Automatic Downloaders Framework

[-Thomas-]

Hi folks,

I've created a framework for automatic content downloaders like the Guardian24 or the comic strip downloader. It allows users to control which content they want to retrieve automatically while connecting to the iDS (yes, that's correct - no connection scripts etc., just hit the button at the upper left ). Downloaders are handled as plug-ins and can be developed easily.

Attached are two packages: The autodl-v0.2.zip contains an installer for the framework itself, including a dummy plugin. The guardian.zip is a converted Guardian24 downloader to show you how a simple plugin might look like.

Here's how to install the framework:

1. Unzip the autodl-v0.2.zip to your internal memory, CF card or SD card - it doesn't matter
2. Install the framework by selecting the newly created item. After the installation you have a new item in the "documents" folder on the internal memory: "Automatic Downloaders". It contains the control scripts for the plugins
3. To install the Guardian24 downloader, unzip the guardian.zip to /mnt/free/download/.
4. Connect to the iDS by hitting the iDS hardware button; the iDS software says "No new files" (or something similar) - this is intended behaviour and can be ignored.
5. Afterwards you have the newest Guardian24 issue in your news directory.

Available plugins:

• 20minutes (fr), 20minutos (es) (thx paulgreg)
• Comics
• Feedbooks RSS subscriptions
• Fictionwise purchased books
• Sunday Times Software Development (thx paulgreg)
• Tagesschau (de)
• The Guardian (attached)

Here's how to develop your own plug-in:

1. Copy the /mnt/free/download/dummy/ directory to your PC
2. Modify the manifest.xml and edit the name of your downloader
3. Modify the scripts/main.sh, this is the script that will be executed when connecting
4. Rename the "dummy" directory to something else...
5. Copy the directory back to /mnt/free/download/... that's it!

It's really awesome to have content downloaded with just one click, so hopefully there will be many plug-ins available in the future

EDIT: v0.2: fixed a bug during installation which prevented the script from working

[Adam B.]

This is a really good idea. Great Job!

[fargo]

WoW! This is excellent

[-Thomas-]

Here are two more downloaders: Adam's Daily Comic Strip and sinman's 20minutos.es. Simply extract them to /mnt/free/download/.

Edit: There's an update on the 20minutos script from Gregory, check out his post for details.

[Hadrien]

Without any parsing you could also directly link to feeds or newspaper on Feedbooks. For example: http://www.feedbooks.com/feed/743.mobi will download the RSS feeds for Mobileread in Mobipocket.

[-Thomas-]

I've just completed a very cool script...

The attached plugin allows you to download newly purchased books from Fictionwise.com directly to your device. Simply unzip it into /mnt/free/download/ and add your username/password to the scripts/config.sh file. Works like a charm

A plugin for Feedbooks.com RSS subscriptions is coming in the near future...

[bennoblumenthal]

Note that this comics script currently goes to /mnt/cf/books and the Guardian24 script goes to /mnt/cf/newspapers -- reasonable choices but had me searching a bit.

[-Thomas-]

Sorry, I forgot to point that out, this can be changed in the scripts/main.sh files. I've found a nice way to automate things: For the attached tagesschau.de plugin I used Mathijs' regutil to determine the correct storage type for news...

Please, could someone stop me? I have to write a seminar paper until next tuesday, but this project prevents me from doing so

[lochutus]

sorry, I'm not going to be the one who stops you

[bennoblumenthal]

Sorry, but I am still having a problem. The downloading scripts work run manually, but not by pressing the IDS button.

I looked at my /usr/bin/pre_download.sh and it was still only the original

I added

run-parts /mnt/free/download

as my best guess at what is supposed to be there, but it did not help.
I don't have run-parts in /usr/bin, one possible problem.

Any hints?

Benno

[-Thomas-]

Mmh, looks like the patch during installation didn't work... Which Firmware version are you running? Could you post your /usr/bin/pre_download.sh?

To get things working you have to add "run-parts /etc/download" to your /usr/bin/pre_download.sh, as the main script is /etc/download/framework.

[bennoblumenthal]

Yes, that change to pre_download.sh makes it work perfectly.

I am running version 2.12, original iLiad. I don't think iRex would be thrilled about me posting their code here. However, there is a comment line in it

# No implementation yet

after which is where new code is supposed to go -- perhaps they changed it slightly in v2?

[-Thomas-]

Nice to hear that it works now, although I would like to know why the installation didn't work... I've got 2.12 running on a v2 machine too. Maybe you could PM me your pre_download.sh?

[andyleus]

Dear Thomas,

since my pre_download.sh remained as well unchanged after installation I took the liberty to PM it as well for your information.

Meanwhile best greetings to you and all iLiad warriors.

[-Thomas-]

D'oh , /usr/bin/patch is only included in Adam B.'s new busybox and not on a "virgin" Iliad... Shame on me, and thanks to your bug report. I will think of an alternative and update the installation package soon.