forked from blallo/rss-bridge
[CREATE_BRIDGE] Update documentation to reflect current status
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CREATE_BRIDGE.md
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CREATE_BRIDGE.md
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# Howto create a bridge
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A bridge is an interface that allows rss-bridge to create a RSS feed from a website.
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A bridge is an class that allows rss-bridge to create a RSS feed from a website.
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The bridge is a PHP file, located in the `bridges/` folder.
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##Specifications
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Read the following chapters an make sure to read the [Guidelines](#guidelines)!
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A rss bridge must extend the `BridgeAbstract` class, and implement the following functions :
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## Specifications
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* The `loadMetadatas` function, described below,
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* The `getCacheDuration` function, describing the time during which rss-bridge will output cached values instead of re-generating a RSS feed.
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* The `collectData` function, also described below.
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A rss bridge must extend the `BridgeAbstract` class and implement the following functions :
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##The `collectData` function
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* [`loadMetadatas`](#the-loadmetadatas-function)
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* [`collectData`](#the-collectdata-function)
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* [`getName`](#the-getname-function)
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* [`getURI`](#the-geturi-function)
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* [`getCacheDuration`](#the-getcacheduration-function)
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This function takes as a parameter an array called `$param`, that is automatically filled with values from the user, according to the values setted in `loadMetadatas`.
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This function is the place where all the website scrapping and the RSS feed generation process will go.
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Find a [template](#template) at the end of this file.
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The RSS elements are stored in the class variable `items[]`.
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## The `loadMetadatas` function
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Every RSS element is an instance of the `Item` class.
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This function is used by rss-bridge to determine the name, maintainer name, website, last updated date... of the bridge, and the user parameters.
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##The `loadMetadatas` function
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### Basic metadatas
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This function is the one used by rss-bridge core to determine the name, maintainer name, website, last updated date... of the bridge, and the user parameters.
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### Basic metadatas.
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The basic metadatas are the following :
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The basic metadatas are :
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```PHP
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$this->maintainer
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$this->name
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$this->uri
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$this->description
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$this->update
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$this->maintainer // Name of the maintainer
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$this->name // Name of the bridge
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$this->uri // URI to the target website of the bridge ("http://....")
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$this->description // A brief description of the bridge
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$this->update // Date of last change in format "yyyy-mm-dd"
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$this->parameters // (optional) Definition of additional parameters
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```
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The default values are the following :
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Find a description of `$this->parameters` [below](#parameters)
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The default values are :
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```PHP
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$this->maintainer = 'No maintainer';
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$this->name = "Unnamed bridge";
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$this->uri = "";
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$this->description = 'No description provided';
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$this->maintainer = 'No maintainer';
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$this->parameters = array();
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```
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### Parameters
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Parameters use a JSON-like format, which is parsed and transformed to HTML `<form>` by rss-bridge.
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Parameters are defined in a JSON-like format, which is parsed and transformed into a HTML `<form>` by rss-bridge.
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These datas goes into the `$this->parameters` array, which is not mandatory if your bridge doesn't take any parameter.
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@ -59,47 +60,186 @@ The array can be a key-based array, but it is not necessary. The following synta
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$this->parameters[] = ...
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$this->parameters['First usage of my bridge'] = ...
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```
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It is worth mentionning that you can also define a set of parameters that will be applied to every possible utilisation of your bridge.
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To do this, just create a parameter array with the `global` key.
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To do this, just create a parameter array with the `global` key :
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```PHP
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$this->parameters['global'] = ...
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```
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### Format specifications
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Every `$this->parameters` element is a JSON array (`[ ... ]`) containing every input.
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Every `$this->parameters` element is a JSON array of cluster (`[ ... ]`) containing all input fields.
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It needs the following elements to be setted :
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* name, the input name as displayed to the user
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* identifier, which will be the key in the `$param` array for the corresponding data.
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Following elements are supported :
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Hence, the most basic parameter definition is the following:
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Parameter Name | Required | Type | Supported values | Description
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---------------|----------|------|------------------| -----------
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`name`|**yes**|Text||Input name as displayed to the user
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`identifier`|**yes**|Text||Identifier, which will be the key in the `$param` array for the [`collectData`](#the-collectdata-function) function
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`type`|no|Text|`text`, `number`, `list`, `checkbox`|Type of the input, default is text
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`required`|no|Boolean|`true`, `false`|Set this if you want your attribute to be required
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`values`|no|Text|`[ {"name" : option1Name, "value" : "option1Value"}, ... ]`| Values list, required with the '`list`' type
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`title`|no|Text||Will be shown as tooltip when mouse-hovering over the input
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Hence, the most basic parameter definition is the following :
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```PHP
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$this->parameters =
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...
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$this->parameters[] =
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'[
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{
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"name" : "Username",
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"identifier" : "u"
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}
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]';
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...
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```
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####Optional parameters
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## The `collectData` function
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Here is a list of optional parameters for the input :
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This function takes as a parameter an array called `$param`, that is automatically filled with values from the user, according to the values defined in the parameters array in `loadMetadatas`.
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This function is the place where all the website scrapping and the RSS feed generation process must be implemented.
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Parameter Name | Parameter values | Description
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---------------|------------------|------------
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type|text, number, list, checkbox| Type of the input, default is text
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required| true | Set this if you want your attribute to be required
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values| [ {"name" : option1Name, "value" : "option1Value"}, ...] | Values list, required with the 'list' type
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title| text | Will be shown as tooltip when mouse-hovering over the input
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RSS elements collected by this function must be stored in the class variable `items[]`.
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#### Guidelines
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Every RSS element is an instance of the `Item` class.
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* scripts (eg. Javascript) must be stripped out. Make good use of `strip_tags()` and `preg_replace()`
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* bridge must present data within 8 seconds (adjust iterators accordingly)
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* cache timeout must be fine-tuned so that each refresh can provide 1 or 2 new elements on busy periods
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* `<audio>` and `<video>` must not autoplay. Seriously.
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* do everything you can to extract valid timestamps. Translate formats, use API, exploit sitemap, whatever. Free the data!
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* don't create duplicates. If the website runs on WordPress, use the generic WordPress bridge if possible.
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* maintain efficient and well-commented code :wink:
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## Items
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The `Item` class is used to store parameter that are collected in the [`collectData`](#the-collectdata-function) function. Following properties are supported by rss-bridge :
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```PHP
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$item->uri // URI to reach the subject ("http://...")
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$item->thumbnailUri // URI for the thumbnail ("http://...")
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$item->title // Title of the item
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$item->name // Name of the item
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$item->timestamp // Timestamp of the item in numeric format (use strtotime)
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$item->author // Name of the author
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$item->content // Content in HTML format
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```
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In order to create a new item you'll have to escape the **I** in **I**tem like this :
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```PHP
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$item = new \Item();
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```
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### Item usage
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Which items are necessary depends on the output format. There are two formats that support literally any property in the `$item`:
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* JSON
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* Plaintext
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The following list provides an overview of the parameters used by the other formats :
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Parameter | ATOM | HTML | (M)RSS
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----------|------|------|-------
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`uri`|X|X|X
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`thumbnailUri`||X
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`title`|X|X|X
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`name`|X||
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`timestamp`|X|X|X
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`author`|X|X|X
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`content`|X|X|X
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## The `getName` function
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This function returns the name of the bridge as it should be displayed on the main page of rss-bridge.
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```PHP
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public function getName(){
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return ''; // Insert your bridge name here!
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}
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```
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## The `getURI` function
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This function returns the URI to the destination site of the bridge. It will be used on the main page of rss-bridge when clicking your brige name.
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```PHP
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public function getURI(){
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return ''; // Insert your URI here!
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}
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```
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## The `getCacheDuration` function
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This function returns the time in **seconds** during which rss-bridge will output cached values instead of re-generating a RSS feed.
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```PHP
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public function getCacheDuration(){
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return 3600; // 1 hour
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}
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```
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# Bridge Abstract functions
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All bridges extend from `BridgeAbstract` and therefore are able to make use of functions defined in `BridgeAbstract`.
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Following functions should be used for good practice and will support you with your bridge :
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* [`returnError`](#the-returnerror-function)
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* [`file_get_html`](#the-file-get-html-function)
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## The `returnError` function
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This function aborts execution of the current bridge and returns the given error message with the provided error number :
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```PHP
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$this->returnError('Your error message', 404)
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```
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Check the [list of error codes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_HTTP_status_codes) for applicable error numbers.
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## The `file_get_html` function
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This function is a wrapper around the simple_html_dom file_get_html function in order to provide context by design. It is considered good practice to use this function.
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```PHP
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$html = $this->file_get_html('your URI');
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```
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# Guidelines
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* scripts (eg. Javascript) must be stripped out. Make good use of `strip_tags()` and `preg_replace()`
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* each bridge must present data within 8 seconds (adjust iterators accordingly)
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* cache timeout must be fine-tuned so that each refresh can provide 1 or 2 new elements on busy periods
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* `<audio>` and `<video>` must not autoplay. Seriously.
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* do everything you can to extract valid timestamps. Translate formats, use API, exploit sitemap, whatever. Free the data!
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* don't create duplicates. If the website runs on WordPress, use the generic WordPress bridge if possible.
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* maintain efficient and well-commented code :wink:
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# Template
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This is a template for a new bridge:
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```PHP
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class MySiteBridge extends BridgeAbstract{
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public function loadMetadatas(){
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$this->maintainer = 'No maintainer';
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$this->name = $this->getName();
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$this->uri = $this->getURI();
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$this->description = 'No description provided';
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$this->parameters = array();
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}
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public function collectData(array $params){
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// Implement your bridge here!
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}
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public function getName(){
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return ''; // Insert your bridge name here!
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}
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public function getURI(){
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return ''; // Insert your URI here!
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}
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public function getCacheDuration(){
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return 3600; // 1 hour
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}
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}
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```
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