Need advice on learning a language to create a simple app/script

[element72]

Hi guys,

I made a couple scripts in the past using Autoit with little programming knowledge, which was great because I was able to make useful things that were specific to my needs. Right now I want to make an app or script that will constantly check prices on localbitcoins website. They have a public API documentation, and I have no idea if that is useful for Autoit. Lets assume I know no programming and have not used autoit in many years. What would be the best (or easiest) way to learn how to write something that can constantly check prices and notify me? Should I learn python or autoit? 

[kaisies]

Autoit could probably do this pretty easily.  Just look at the IE udf.  Depends on how the website is formatted, if you'd use 

_IEBodyReadHTML
_IEGetObjByName

etc etc:

https://www.autoitscript.com/autoit3/docs/libfunctions/IE Management.htm

[Travis]

Use INetGet to retrieve specific web pages, and then use StringRegExp to find the data you want in the web page. I use this to say, for example, you paste in a link to a web page containing thumbnails (and download links) to pages of a comic book, it will then find all of the download links that are connected to the thumbnails and then download all of the images in a folder for me. (instead of using my browser and right clicking-->save file as for dozens of images).

I took a quick look at the source for the website you gave and it should be doable. You will notice the price for each provider is contained within <td class="column-price"> $###.## </td class="column-price".

You could use StringRegExp to extract the names of each provider, their prices, description, limits, payment method, etc

 

Hope this helps  

[orbs]

Hi guys,

... script that will constantly check prices on localbitcoins website. They have a public API documentation,...

do make sure you follow the forum rules, specifically the one that prohibits "Automation of software/sites contrary to their EULA" (my emphasis). the website may have a public API, but that does not automatically mean every operation is allowed.

assuming it is valid, AutoIt is quite able to utilize API of other sources, by calling registered COM or DLL. for example, you can check out the Word UDF to see how AutoIt interacts with Microsoft Word. for your case, you need to study the API documentation. commonly, API documentation include examples for using the API, especially in VB, which uses syntax most similar to AutoIt.

if the API is too complex, and the webpage layout is simple and not changing too often (layout that is, not talking about contents here), then the two posts above this one may prove more handy.