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Resolved Resolved by CochranRobotics!

Reading A Website For Dates

take a look at this site. http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/calendar/

I would like to take this file, have the computer scan the dates, compare it to the current date, if within a week, start sending reminders verbally up until the date has past, then it can forget about it.

I don't care about times, just dates. Is it possible to scan the file and pull the information, date, and read the status/info text?

also, since there is so many entries can it be searchable by keyword, such as launch, comet, asteroid?


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#1  
@dbeard, you've got about 3 or so threads going all related to dates and calendars. In my opinion folks have already given you a couple of different paths to tackle the issue and those are: 1.) build your own external application and make it an add on for ARC, or 2.) take some of the existing EZ-Script samples and modify them as needed to script out what you want.

This method from a Nasa file, no, I don't think it will work. You can keep searching for alternative solutions, but ultimately the answer is going to lead to the same exact 2 paths, external app you build, or something you script.
#2  
It is possible to copy this information into a text file, then skim through the test file for specific text and then read the information following the "-".

Again, I would go back to the "Develop an app" path that could either
1. Parse the data on the fly and return back the information to a variable in ARC that could be spoken
or
2. store this information in a database table, and use a query to return back the description of the date

I am a database guy so I personally would opt for path 2. I find it much easier but not everyone does.

This data could change as new dates are added. You would probably want to write a function that looks for this data change on a daily basis and update your text file or database.

The better approach would be to write an application that uses an API from Wikipedia, Watson (although the data would be limited right now) or Wolfram Alpha. These services already scrub information from other sources so updates to this information becomes much less problematic. Also, since you are looking at going to the internet to grab data, you might as well use some of these services which would provide data about other areas and not just NASA dates.

For the information that wouldn't be available on the internet like your birthday or anniversary, you would house these things locally and then pull them from either a text file or a database.
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#3  
Ok. I think option 2 is what I will try. I can maybe also limit the data I store to 1 or 2 months in advance.

Thanks.
#4  
@JustinRatliff Not to mention the whole forum is basically writing his program for him... I hope we all get the credit....:P @dbeard ... Dude, you really need to put more effort into figuring out some of this stuff yourself or you never going to learn anything.... You still claim to be a beginner whch is ok, but you have been using ARC for a year an a half now so surely something must of stuck?... Yes, it is easier and quicker just to ask one of us to write a piece of code for you, but trust me it is a whole lot more satisfying when your figure it out on your own... It just takes a bit more time, but that's the fun of it, am I right? Besides, when you show people your project wouldn't you want to be able to say you created it?
#5  
@DBeard,

This is totally my opinion but I will throw it out there.

EZ-Robot is kind enough to pay people for answering questions on this forum. This is a great model, but questions that are asked about things outside of EZ-Robot products are not distinguished from those that are. I don't believe that they should pay me anything for telling you that you could build an application outside of ARC for handling what you want to do. Database access isn't a feature of ARC so it really isn't right for EZ-Robot to pay me for telling you to use a database. The SDK is an EZ-Robot product so questions about how you would do something specific in the SDK is an area (IMHO) that would be payable but, then again, if the question is about how you would do something in C# then it isn't...

I say all of this just to say that when making posts, please try to be very careful about what you mark as a question because EZ-Robot pays the one who answers. I would hate to guess how many questions that are not specific to EZ-Robot products have been asked and answered with EZ-Robot paying the one who answers. There is such a thin line here that is so hard to distinguish in some cases. You won't get answers quicker by marking them as questions so if it were me, I would just not mark them as questions unless it is a topic specific to ARC functions or the SDK specific functions.

Again, just my thoughts...
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#6  
I didn't know people were getting paid. The way I looked at it I thought the people on this board were helping others. I figured I needed technical support not just a conversation. Sorry for bothering everyone. I will close my other requests.
#7  
You aren't bothering anyone as I see it. We are here to help. I was just letting you know that people are getting paid when answering questions that are marked as such. I just want to help prevent EZ-Robot from having to pay for answers that are not to questions specifically about their products is all.
#8  
just to be clear, the payment is in store credit, and can not be applied to shipping costs, so the cost of the payments is lower than the value (without knowing EZ-B's margins, hard to tell how much lower). But Dave has a point about the reason they pay us credit for answering questions is because it lowers their tech support costs, so it would be better to have it only applied to questions they are "obligated" to answer. On the other hand, I am sure they are tracking what they are paying for, and if it becomes more expensive than beneficial, they will make a change.

Alan
#9  
I don't think anyone here does what they do for the $3 store credit. That's nothing compared to the amount of work some have put into helping another user.

There is no need to shut down your request threads. Just keep keep in mind what you know now for future posts. Generally it is best to choose "General Discussion" as the category for the thread. That avoids the problem of having to award a specific user with credit for solving the problem. Nor will you get the nag emails telling you to do so.
#10  
@dbeard "Sorry for bothering everyone" - You aren't bothering anyone, your questions are good ones, topics are good...we're just trying to offer our two cents to you as regulars so that you get the most out of your posts and pick up on some of the community educate, that's all.

I agree with others, if it's outside of what ARC can do it should be select as a "general discussion". And also creating several threads in secession that are related to the same topic, that's a forum fopaux...and ultimately it mismatches and jumbles up the advice that members try to provide.

But you certainly aren't bothering anyone. You're part of the community.
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