We have made for almost 2 years, and continue to make, a comma delimited changes/scratches file for our customers, with all the tracks in one file. This file is made from the replicated data we get from Equibase - it is not a file we get from Equibase and then redistribute. Because we create it from our replicated database, there is a time delay between when Equibase updates our data (scratches, surface changes, etc.) and when we create the file and post it.
Equibase, on the other hand, as Jeff pointed out, has no time delay built in - as soon as it hits their system from the tracks, they can instantly update their web pages and XML file.
Jeff and HANA were an important part of lighting a fire under Equibase to get scratches input sooner and more reliably and getting a single (free) programmer's file containing all the scratches and changes directly from the horse's mouth - Equibase. I say programmer's file because parsing XML typically requires much more programming expertise than parsing a comma delimited or fixed width text file. As Dave points out, comma delimited files are readable out of the box, even without any parsing or programming. XML is not hard to work with but is completely different from working with comma delimited data. Once you crack the initial WTF period, you can cut and paste code from the internet and modify it to work with the Equibase file.
Quote:
|
Is there any reason we can't put up a webpage that contains the content of the current feed in an alternative (i.e. comma-delimited) format?
|
I suspect, but don't know for a fact, that doing this would violate Equibase terms of use, against republication or dissemination of the information. Whether you find that a compelling reason I'll leave to you.
Ron Tiller
HDW
