Index: lams_tool_forum/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/forum/persistence/ForumUser.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r827f3387ff5d20c38597d5947d0b68e54ed2387b -rc5773ea3c45ef20d1b625a99dedb94f849e1a4c1
--- lams_tool_forum/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/forum/persistence/ForumUser.java	(.../ForumUser.java)	(revision 827f3387ff5d20c38597d5947d0b68e54ed2387b)
+++ lams_tool_forum/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/forum/persistence/ForumUser.java	(.../ForumUser.java)	(revision c5773ea3c45ef20d1b625a99dedb94f849e1a4c1)
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@
     public ForumUser() {
     }
 
+    /** Create the user based on the DTO in the session */
     public ForumUser(UserDTO user, ForumToolSession session) {
 	this.userId = new Long(user.getUserID().intValue());
 	this.firstName = user.getFirstName();
@@ -65,6 +66,16 @@
 	this.session = session;
 	this.sessionFinished = false;
     }
+    
+    /** Create the user based on the details in the JSON call - used for authoring so no session exists. */
+    public ForumUser(Long userId, String firstName, String lastName, String loginName) {
+	this.userId = userId;
+	this.firstName = firstName;
+	this.lastName = lastName;
+	this.loginName = loginName;
+	this.session = null;
+	this.sessionFinished = false;
+    }
 
     // **********************************************************
     // Function method for ForumUser
Index: lams_tool_forum/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/forum/service/ForumService.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r3f65546d337cbe98aea623132d1835a770e6d1c8 -rc5773ea3c45ef20d1b625a99dedb94f849e1a4c1
--- lams_tool_forum/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/forum/service/ForumService.java	(.../ForumService.java)	(revision 3f65546d337cbe98aea623132d1835a770e6d1c8)
+++ lams_tool_forum/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/forum/service/ForumService.java	(.../ForumService.java)	(revision c5773ea3c45ef20d1b625a99dedb94f849e1a4c1)
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 import org.apache.commons.lang.StringUtils;
 import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
 import org.apache.struts.upload.FormFile;
+import org.apache.tomcat.util.json.JSONArray;
 import org.apache.tomcat.util.json.JSONException;
 import org.apache.tomcat.util.json.JSONObject;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.contentrepository.AccessDeniedException;
@@ -69,6 +70,7 @@
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.notebook.model.NotebookEntry;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.notebook.service.CoreNotebookConstants;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.notebook.service.ICoreNotebookService;
+import org.lamsfoundation.lams.rest.ToolRestManager;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.tool.ToolContentImport102Manager;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.tool.ToolContentManager;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.tool.ToolOutput;
@@ -110,6 +112,7 @@
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.usermanagement.User;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.usermanagement.dto.UserDTO;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.usermanagement.service.IUserManagementService;
+import org.lamsfoundation.lams.util.JsonUtil;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.util.MessageService;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.util.WebUtil;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.util.audit.IAuditService;
@@ -122,7 +125,7 @@
  * 
  * @version $Revision$
  */
-public class ForumService implements IForumService, ToolContentManager, ToolSessionManager, ToolContentImport102Manager {
+public class ForumService implements IForumService, ToolContentManager, ToolSessionManager, ToolContentImport102Manager, ToolRestManager {
     private static final Logger log = Logger.getLogger(ForumService.class);
 
     // DAO variables
@@ -1588,4 +1591,95 @@
     
     // ****************** REST methods *************************
 
+    /** Used by the Rest calls to create content. 
+     * Mandatory fields in toolContentJSON: title, instructions, topics.
+     * Topics must contain a JSONArray of JSONObject objects, which have the following mandatory fields: subject, body
+     * There should be at least one topic object in the Topics array.
+     */
+    @Override
+    public void createRestToolContent(Integer userID, Long toolContentID, JSONObject toolContentJSON) throws JSONException {
+
+	Forum forum = new Forum();
+	Date updateDate = new Date();
+	forum.setCreated(updateDate);
+	forum.setUpdated(updateDate);
+
+	forum.setContentId(toolContentID);
+	forum.setTitle(toolContentJSON.getString("title"));
+	forum.setInstructions(toolContentJSON.getString("instructions"));
+	
+	forum.setAllowAnonym(JsonUtil.opt(toolContentJSON, "allowAnonym", Boolean.FALSE));
+	forum.setAllowEdit(JsonUtil.opt(toolContentJSON, "allowEdit", Boolean.TRUE)); // defaults to true in the default entry in the db
+	forum.setAllowNewTopic(JsonUtil.opt(toolContentJSON, "allowNewTopic", Boolean.TRUE)); // defaults to true in the default entry in the db
+	forum.setAllowRateMessages(JsonUtil.opt(toolContentJSON, "allowRateMessages", Boolean.FALSE));
+	forum.setAllowRichEditor(JsonUtil.opt(toolContentJSON, "allowRichEditor", Boolean.FALSE));
+	forum.setAllowUpload(JsonUtil.opt(toolContentJSON, "allowUpload", Boolean.FALSE));
+	forum.setContentInUse(false);
+	forum.setDefineLater(false);
+	forum.setLimitedMaxCharacters(JsonUtil.opt(toolContentJSON, "limitedMaxCharacters", Boolean.FALSE));
+	forum.setLimitedMinCharacters(JsonUtil.opt(toolContentJSON, "limitedMinCharacters", Boolean.FALSE));
+	forum.setLockWhenFinished(JsonUtil.opt(toolContentJSON, "lockWhenFinished", Boolean.FALSE));
+	forum.setMaxCharacters(JsonUtil.opt(toolContentJSON, "maxCharacters", 5000)); // defaults to 5000 chars in the default entry in the db.
+	forum.setMaximumRate(JsonUtil.opt(toolContentJSON, "maximumRate", 0));
+	forum.setMaximumReply(JsonUtil.opt(toolContentJSON, "maximumReply", 0));
+	forum.setMinCharacters(JsonUtil.opt(toolContentJSON, "minCharacters", 0));
+	forum.setMinimumRate(JsonUtil.opt(toolContentJSON, "minimumRate", 0));
+	forum.setMinimumReply(JsonUtil.opt(toolContentJSON, "minimumReply", 0));
+	forum.setNotifyLearnersOnForumPosting(JsonUtil.opt(toolContentJSON, "notifyLearnersOnForumPosting", Boolean.FALSE));
+	forum.setNotifyLearnersOnMarkRelease(JsonUtil.opt(toolContentJSON, "notifyLearnersOnMarkRelease", Boolean.FALSE));
+	forum.setNotifyTeachersOnForumPosting(JsonUtil.opt(toolContentJSON, "notifyTeachersOnForumPosting", Boolean.FALSE));
+	forum.setReflectInstructions((String) JsonUtil.opt(toolContentJSON, "reflectInstructions", null));
+	forum.setReflectOnActivity(JsonUtil.opt(toolContentJSON, "reflectOnActivity", Boolean.FALSE));
+	forum.setSubmissionDeadline((Date) JsonUtil.opt(toolContentJSON, "submissionDeadline", null));
+	
+	// *******************************Handle user*******************
+	// Code taken from AuthoringAction TODO 
+//	    String contentFolderID = (String) sessionMap.get(AttributeNames.PARAM_CONTENT_FOLDER_ID);
+	// check whether it is sysadmin:LDEV-906
+//	if (!StringUtils.equals(contentFolderID, "-1")) {
+		// try to get form system session
+//		HttpSession ss = SessionManager.getSession();
+		// get back login user DTO
+//		UserDTO user = (UserDTO) ss.getAttribute(AttributeNames.USER);
+	ForumUser forumUser = getUserByID(userID.longValue());
+	if (forumUser == null) {
+	    forumUser = new ForumUser(userID.longValue(), toolContentJSON.getString("firstName"), toolContentJSON.getString("lastName"),toolContentJSON.getString("loginName"));
+	    getForumUserDao().save(forumUser);	    
+	}
+	forum.setCreatedBy(forumUser);
+	
+	updateForum(forum);    
+
+	// **************************** Handle topic *********************
+	JSONArray topics = toolContentJSON.getJSONArray("topics");
+	for (int i=0; i<topics.length(); i++) {
+	    JSONObject msgData = (JSONObject) topics.get(i);
+	    Message newMsg = new Message();
+//	    newMsg.setAttachments(attachments); TODO
+	    newMsg.setCreatedBy(forumUser);
+	    newMsg.setCreated(updateDate);
+	    newMsg.setModifiedBy(null);
+	    newMsg.setUpdated(updateDate);
+
+	    newMsg.setSubject(msgData.getString("subject"));
+	    newMsg.setBody(msgData.getString("body"));
+	    newMsg.setForum(forum);
+	    newMsg.setHideFlag(false);
+	    // newMsg.setIsAnonymous(false); Does not appear on authoring interface
+	    newMsg.setIsAuthored(true);
+	    newMsg.setLastReplyDate(updateDate);
+	    newMsg.setParent(null);
+	    newMsg.setReplyNumber(0);
+	    newMsg.setReport(null);
+	    newMsg.setSequenceId(1);
+//	    newMsg.setSessionClones(sessionClones); Used for updating in monitoring
+	    newMsg.setToolSession(null);
+	    createRootTopic(forum.getUid(), (ForumToolSession)null, newMsg);
+	}
+	
+	// *******************************
+	// TODO - investigate
+	//forum.setConditions(conditions);
+	// message attachments
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file