[plugin] NHLScores (October 30 Update)

[Kilrsat]

Author: geoffstewart (http://forums.snapstream.com/vb/private.php?do=newpm&u=292)

Short Description: See real-time NHL scores.

Long Description: Get the latest scores from around the NHL! See previews, recaps and scoring summaries of all games. View past and future schedules. See how your team ranks in the standings.

Version Number: 1.6
Status: Stable
Last Updated: October 30, 2007
Installation Instructions: Double-click on NHLScores-1.6.bmplugin

Release Notes:
Version 1.6:

-I'm getting the information about the current scoring for a game from a different source that is more up to date than the current source. You should now be able to see updates of who scored during the game in near real time.

Version 1.5:
- fix for ESPN change of URLs - Handle new format for pre-season games

Version 1.4:
- fix for "No Games" bug

Version 1.3:
- fix for New Year bug where URL was not properly formed for ESPN wml site
- added a bit of error handling so future snafus on the HTTP get will not bring down all of BM.
- added a break in the Standings to denote teams currently in the playoffs.

Version 1.2:
-Fixed bug with seeing future games.

License: Free

Requirements: Internet Access


Download NHLScores-1.6.bmplugin (http://www.snapstream.com/ssdn/submissions/geoffstewart/NHLScores-1.6.bmplugin)


http://www.snapstream.com/ssdn/submissions/geoffstewart/NHLScores%201.jpg

http://www.snapstream.com/ssdn/submissions/geoffstewart/NHLScores-2.jpg

http://www.snapstream.com/ssdn/submissions/geoffstewart/NHLScores-3.jpg

http://www.snapstream.com/ssdn/submissions/geoffstewart/NHLScores-4.jpg

[HIT-Rascal]

Sounds great! I'll check it out later. What would make it even better if you added realtime NFL scores and MLB for next year.

[dequire]

Thanks for making this plugin! I was happy enough that the NHL is back...This just makes it all the sweeter. Thanks!

[geoffstewart]

HIT-Rascal,
Well, this can be extended to support other sports, but I'm not too interested in pursuing those. The source of the data is the espn wml site which of course has all the NFL and MLB stuff available. I was planning on posting the source code because I figured that people would want to extend or duplicate this plugin for other sports.

dequire,
No problem. I'm completely pumped up about hockey being back, too... which is part of the reason why I did this plugin. I tried other widgets to get this information, but none are designed for the typical HTPC...

Geoff

[dlandrum]

Looks awesome. I too would love a NFL version

[bshinkle]

I'd be interested in tackling an NFL/MLB version if you posted the source..

[geoffstewart]

bshinkle,

Sure, I'll just post the source here rather than try to get it to the source repository. That way, you can get into an NFL version quickly.

Some notes...

1) I didn't do any exception handling... lazy more than anything else. So, when you get a page you can't parse, BM just shows a black screen but it lets you back out to the main screen. That was one area where I was going to make changes.

2) I found using Firefox with the WMLBrowser plugin to be a required tool for parsing the pages since I was using the ESPN wml site as a source.

3) This plugin does not use an offline scraper. In other words, when you select anything in this plugin, it goes to the wml site at that moment to retreive the information to display.. nothing is persisted. For this reason, I would stick with the wml site since its response times are excellent. Should you have to go to another site for information, you may want to revamp the plugin for offline data retrieval.

OK, enough caveats... here's the code as is. Let me know if you have any questions.

Geoff

[dequire]

I just wanted to send some propos out for this plugin... been using it since it's release and I have to say that it's great. Thanks again.

[geoffstewart]

Thanks, dequire.

At one point, I'm going to update the standings screen to make it a bit more readable... especially as we get to closer to the playoffs.

Cheers.

Geoff

[RiderFan]

This plugin has been broken for me for the last 2 days on BOTH of my computers.
The screen is just black.

[geoffstewart]

Right! Found the bug... i'll post a fix shortly.

[geoffstewart]

OK,

I've updated the plugin. Version 1.3 has the fix for the New Year bug.

Version 1.3:
----------------
- fix for New Year bug where URL was not properly formed for ESPN wml site
- added a bit of error handling so future snafus on the HTTP get will not bring down all of BM.
- added a break in the Standings to denote teams currently in the playoffs.

I'll post through the admin page to get the first post updated, but in the meantime, here's the new version.

NOTE: For whatever reason, the forum will not let me post *.bmplugin files, so I had to append a .zip to the filename. Simply remove the .zip from the name and double-click to install. It will upgrade properly from the previous version.

Enjoy.

Geoff

[SSDNAdmin]

Updated

[werb]

Anyone else getting no information? Just started two days ago. did something change?

[Mamba]

Yah, mine quit working a couple weeks ago....

[geoffstewart]

Ya, there's a bug... if there are no games on the schedule (i.e., during the Olympics), the focus remains on the textlist item that shows the games. Since there are no games, the focus can't move away from that item. I'll look at it tonight if I get a few minutes and post a fix.

Geoff


edit: I just posted a fix for this bug (version 1.4) to SSDN. It should be available within a day or two.

[SSDNAdmin]

Updated

[werb]

Thanks Geoff, but it won't let me open it. Click the link I get save only as an unknown file type.

Werb

[geoffstewart]

Hmmm, you downloaded the "NHLScores-1.4.bmplugin" from the 1st post in this thread? I just tried it and it worked OK for me.

Geoff

[werb]

i have almost every other plug in installed, strange.....

[geoffstewart]

I can't really see the message based on the attached image... it's too small for me to see.

right-click "save as..." doesn't help either?

When you say click the link and I get save only as unknown file type, does that mean you can download it but the extension is wrong... if so, can't it just be renamed and then installed?

Sorry, I'm at a bit of a loss as to why you're not able to get the plugin. Do you have another browser/computer to try?

Geoff

[risk1994]

This would be awesome if it could be modded to show fantasy football scores...

[geoffstewart]

Risk,

What's the source of that type of info? Is there a non-login website, preferably WAP-based for speed that houses the info you're looking for? In addition to schedules, scores and standings, what does fantasy football scores entail.

g

[risk1994]

cbssportsline.com

You have to log in to view scores. Normally you log into the website on game day and click a link which pops up an IE window with scores that refresh automatically every few seconds. I figured it could work like the netflix plugin where you log into netflix using a browser and select 'remember me on this computer' that way the plug in wouldnt need to pass along any password info.

Of course netflix has an rss feed and I think that the plugin uses that somehow, I dont think cbssportsline has that feature.

[geoffstewart]

Well, if it's scores that you're after, then the current feed that I use for NHL could also be used for NFL.. it's the ESPN wap site... very accurate and fast in response time... with hockey scores, it's usually only a minute or two between when the goal happens and when the site is updated.

I could look into an NFL scores, but it won't happen before tonight's kickoff ;)

Let me do some poking around with it and i'll get back to you.

Geoff

[cfaslave]

Well, if it's scores that you're after, then the current feed that I use for NHL could also be used for NFL.. it's the ESPN wap site... very accurate and fast in response time... with hockey scores, it's usually only a minute or two between when the goal happens and when the site is updated.

I could look into an NFL scores, but it won't happen before tonight's kickoff ;)

Let me do some poking around with it and i'll get back to you.

Geoff
Geoff,
I would be interested in this as well. I think there might be several others too.

Thanks for your work on this!!!
Brent

[risk1994]

Getting real time football scores would be great as well, I can imagine that being very poplular.

My original request was for fantasy football scores. These are online football leagues you can join where you can draft players from the real nfl and have the points they accumulate on game day go towards your own team. You play against someone else in your league and the scores from all his players get matched up to all your players to determine the winner each week. There is a website that tracks the scores for your team automatically each week.

I would say getting real time NFL scores would be great and I think pretty popular.

Getting fantasy football scores would be REALLY great. Not sure how popular it would be, I dont know how many football fans are in here. How about it? Any fantasy football guys here?? Maybe next season we can start a BTV league!

[RiderFan]

While you're at it, There are a lot of Canadians who use BM, like myself.

Would you consider a CFL plugin as well? www.cfl.ca (http://www.cfl.ca).

I am not sure where or how you pull the scores from websites.

[pvrnorth]

Well if your adding NFL and CFL, why not MLB as well? :)

[geoffstewart]

I hate baseball... I can't stress that enough... hate is not an overstatement or exaggeration. So I will not do a MLB plugin. But the source is here for anyone to step in. I will also provide the source for the NFL too, when it's done.

I am working on NFL, but work is very busy so I'm doing what I can. CFL is unlikely because the sources are unreliable for this information... I looked.

Geoff

edit... just realized that my avatar is baseball-related... it's not there because of it being baseball... it's there 'cause I can't stop laughing at Bobby getting hit by a baseball.

[cfaslave]

I will also provide the source for the NFL too, when it's done.

I am working on NFL, but work is very busy so I'm doing what I can. CFL is unlikely because the sources are unreliable for this information... I looked.
.
Thanks for your work on the NFL. We appreciate it!
Brent

[risk1994]

Thanks Goeff, much appreciated!

[geoffstewart]

I just submitted version 1.0 of the NFLScores plugin. It should be posted within the next couple of days, I imagine. Let me know if there are any problems.

Geoff

[geoffstewart]

As for NHLScores, it appears that ESPN changed the URLs last night for the NHL portion of their mobile site. I'll have an updated version shortly (2 days or so).

Geoff

[Kilrsat]

Updated.

[dequire]

I love this plugin! Thanks again.

[SSDNAdmin]

Updated