ISPConfig 3 Update a DNS 'A' Record programmatically

Got it, thx. I am almost there.

Two additional questions

1. what is the definition/use of the $client_id in these function calls ? is it the number of the client space i.e. 0 for single-client systems ? Or where is that documented ?
   
   
2. (perhaps a naive question) Is there a way ot get the Id of a DNS record from it's contents, other than by brute force scanning ? e.g. by querying the database

 

Thx Till, your help has been very effective (and patient, too). I have developed a pure PHP script that will update the IP of an A record designated by its URL. I am posting it below for the benefit of those interested.

PHP:

#!/usr/bin/php
<?php

#
# This script will change the IP address of an "A" record in an ISPConfig DNS zone, accessing the record by its name (URL)
#
# Note 1 : It is assumed that the existing A record belongs to the administrator and is unique, otherwise the sript will exit in error
# Note 2 : For this script to execute properly, it is necessary :
#
#   a.  to have installed the PHP SOAP extension
#   b.  using the ISPConfig SYSTEM tab, to have created a Remote User with the "DNS a functions" enabled (use strong password)
#
#

// --------- This is the part requiring customization for your system and user data ------------

$soap_location  = 'https://yourserver.yourdomain.com:8080/remote/index.php';
$soap_uri       = 'https://yourserver.yourdomain.com:8080/remote/';
$username       = 'Your_remote_user_ID';
$password       = 'Your_remote_user_password';

// ------------------------------ End of customization section ----------------------------------

$Script_name = $argv[0];
function usage($message)
{
    global $Script_name;

    echo "Error: $message\n";
    echo "usage: $Script_name URL Ipv4_address\n";
    exit(1);
}

if (count($argv) != 3) usage("Invalid number of arguments");
$My_URL     = $argv[1];
$My_new_IP  = $argv[2];

# Parameters check

if (! filter_var($My_new_IP, FILTER_VALIDATE_IP, FILTER_FLAG_IPV4)) usage("<$My_new_IP> is not a valid IPv4 address");

# Fix potential absence of trailing dot in supplied URL

$My_A_Record = preg_replace("/\.\.$/", ".", "$My_URL.");

$client = new SoapClient(null, array(
                'location' => $soap_location,
                'uri'      => $soap_uri,
                'trace' => 1,
                'exceptions' => 1
                ));

try
{
    if (! $session_id = $client->login($username, $password))
    {
        echo "Error: Could not log in for soap operations\n";
        exit(1);
    }
    else
    #    echo "Logged successfully. Session ID: $session_id\n";             # For DEBUG purposes

    $dns_record = $client->dns_a_get($session_id, array('name' => $My_A_Record, 'type' => 'A'));

    if (count($dns_record) != 1)
    {
        $client->logout($session_id);
        echo "Multiple or no record(s) found for $My_URL\n";
        exit(2);
    }

    $dns_record = $dns_record[0];
    $id = $dns_record['id'];

    # print_r($dns_record);                                                 # for DEBUG purposes.

    #
    # At this point $id has the number of our A record and it is loaded in $dns_record
    # Now we change the address and update the record
    # Note the optional TRUE parameter at the end of the call, so that ISPConfig updates the serial
    #

    $Old_IP = $dns_record['data'];
    if ("$Old_IP" == "$My_new_IP")
    {
        // There is no change from the old IP => do nothing

        $client->logout($session_id);
        exit(0);
    }

    $client_id = 0;                                                       # Client is admin, here
    $dns_record['data'] = $My_new_IP;


    $affected_rows = $client->dns_a_update($session_id, $client_id, $id, $dns_record, true);

    if ($affected_rows == 0)
    {
        $client->logout($session_id);
        echo "Modification failed. Ip address of $My_URL remains $Old_IP.\n";
        exit(1);
    }

    echo "IP address of $My_URL changed from $Old_IP to $My_new_IP in $affected_rows location(s)\n";

    $client->logout($session_id);
    exit(0);
}

catch (SoapFault $e)
{
    echo "$client->__getLastResponse()\n";
    die("SOAP Error: $e->getMessage()\n");
}



 

Till, If I may make a suggestion, it would be great if the ISPCongfig panel did this to the URLs which are input when creating or updating a DNS record:

# Fix potential absence of trailing dot in supplied URL
$My_A_Record = preg_replace("/\.\.$/", ".", "$My_URL.");

It would improve significantly the panel user experience!