complete-explore-this-api-form/246): > > I have been trying to complete the “Fetch a doc” form found at the bottom of the [https://developer.companieshouse.gov.uk/document/docs/document/id/content/fetchDocument.html](https://developer.companieshouse.gov.uk/document/docs/document/id/content/fetchDocument.html) and I am not getting anywhere! Specifically I do not know what to enter in the ‘Authorization’ header field. The documentation states that the “header parameter contains the token\_type and the access\_token”. Can anyone enlighten me as to what a ‘token\_type’ and ‘access\_token’ are as I cannot find any prior reference to the… and > [@Help with Document API & Fetch a Document](http://forum.aws.chdev.org/t/help-with-document-api-fetch-a-document/255): > > Hi there, I was wondering if anyone has had any luck with the “Fetch a Document” within the Document API ([https://developer.companieshouse.gov.uk/document/docs/document/id/content/fetchDocument.html](https://developer.companieshouse.gov.uk/document/docs/document/id/content/fetchDocument.html)). The documentation is not very helpful: Authorization This header parameter contains the token\_type and the access\_token. See example Does anyone know what the token\_type and access\_token are? On the explore API section it asked for “id” (Which I know), “Authorization [sic]” (Which I don’t know… if you are still having trouble after reading those, feel free to reply to this post. ---
**Author:** ![ashtekarmukesh](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/user_avatar/forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/ashtekarmukesh/32/521_2.png) [@ashtekarmukesh](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/u/ashtekarmukesh)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 4:43pm UTC](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/t/fetch-a-document-api/978/3 "2018-02-17T16:43:22Z")
I am facing this same problem, Does any one there to clarify the usage of this document API please ? Thanks, Mukesh Ashtekar ---
**Author:** ![voracityemail](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/b77776/32.png) [@voracityemail](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/u/voracityemail)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2018, 3:20pm UTC](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/t/fetch-a-document-api/978/4 "2018-02-18T15:20:46Z")
Welcome to the forum! If you’re trying to use the [“Explore this API” form on the Document Download page](https://developer.companieshouse.gov.uk/document/docs/document/id/content/fetchDocument.html) I don’t think this works - see e.g. [http://forum.aws.chdev.org/t/not-able-to-download-companies-account-data-using-api/569](http://forum.aws.chdev.org/t/not-able-to-download-companies-account-data-using-api/569) Otherwise, you should be able to find the answers in @MArkWilliams post above yours - as he says the place to start is the [CH API documentation](https://developer.companieshouse.gov.uk/api/docs/). For detail on the general process for downloading a document you might find my response here helpful: [http://forum.aws.chdev.org/t/document-problems-with-cors/1627/2](http://forum.aws.chdev.org/t/document-problems-with-cors/1627/2) An overview of the process of requesting a CH document goes something like: 1. Find the document filing you’re interested in (e.g. make a [filing history request](https://developer.companieshouse.gov.uk/api/docs/company/company_number/filing-history/filing-history.html) for the company). Parse the response for the link to the document in the field “`links`” : { “`document_metadata`” : “_link URI fragment here_” }. 2. For a given document [request the document metadata via CH Document API](https://developer.companieshouse.gov.uk/document/docs/document/id/fetchDocumentMeta.html). Parse the response to get the _document (mime) types available_ and the _link to the actual document data_ (document URI fragment). 3. [Request the actual document](https://developer.companieshouse.gov.uk/document/docs/document/id/content/fetchDocument.html), specifying the mime type (e.g. “application/pdf”). 4. CH send back a response which is a [redirect (http 302)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTTP_302) to the document. The documents are stored on Amazon servers ATM. 5. Request this URI from Amazon again passing the content type you want again. 6. Amazon send the actual document data. Depending on the system you’re using parts 4-6 may occur automatically e.g. if using javascript I think you just make the request (step 3) and your code will receive the data (step 6). More details in the post above if needed. Hope this helps. If not please [state clearly the problem you’re trying to solve](http://xyproblem.info/) and if you have errors or think there’s a bug provide a [minimal test case and / or examples of the data which is not correct](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/QA/Bug_writing_guidelines). ---
**Author:** ![kasia\_kulma](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/d6d6ee/32.png) [@kasia\_kulma](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/u/kasia_kulma)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 2:59pm UTC](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/t/fetch-a-document-api/978/5 "2018-06-19T14:59:25Z")
Hi there, thank for your clarification. I’ve been following the above steps (in R) with partial success, but still fail to get access to documents’ content: > 1. Find the document filing you’re interested in (e.g. make a filing history request1 for the company). Parse the response for the link to the document in the field “links” : { “document\_metadata” : “link URI fragment here” }. No problem: ``` library(httr) library(jsonlite) library(openssl) ### retrieving filing history #### company_num = 'FC013908' key = 'my_key' fh_path = paste0('/company/', str_to_upper(company_num), "/filing-history") fh_url <- modify_url("https://api.companieshouse.gov.uk/", path = fh_path) fh_test <- GET(fh_url, authenticate(key, "")) #status_code = 200 fh_parsed <- jsonlite::fromJSON(content(fh_test, "text",encoding = "utf-8"), flatten = TRUE) docs <- fh_parsed$items ``` Done. > 2 For a given document request the document metadata via CH Document API3. Parse the response to get the document (mime) types available and the link to the actual document data (document URI fragment). No problems here: ``` md_meta_url = docs$links.document_metadata[1] key_pass <- paste0(key,":") decoded_auth <- paste0('Basic ', base64_encode(key_pass)) md_test <- GET(md_meta_url, add_headers(Authorization = decoded_auth) ) md_test #status_code = 200! md_parsed <- jsonlite::fromJSON(content(md_test, "text",encoding = "utf-8"), flatten = TRUE) ``` This way I can obtain the content URL: ``` cont_url = md_parsed$links$document ``` > Request the actual document9, specifying the mime type (e.g. “application/pdf”). I do it while NOT following the redirect and, as expected, I get the 302 status code with the `location` header: ``` accept = 'application/pdf' cont_test <- GET(cont_url, add_headers(Authorization = decoded_auth, Accept = accept), config(followlocation = FALSE) ) final_url <- cont_test$headers$location > final_url [1] "https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/document-api-images-prod/docs/LjBouRHeXXpIYAvqYIPWL06iXaliPz6Pucp1OXCXQhI/application-pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=ASIAJX7TVURFXZTY5DNQ&Expires=1529483765&Signature=uUQx6RTW7XBLqx4L6pYr5tOUySg%3D&x-amz-security-token=FQoDYXdzEP%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2FwEaDGxe7meYGe3OYhNwcSK3AwcVYJUXaUMf19oVO9s4qNPWN8AHjNNd5rrZhgE9YTkF1OmzyZSL5xHbls664kDP%2Bxd7dz9PIU5O1D%2BVxoDyoYcFiS6acDnO28KpfFE56lUZNfedf1jys%2FP0SJ8f%2F50Cbn93bfOlm0MZA9%2BQ2DYQvPfkWSvrDjMyCXHbu57gpZHjQKPNRTgzGXzUUCvFwREytGMM4eThhn4Glvvx%2FA8IiLbnsvgmEKw9iAj7KWIenhoJq3cTRytUpVeipLnQoBVLau8dFYkKdAHZaYM2Tlx0z6ObRb%2BGdm7W7eOVA1bFXuUXmUmnAHruDIwwLlgOVN2IJ9CxmJU22lY8jrEm%2BUivtrdp2oofn32PryBEJ8jJOg9cIpLbBBx%2FeOkng9zJwnZbute7Nmh%2BnaY2btsId6JjraFNsTvR%2B1qEZX9uuznUdJdqgVfTMj2gGrAmntwk0JAkILlvamzjWC%2F9vAqK7Xvt8aC6hlIMB2vdzTCU9Jf%2FrIMTClTJkk0BzBuvJ86t1l%2BXb4rF5Pab%2FegFpJ6nvZKqde%2F77wMMiTyG35EndmYx4AWqTIh9EofYwKZa9uciNvRT0E2%2BYnT5jZMo%2BdWn2QU%3D" ``` However, when I try to > Request this URI from Amazon again passing the content type you want again. > I get 400 error: ``` final_test <- GET(final_url, add_headers(Authorization = decoded_auth, Accept = accept )) > final_test Response [https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/document-api-images-prod/docs/LjBouRHeXXpIYAvqYIPWL06iXaliPz6Pucp1OXCXQhI/application-pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=ASIAJX7TVURFXZTY5DNQ&Expires=1529483765&Signature=uUQx6RTW7XBLqx4L6pYr5tOUySg%3D&x-amz-security-token=FQoDYXdzEP%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2FwEaDGxe7meYGe3OYhNwcSK3AwcVYJUXaUMf19oVO9s4qNPWN8AHjNNd5rrZhgE9YTkF1OmzyZSL5xHbls664kDP%2Bxd7dz9PIU5O1D%2BVxoDyoYcFiS6acDnO28KpfFE56lUZNfedf1jys%2FP0SJ8f%2F50Cbn93bfOlm0MZA9%2BQ2DYQvPfkWSvrDjMyCXHbu57gpZHjQKPNRTgzGXzUUCvFwREytGMM4eThhn4Glvvx%2FA8IiLbnsvgmEKw9iAj7KWIenhoJq3cTRytUpVeipLnQoBVLau8dFYkKdAHZaYM2Tlx0z6ObRb%2BGdm7W7eOVA1bFXuUXmUmnAHruDIwwLlgOVN2IJ9CxmJU22lY8jrEm%2BUivtrdp2oofn32PryBEJ8jJOg9cIpLbBBx%2FeOkng9zJwnZbute7Nmh%2BnaY2btsId6JjraFNsTvR%2B1qEZX9uuznUdJdqgVfTMj2gGrAmntwk0JAkILlvamzjWC%2F9vAqK7Xvt8aC6hlIMB2vdzTCU9Jf%2FrIMTClTJkk0BzBuvJ86t1l%2BXb4rF5Pab%2FegFpJ6nvZKqde%2F77wMMiTyG35EndmYx4AWqTIh9EofYwKZa9uciNvRT0E2%2BYnT5jZMo%2BdWn2QU%3D] Date: 2018-06-20 08:37 Status: 400 Content-Type: application/xml Size: 523 B ``` Needless to say, executing ``` browseURL(final_test$url) ``` returns `Access Denied` error. I suspect it may have something to do with AWS authorization problems similar to those described [here](http://forum.aws.chdev.org/t/document-images/26/21?u=kasia_kulma). Any ideas how to solve this final hurdle? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![voracityemail](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/b77776/32.png) [@voracityemail](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/u/voracityemail)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 9:46am UTC](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/t/fetch-a-document-api/978/6 "2018-06-27T09:46:55Z")
See my update to your re-post at [Can't access documents from AmazonS3 server](http://forum.aws.chdev.org/t/cant-access-documents-from-amazons3-server/1871) ---
**Author:** ![miroslaw\_storoniak](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/3e96dc/32.png) [@miroslaw\_storoniak](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/u/miroslaw_storoniak)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 7:05pm UTC](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/t/fetch-a-document-api/978/7 "2020-01-29T19:05:24Z")
Hi, I have problem with second point: “For a given document request the document metadata via CH Document API16. Parse the response to get the document (mime) types available and the link to the actual document data (document URI fragment).” **Request** GET /document/GdA8vcfuhlN6jp\_ckh5Kfd3VAvwFexZFmvATUZUnmZM HTTP/1.1 Host: document-api.companieshouse.gov.ukundefined Authorization: Basic NEtxTVR0Y1dIM3YzNHliUnJSUzQ3Q0wtYVlVRGhZaktPQlRULVdEWcccg== **Token** : is encoded to base64 **ID:** collected according to point 1 My error code: 0 - online test or 500 - test on postman. Please advise. Regards, M. ---
**Author:** ![voracityemail](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/b77776/32.png) [@voracityemail](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/u/voracityemail)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2020, 5:12pm UTC](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/t/fetch-a-document-api/978/8 "2020-02-05T17:12:07Z")
> [@miroslaw\_storoniak](#): > > Host: document-api.companieshouse.gov.ukundefined Is that last “undefined” an artifact of your logging script / process? If not something there needs to be fixed. Next step would be to check your API key / which server you’re requesting from / exactly the request you’re making as the endpoint you requested works OK for me: ``` curl -uMY_API_KEY_HERE: "https://document-api.companieshouse.gov.uk/document/GdA8vcfuhlN6jp_ckh5Kfd3VAvwFexZFmvATUZUnmZM" ``` Gives ``` { "company_number": "SC327000", "barcode": "X8CY8ZLT", "significant_date": null, "significant_date_type": "", "category": "annual-returns", "pages": 3, "created_at": "2019-08-30T12:53:41.19681517Z", "etag": "", "links": { "self": "https://document-api.companieshouse.gov.uk/document/GdA8vcfuhlN6jp_ckh5Kfd3VAvwFexZFmvATUZUnmZM", "document": "https://document-api.companieshouse.gov.uk/document/GdA8vcfuhlN6jp_ckh5Kfd3VAvwFexZFmvATUZUnmZM/content" }, "resources": { "application/pdf": { "content_length": 19662 } } } ``` That’s the following company: [BANK OF SCOTLAND PLC overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK](https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/SC327000) No need to post your API key on the forum! Just check you have this correct and encoded correctly per http basic. ---
**Author:** ![miroslaw\_storoniak](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/3e96dc/32.png) [@miroslaw\_storoniak](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/u/miroslaw_storoniak)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2020, 8:15pm UTC](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/t/fetch-a-document-api/978/9 "2020-02-05T20:15:07Z")
Thanks ! I solved that issue some times ago - please refer to the following post: [https://forum.aws.chdev.org/t/help-with-document-api-fetch-a-document/255/10?u=miroslaw\_storoniak](https://forum.aws.chdev.org/t/help-with-document-api-fetch-a-document/255/10?u=miroslaw_storoniak) I provided there other question connected with this topic. I would be grateful for a support. Best Regards, M. ---
**Author:** ![sunil342it](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@sunil342it](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/u/sunil342it)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2020, 8:08am UTC](http://forum.companieshouse.gov.uk/t/fetch-a-document-api/978/10 "2020-05-06T08:08:47Z")
browseURL(final\_test$url) — this one only give pdf output on web browser how can i downloads pdf using R to make Data frame in R studio , please help me using download.file function in r getting Error cannot open URL .