[RESOLVED] Scraped data from remote to XML file

balloontrader

I am able to get to the remote site and gather the data I want and echo it in php page using the following...

My php code so far....

<?php  

$url = 'http://www.nws.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/mos/getmav.pl?sta=KFKN'; 
$handle = fopen($url, "r"); $contents = file_get_contents($url);  

fclose($handle);  

$hrs_pattern = "/HR[  ]*([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,})/";  

$tmp_pattern = "/TMP[ ]*([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,})/";  

$dew_pattern = "/DPT[ ]*([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,})/";  

$wdr_pattern = "/WDR[ ]*([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,})/";  

$wsp_pattern = "/WSP[ ]*([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,}) ([0-9]{2,})/";  

preg_match($hrs_pattern, $contents, $hours); 
preg_match($tmp_pattern, $contents, $temps); 
preg_match($dew_pattern, $contents, $dews); 
preg_match($wdr_pattern, $contents, $wdirs); 
preg_match($wsp_pattern, $contents, $wspds); 
echo 'Hour <b>'.$hours[1].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[2].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[3].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[4].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[5].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[6].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[7].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[8].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[9].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[10].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[11].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[12].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[13].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[14].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[15].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[16].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[17].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[18].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[19].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[20].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[21].'</b><b>00</b><br>
Tmps <b>'.$temps[1].'</b >°F  <b>'.$temps[2].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[3].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[4].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[5].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[6].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[7].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[8].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[9].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[10].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[11].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[12].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[13].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[14].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[15].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[16].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[17].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[18].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[19].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[20].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[21].'</b >°F<br> 
Dews <b><i>'.$dews[1].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[2].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[3].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[4].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[5].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[6].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[7].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[8].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[9].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[10].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[11].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[12].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[13].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[14].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[15].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[16].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[17].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[18].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[19].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[20].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[21].'</i></b >°F<br> 
W Sp <b>'.$wspds[1].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[2].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[3].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[4].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[5].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[6].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[7].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[8].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[9].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[10].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[11].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[12].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[13].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[14].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[15].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[16].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[17].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[18].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[1].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[20].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[21].'</b> MPH<br> 
W Dr <b>'.$wdirs[1].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[2].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[3].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[4].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[5].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[6].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[7].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[8].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[9].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[10].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[11].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[12].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[13].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[14].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[15].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[16].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[17].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[18].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[19].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[20].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[11].'</b><b>0</b>°';  

?>

Returns mos_temp.php

that looks like this

Hour 1800 2100 0000 0300 0600 0900 1200 1500 1800 2100 0000 0300 0600 0900 1200 1500 1800 2100 0000 0600 1200
Tmps 92°F 92°F 83°F 74°F 70°F 68°F 74°F 88°F 92°F 92°F 83°F 76°F 72°F 71°F 76°F 87°F 93°F 93°F 86°F 75°F 78°F
Dews 69°F 67°F 68°F 67°F 66°F 65°F 68°F 70°F 70°F 69°F 70°F 69°F 69°F 68°F 71°F 72°F 72°F 71°F 72°F 70°F 72°F
W Sp 07 07 04 03 03 02 02 04 04 05 03 03 03 02 04 04 05 08 07 06 03 MPH
W Dr 260° 250° 190° 200° 200° 200° 240° 260° 260° 220° 170° 200° 210° 200° 220° 220° 200° 190° 170° 200° 170°

I would like to take the data from .hours$[variable] , temps$[variable], and $dews[variable]and create an xml file called temps.xml that looks like this

<graph caption='Temp and Dew point' xAxisName='HRs (UTC)' yAxisName='Degrees (F)' numberPrefix='' showNames='1'>
<categories>
<category name='12' hoverText='1200 Hrs' />
<category name='15' hoverText='1500 Hrs' />
<category name='18' hoverText='1800 Hrs' />
<category name='21' hoverText='2100 Hrs' />
<category name='00' hoverText='2400 Hrs' />
<category name='03' hoverText='0300 Hrs' />
<category name='06' hoverText='0600 Hrs' />
<category name='09' hoverText='0900 Hrs' />
<category name='12' hoverText='1200 Hrs' />
<category name='15' hoverText='1500 Hrs' />
<category name='18' hoverText='1800 Hrs' />
<category name='21' hoverText='2100 Hrs' />
<category name='00' hoverText='2400 Hrs' />
<category name='03' hoverText='0300 Hrs' />
<category name='06' hoverText='0600 Hrs' />
<category name='09' hoverText='0900 Hrs' />
<category name='12' hoverText='1200 Hrs' />
<category name='15' hoverText='1500 Hrs' />
<category name='18' hoverText='1800 Hrs' />
<category name='00' hoverText='2400 Hrs' />
<category name='06' hoverText='0600 Hrs' />
</categories>
<dataset seriesName='Temp(F)' color='AFD8F8' showValues="0">
<set value='68'/>
<set value='78'/>
<set value='83'/>
<set value='84'/>
<set value='75'/>
<set value='65'/>
<set value='60'/>
<set value='58'/>
<set value='66'/>
<set value='81'/>
<set value='86'/>
<set value='86'/>
<set value='77'/>
<set value='69'/>
<set value='65'/>
<set value='63'/>
<set value='70'/>
<set value='83'/>
<set value='89'/>
<set value='79'/>
<set value='68'/>
</dataset>
<dataset seriesName='Dew Point' color='F6BD0F' showValues='0'>
<set value='65'/>
<set value='63'/>
<set value='61'/>
<set value='60'/>
<set value='62'/>
<set value='59'/>
<set value='57'/>
<set value='56'/>
<set value='61'/>
<set value='61'/>
<set value='57'/>
<set value='57'/>
<set value='60'/>
<set value='60'/>
<set value='59'/>
<set value='59'/>
<set value='63'/>
<set value='64'/>
<set value='63'/>
<set value='63'/>
<set value='61'/>
</dataset>
</graph>

replacing the "hard values with the data obtained from the remote site.

I have been searching for a tutorial on this but have no idea where to begin.

rane500

If you're using PHP5, you want: http://us2.php.net/manual/en/ref.dom.php

If you're using PHP4, it's: http://us2.php.net/manual/en/ref.domxml.php

(Hopefully you are using PHP5 - the DOM library is far superior to DOMXML from 4.)

The idea is fairly straightforward. You create a document object and then build it node by node, setting attributes along the way. It seems a bit overly complicated at first, but you can generate half of those nodes iterating through an array of values.

barand

Alternatively,

<?php
$str = "Hour 1800 2100 0000 0300 0600 0900 1200 1500 1800 2100 0000 0300 0600 0900 1200 1500 1800 2100 0000 0600 1200
Tmps 92°F 92°F 83°F 74°F 70°F 68°F 74°F 88°F 92°F 92°F 83°F 76°F 72°F 71°F 76°F 87°F 93°F 93°F 86°F 75°F 78°F
Dews 69°F 67°F 68°F 67°F 66°F 65°F 68°F 70°F 70°F 69°F 70°F 69°F 69°F 68°F 71°F 72°F 72°F 71°F 72°F 70°F 72°F
W Sp 07 07 04 03 03 02 02 04 04 05 03 03 03 02 04 04 05 08 07 06 03 MPH
W Dr 260° 250° 190° 200° 200° 200° 240° 260° 260° 220° 170° 200° 210° 200° 220° 220° 200° 190° 170° 200° 170°";

$lines = explode("\n", $str);
foreach ($lines as $line) {
	$items = explode (' ', $line);
	$k = count($items);
	for ($i=1; $i<$k; $i++) {
		 ${$items[0]}[] = intval($items[$i]);
	}
}

$filename = 'weather.xml';
$fp = fopen ($filename, 'w');
fwrite ($fp, '<?xml version="1.0"?>'."\n");
fwrite ($fp, "<graph caption='Temp and Dew point' xAxisName='HRs (UTC)' yAxisName='Degrees (F)' numberPrefix='' showNames='1'>\n");

fwrite ($fp, "<categories>\n");
	foreach ($Hour as $cat) {
		fwrite($fp, sprintf("<category name='%02d' hoverText='%04d Hrs' />%s", $cat/100, $cat, "\n"));
	}
fwrite ($fp, "</categories>\n");

fwrite ($fp, "<dataset seriesName='Temp(F)' color='AFD8F8' showValues='0'>\n");
	foreach ($Tmps as $temp) {
		fwrite($fp, sprintf("<set value='%d'/>%s", $temp, "\n"));
	}
fwrite ($fp, "</dataset>\n");

fwrite ($fp, "<dataset seriesName='Dew Point' color='F6BD0F' showValues='0'>\n");
	foreach ($Dews as $temp) {
		fwrite($fp, sprintf("<set value='%d'/>%s", $temp, "\n"));
	}
fwrite ($fp, "</dataset>\n");

fwrite ($fp, "</graph>\n") ;

fclose ($fp);
?>

balloontrader

That was great...

Let me see if I get the meanings of the code though...

$str = "Hour 1800 2100 0000 0300 0600 0900 1200 1500 1800 2100 0000 0300 0600 0900 1200 1500 1800 2100 0000 0600 1200 
Tmps 92°F 92°F 83°F 74°F 70°F 68°F 74°F 88°F 92°F 92°F 83°F 76°F 72°F 71°F 76°F 87°F 93°F 93°F 86°F 75°F 78°F 
Dews 69°F 67°F 68°F 67°F 66°F 65°F 68°F 70°F 70°F 69°F 70°F 69°F 69°F 68°F 71°F 72°F 72°F 71°F 72°F 70°F 72°F 
W Sp 07 07 04 03 03 02 02 04 04 05 03 03 03 02 04 04 05 08 07 06 03 MPH 
W Dr 260° 250° 190° 200° 200° 200° 240° 260° 260° 220° 170° 200° 210° 200° 220° 220° 200° 190° 170° 200° 170°";

Sets the value of Str$ to everything between " and "

$lines = explode("\n", $str);

breaks $str into seperate lines

 $items = explode (' ', $line);

breaks $line into individual data variables called $items

 $k = count($items);

counts the number of $items per $line

for ($i=1; $i<$k; $i++) { 
         ${$items[0]}[] = intval($items[$i]);

is a do loop that asigns $i to $items while $i is less than $k

$filename = 'weather.xml'; 
$fp = fopen ($filename, 'w');

assigns 'weather.xml' to $filename and opens it to be written to

fwrite ($fp, '<?xml version="1.0"?>'."\n"); 
fwrite ($fp, "<graph caption='Temp and Dew point' xAxisName='HRs (UTC)' yAxisName='Degrees (F)' numberPrefix='' showNames='1'>\n");

simply writes everything between " and " exactly as it is seen to the open file

fwrite ($fp, "<categories>\n"); 
    foreach ($Hour as $cat) { 
        fwrite($fp, sprintf("<category name='%02d' hoverText='%04d Hrs' />%s", $cat/100, $cat, "\n")); 
    } 
fwrite ($fp, "</categories>\n");

Writes <Categories>
then does a do loop that progressively writes
<category name='SOME VALUE/100' hoverText='SOME VALUE Hrs' />
changing the values to the correct $item for each line written to $filename (weather.xml)

'%02d' sets the value to a 2 digit number...$cat/100 sets the value devided by 100 to reurn the 2 digit number
'%04d' sets the value to a 4 digit number...$cat returns the value

The same process is repeated for the data sets.

fclose ($fp);

closes the written file

Now a few questions...

foreach ($Hour as $cat)

Does this asign the value $cat to $Hour? where are these coming from?... are the assigned on the fly or are they gotten from somewhere else in the code?

$str = "Hour 1800 2100 0000 0300 0600 0900 1200 1500 1800 2100 0000 0300 0600 0900 1200 1500 1800 2100 0000 0600 1200 
Tmps 92°F 92°F 83°F 74°F 70°F 68°F 74°F 88°F 92°F 92°F 83°F 76°F 72°F 71°F 76°F 87°F 93°F 93°F 86°F 75°F 78°F 
Dews 69°F 67°F 68°F 67°F 66°F 65°F 68°F 70°F 70°F 69°F 70°F 69°F 69°F 68°F 71°F 72°F 72°F 71°F 72°F 70°F 72°F 
W Sp 07 07 04 03 03 02 02 04 04 05 03 03 03 02 04 04 05 08 07 06 03 MPH 
W Dr 260° 250° 190° 200° 200° 200° 240° 260° 260° 220° 170° 200° 210° 200° 220° 220° 200° 190° 170° 200° 170°";

Can $str be created from

echo 'Hour <b>'.$hours[1].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[2].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[3].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[4].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[5].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[6].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[7].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[8].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[9].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[10].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[11].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[12].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[13].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[14].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[15].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[16].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[17].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[18].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[19].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[20].'</b><b>00</b> <b>'.$hours[21].'</b><b>00</b><br> 
Tmps <b>'.$temps[1].'</b >°F  <b>'.$temps[2].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[3].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[4].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[5].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[6].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[7].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[8].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[9].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[10].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[11].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[12].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[13].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[14].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[15].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[16].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[17].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[18].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[19].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[20].'</b >°F <b>'.$temps[21].'</b >°F<br> 
Dews <b><i>'.$dews[1].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[2].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[3].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[4].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[5].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[6].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[7].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[8].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[9].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[10].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[11].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[12].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[13].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[14].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[15].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[16].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[17].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[18].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[19].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[20].'</i></b >°F <b><i>'.$dews[21].'</i></b >°F<br> 
W Sp <b>'.$wspds[1].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[2].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[3].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[4].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[5].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[6].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[7].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[8].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[9].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[10].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[11].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[12].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[13].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[14].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[15].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[16].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[17].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[18].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[1].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[20].'</b> <b>'.$wspds[21].'</b> MPH<br> 
W Dr <b>'.$wdirs[1].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[2].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[3].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[4].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[5].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[6].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[7].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[8].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[9].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[10].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[11].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[12].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[13].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[14].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[15].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[16].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[17].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[18].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[19].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[20].'</b><b>0</b>° <b>'.$wdirs[11].'</b><b>0</b>°';

Don't get me wrong... I want to learn how and why....so I can start doing this myself..... not just have someone do it for me....
I know very little about coding as my profession is video production.

I greatly appreciate all the help.

barand

for ($i=1; $i<$k; $i++) {
         ${$items[0]}[] = intval($items[$i]);

The above creates an array whose name is the first element (eg Hours) then adds the remaining items on that line into the array.

foreach ($Hour as $cat)

takes each of the elements in the array $Hour (eg 1800, 2100 0000) and puts it into the variable $cat one at at a time for processing. When there are no more elements, it exits the foreach loop.

echo ''Hour '.$hours[1].'00 '.$hours[2]" ...etc

Just change to

$str = ''Hour '.$hours[1].'00 '.$hours[2]" ...etc

balloontrader

Thanks Barry

It's easier to learn this way....

See one

Try one

Debug and ask about one.

balloontrader

I found an easier way than going the xml rout by using an exhisting php script and working out the interface.

thanks again Barry.....

saw the links in your Sig and checked out yout baachart...... does what I need it to do..... and your help in the previous posts helped me iron out the data interface.

once I get the whole page worked out I'll post it.