From 87aaff50d3a3f2ddba128ecb7829df709c6210f7 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Leonardo Schwarz <leonardo.schwarz@fgcz.ethz.ch>
Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2026 16:50:40 +0100
Subject: [PATCH] Alternative read

---
 bfabric/docs/changelog.md                 | 4 ++++
 bfabric/src/bfabric/bfabric.py            | 4 ++++
 bfabric/src/bfabric/engine/engine_suds.py | 7 ++++++-
 bfabric/src/bfabric/engine/engine_zeep.py | 4 +++-
 4 files changed, 17 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/bfabric/docs/changelog.md b/bfabric/docs/changelog.md
index d2c28366c..0fcc9265c 100644
--- a/bfabric/docs/changelog.md
+++ b/bfabric/docs/changelog.md
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@ Minor breaking changes are still possible in `1.X.Y` but we try to announce them
 
 ## \[Unreleased\]
 
+### Added
+
+- `Bfabric.read` supports `method` parameter to specify alternative read methods.
+
 ## \[1.16.1\] - 2025-12-15
 
 ### Fixed
diff --git a/bfabric/src/bfabric/bfabric.py b/bfabric/src/bfabric/bfabric.py
index e27c8b263..e69658981 100644
--- a/bfabric/src/bfabric/bfabric.py
+++ b/bfabric/src/bfabric/bfabric.py
@@ -197,6 +197,7 @@ def read(
         offset: int = 0,
         check: bool = True,
         return_id_only: bool = False,
+        method: str = "read",
     ) -> ResultContainer:
         """Reads from the specified endpoint matching all specified attributes in `obj`.
         By setting `max_results` it is possible to change the number of results that are returned.
@@ -211,6 +212,7 @@ def read(
               is 0 which means no skipping)
         :param check: whether to raise an error if the response is not successful
         :param return_id_only: whether to return only the ids of the found objects
+        :param method: alternative SOAP method to use for reading data
         :return: List of responses, packaged in the results container
         """
         # Get the first page.
@@ -219,6 +221,7 @@ def read(
             endpoint=endpoint,
             obj=obj,
             auth=self.auth,
+            method=method,
             page=1,
             return_id_only=return_id_only,
         )
@@ -248,6 +251,7 @@ def read(
                     endpoint=endpoint,
                     obj=obj,
                     auth=self.auth,
+                    method=method,
                     page=i_page,
                     return_id_only=return_id_only,
                 )
diff --git a/bfabric/src/bfabric/engine/engine_suds.py b/bfabric/src/bfabric/engine/engine_suds.py
index cc0b4764f..66e8b5c16 100644
--- a/bfabric/src/bfabric/engine/engine_suds.py
+++ b/bfabric/src/bfabric/engine/engine_suds.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ def read(
         endpoint: str,
         obj: ApiRequestObjectType,
         auth: BfabricAuth,
+        method: str = "read",
         page: int = 1,
         return_id_only: bool = False,
         include_deletable_and_updatable_fields: bool = False,
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ def read(
         :param obj: a dictionary containing the query, for every field multiple possible values can be provided, the
             final query requires the condition for each field to be met
         :param auth: the authentication handle of the user performing the request
+        :param method: alternative SOAP method to use for reading data
         :param page: the page number to read
         :param return_id_only: whether to return only the ids of the objects
         :param include_deletable_and_updatable_fields: whether to include the deletable and updatable fields
@@ -57,7 +59,10 @@ def read(
             "idonly": return_id_only,
         }
         service = self._get_suds_service(endpoint)
-        response = service.read(full_query)
+        try:
+            response = getattr(service, method)(full_query)
+        except MethodNotFound as e:
+            raise BfabricRequestError(f"SUDS failed to find method '{method}'") from e
         return self._convert_results(response=response, endpoint=endpoint)
 
     def save(
diff --git a/bfabric/src/bfabric/engine/engine_zeep.py b/bfabric/src/bfabric/engine/engine_zeep.py
index 13101601e..b731020a4 100644
--- a/bfabric/src/bfabric/engine/engine_zeep.py
+++ b/bfabric/src/bfabric/engine/engine_zeep.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ def read(
         endpoint: str,
         obj: ApiRequestObjectType,
         auth: BfabricAuth,
+        method: str = "read",
         page: int = 1,
         return_id_only: bool = False,
         include_deletable_and_updatable_fields: bool = False,
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@ def read(
         :param obj: a dictionary containing the query, for every field multiple possible values can be provided, the
             final query requires the condition for each field to be met
         :param auth: the authentication handle of the user performing the request
+        :param method: the method to use for the request, e.g. "read"
         :param page: the page number to read
         :param return_id_only: whether to return only the ids of the objects
         :param include_deletable_and_updatable_fields: whether to include the deletable and updatable fields
@@ -69,7 +71,7 @@ def read(
 
         client = self._get_client(endpoint)
         with client.settings(strict=False, xml_huge_tree=True, xsd_ignore_sequence_order=True):
-            response = client.service.read(full_query)
+            response = getattr(client.service, method)(full_query)
         return self._convert_results(response=response, endpoint=endpoint)
 
     def save(