[Q] How to automating data retreival from another server?

[Michael T. Peterson]

Hi,

I am new to WEB design (and Javascript programming in particular) so I
apologize if this is already a FAQ. Anyway, I need to retrieve data
available on another server (and then incorporate it into my PHP-managed
database). The data is available to client browsers as a comma or tab
delimited list. My sense is that this is problem best solved using a
client-side technology, like Javascript.

I would be grateful for any pointers/references/snippets, etc. If my
assumptions are wrong, please point me in the right direction.

Thanks,

Michael

[Martin Honnen]

Michael T. Peterson wrote:

I am new to WEB design (and Javascript programming in particular) so I
apologize if this is already a FAQ. Anyway, I need to retrieve data
available on another server (and then incorporate it into my PHP-managed
database). The data is available to client browsers as a comma or tab
delimited list. My sense is that this is problem best solved using a
client-side technology, like Javascript.

If you have PHP on the server then read in the data from the other
server with PHP.

--

Martin Honnen
http://JavaScript.FAQTs.com/

[Brian Genisio]

Michael T. Peterson wrote:

Hi,

I am new to WEB design (and Javascript programming in particular) so I
apologize if this is already a FAQ. Anyway, I need to retrieve data
available on another server (and then incorporate it into my PHP-managed
database). The data is available to client browsers as a comma or tab
delimited list. My sense is that this is problem best solved using a
client-side technology, like Javascript.

I would be grateful for any pointers/references/snippets, etc. If my
assumptions are wrong, please point me in the right direction.

Thanks,

Michael

There are soooooo many ways to do this, and the best solution depends on
your system limitations.

1. You can use Javascript on the client side, with HTA or some other
security bypassing technology
2. You can write a client-side capture program in any language that
sends it back to the server
3. You can write something directly on the server in any language
4. You can run a client on the server that gets the info and talks on
your server as well.
5. You can parse the web page with something like tidylib
....

Unfortunately, I know of no out-of-the-box solution. What you make will
need to be home-grown, and dependant on the system you are extracting
data from. They change their interface, or underlying HTML code, and
you could be in an instant mess.

Brian