

Show HN: Screen scraping for dummies app - combiclickwise

http://netreputation.co.uk/extractor/<p>I am embarrassed about this version but I thought I would develop it based on feedback.<p>The idea was to be able to create something that any one could start using very fast. Not necessarily programmers.
======
cadab
Clickable . <http://netreputation.co.uk/extractor/>

~~~
combiclickwise
Thanks

------
wrath
It would be nice to be able to use xpaths to get to the data I want to
extract. Having done quite a few extractors in the past I find xpaths to be
the easiest way to finding the correct data. Just a thought.

~~~
combiclickwise
xpaths might be especially useful for programmers yes. I am thinking I will
add support for it. Thanks :-)

------
davewasthere
It's kind of like a basic dapper? <http://open.dapper.net/>

~~~
combiclickwise
haven't used it much. I wanted a pattern engine so the intelligence finally
rests with the user without the user needing to know regex or even
programming.

------
justliving
nice! What are your future plans for it? E.g. which features do you plan to
add for my grand-mother :-) ?

~~~
combiclickwise
thanks. couple of things I have in mind

1\. more output formats like JSON, HTML, Doc, RSS, ATOM

2\. allow programming in loops.. for example you want to be able to scrape
many pages of data for a google search result then you need a hack in the url
itself. This is difficult to accomplish but I am think I can add support to
some of the pagination patterns to start with

3\. to be able to give more control over the HTML, maybe a panel which helps
extract the relevant one from the target page

~~~
justliving
sounds good! I like especially 1/ and would add a dead simple API to it! Is
this part of your plans?

Besides, it might be intersting to play around w/ your stuff and yahoo-pipes.

~~~
combiclickwise
Oh and please use it if you want to... I will make sure I reserve a free place
for you in case I go the paid route later on :-)

my email is in my profile so you can send me yours.

------
fagatini
That is quite nice, good work!

~~~
combiclickwise
Thanks a lot

