Building a Custom Data Service Tutorial

8/13/2019 Building a Custom Data Service Tutorial

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SEARCHMONKEY APPLICATION

How to make a CUSTOM DATA SERVICE for use wit a!I!fo"ar #usi!$ %Pater&


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OVERVIEW

SearchMonkey apps can display content scraped from almost anypage on the internet.

Using a programming language called S!"# this tutorial $ill teachyou ho$ to create a %custom data ser&ice' $hich $ill feed content

to the SearchMonkey apps you $ill learn to create in the ne(ttutorial.

)on*t $orry# this sounds more technically comple( than it actuallyis+ You 'o!(t !ee' to k!ow %SLT )o'eto get your ,ustom )ata

Ser&ice up and running# thanks to the good people $ho made the$onderful -ather irefo( /dd0on.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xslthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xslt


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,ustom )ata Ser&ice 1 "o Start2

3. )o$nload %Pater# the irefo( /dd0onhttps244addons.mo5illa.org4en0US4firefo(4addon43367

"his e(tension $ill help you to 8uickly and easily gra9 the S!" code

from a $e9page and paste that code into your ,ustom )ata Ser&ice

7. :o to http244de&eloper.yahoo.com4searchmonkey4

and ,lick on %;uild an /pp'.


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;uilding your ,ustom )ata Ser&ice

Step 32 *asi) I!fo

3. :i&e your )ata Ser&ice a nicename.

7. Select %-age' for "ype.

. /gree to the "erms of Ser&ice."hanks for 9eing agreea9le.

?. ,lick =E" and you should 9emagically transported to theUR!s page.


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URLs + Tri$$er URL Patter! O,er,iew

A !ote o! ma i!$ a Tri$$er URL Patter!-

"rigger UR! patterns are simply the root url ofany page# minus the 9eginning portion.

or e(ample# if you $anted to e(tractinformation from the -itchforkmedia.com/l9um Re&ie$ pages# you $ould go to2http244$$$.pitchforkmedia.com4article4record.

rom this UR! you $ould remo&e http244$$$and the page name# so that you are left $iththe root2.pitchforkmedia.com4article4record@re&ie$4A

If# on the other hand# you $anted to pullcontent from -itchfork*s feature stories# your%"rigger UR! -attern' $ould look more likethis2 pitchforkmedia.com4article4feature4A.

;ecause -itchfork keeps features in thatfolder# as you can see from this feature2http244$$$.pitchforkmedia.com4article4featur
http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/142254-broken-social-scene-presents-brendan-canning-something-for-all-of-ushttp://www/http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/142392-pitchfork-music-festival-2008-sundayhttp://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/142392-pitchfork-music-festival-2008-sundayhttp://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/http://www/http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/142254-broken-social-scene-presents-brendan-canning-something-for-all-of-us


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Step 72 URLs

3. or the tutorial# $e $ill 9e e(tracting datafrom http244$$$.do$nload.com4

Enter ./'ow!0oa'/)om1.as the TriggerURL Pattern.

. ,lick =E" and you should 9e magicallytransported to the )ata E(traction pageH
http://www.download.com/http://www.download.com/Trillian/3000-2150_4-10047473.htmlhttp://www.download.com/Trillian/3000-2150_4-10047473.htmlhttp://www.download.com/


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Step


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;uilding your ,ustom )ata Ser&iceStep . ,opy the %-ath' at the top Fhighlighted in a lo&elyyello$G

?. -aste that -ath into the )ata E(traction page in the)ash9oard so that you end up $ith thisH
http://www.download.com/Trillian/3000-2150-10047473.htmlhttp://www.download.com/Trillian/3000-2150-10047473.html


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;uilding your ,ustom )ata Ser&iceStep


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;uilding your ,ustom )ata Ser&iceStep F1'i,@i'B3u"0iserDes)F1'i,1a@7F1im$1sr)J 1

;ut ho$ WellH


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;uilding your ,ustom )ata Ser&iceStep 1from the 9eginning. So youre left $ith2

'i,@i'Br""o'>ra3F1'i,@i'Br"se00F1'i,@i'Br")o!te!tF1'i,@i'B)o!te!tMai!F1'i,@i'B)o!te!t*o'>F1'i,@i'B3u"0iserDes)F1'i,1a@7F1im$

=e(t# add 1sr)to the end of the line. =O"E2 If you $ere e(tracting a link# youd add 1ref. /nd forte(t# add nothing.

'i,@i'Br""o'>ra3F1'i,@i'Br"se00F1'i,@i'Br")o!te!tF1'i,@i'B)o!te!tMai!F1'i,@i'B)o!te!t*o'>F1'i,@i'B3u"0iserDes)F1'i,1a@7F1im$1sr)

Lou*re e(tracting a picture# so replace that 'i, near the 9eginning of the line $ith an asterisk F.&. =O"E2or te(t and links# lea&e it as 'i,.

.@i'Br""o'>ra3F1'i,@i'Br"se00F1'i,@i'Br")o!te!tF1'i,@i'B)o!te!tMai!F1'i,@i'B)o!te!t*o'>F1'i,@i'B3u"0iserDes)F1'i,1a@7F1im$1sr)J 1


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;uilding your ,ustom )ata Ser&iceStep . =e(t# enclose your line of code $ith resour)eB11 at the 9eginning# and J 1 at the end FRemem9er to put a space 9et$een the end 8uote and 9ackslashG. =o$# your code should look like this2

resour)eB11.@i'Br""o'>ra3F1'i,@i'Br"se00F1'i,@i'Br")o!te!tF1'i,@i'B)o!te!tMai!F1'i,@i'B)o!te!t*o'>F1'i,@i

'B3u"0iserDes)F1'i,1a@7F1im$1sr)J 1

?. "hen# gi&e it a name tag at the 9eginning of the line. "he name is for youruse only to descri9e $hat you ha&e e(tracted. Im going to call this dataresource PphotoP 9y adding Gmeta re0Bre0-3oto and then a space. So yourfinished product should look like this2

Gmeta re0Bre0-3otoresour)eB11.@i'Br""o'>ra3F1'i,@i'Br"se00F1'i,@i'Br")o!te!tF1'i,@i'B)o!te!tMai!F1'i,@i'B)o!te!t*o'>F1'i,@i'B3u"0iserDes)F1'i,1a@7F1im$1sr)J 1

=O"E2 If you $ere e(tracting a link# youd add Gitem re0at the 9eginning.


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;uilding your ,ustom )ata Ser&iceStep F1'i,@i'B3u"0iserDes)F13@7FJ 1


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;uilding your ,ustom )ata Ser&iceStep 1from the 9eginning. So youre left $ith2

'i,@i'Br""o'>ra3F1'i,@i'Br"se00F1'i,@i'Br")o!te!tF1'i,@i'B)o!te!tMai!F1'i,@i'B)o!te!t*o'>F1'i,@i'B3u"0iserDes)F13@7F

"hen# enclose your line of code $ith resour)eB11 at the 9eginning# and J 1 at the end Fremem9er to

include a space 9et$een the end 8uote and the 9ack slashG. =o$# your code should look like this2

resour)eB11'i,@i'Br""o'>ra3F1'i,@i'Br"se00F1'i,@i'Br")o!te!tF1'i,@i'B)o!te!tMai!F1'i,@i'B)o!te!t*o'>F1'i,@i'B3u"0iserDes)F13@7FJ 1

=O"E2 We are e(tracting te(t# so $ere going to lea&e that 'i,near the 9eginning of the line. If $e $ere e(tractinga picture# $e $ould replace that 'i, $ith an asterisk ..


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;uilding your ,ustom )ata Ser&iceStep . Lour finished product should look like this2

Gmeta re0Bre0-te2t resour)eB11'i,@i'Br""o'>ra3F1

'i,@i'Br"se00F1'i,@i'Br")o!te!tF1'i,@i'B)o!te!tMai!F1'i,@i'B)o!te!t*o'>F1'i,@i'B3u"0iserDes)F13@7FJ 1

?. =o$ click Sa&e Refresh# and no$ the lo$er $indo$ panel should look Dust like this2

YAY< Ne2t- E2tra)ti!$ Li!ks?


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;uilding your ,ustom )ata Ser&iceStep . ,opy the te(t from the -ath 9o(Fhighlighted a9o&e in a !OVE!L yello$G.

?. -aste that 9elo$ the picture and te(t code inyour )ata E(traction page in the SearchMonkey /pplication )ash9oard

so that it looks like this

)one and done+ =o$ youre ready for the ne(tpartH"$eaking the -ath


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;uilding your ,ustom )ata Ser&iceStep ra3F1'i,@i'Br"se00F1'i,@i'Br")o!te!tF1'i,@i'B)o!te!tMai!F1'i,@i'B

)o!te!t*o'>F1'i,@i'B'0NowF1a@6F

;ut you really $ant this2

Gitem re0Bre0-0i!k

resour)eB11'i,@i'Br""o'>ra3F1'i,@i'Br"se00F1'i,@i'Br")o!te!tF1'i,@i'B)o!te!tMai!F1'i,@i'B)o!te!t*o'>F1'i,@i'B'0NowF1a@6F1refJ 1

What*re ya gonna do


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;uilding your ,ustom )ata Ser&iceStep ra3F1'i,@i'Br"se00F1'i,@i'Br")o!te!tF1'i,@i'B)o!te!tMai!F1'i,@i'B)o!te!t*o'>F1'i,@i'B'0NowF1a@6F

E!)0ose >our )o'e wit resource="{// at te "e$i!!i!$= a!'/@href}" /> at te e!'/

resour)eB11'i,@i'Br""o'>ra3F1'i,@i'Br"se00F1'i,@i'Br")o!te!tF1'i,@i'B)o!te!tMai!F1'i,@i'B)o!te!t*o'>F1'i,@i'B'0NowF1a@6F 1refJ 1

=O"E2 ;ecause this is a link# youre adding an ref to this code. If this $as a picture# you $ould add an sr)#

and you $ere gra99ing te(t# you $ould add nothing.

i,e >our 'ata resour)e a !ame "> a''i!$


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;uilding your ,ustom )ata Ser&iceStep >2 Co!firmatio!

"he hardest part is o&er. =o$ that you ha&e e(tracted datayou can arrange it into a SearchMonkey /pp 9y Creati!$ aPrese!tatio! A330i)atio!

"o get started# click on the P,reate a ne$ -resentation/pplicationP link from the confirmation page.

=ote2 Lou can also create the -resentation /pp at a later date9y going to the )e&eloper "ool ome page# clicking on

%,reate an /pp' and choosing %,reate a ne$ /pplication'under -resentation /pplications.
http://developer.search.yahoo.com/http://developer.search.yahoo.com/

Documents

Building a Custom Data Service Tutorial