Collect periodic data from a site

[empireoflight]

Hi, first time visitor here! Hope I can get some help, and maybe help out too.

I'm trying to collect data from a site that changes periodically. I want a script that will get a number from the url and store it to be used in an app I will build. The number I want to get is the wait time in minutes for  popular local restaurants. The structure of the html on the site is like:

<tr>
<td>Four Seasons</td>
<td>DiCaprio's</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<img src='/images/down.png'>18 min</td>
<td>
<img src='/images/up.png'>27 min</td>
</tr>

etc. The down.png and up.png files indicate whether the time has gone up or down since the last check. I could use that too, I guess, but I really don't need it since the script will show whether the time is up or down. I'm not sure exactly how often the site is updated, but I figure a check every 10 minutes or so would suffice.

Any help in writing a script to do this (and store in a db or txt file) would be awesome. Thanks!

 

[requinix]

What site is this?

[empireoflight]

I can't say at the moment; does it suffice to say it's a site that updates periodically with wait times and I want to gather those times?

[Muddy_Funster]

no, it doesn't. We need to make sure you are not trying to do something that is against the websites usage agreement before we even think about helping you do it.

[empireoflight]

ok, thanks, I'm not sure they even have a usage agreement. Is it illegal/immoral to automatically check a website periodically and record the information on it?

[KevinM1]

ok, thanks, I'm not sure they even have a usage agreement. Is it illegal/immoral to automatically check a website periodically and record the information on it?

It could be, depending on the country and/or what you plan to do with that info

[empireoflight]

Country is USA and I plan on using he collected data for making an info graphic describing the best times to visit the restaurants.