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Connect to live data from Todoist with the API Driver

Connect to Todoist

Use JayDeBeApi to access Todoist Data in Python



Use standard Python scripting and the development environment of your choice to access live Todoist data.

Access Todoist data with Python scripts and standard SQL on any machine where Python and Java can be installed. You can use the CData API Driver for JDBC and the JayDeBeApi module to work with remote Todoist data in Python. By using the CData Driver, you are leveraging a driver written for industry-proven standards to access your data in the popular Python language. This article shows how to use the driver to execute SQL queries to Todoist and visualize Todoist data with standard Python.

Use the JayDeBeApi module

JayDeBeApi is a Python library that serves as a JDBC (Java Database Connectivity) bridge, allowing Python programs to interact with Java databases, including CData JDBC Drivers. Use the pip install command to install the module:

pip install JayDeBeApi

Create the JDBC URL

Once you have JayDeBeApi installed, you are ready to work with Todoist data in Python using SQL.

Start by setting the Profile connection property to the location of the Todoist Profile on disk (e.g. C:\profiles\Todoist.apip). Next, set the ProfileSettings connection property to the connection string for Todoist (see below).

Todoist API Profile Settings

To authenticate to Todoist, and connect to your own data or to allow other users to connect to their data, you can use the OAuth standard.

First, you will need to register an OAuth application with Todoist. To do so, go to App Management Console, create a new application and configure a valid OAuth redirect URL. Your Oauth application will be assigned a client id and a client secret.

After setting the following connection properties, you are ready to connect:

  • AuthScheme: Set this to OAuth.
  • InitiateOAuth: Set this to GETANDREFRESH. You can use InitiateOAuth to manage the process to obtain the OAuthAccessToken.
  • OAuthClientId: Set this to the client_id that is specified in you app settings.
  • OAuthClientSecret: Set this to the client_secret that is specified in you app settings.
  • CallbackURL: Set this to the Redirect URI that is specified in your app settings

Built-in Connection String Designer

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

java -jar cdata.jdbc.api.jar

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

Below is a sample variable assignment, including a typical JDBC connection string:

jdbc_url = "jdbc:api:Profile=C:\profiles\Todoist.apip;Authscheme=OAuth;OAuthClientId=your_client_id;OAuthClientSecret=your_client_secret;CallbackUrl=your_callback_url;InitiateOAuth=GETANDREFRESH"

Access Todoist data in Python

With the JDBC URL configured, you only need the absolute path to the JDBC driver JAR file, which is in the "lib" folder in the installation directory ("C:\Program Files\CData[product_name] 20XX\lib\cdata.jdbc.api.jar" on Windows).

NOTE: If you haven't already, set the JAVA_HOME environment variable to the Java installation directory.

Use code similar to the follow to read and print data from Todoist:

import jaydebeapi #The JDBC connection string jdbc_url = "jdbc:api:Profile=C:\profiles\Todoist.apip;Authscheme=OAuth;OAuthClientId=your_client_id;OAuthClientSecret=your_client_secret;CallbackUrl=your_callback_url;InitiateOAuth=GETANDREFRESH" username = "****" password = "****" #The absolute Path to the JDBC driver JAR file, typically: jdbc_driver_jar = "C:\Program Files\CData[product_name] 20XX\lib\cdata.jdbc.api.jar" conn = jaydebeapi.connect( "cdata.jdbc.api.jar", jdbc_url, [username, password], jdbc_driver_jar, ) cursor = conn.cursor() cursor.execute("SELECT * FROM Tasks;") results = cursor.fetchall() for row in results: print(row) cursor.close() conn.close()

Free trial & more information

Download a free, 30-day trial of the CData API Driver for JDBC and start working with your live Todoist data in Python. Reach out to our Support Team if you have any questions.