file dependencies for command line tool

[stph6]

Hi All,
I'm new and trying to work with the command line harvester to build it into my application. Can someone kindly tell me what files the command line tool depends on to run? I would like to just use the command line feature for now, instead of the full install.

Thank you so much!

[asmecher]

Hi stph6,

Which parts of the Harvester do you not need? You'll still need most of the code, as it's written in an object oriented structure.

Regards,
Alec Smecher
Public Knowledge Project Team

[stph6]

Hi -
I'd like to use the command line harvester to harvest our own oai data provider and update a database.

[asmecher]

Hi stph6,

OK, but what will you be using to access the harvested information? Do you still need the user interface to browse the database contents, or will you be writing your own code for this?

FYI, there is currently no way to create archives or administer the system without the web-based front end.

Regards,
Alec Smecher
Public Knowledge Project Team

[stph6]

I will be inserting the data into another database and use another tool to view the contents, so I don't necessarily need the web interface at this point (although I may end up needing that in the end). Your harvester is well written, and I'd rather not reinvent the wheel if I don't have to in order to use php to harvest oai data.

Thank you for your quick responses I really appreciate it!

[asmecher]

Hi stph6,

If you decide not to use the user interface at all, you should be able to do away with the templates, pages, styles, and js directories, along with a handful of others scattered around (i.e. *Form.inc.php). Off the top of my head, you'll need a few things that aren't currently included in order to administer an installation without the web front-end, e.g. a tool to create and delete archives from the command line. If you delete the web-based administration interface you'll also lose the ability to change your site settings. Since disk space is cheap these days, and since the application isn't enormous, I'd suggest leaving the unused portions on place just in case you need to go back and change your site settings or something similar at a later date.

The Harvester is designed to be a turn-key web-based application, so if you find that it's lacking a couple of details for the kind of deployment that you've got in mind, please feel free to let us know. I suspect that the pieces that you're missing won't be enormous and we'd be happy to expand our support.

I'd also encourage you to look at the current development version, available in CVS (see docs/README-CVS in any current release of the Harvester). It's undergoing a lot of development at the moment and will be shaping up with a lot of exciting new features in the coming months.

Regards,
Alec Smecher
Public Knowledge Project Team

[stph6]

When I run the command line tool, can I pass the web address of an oai provider to harvest or does the data need to be already added the harvester2 system via the web interface?

[asmecher]

Hi stph6,

No, that's what I meant above -- there's no command-line tool to manage the list of archives. It wouldn't be too much work to write one, however.

Regards,
Alec Smecher
Public Knowledge Project Team

[stph6]

could you point me in the right direction of writing this? (which file(s) I should be looking at?

Thanks so much

[asmecher]

Hi stph6,

A tool to create archives from the command line would follow the same pattern as the other command-line tools (in the "tools" directory), but would instead perform the same tasks as in the "execute" method of classes/admin/form/ArchiveForm.inc.php (i.e. instantiating, configuring and storing an Archive object).

Regards,
Alec Smecher
Public Knowledge Project Team