atomisator.main 0.2.5

Expert Python Programming - Main package for Atomisator app

This package is part of the Expert Python Programming book written by Tarek Ziadé.

For more information, go to http://atomisator.ziade.org

Contents

• The big picture

• Quick Start

• Available plugins

• How to write a plugin

The big picture

Atomisator is a feed framework. Its purpose it to provide an engine to build a feed by merging several sources of data.

The big picture.

Building a feed is done by two processes :

• 1, 2, 3 : Reading and filtering data

• 4, 5, 6 : Building the feed

Reading and filtering data is done in three steps :

1. read the data sources

2. filter the collected data

3. store them into a dedicated database

Building the feed is done in threesteps :

4. read the database

5. enhance the entries with dynamic data

6. render the feed

The nice thing about readers, filters and enhancers is that they are plugins. This means you can write your own plugins and use Atomisator to build your own custom feed generator.

Quick Start

To use it, create a configuration file somewhere, using the -c option:

$ atomisator -c atomisator.cfg

A default configuration file will be generated, that looks like this:

[atomisator]

# put here the feeds you wish to parse
sources =
    rss     http://tarekziade.wordpress.com/atom
    rss     http://digg.com/rss2.xml

# put here the filters you want to use
filters =
    doublons

# put here the enhancers you want to use
enhancers =

# put here the database location
database = sqlite:///atomisator.db

# this is the file that will be generated
file = atomisator.xml

# infos that will appear in the generated feed.
title = meta
description = Automatic feed created by Atomisator.
link =  http://atomisator.ziade.org/example

You can then build your feed by using this configuration file with the -f option:

$ atomisator -f /path/to/atomisator.cfg
Reading source http://tarekziade.wordpress.com/atom
10 entries read.
Reading source http://digg.com/rss/index.xml
40 entries read.
50 total.
Writing feed in atomisator.xml
Feed ready.

You can specify the path as a free argument as well:

$ atomisator /path/to/atomisator.cfg

Atomisator will then generate an atomisator.xml file, after reading the sources.

You can also call separately the process that fills the database:

$ atomisator -r -f /path/to/atomisator.cfg

In this case the feed generation will not occur.

The -g option can be used to generate the xml file on its own:

$ atomisator -g -f /path/to/atomisator.cfg

This is useful to read sources and generate the feed within different process and different time basis.

For other useful options, run:

$ atomisator --help

Available plugins

XXX to be written

How to write a plugin

XXX to be written