Interactive Query Builder¶

The Interactive Query Builder is a powerful visual tool for constructing and testing Danish Parliament API queries. Build complex OData queries without writing code, preview results in real-time, and export to your preferred programming language.

Overview¶

The Interactive Query Builder simplifies working with the Danish Parliament API by providing:

Visual Interface - Point-and-click query construction
Real-time Validation - Immediate feedback on query syntax
URL Encoding Handling - Automatic %24 parameter encoding
Multi-language Export - Generate code for Python, JavaScript, cURL
Live Testing - Test queries directly from the browser
Query Templates - Pre-built patterns for common use cases

Key Features¶

=¶

Entity Selection Choose from 50+ parliamentary entities including cases (Sag), actors (Aktør), votes (Stemme), documents (Dokument), and meetings (Møde).

¡ Smart Autocompletion¶

Field suggestions and validation based on the selected entity type with context-aware autocompletion for filters and expansions.

= URL Generation¶

Generates properly encoded API URLs with automatic %24 encoding for OData parameters - the critical requirement for the Danish Parliament API.

=Ê Query Preview¶

Real-time preview of generated queries with estimated result counts and performance indicators.

Interface Components¶

Basic Query Builder¶

The basic interface provides essential query construction tools:

Entity Selector¶

=Ä Sag (Cases) - 96,538+ records
=d Aktør (Actors) - 18,139+ records  
=ó Afstemning (Voting Sessions)
 Stemme (Individual Votes)
=Ë Dokument (Documents)
<Û Møde (Meetings)

Parameter Controls¶

Limit ($top) - Number of records to return (max: 100)
Skip ($skip) - Records to skip for pagination
Filter ($filter) - OData filter expressions
Expand ($expand) - Related entity expansion
Select ($select) - Field selection for performance
Order By ($orderby) - Result sorting
Include Count - Total record count in results

Advanced Query Builder¶

The advanced interface adds sophisticated query construction tools:

Filter Builder¶

Visual filter construction with: - Field Selection - Choose from entity-specific fields - Operator Selection - equals, contains, greater than, etc. - Value Input - Type-aware value validation - Multiple Conditions - AND/OR logic composition

Quick Filters¶

Pre-built filter templates: - Recent - Updated in last 7 days - This Year - Records from current year - Public Only - Public documents only - Active Status - Active parliamentary items

Response Format¶

Choose output format: - JSON - Default structured data format - XML - Alternative XML format

Query Construction Guide¶

1. Basic Query Setup¶

Step 1: Select Entity Choose the parliamentary entity you want to query:

Entity: Sag (Cases)

Step 2: Set Limits Configure result pagination:

Limit: 10
Skip: 0

Step 3: Add Filters (Optional) Filter results based on criteria:

Filter: year(opdateringsdato) eq 2025

2. Field Selection and Expansion¶

Select Specific Fields Improve performance by selecting only needed fields:

Select: id,titel,opdateringsdato,statusid

Expand Related Entities Include related data in a single request:

Expand: Sagsstatus,Sagstype,SagAktør

3. Sorting and Counting¶

Order Results Sort by any field:

Order By: opdateringsdato desc

Include Total Count Get the total available records:

 Include total count

OData Parameter Reference¶

Critical: URL Encoding¶

The Danish Parliament API requires proper URL encoding for all OData parameters:

 CORRECT: %24top=10&%24filter=year(opdateringsdato)%20eq%202025
L WRONG:   $top=10&$filter=year(opdateringsdato) eq 2025

The Query Builder automatically handles this encoding.

Supported Parameters¶

$top - Result Limit¶

Description: Maximum number of records to return
Syntax: %24top=NUMBER
Example: %24top=50
Range: 1-100

$skip - Pagination Offset¶

Description: Number of records to skip
Syntax: %24skip=NUMBER  
Example: %24skip=100
Use: Pagination through large datasets

$filter - Query Filtering¶

Description: OData filter expressions
Syntax: %24filter=EXPRESSION
Examples:
  - %24filter=year(opdateringsdato)%20eq%202025
  - %24filter=substringof('klima',titel)
  - %24filter=statusid%20eq%2010

Description: Include related entities
Syntax: %24expand=RELATIONS
Examples:
  - %24expand=Sagsstatus
  - %24expand=Sagsstatus,Sagstype
  - %24expand=SagAktør/Aktør

$select - Field Selection¶

Description: Choose specific fields
Syntax: %24select=FIELDS
Example: %24select=id,titel,opdateringsdato
Benefit: Reduces response size and improves performance

$orderby - Result Sorting¶

Description: Sort results by fields
Syntax: %24orderby=FIELD%20DIRECTION
Examples:
  - %24orderby=opdateringsdato%20desc
  - %24orderby=titel%20asc
  - %24orderby=id,titel

$inlinecount - Total Count¶

Description: Include total record count
Syntax: %24inlinecount=allpages
Result: Adds "odata.count" field to response
Use: Pagination calculations

$format - Response Format¶

Description: Output format selection
Syntax: %24format=FORMAT
Options: json (default), xml
Example: %24format=xml

Filter Expression Guide¶

Text Filtering¶

Substring Search¶

substringof('search_term', field_name)
Example: substringof('klima', titel)
Use Case: Find cases containing "klima"

Exact Match¶

field_name eq 'exact_value'
Example: titel eq 'Forslag til folketingsbeslutning om klima'
Use Case: Find exact title matches

Starts With¶

startswith(field_name, 'prefix')
Example: startswith(titel, 'Forslag')
Use Case: Find bills starting with "Forslag"

Ends With¶

endswith(field_name, 'suffix')
Example: endswith(titel, 'klima')
Use Case: Find titles ending with "klima"

Numeric Filtering¶

Equality¶

field_name eq NUMBER
Example: statusid eq 10
Use Case: Find cases with specific status

Range Queries¶

field_name ge NUMBER and field_name le NUMBER
Example: id ge 100000 and id le 102000
Use Case: Find cases in ID range

Greater Than/Less Than¶

field_name gt NUMBER
field_name lt NUMBER
Example: id gt 100000
Use Case: Find recent cases (higher IDs)

Date Filtering¶

Year Function¶

year(date_field) eq YEAR
Example: year(opdateringsdato) eq 2025
Use Case: Find records from specific year

Date Range¶

date_field ge datetime'YYYY-MM-DD'
Example: opdateringsdato ge datetime'2025-01-01'
Use Case: Find records after specific date

Recent Records¶

date_field ge datetime'YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS'
Example: opdateringsdato ge datetime'2025-01-01T00:00:00'
Use Case: Find very recent updates

Logical Operators¶

AND Logic¶

condition1 and condition2
Example: year(opdateringsdato) eq 2025 and statusid eq 10
Use Case: Multiple conditions must be true

OR Logic¶

condition1 or condition2
Example: statusid eq 8 or statusid eq 10
Use Case: Either condition can be true

NOT Logic¶

not condition
Example: not substringof('privat', titel)
Use Case: Exclude certain conditions

Entity-Specific Queries¶

Cases (Sag) - 96,538+ Records¶

Common Fields¶

id - Unique case identifier
titel - Case title/description
offentlighedskode - Publicity code (O=public, K=confidential)
opdateringsdato - Last update timestamp
statusid - Current case status
typeid - Case type identifier

Common Expansions¶

Sagsstatus - Case status details
Sagstype - Case type information
Sagskategori - Case category
SagAktør - Related actors (politicians, parties)
Periode - Parliamentary period

Example Queries¶

Recent public cases:
%24filter=offentlighedskode%20eq%20'O'%20and%20year(opdateringsdato)%20eq%202025&%24top=20

Climate-related legislation:
%24filter=substringof('klima',titel)&%24expand=Sagsstatus&%24top=10

Active government bills:
%24filter=statusid%20in%20(8,24,25,26)&%24expand=Sagstype&%24orderby=opdateringsdato%20desc

Actors (Aktør) - 18,139+ Records¶

Common Fields¶

id - Unique actor identifier
navn - Actor name
typeid - Actor type (5=politician, 6=party, etc.)
startdato - Start date of role
slutdato - End date of role (null if active)
opdateringsdato - Last update

Common Expansions¶

Aktørtype - Actor type details
Periode - Parliamentary period
SagAktør - Cases they're involved in
DokumentAktør - Documents they've authored

Example Queries¶

Active politicians:
%24filter=typeid%20eq%205%20and%20slutdato%20eq%20null&%24top=50

Current ministers:
%24filter=substringof('minister',navn)%20and%20slutdato%20eq%20null&%24expand=Aktørtype

Parliamentary parties:
%24filter=typeid%20eq%206&%24orderby=navn&%24expand=Periode

Voting Sessions (Afstemning)¶

Common Fields¶

id - Voting session identifier
nummer - Voting session number
konklusion - Voting conclusion/result
vedtaget - Whether adopted (true/false)
opdateringsdato - Last update

Common Expansions¶

Stemme - Individual votes in this session
Afstemningstype - Type of voting session
Møde - Meeting where voting occurred
Sag - Case being voted on

Example Queries¶

Recent successful votes:
%24filter=vedtaget%20eq%20true%20and%20year(opdateringsdato)%20eq%202025&%24top=20

Close votes:
%24filter=substringof('vedtaget%20med',konklusion)&%24expand=Stemme&%24top=10

Individual Votes (Stemme)¶

Common Fields¶

id - Vote identifier
typeid - Vote type (1=for, 2=against, 3=abstain)
afstemningid - Voting session ID
aktørid - Politician who cast the vote
opdateringsdato - Last update

Common Expansions¶

Aktør - Politician who voted
Afstemning - Voting session details
Stemmetype - Vote type description

Example Queries¶

Recent votes by politician:
%24filter=aktørid%20eq%20POLITICIAN_ID&%24expand=Afstemning&%24top=50

Against votes analysis:
%24filter=typeid%20eq%202&%24expand=Aktør,Afstemning&%24top=100

Common Query Patterns¶

Pattern 1: Recent Activity Monitor¶

Monitor recent parliamentary activity:

Entity: Sag
Filter: year(opdateringsdato) eq 2025
Order By: opdateringsdato desc
Expand: Sagsstatus
Limit: 20

Generated URL:

https://oda.ft.dk/api/Sag?%24filter=year(opdateringsdato)%20eq%202025&%24orderby=opdateringsdato%20desc&%24expand=Sagsstatus&%24top=20

Pattern 2: Voting Analysis¶

Analyze voting patterns for specific topics:

Entity: Afstemning
Filter: substringof('klima', titel) or substringof('miljø', titel)
Expand: Stemme/Aktør
Order By: opdateringsdato desc
Include Count: true

Pattern 3: Politician Activity¶

Track specific politician's involvement:

Entity: SagAktør
Filter: aktørid eq POLITICIAN_ID
Expand: Sag,Aktør
Order By: opdateringsdato desc
Limit: 50

Pattern 4: Document Research¶

Search parliamentary documents:

Entity: Dokument
Filter: substringof('betænkning', titel) and year(dato) eq 2025
Expand: Dokumenttype,DokumentAktør/Aktør
Order By: dato desc

Pattern 5: Committee Activity¶

Monitor committee work:

Entity: Møde
Filter: substringof('udvalg', titel) and year(dato) eq 2025
Expand: Mødetype,MødeAktør/Aktør
Order By: dato desc

Performance Optimization¶

Best Practices¶

1. Use Field Selection¶

Always select only the fields you need:

Select: id,titel,opdateringsdato
Benefit: Reduces response size by 70-90%

2. Limit Result Sets¶

Use appropriate limits:

Top: 50 (for exploration)
Top: 100 (maximum recommended)
Avoid: Requesting all records without pagination

3. Efficient Filtering¶

Place most selective filters first:

Good: year(opdateringsdato) eq 2025 and substringof('klima', titel)
Better: statusid eq 10 and year(opdateringsdato) eq 2025

4. Strategic Expansion¶

Only expand what you need:

Efficient: %24expand=Sagsstatus
Costly: %24expand=SagAktør/Aktør/SagAktør

Performance Indicators¶

The Query Builder shows performance estimates:

=â Fast - Response < 500ms
=á Medium - Response 500ms-2s
=à Slow - Response > 2s
=4 Very Slow - Response > 5s

Error Handling and Validation¶

Common Validation Errors¶

Invalid Filter Syntax¶

Error: "Invalid filter expression"
Fix: Check parentheses and operator syntax
Example: year(opdateringsdato) eq 2025 (not =)

Unknown Field Names¶

Error: "Unknown field 'fieldname'"
Fix: Use entity-specific field suggestions
Check: Available fields in the dropdown

Invalid Operators¶

Error: "Invalid operator"
Fix: Use OData-compatible operators (eq, ne, gt, lt, etc.)
Avoid: SQL operators (=, !=, >, <)

URL Encoding Issues¶

Error: "Bad Request" or 400 status
Fix: Ensure %24 encoding for $ parameters
Check: Generated URL uses %24, not $

HTTP Error Codes¶

The Query Builder handles and explains common errors:

400 Bad Request¶

Cause: Invalid OData syntax or missing %24 encoding
Solution: Check filter syntax and URL encoding
Example: Wrong operator or malformed date

404 Not Found¶

Cause: Invalid entity name or endpoint
Solution: Select entity from provided list
Example: Typo in entity name

500 Internal Server Error¶

Cause: Server-side processing error
Solution: Simplify query or try again later
Example: Very complex filter expressions

Export and Integration¶

Code Generation¶

The Query Builder generates ready-to-use code in multiple languages:

Python Example¶

import requests

def query_parliament_api():
    url = "https://oda.ft.dk/api/Sag"
    params = {
        '$top': 10,
        '$filter': "year(opdateringsdato) eq 2025",
        '$orderby': "opdateringsdato desc",
        '$expand': "Sagsstatus"
    }

    try:
        response = requests.get(url, params=params)
        response.raise_for_status()
        data = response.json()

        print(f"Found {len(data['value'])} cases:")
        for case in data['value']:
            print(f"  {case['titel'][:60]}...")

    except requests.RequestException as e:
        print(f"API error: {e}")

# Run the query
query_parliament_api()

JavaScript Example¶

async function queryParliamentAPI() {
    const baseUrl = 'https://oda.ft.dk/api/Sag';
    const params = new URLSearchParams({
        '$top': '10',
        '$filter': 'year(opdateringsdato) eq 2025',
        '$orderby': 'opdateringsdato desc',
        '$expand': 'Sagsstatus'
    });

    try {
        const response = await fetch(`${baseUrl}?${params}`);

        if (!response.ok) {
            throw new Error(`HTTP ${response.status}: ${response.statusText}`);
        }

        const data = await response.json();

        console.log(`Found ${data.value.length} cases:`);
        data.value.forEach(case => {
            console.log(`  ${case.titel.substring(0, 60)}...`);
        });

    } catch (error) {
        console.error('API error:', error.message);
    }
}

// Run the query
queryParliamentAPI();

cURL Example¶

#!/bin/bash

# Query Danish Parliament API
curl -s "https://oda.ft.dk/api/Sag?\$top=10&\$filter=year(opdateringsdato)%20eq%202025&\$orderby=opdateringsdato%20desc&\$expand=Sagsstatus" \
  | jq -r '.value[] | "\(.id): \(.titel[0:60])..."'

# Alternative with proper URL encoding
curl -s "https://oda.ft.dk/api/Sag?%24top=10&%24filter=year(opdateringsdato)%20eq%202025&%24orderby=opdateringsdato%20desc&%24expand=Sagsstatus" \
  | jq '.value | length'

TypeScript Example¶

interface Case {
    id: number;
    titel: string;
    opdateringsdato: string;
    statusid: number;
    Sagsstatus?: {
        status: string;
    };
}

interface APIResponse<T> {
    value: T[];
    'odata.count'?: string;
}

async function queryParliamentAPI(): Promise<Case[]> {
    const baseUrl = 'https://oda.ft.dk/api/Sag';
    const params = new URLSearchParams({
        '$top': '10',
        '$filter': 'year(opdateringsdato) eq 2025',
        '$orderby': 'opdateringsdato desc',
        '$expand': 'Sagsstatus'
    });

    try {
        const response = await fetch(`${baseUrl}?${params}`);

        if (!response.ok) {
            throw new Error(`HTTP ${response.status}: ${response.statusText}`);
        }

        const data: APIResponse<Case> = await response.json();

        console.log(`Found ${data.value.length} cases:`);
        data.value.forEach(case => {
            console.log(`  ${case.id}: ${case.titel.substring(0, 60)}...`);
            if (case.Sagsstatus) {
                console.log(`    Status: ${case.Sagsstatus.status}`);
            }
        });

        return data.value;

    } catch (error) {
        console.error('API error:', error);
        throw error;
    }
}

// Run the query
queryParliamentAPI().then(cases => {
    console.log('Query completed successfully');
}).catch(error => {
    console.error('Query failed:', error);
});

Advanced Features¶

Share constructed queries with colleagues: - URL Generation - Shareable URLs with embedded parameters - QR Code - Mobile-friendly query sharing - Email Integration - Send queries via email

Query History¶

Track your query construction: - Recent Queries - Last 10 constructed queries - Favorites - Save frequently used patterns - Export History - Download query history

Batch Operations¶

Test multiple related queries: - Query Templates - Pre-built query sets - Comparative Analysis - Run similar queries - Result Comparison - Side-by-side results

Integration Examples¶

Jupyter Notebook Integration¶

# In Jupyter cell
from IPython.display import IFrame

# Display the Query Builder
IFrame('https://your-docs-site.github.io/query-builder/', width=800, height=600)

VS Code Integration¶

{
    "name": "Danish Parliament API",
    "scope": "window",
    "command": "workbench.action.openSettings",
    "args": "query-builder.url"
}

REST Client Integration¶

Save generated queries as .http files:

### Recent Parliamentary Cases
GET https://oda.ft.dk/api/Sag?%24top=10&%24filter=year(opdateringsdato)%20eq%202025&%24orderby=opdateringsdato%20desc

### Voting Analysis
GET https://oda.ft.dk/api/Afstemning?%24expand=Stemme&%24top=20&%24filter=vedtaget%20eq%20true

Tips and Tricks¶

1. Quick Start Patterns¶

Use these patterns to get started quickly:

Today's Activity

Filter: year(opdateringsdato) eq 2025 and month(opdateringsdato) eq 1 and day(opdateringsdato) eq 10

Public Documents Only

Filter: offentlighedskode eq 'O'

Recent Major Votes

Entity: Afstemning
Filter: vedtaget eq true and year(opdateringsdato) eq 2025
Expand: Sag

2. Performance Shortcuts¶

Start with small limits (10-20) during exploration
Add specific filters before expanding
Use field selection for large datasets

3. Debugging Queries¶

Check the "Test" button for immediate validation
Use the browser's network tab to see raw requests
Start simple and add complexity gradually

4. Common Gotchas¶

Date Formats: Use datetime'YYYY-MM-DD' format
Text Search: Use substringof() function, not LIKE
Boolean Values: Use true/false, not 1/0
Null Values: Use field eq null, not field = null

Troubleshooting¶

Query Builder Not Loading¶

Symptom: Interface doesn't appear
Causes:
  - JavaScript disabled in browser
  - Network connectivity issues
  - Content security policy restrictions

Solutions:
  - Enable JavaScript
  - Check browser console for errors
  - Try refreshing the page

Generated URLs Don't Work¶

Symptom: API returns 400 Bad Request
Causes:
  - Missing %24 encoding
  - Invalid OData syntax
  - Unsupported operators

Solutions:
  - Copy URL from Query Builder (pre-encoded)
  - Test in Query Builder first
  - Check filter syntax

Slow Performance¶

Symptom: Queries take > 5 seconds
Causes:
  - Large result sets without pagination
  - Complex expansions
  - Unfiltered queries on large entities

Solutions:
  - Add specific filters
  - Reduce expansion scope
  - Use field selection
  - Implement pagination

No Results Returned¶

Symptom: Empty result set
Causes:
  - Overly restrictive filters
  - Incorrect date formats
  - Wrong field names

Solutions:
  - Simplify filters
  - Check field suggestions
  - Verify date format syntax

Query Validation¶

OData Validator - Validate OData syntax
JSON Validator - Validate API responses
URL Decoder - Decode generated URLs

API Testing¶

Postman - Full-featured API client
Insomnia - Lightweight REST client
HTTPie - Command-line HTTP client

Data Analysis¶

jq - Command-line JSON processor
Pandas - Python data analysis
Observable - Interactive data notebooks

Start building your queries now with the Interactive Query Builder above!

Interactive Query Builder¶

Overview¶

Key Features¶

=¶

¡ Smart Autocompletion¶

= URL Generation¶

=Ê Query Preview¶

Interface Components¶

Basic Query Builder¶

Entity Selector¶

Parameter Controls¶

Advanced Query Builder¶

Filter Builder¶

Quick Filters¶

Response Format¶

Query Construction Guide¶

1. Basic Query Setup¶

2. Field Selection and Expansion¶

3. Sorting and Counting¶

OData Parameter Reference¶

Critical: URL Encoding¶

Supported Parameters¶

$top - Result Limit¶

$skip - Pagination Offset¶

$filter - Query Filtering¶

$expand - Related Data¶

$select - Field Selection¶

$orderby - Result Sorting¶

$inlinecount - Total Count¶

$format - Response Format¶

Filter Expression Guide¶

Text Filtering¶

Substring Search¶

Exact Match¶

Starts With¶

Ends With¶

Numeric Filtering¶

Equality¶

Range Queries¶

Greater Than/Less Than¶

Date Filtering¶

Year Function¶

Date Range¶

Recent Records¶

Logical Operators¶

AND Logic¶

OR Logic¶

NOT Logic¶

Entity-Specific Queries¶

Cases (Sag) - 96,538+ Records¶

Common Fields¶

Common Expansions¶

Example Queries¶

Actors (Aktør) - 18,139+ Records¶

Common Fields¶

Common Expansions¶

Example Queries¶

Voting Sessions (Afstemning)¶

Common Fields¶

Common Expansions¶

Example Queries¶

Individual Votes (Stemme)¶

Common Fields¶

Common Expansions¶

Example Queries¶

Common Query Patterns¶

Pattern 1: Recent Activity Monitor¶

Pattern 2: Voting Analysis¶

Pattern 3: Politician Activity¶

Pattern 4: Document Research¶

Pattern 5: Committee Activity¶

Performance Optimization¶

Best Practices¶

1. Use Field Selection¶

2. Limit Result Sets¶

3. Efficient Filtering¶

4. Strategic Expansion¶

Performance Indicators¶

Error Handling and Validation¶

Common Validation Errors¶

= URL Generation¶