Supported Platforms
Specifying the Output Format for Operational Information Requests in a NETCONF Session
In a NETCONF session, to request information about a routing, switching, or security platform running Junos OS, a client application encloses a Junos XML request tag element in an <rpc> tag element. By setting the optional format attribute in the opening operational request tag, the client application can specify the formatting of the output returned by the NETCONF server. Information can be returned as XML-tagged format or formatted ASCII text. The basic syntax is as follows:
XML Format
By default, the NETCONF server returns operational information in XML-tagged format. If the value of the format attribute is set to xml, or if the format attribute is omitted, the server returns the response in XML. The following example requests information for the ge-0/3/0 interface. The format attribute is omitted.
<rpc>
<get-interface-information> <brief/> <interface-name>ge-0/3/0</interface-name> </get-interface-information> </rpc> ]]>]]>
The NETCONF server returns the information in XML-tagged format, which is identical to the output displayed in the CLI when you include the | display xml option after the operational mode command.
<rpc-reply xmlns="urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:netconf:base:1.0"
xmlns:junos="http://xml.juniper.net/junos/11.4R1/junos">
<interface-information
xmlns="http://xml.juniper.net/junos/11.4R1/junos-interface" junos:style="brief">
<physical-interface>
<name>ge-0/3/0</name>
<admin-status junos:format="Enabled">up</admin-status>
<oper-status>down</oper-status>
<link-level-type>Ethernet</link-level-type>
<mtu>1514</mtu>
<source-filtering>disabled</source-filtering>
<speed>1000mbps</speed>
<bpdu-error>none</bpdu-error>
<l2pt-error>none</l2pt-error>
<loopback>disabled</loopback>
<if-flow-control>enabled</if-flow-control>
<if-auto-negotiation>enabled</if-auto-negotiation>
<if-remote-fault>online</if-remote-fault>
<if-device-flags>
<ifdf-present/>
<ifdf-running/>
<ifdf-down/>
</if-device-flags>
<if-config-flags>
<iff-hardware-down/>
<iff-snmp-traps/>
<internal-flags>0x4000</internal-flags>
</if-config-flags>
<if-media-flags>
<ifmf-none/>
</if-media-flags>
</physical-interface>
</interface-information>
</rpc-reply>
]]>]]>ASCII Format
To request that the NETCONF server return operational information as formatted ASCII text instead of tagging it with Junos XML tag elements, the client application includes the format="text" or format="ascii" attribute in the opening request tag. The client application encloses the request in an <rpc> tag element.
<rpc>
<get-interface-information [format="(text | ascii)"]>
<brief/> <interface-name>ge-0/3/0</interface-name> </get-interface-information> </rpc> ]]>]]>
When the client application includes the format="text" or format="ascii" attribute in the request tag, the NETCONF server formats the reply as ASCII text and encloses it in an <output> tag element. The format="text" and format="ascii" attributes produce identical output.
<rpc-reply xmlns="urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:netconf:base:1.0"
xmlns:junos="http://xml.juniper.net/junos/11.4R1/junos">
<output>
Physical interface: ge-0/3/0, Enabled, Physical link is Down
Link-level type: Ethernet, MTU: 1514, Speed: 1000mbps, Loopback: Disabled,
Source filtering: Disabled, Flow control: Enabled, Auto-negotiation: Enabled,
Remote fault: Online
Device flags : Present Running Down
Interface flags: Hardware-Down SNMP-Traps Internal: 0x4000
Link flags : None
</output>
</rpc-reply>
]]>]]>The following example shows the equivalent operational mode command executed in the CLI:
user@host> show interfaces ge-0/3/0 briefPhysical interface: ge-0/3/0, Enabled, Physical link is Down Link-level type: Ethernet, MTU: 1514, Speed: 1000mbps, Loopback: Disabled, Source filtering: Disabled, Flow control: Enabled, Auto-negotiation: Enabled, Remote fault: Online Device flags : Present Running Down Interface flags: Hardware-Down SNMP-Traps Internal: 0x4000 Link flags : None
The formatted ASCII text returned by the NETCONF server is identical to the CLI output except in cases where the output includes disallowed characters such as '<' (less-than sign), '>' (greater-than sign), and '&' (ampersand). The NETCONF server substitutes these characters with the equivalent predefined entity reference of '<', '>', and '&' respectively.
If the Junos XML API does not define a response tag element for the type of output requested by a client application, the NETCONF server returns the reply as formatted ASCII text enclosed in an <output> tag element, even if XML-tagged output is requested.
For information about the <output> tag element, see the Junos XML API Operational Reference.
 | Note: The content and formatting of data within an <output> tag element are subject to change, so client applications must not depend on them. |
