So I've been thinking a little bit about the Blogger API lately along with desktop apps that implement it. Once upon a time I had a little REALbasic app that implemented the api, and then after I discovered the joys of Cocoa I started writing one for Mac OS X. I've since stoped working on those 'blog apps' since the web interface was good enough for me, but I sort of wish that one of the features that I started implementing would be added to the current crop of blog apps.

Here is what my idea was- when you log on to your blog editor through the web, there is an extra link somewhere that says 'edit current post in app' - and maybe one that says 'new post in app' or something along those lines. The link would be to an xml file (.blap?) that would serve up a mime type of "application/blogger" and open up in your desktop blog app. The app would then parse the xml file, which contained info on what you wanted to do, and act accordingly.

Here's a hypothetical xml file for what would tell the app to start a new post:

<blogapp> <apiurl>http://myblog.somewhere.com/api/RPC2</apiurl&#62; <appkey>abc123</appkey> <blogid>xyz789</blogid> <action>blogger.newPost</action> </blogapp>

And here's one to edit an existing post:

<blogapp> <apiurl>http://myblog.somewhere.com/api/RPC2</apiurl&#62; <postid>710</postid> <appkey>abc123</appkey> <blogid>xyz789</blogid> <action>blogger.editPost</action> <content>This is the post- isn't it grand?</content> <published>true</published> </blogapp>

Those in the know will notice that I've taken some of the names for the elements straight from the Blogger API. One thing that I left out which the Blogger API has is user names and passwords. I figure if the blog app is set up already it would just fill in the holes when it does its post, or at least prompt the user. No need to send a users' password through the net when it doesn't need to.

Thoughts? Questions?

You can email me- gus at mu.org , and if you have a blog why don't you write your response up there and I'll link back to ya?