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apioauth-2.0linkedin-api

Using oauth2_access_token to get connections in linkedIn

I'm trying to get the connections in linkedIn using their API, but when I try to retrieve the connections I get a 401 unauthorized error.

in the official documentation says

You must use an access token to make an authenticated call on behalf of a user

Make the API calls You can now use this access_token to make API calls on behalf of this user by appending "oauth2_access_token=access_token" at the end of the API call that you wish to make.

The API call that I'm trying to do is the following

Error --> http://api.linkedin.com/v1/people/~/connections:(id,headline,first-name,last-name)?format=json&oauth2_access_token=access_token

I have tried to do it with the following endpoint without any problems.

OK --> https://api.linkedin.com/v1/people/~:(id,first-name,last-name,formatted-name,date-of-birth,industry,email-address,location,headline,picture-urls::(original))?format=json&oauth2_access_token=access_token

this list of endpoints for the connections API are described here http://developer.linkedin.com/documents/connections-api I just copied and pasted one endpoint from there, so the question is what's the problem with the endpoint for getting the connections? what am I missing?

EDIT: for the preAuth Url I'm using

https://www.linkedin.com/uas/oauth2/authorization?response_type=code&client_id=ConsumerKey&scope=r_fullprofile%20r_emailaddress%20r_network&state&state=NewGuid&redirect_uri=Encoded_Url

https://www.linkedin.com/uas/oauth2/accessToken?grant_type=authorization_code&code=QueryString_Code&redirect_uri=EncodedCallback&client_id=ConsummerKey&client_secret=ConsumerSecret

please find attached the login screen requesting the permissions

enter image description here

EDIT2: Switched to https and worked like a charm!

Solution

  • Access tokens are issued for a specific scope that describes the extent of the permission you are requesting. When you start the authentication transaction, you add a specific parameter (called scope) that requests the user to consent access to what you want (in this case their connections). If I remember correctly, in LinkedIn that is r_network.

    Check their documentation here: http://developer.linkedin.com/documents/authentication#granting

    So, your call is perfectly ok, but very likely your access_token doesn't have enough privileges.