# Add a composition to a folder via openEHR REST API

**Category:** [ITS](https://discourse.openehr.org/c/its/41)
**Created:** 2023-08-28 11:18 UTC
**Views:** 695
**Replies:** 8
**URL:** https://discourse.openehr.org/t/add-a-composition-to-a-folder-via-openehr-rest-api/4388

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## Post #1 by @ian.mcnicoll

Sorry I'm being dumb but I can see a way to allocate a composition to a folder in the REST API - help?

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## Post #2 by @stefanspiska

Since the Directory endpoint always updates the whole structure you simple put it in the Folder structure which represents the directory .

So call https://specifications.openehr.org/releases/ITS-REST/latest/ehr.html#tag/DIRECTORY/operation/directory_update

with

```
{
  "_type": "FOLDER",
  "name": {
    "_type": "DV_TEXT",
    "value": "root"
  },
  "archetype_node_id": "openEHR-EHR-FOLDER.generic.v1",
  "folders": [
    {
      "_type": "FOLDER",
      "name": {
        "_type": "DV_TEXT",
        "value": "history"
      },
      "archetype_node_id": "openEHR-EHR-FOLDER.generic.v1",
      "folders": [
        {
          "_type": "FOLDER",
          "name": {
            "_type": "DV_TEXT",
            "value": "family"
          },
          "archetype_node_id": "openEHR-EHR-FOLDER.generic.v1",
          "items": [
            {
          		"id": {
          			"_type": "HIER_OBJECT_ID",
          			"value": "d936409e-901f-4994-8d33-ed104d46015b"
          		},
          		"namespace": "my.system.id",
          		"type": "VERSIONED_COMPOSITION"
          	}
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}
```

see also https://github.com/ehrbase/integration-tests/blob/main/tests/robot/DIRECTORY_TESTS/UPDATE_DIRECTORY/H.1__EHR_with_directory.robot

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## Post #3 by @stefanspiska

so 

1. Create Directory  if not exists.
2. get old Directory  from openehr server
3. edit the json representing the Directory  
4. Update the whole structure.

The ehrbase sdk has some tools to help with that https://github.com/ehrbase/openEHR_SDK/blob/develop/client/src/test/java/org/ehrbase/openehr/sdk/client/openehrclient/defaultrestclient/DefaultDirectoryCrudEndpointTestIT.java

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## Post #4 by @joostholslag

[quote="stefanspiska, post:2, topic:4388"]
Since the Directory endpoint always updates the whole structure
[/quote]

SEC might want to have a look at adding an endpoint that edits specific FOLDERs. Similar to what we do with compositions. Especially in complex systems with authorisations per FOLDER this is an issue. But it’s also error pronken I think to let every client always change the entire directory.

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## Post #5 by @sebastian.iancu

Yes you are right, that's on the REST "roadmap" actually, and requires RM 1.1.0+.

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## Post #6 by @pablo

That has been already discussed. We proposed an API for that, I think there is a ticket on the openEHR JIRA.

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## Post #7 by @linforest

Might my question [*How to retrieve and update a subfolder in the FOLDER Structure?*](https://discourse.openehr.org/t/how-to-retrieve-and-update-a-subfolder-in-the-folder-structure/5691) be related to this?

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## Post #8 by @pablo

Related JIRA ticket https://openehr.atlassian.net/issues/SPECPR-411?jql=text%20~%20%22folder%2A%22%20AND%20project%20%3D%20SPECPR

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## Post #9 by @linforest

Thanks a lot, @pablo.

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**Canonical:** https://discourse.openehr.org/t/add-a-composition-to-a-folder-via-openehr-rest-api/4388
**Original content:** https://discourse.openehr.org/t/add-a-composition-to-a-folder-via-openehr-rest-api/4388