Converting Online Classifieds to Print
 

Hey,

I'm currently doing online classifieds, and at the end of each month I compile all of the listings made for that month into a sorted text document that I then have printed in our monthly magazine. Our current software package isn't performing the way I'd like, and it looks a bit dated as well.

I'd be willing to purchase the developer's edition of 68 Classifieds right away provided there was a decent way to pull down all of the ads for a certain month and load them into a text document (where the ads were preferably sorted by type, automobiles, general merchandise, real estate, etc). I've got limited programming experience, and limited database experience, but I know the basics. Someone once suggested that there was an available RSS feed function, and that we could potentially use that to record the classifieds to some sort of text document as they were recieved.

Anyone have any ideas? If I can find an easy way to get all of the classifieds for a certain month into a single text document, it will save me an IMMENSE amount of time...currently I have to manually browse through each ad online, and manually type it up. The process takes around 5 hours, and I just can't take it anymore.

There is an rss script for 68C that creates a feed based on current ads in the database. You could modif this script to create a text file to your liking.

Alternativly with any database drivem script you can make use of sql commands to collect data and redirect output to a file.

I actually took a class over SQL a couple of years ago...I might even have the text book lying around, so I may be able to make something work there.

Thanks for the help.

If you could provide an image of a page you would like generated then it will be easier for us to come up with a solution.

It would be pretty simple:

Automobiles

Cars
1995 Ford Mustang for sale, $5000. Call 555-123-4567 after 5 pm.

Trucks
1999 Dodge Ram for sales, $9000. Call 555-123-9876 after 12 pm and leave a message.

General Merchandise

Pets
Free Kittens to good home! Call 555-123-6889 for more information.

Home Furnishings
Rocket Powered Toilet for Sale. Powered by Methane Gas. Call 555-123-9009 and ask for John.

Firearms
Used BFG 9000 for Sale, $12000 OBO. Call 555-123-1337 after 6 pm or leave a message.

Basically, I just need the general description pulled for each ad from the previous month, and sorted into the proper section or sub sections (as shown above). I'd ensure that everyone who posted knew that their contact information needed to be copied into their general item description in a manner similar to what I have listed above.

And just one more question:

From what I understand, 68classifieds has some sort of copy protection that checks the website's domain against a list of those nominated (to make sure that you have actually licensed the software for your website).

I'm assuming this is done through some sort of check with your server. I have no problem with this at all, provided such a feature would be disabled in the event you guys had to shut down your own servers (not that I'm implying it would happen at all, but just a "what if" that I need to run by my boss before he'll fork over the cash).

You could easily modify the rss script to display plain text as opposed to generating an RSS validated feed.

On thing to consierthough is that the rss feed displays CURRENT ads. In other words ads that are still being displayed to the public. If an ad expires the 15th of the month and you run your report the 1st of the following month you wont get the ad.