How to work with ActiveCampaign Data in Apache Spark using SQL

Apache Spark is a fast and general engine for large-scale data processing. When paired with the CData JDBC Driver for ActiveCampaign, Spark can work with live ActiveCampaign data. This article describes how to connect to and query ActiveCampaign data from a Spark shell.

The CData JDBC Driver offers unmatched performance for interacting with live ActiveCampaign data due to optimized data processing built into the driver. When you issue complex SQL queries to ActiveCampaign, the driver pushes supported SQL operations, like filters and aggregations, directly to ActiveCampaign and utilizes the embedded SQL engine to process unsupported operations (often SQL functions and JOIN operations) client-side. With built-in dynamic metadata querying, you can work with and analyze ActiveCampaign data using native data types.

Install the CData JDBC Driver for ActiveCampaign

Download the CData JDBC Driver for ActiveCampaign installer, unzip the package, and run the JAR file to install the driver.

Start a Spark Shell and Connect to ActiveCampaign Data

1. Open a terminal and start the Spark shell with the CData JDBC Driver for ActiveCampaign JAR file as the jars parameter: $ spark-shell --jars /CData/CData JDBC Driver for ActiveCampaign/lib/cdata.jdbc.activecampaign.jar
2. With the shell running, you can connect to ActiveCampaign with a JDBC URL and use the SQL Context load() function to read a table.

   ActiveCampaign supports authenticating with the API Key. To connect to ActiveCampaign, set the following:

   • URL: This can be found in your account on the My Settings page under the Developer tab. For example: https://{yourAccountName}.api-us1.com
   • APIKey: This can be found in your account on the Settings page under the Developer tab. Each user in your ActiveCampaign account has their own unique API key.

   Built-in Connection String Designer

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

   java -jar cdata.jdbc.activecampaign.jar

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

   Configure the connection to ActiveCampaign, using the connection string generated above.

   scala> val activecampaign_df = spark.sqlContext.read.format("jdbc").option("url", "jdbc:activecampaign:URL=yourUrl;APIKey=yourApiKey").option("dbtable","Contacts").option("driver","cdata.jdbc.activecampaign.ActiveCampaignDriver").load()
3. Once you connect and the data is loaded you will see the table schema displayed.

4. Register the ActiveCampaign data as a temporary table:

   scala> activecampaign_df.registerTable("contacts")

5. Perform custom SQL queries against the Data using commands like the one below:

   scala> activecampaign_df.sqlContext.sql("SELECT LastName, Email FROM Contacts WHERE LastName = Smith").collect.foreach(println)

   You will see the results displayed in the console, similar to the following:

Using the CData JDBC Driver for ActiveCampaign in Apache Spark, you are able to perform fast and complex analytics on ActiveCampaign data, combining the power and utility of Spark with your data. Download a free, 30 day trial of any of the 200+ CData JDBC Drivers and get started today.