Parse returned html shipping rate value

[badboy]

How can I extract as a var, the shipping rate value returned from the HonKongPost website's html webpage/result.

I need to extract whichever value is displayed after the $:
<input type="hidden" name="total_rate" value="$540">

Here is a snipet of the actual returned html page:

    <p><font color="#FF6600"><b>Would you like to...</b></font></p>
        <p align=center>
          <form name="pickup" method="ost" action="../pickup/step1.jsp">
          <a href=javascript:formSubmit()><img src="http://www.hongkongpost.com/speedpost/eng/img/personal_assistant/postage_calculator/btn_pickup.gif" alt="Arrange Pickup" width="200" height="25" border="0"></a> 

            <input type="hidden" name="destination0" value="Argentina">
            <input type="hidden" name="type0" value="Sample / Merchandise">
            <input type="hidden" name="weight0" value="5lbs">
            <input type="hidden" name="rate0" value="$540">

            <input type="hidden" name="total_rate" value="$540">
            <input type="hidden" name="num" value="1">
          </form>
        </p>

Many thanks !

[nemonoman]

I won't write the code, but here's the method:

Using the Filesystem functions, fopen the webpage, fread the file.

Depending on your method, you'll now have the content of the file in an array or a string

using strpos() function or explode() function, determine the position of the string
'<input type="hidden" name="total_rate" value="'$'
find the position of the trailing ' " '

Read the content of the string between the two positions you just found and store as a variable.

[badboy]

Hi nemonoman,

Followed your instructions by writing the following code to the extent of my PHP knowledge but I must be missing something because I don't get any $pos=strpos return.
Also after #4 I am not sure how to find/save var the shipping rate/value.

1) saved the webpage as local file: rate.htm
2) open and read file
3) define search string
4) find position

$file="rate.htm";
$handle = fopen($file, "r");
$contents = fread($handle, filesize($file));
fclose($handle);

$findme="<input type='hidden' name='total_rate' value='$";

$pos = strpos($contents, "$findme");
echo "findme is: $findme, pos is : $pos";

Thanks

[nemonoman]

Well, you're followed the steps and so it should theoretically work. Debugging is never fun. My guess:
Target needs to match website EXACTLY.

You show 2 versions:
Double quote
<input type="hidden" name="total_rate" value="$

Single quote
<input type='hidden' name='total_rate' value='$

Also check unexpected differences in spaces, etc.

You might need to search for both.
OR
Strip all quotes, double and single,
Strip all spaces
search for "total_ratevalue=$"

Another possibility:
You haven't actually read the file.

For debugging, After the read, echo the file or strlen of the string to prove you have actually read the file.

[nemonoman]

I used this method to scrape the current singapore exchange rate from a webite:

function setrate($currency='SGD'){
        $html = implode ('', file ("http://www.x-rates.com/d/$currency/table.html"));
        $search='<a href="/d/USD/'.$currency.'/graph120.html" class="menu">';
        $searchlen=strlen($search);
        $searchpos=strpos($html,$search);
        $start=$searchpos+$searchlen;
        $closepos=strpos($html,'</a>',$searchpos);
        $end=$closepos-$start;
        $rate=substr($html,$start,$end);
        if($rate){
            dosql("DELETE FROM exchangerate WHERE fromcurrency='USD' AND tocurrency='$currency'");
            dosql("INSERT INTO exchangerate SET fromcurrency='USD', tocurrency='$currency' , rate=$rate");
        }
    }