# Helpers

## toBasicAuth

Converts a username and password string combination into a `Basic` Authorization token. `toBasicAuth` is a static method of the `XAPI` Class.

```typescript
const username = "username";
const password = "password";
const auth = XAPI.toBasicAuth(username, password);
console.log(auth); // Basic dXNlcm5hbWU6cGFzc3dvcmQ=
```

## calculateISO8601Duration

Useful for calculating ISO8601 durations when submitting statements that require durations. `calculateISO8601Duration` is a static method of the `XAPI` Class.

```typescript
const startDate: Date = new Date();
const endDate: Date = new Date(startDate);
endDate.setDate(endDate.getDate() + 1);
const duration = XAPI.calculateISO8601Duration(startDate, endDate));
console.log(duration); // P1DT
```

## getXAPILaunchData

Gets the launch data if the module was launched using [xAPI Launch](http://adlnet.github.io/xapi-launch/). `getXAPILaunchData` is a static method of the `XAPI` Class.

```typescript
XAPI.getXAPILaunchData().then((result) => {
  const launchData: XAPILaunchData = result.data;
  this.xapi = new XAPI({
    endpoint: launchData.endpoint
  });
  const actor = launchData.actor;
});
```

## getTinCanLaunchData

Gets the launch data if the module was launched as a TinCan module. `getTinCanLaunchData` is a static method of the `XAPI` Class.

```typescript
const tinCanLaunchData: TinCanLaunchParameters = XAPI.getTinCanLaunchData();
const xapi = new XAPI({
  endpoint: tinCanLaunchData.endpoint,
  auth: tinCanLaunchData.auth
});
const actor = tinCanLaunchData.actor;
```

## getSearchQueryParamsAsObject

Converts search query parameters from a string into an object. `getSearchQueryParamsAsObject` is a static method of the `XAPI` Object. Used in `getTinCanLaunchData` and `getXAPILaunchData`. If any JSON is detected an attempt is made to parse it, else properties are returned as decoded strings.

```
// Location: index.html?endpoint=https%3A%2F%2Fcloud.scorm.com%2Flrs%2FABCDEFGHIJ%2F

const queryParamsString = location.search;
const queryParamsObject = XAPI.getSearchQueryParamsAsObject(queryParamsString);

console.log(queryParamsObject);
// { endpoint: "https://cloud.scorm.com/lrs/ABCDEFGHIJ/" }
```

For backwards compatibility with some LMS/LRS (SCORM Cloud), if an `actor` property is found containing string arrays for `name`, `mbox` and `account` these are coerced into objects containing the first array entry only. Also if the property is `account` the first array object is converted from: 

`[{ accountServiceHomePage: "...", accountName: "..." }]`

into:

`{ homePage: "...", name: "..." }`

## getAxios

Returns the internal Axios instance. Useful for configuring interceptors or providing other advanced configuration.

```
const xapi = new XAPI({
  ...
});

const axios = xapi.getAbout();

// Do stuff with `axios`
```


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