Olspy

A basic read-only API for Overleaf

What it can do

• Connect to any Overleaf instance that is accessible through the browser
• Read a project's file structure
• Read the contents of documents
• Request compilations
• Read edit history

What is can't do

• List a user's projects
• Make edits in a document
• Observe real-time edits to a document

Usage

First, open a project using one of the overloads of Olspy.Project.Open():

// join via a normal share link
var project = await Olspy.Project.Open(new Uri("https://my-overleaf-instance.com/SHARE-URL-HERE>"));
// join via project ID and session token
var project = await Olspy.Project.Open(new Uri("https://my-overleaf-instance.com/base-url"), "PROJECT ID HERE", "SESSION TOKEN COOKIE HERE");
// join via project ID and user credentials
var project = await Olspy.Project.Open(new Uri("https://my-overleaf-instance.com/base-url"), "PROJECT ID HERE", "YOUR@EMAIL.HERE", "YOUR PASSWORD HERE");

Project Information and File Structure

To get project information such as its name, the file structure and the contents of documents, either open a project session like this:

async using(var session = await project.Join())
{
	// contains general project info, including its file tree
	var info = await session.GetProjectInfo();
	// info.project holds miscellaneous project information
	var mainFile = info.project.RootDocID;
	// gets the lines of an editable document
	var lines = await session.GetDocumentByID(mainFile);
}

Or use equivalent methods on project that open temporary sessions automatically:

var info = await project.GetProjectInfo();
// info.project holds miscellaneous project information 
var mainFile = info.project.RootDocID;
// gets the lines of an editable document
var lines = await project.GetDocumentByID(mainFile);

Compiling

To compile a document, use the Project.Compile() method like this

// you can also specify different main files, draft mode, etc.
var compilation = await project.Compile();

The return value specifies the created files:

// First, find an output file ID
var aux = compilation.OutputFiles.First(f => f.Path.EndsWith(".aux"));
// Then retrieve it via the project
var auxContent = await project.GetOutFile(aux);
// GetOutFile() returns a HttpContent
var auxString = await auxContent.ReadAsStringAsync();

To check for success (defined as producing a PDF, even if there may have been non-fatal compile errors) use IsSuccess():

if(compilation.IsSuccess(out var pdf))
{
	// pdf is the produced PDF file
	var pdfContent = await project.GetOutFile(pdf);

	using(var f = File.Create("compiled.pdf"))
		await pdfContent.CopyToAsync(f);
}