Thread

Hi

Using Arnold’s XML parser, we have been able to generate XML scraped from media services like Smugmug or Blip.tv:

http://mantradesign.tv.s41725.gridserver.com/iphone/smugmug_test/

We are forced to pursue saving this media locally.  For example, updating a local folder with M4V files that live on Smugmug or Blip.tv.  Is there a module / extension that would allow us to ‘cache’ or ‘synchronize’ remote media with our Expression Engine install?

What we’re finding is that the response times for files are highly irregular and it is breaking the website.  If we can cache locally, we can continue to use Blip or Smugmug as a video CMS but serve up files from a dependable location, right here at home with EE. 

Thanks

x

I’d recommend turning the parser into a plugin and building caching into that.  You can look at the Magpie plugin for an example of a plugin using caching mechanisms.

Thanks Lisa.

We’ve never developed an EE plugin before, definitely interested in that as a future step.

I was not aware that the Magpie plugin caches media, will definitely read more about that. 

It might be that Magpie can cache the media from our existing EE XML template…

Well Magpie caches, I’m not sure if it caches how you want it to, but I mentioned it because it’s a good learning tool to see how to implement EE’s caching mechanism.

Linky to Magpie?

be careful with the TOS of those services when doing this.  I noticed that YouTube’s API TOS expressly forbid caching movies except under strict circumstances.  Not sure if these others have anything like that, but you might want to skim it just to be on the safe side.

Lisa: After a bit of tinkering, I suspect that Magpie caches the ‘elements’ from the RSS - e.g. the URL to the image - but not the image itself.

Am trying to retrieve the image from local webroot.  When we get out from under this issue, will check out the caching mechanism, seems pretty slick.  Meantime, need to scramble a solution :-|

ChiefAlchemist: is Linky a plugin I should check out?  Nothing came up with Google.

Ender: thanks for that point;  I just re-read and SmugMug is very vocal about using their service as a backbone for apps.

dream-village: right, as I said it might not cache how you want, but it’s a good idea of how to work with EE’s caching mechanism so that you have a starting point for your own plugin.

ChiefAlchemist: Magpie is included with ExpressionEngine, you can find information about it in Admin -> Utilities -> Plugin Manager.