# cPanel API 2 - Output Columns

Warning:
The cPanel API 2 system is deprecated. We **strongly** recommend that you use [UAPI](/cpanel/introduction) instead of cPanel API 2.

## Introduction

You can use special variables to select the parameters to display in cPanel API 2 output.

Note:
You can test cPanel API 2 functions with column selection in cPanel's [*API Shell*](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/advanced/api-shell-for-cpanel/) interface (*Home >> Advanced >> API Shell*). Click *Show paginate/Filter/Paginate Options* to display column selection options.

## Column selection variables

cPanel API 2 column selection uses two basic variables:

| Variable | Type | Description | Possible values |
|  --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `api2_columns` | *Boolean* | Whether to enable columns. | `1` — Enable columns.`0` — Disable columns. |
| `api2_columns_a` | *string* | The parameter that you wish to display. | A valid parameter name for the function. |


To output multiple columns on a single cPanel API 2 call, add another string variable that uses the next letter in the alphabet (For example, `api2_columns_b`, `api2_columns_c`, `api2_columns_d`.)

## Examples

The following example displays the `ip` and `timestamp` parameter results for the [`Stats::lastvisitors`](/cpanel-api-2/cpanel-api-2-modules-stats/cpanel-api-2-functions-stats-lastvisitors) function.

**WHM API**


```
/json-api/cpanel?cpanel_jsonapi_user=user&cpanel_xmlapi_apiversion=2&cpanel_xmlapi_user=user&cpanel_xmlapi_module=Stats&cpanel_xmlapi_func=lastvisitors&domain=example.com&api2_sort=1&api2_columns_a=ip&api2_columns_b=timestamp&api2_columns=1
```

Note:
For more information, read our [Use WHM API to Call cPanel API and UAPI](/whm/use-whm-api-to-call-cpanel-api-and-uapi) documentation.

**LiveAPI PHP Class**


```
$cpanel = new CPANEL(); // Connect to cPanel - only do this once.

// Call the listvisitors function and display only ip and timestamp.
$limited_visitors = $cpanel->api2(
    'Stats', 'lastvisitors',
    array(
        'domain'                     => 'example.com',
        'api2_columns'               => '1',
        'api2_columns_a'             => 'ip',
        'api2_columns_b'             => 'timestamp',
    )
);
```

Note:
For more information, read our [Guide to LiveAPI System](/guides/guide-to-the-liveapi-system/) documentation.

**LiveAPI Perl Class**


```
my $cpliveapi = Cpanel::LiveAPI->new(); # Connect to cPanel - only do this once.

# Call the listvisitors function and display only ip and timestamp.
my $limited_visitors = $cpliveapi->api2(
    'Stats', 'lastvisitors',
    {
        'domain'                     => 'example.com',
        'api2_columns'               => '1',
        'api2_columns_a'             => 'ip',
        'api2_columns_b'             => 'timestamp',
    }
);
```

Note:
For more information, read our [Guide to LiveAPI System](/guides/guide-to-the-liveapi-system/) documentation.

**Command Line**


```
cpapi2 --user=username Stats lastvisitors api2_columns=1 api2_columns_a=ip api2_columns_b=timestamp
```

**cPanel Tag System (deprecated)**


```
<?cp Email::listpopswithdisk (
          %[br],
          ip
          )
          domain="example.com",
          api2_columns="1",
          api2_columns_a="ip",
          api2_columns_b="timestamp",
?>
```

Warning:
* cPanel tags are **deprecated**. We **strongly** recommend that you **only** use the [LiveAPI](/guides/guide-to-the-liveapi-system) system to call the cPanel APIs. Examples are **only** present in order to help developers move from the old cPanel tag system to our [LiveAPI](/guides/guide-to-the-liveapi-system).
* cPanel API 2 calls that use cPanel tags vary in code syntax and in their output.
* For more information, read our [Deprecated cPanel Tag Usage](/cpanel-api-2/cpanel-api-2-deprecate-cpanel-tag-usage/) documentation.