manage.get.gov/docs/developer/registry-access.md

Working with the registry via EPP

Overview of parts

EPP is the protocol which describes how a registry and registrar communicate with XML over a TCP socket connection.

epplib is a Python library implementation of the TCP socket connection. It has helper functions and dataclasses which can be used to send and receive the XML messages.

epplibwrapper is a module in this repository which abstracts away the details of authenticating with the registry. It assists with error handling by providing error code constants and an error class with some helper methods.

Domain is a Python class. It inherits from django.db.models.Model and is therefore part of Django's ORM and has a corresponding table in the local registrar database. Its purpose is to provide a developer-friendly interface to the registry based on what a registrant or analyst wants to do, not on the technical details of EPP.

Debugging in a Python shell

You'll first need access to a Django shell in an environment with valid registry credentials. Only some environments are allowed access: your laptop is probably not one of them. For example:

cf ssh getgov-ENVIRONMENT
/tmp/lifecycle/shell  # this configures your environment
./manage.py shell

You'll next need to import some code.

from epplibwrapper import CLIENT as registry, commands
from epplib.models import common

Finally, you'll need to craft a request and send it.

request = ...
response = registry.send(request, cleaned=True)

Note that you'll need to attest that the data you are sending has been sanitized to remove malicious or invalid strings. Use send(..., cleaned=True) to do that.

See below for some example commands to send. Replace example data with data which makes sense for your debugging scenario. Other commands are available; see the source code of epplib for more options.

Get info about a contact

request = commands.InfoContact(id='sh8013')

Create a new contact

DF = common.DiscloseField
di = common.Disclose(flag=False, fields={DF.FAX, DF.VOICE, DF.ADDR}, types={DF.ADDR: "loc"})
addr = common.ContactAddr(street=['123 Example Dr.'], city='Dulles', pc='20166-6503', cc='US', sp='VA')
pi = common.PostalInfo(name='John Doe', addr=addr, org="Example Inc.", type="loc")
ai = common.ContactAuthInfo(pw='feedabee')

request = commands.CreateContact(id='sh8013', postal_info=pi, email='jdoe@example.com', voice='+1.7035555555', fax='+1.7035555556', auth_info=ai, disclose=di, vat=None, ident=None, notify_email=None)

Create a new domain

ai = common.DomainAuthInfo(pw='feedabee')
request = commands.CreateDomain(name="okay.gov", registrant="sh8013", auth_info=ai)

Create a host object

request = commands.CreateHost(name="ns1.okay.gov", addrs=[common.Ip(addr="127.0.0.1"), common.Ip(addr="0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1", ip="v6")])

Check if a host is available

request = commands.CheckHost(["ns2.okay.gov"])

Update a domain

request = commands.UpdateDomain(name="okay.gov", add=[common.HostObjSet(["ns1.okay.gov"])])

request = commands.UpdateDomain(name="okay.gov", add=[common.DomainContact(contact="sh8014", type="tech")])

How to see the raw XML

To see the XML of a command before the request is sent, call request.xml().

To see the XML of the response, you must send the command using a different method.

registry._client.connect()
registry._client.send(registry._login)

request = commands.InfoDomain(name="ok.gov")

registry._client.transport.send(request.xml())
response = registry._client.transport.receive()

This is helpful for debugging situations where epplib is not correctly or fully parsing the XML returned from the registry.

Adding in a expiring soon domain

The below scenario is if you are NOT in org model mode (organization_feature waffle flag is off).

1. Go to the staging sandbox and to /admin

2. Go to Domains and find a domain that is actually expired by sorting the Expiration Date column

3. Click into the domain to check the expiration date

4. Click into Manage Domain to double check the expiration date as well

5. Now hold onto that domain name, and save it for the command below

6. In a terminal, run these commands:

cf ssh getgov-<your-intials>
/tmp/lifecycle/shell
./manage.py shell
from registrar.models import Domain, DomainInvitation
from registrar.models import User
user = User.objects.filter(first_name="<your-first-name>")
domain = Domain.objects.get_or_create(name="<that-domain-here>")

7. Go back to /admin and create Domain Information for that domain you just added in via the terminal
8. Go to Domain to find it
9. Click Manage Domain
10. Add yourself as domain manager
11. Go to the Registrar page and you should now see the expiring domain

If you want to be in the org model mode, turn the organization_feature waffle flag on, and add that domain via Django Admin to a portfolio to be able to view it.