CNN Breaking News script

[bmora]

Seems like this script is broken? Have the same Breaking News story that won't go away from yesterday. Anybody else using the CNN breaking news script?? Appears that CNN has changed their page and know this script scrapes the page.

[pscott]

Just got this this moring:

Windermere, Florida mayor: Tiger Woods released from hospital, treated for facial lacerations 11/28/2009 10:45:49 AM

[Rupp]

Same here. Here are my last entries.

11/27/2009 1:42:00 PM=Golfer Tiger Woods was injured in a car accident this morning, the Florida Highway Patrol reports
11/27/2009 2:21:00 PM=Golfer Tiger Woods suffered serious injuries in a car wreck near his home in central Florida, police said.
11/27/2009 2:24:00 PM=Windermere, Florida Mayor: Tiger Woods is out of the hospital, treated for facial laceration
11/27/2009 2:27:00 PM=Windermere, Florida mayor: Tiger Woods released from hospital, treated for facial lacerations

[bmora]

Maybe I should have been clearer....

I got the same news story but for some reason its not resetting. I have it scroll on the top of the page and usually after an hour or so it stops. Seems like the status is not resetting or something.

[Rupp]

So is it CNN that is not resetting?

[bmora]

Originally Posted by Rupp

So is it CNN that is not resetting?

Exactly! Usually after an hour or so the virtual device will reset. Doesnt seem to be happening. Are you guys seeing this?

[Pete]

I always assumed that the "Breaking News" device variable stays until the next one changes it. Ideally the script could utilize some adjustments and additional variables similiar to what Jon has done with his BBC news scripts (combining both breaking news and top news stories, volume etc).

[bmora]

Interesting, the one I've used for years always use to default the virtual device to off after a certain period of time...

[Rupp]

Mine doesn't set a virtual device. It simply contains the last breaking news until a new one is released. I time stamp mine so it doesn't show after a day on my quick view page.

[bmora]

Interesting I had a few more today and now it is working as expected. Strange how mine will default to OFF after a certain period of time. Pretty sure I'm using the same version you all are....

[Pete]

Hearing the latest Breaking News about 10 times and looking at my virtual device staying "On". One or two announcements would be great and I know sometimes it changes...found the piece in the code which tells the application to not announce after already announcing breaking news. Wish it would work correctly.

'
        '
        ' Check if we already announced the breaking news
        '
        '
        strOldAlert = hs.GetINISetting(strSettingsSection, "CurrentAlert", "", strIniFileName)
        dbg("[variable:strOldAlert][" & strOldAlert & "]")
		old_alert = Left(strOldAlert,100)
		new_alert = Left(body,100)
        'If body <> strOldAlert Then
        If old_alert <> new_alert Then
            '
            dbg("breaking news:[" & body & "]")
            '
            ' store the alert in the INI
            strAlertTime = Now
            hs.SaveINISetting(strSettingsSection, "CurrentAlert", body, strIniFileName)
            hs.SaveINISetting(strSettingsSection, "CurrentAlertTime", strAlertTime, strIniFileName)
            ' save for history
            hs.SaveINISetting(strAlertSection, strAlertTime, body, strIniFileName)

            If strTriggerEvents <> "" Then
                For Each strEvent In Split(strTriggerEvents & ",", ",")
                    strEvent = Trim(strEvent)
                    If strEvent <> "" Then
                        dbg("Triggering Event: " & strEvent)
                        hs.TriggerEvent(strEvent)
                    End If
                Next
            End If

[Pete]

Bump.

[stevea]

Pete,

The old_alert and new_alert was stuff I added to the script specifically to prevent repeats. So it looks like you are using the same code as I am, and I'm not getting the repeats.

Can you take a look in your CNNsettings.ini file and look at the alert that is being added? It should be in the section [CNNAlerts]. I'm curious if it looks like the last several are actually identical.

Steve

[Pete]

Hello Steve,

They were identical. Thanks for having a look. Here are a couple. Most of the time its just one alert.

12/8/2009 4:57:23 AM=Car bombs kill at least 112 in central Baghdad and wound 198 others
12/8/2009 4:54:47 PM=Senate rejects tighter limits on federal funds for abortion in health care bill; limits backed by key Sen. Ben Nelson
12/8/2009 7:57:46 PM=Liberal and moderate Democrats have reached "broad agreement" on a health care bill, Sen. Harry Reid says
12/10/2009 6:44:53 AM=President Barack Obama has received the Nobel Peace Prize.
12/10/2009 6:47:53 AM=President Barack Obama has received the Nobel Peace Prize.
12/10/2009 6:50:53 AM=President Barack Obama has received the Nobel Peace Prize.
12/10/2009 6:53:53 AM=President Barack Obama has received the Nobel Peace Prize.
12/10/2009 6:56:53 AM=President Barack Obama has received the Nobel Peace Prize.
12/10/2009 6:59:53 AM=President Barack Obama has received the Nobel Peace Prize.
12/10/2009 7:02:53 AM=President Barack Obama has received the Nobel Peace Prize.
12/10/2009 7:05:53 AM=President Barack Obama has received the Nobel Peace Prize.
12/10/2009 7:08:53 AM=President Barack Obama has received the Nobel Peace Prize.
12/10/2009 7:11:53 AM=President Barack Obama has received the Nobel Peace Prize.
12/10/2009 7:14:53 AM=President Barack Obama has received the Nobel Peace Prize.
12/10/2009 7:17:53 AM=President Barack Obama has received the Nobel Peace Prize.
12/10/2009 7:20:53 AM=President Barack Obama has received the Nobel Peace Prize.
12/10/2009 7:23:53 AM=President Barack Obama has received the Nobel Peace Prize.
12/10/2009 7:26:53 AM=President Barack Obama has received the Nobel Peace Prize.
12/12/2009 7:55:31 PM=Alabama running back Mark Ingram wins the Heisman Trophy
12/12/2009 10:34:31 PM=Houston, Texas, elects openly gay woman as mayor, CNN affiliate KHOU reports
12/14/2009 4:39:56 AM=A court order blocks five Americans arrested in Pakistan last week from being handed over to the FBI.
12/15/2009 10:33:56 AM=6 people, including 4 police officers, indicted in fatal beating of Latino man in Pennsylvania, Justice Department says
12/15/2009 2:39:56 PM=Evangelist Oral Roberts has died of pneumonia complications, his spokesman said. He was 91.
12/15/2009 2:42:56 PM=Evangelist Oral Roberts has died of pneumonia complications, his spokesman said. He was 91.
12/15/2009 2:45:56 PM=Evangelist Oral Roberts has died of pneumonia complications, his spokesman said. He was 91.
12/15/2009 2:48:56 PM=Evangelist Oral Roberts has died of pneumonia complications, his spokesman said. He was 91.
12/15/2009 2:51:56 PM=Evangelist Oral Roberts has died of pneumonia complications, his spokesman said. He was 91.
12/15/2009 2:54:56 PM=Evangelist Oral Roberts has died of pneumonia complications, his spokesman said. He was 91.
12/15/2009 2:57:56 PM=Evangelist Oral Roberts has died of pneumonia complications, his spokesman said. He was 91.
12/15/2009 3:00:56 PM=Evangelist Oral Roberts has died of pneumonia complications, his spokesman said. He was 91.
12/15/2009 3:03:56 PM=Evangelist Oral Roberts has died of pneumonia complications, his spokesman said. He was 91.
12/15/2009 3:06:56 PM=Evangelist Oral Roberts has died of pneumonia complications, his spokesman said. He was 91.

[GreenAcres]

I have also been seeing these repeats for some time now.

Thom

[stevea]

Pete,

I sent you an email on the two addresses I had for you from the NCID / SnevlCID dialogs we've had. Hopefully at least one of those still works. Let's work this off the board, and if we find there is a change required one of the two of us can post it back here for others.

If you don't get my email, send me a PM with your current email address and I'll try again.

Steve

[stevea]

Originally Posted by GreenAcres

I have also been seeing these repeats for some time now.

Thom,

I know I've periodically made some changes to the script for myself and my brother, and the more I think about it I think I did do some more stuff because of repeats, but I think it was over a year ago. Anyway, I asked Pete to send me the version he is using and I can compare it to what I have. I have some other custom things in my version, but since it doesn't repeat my guess is I can compare the two and figure out what to add into his.

As I mentioned to Pete in the email I sent him, this is why freely distributed source code on the scripts is both a good thing and a bad thing. I've always supported the idea of sharing scripts. I don't even remember who wrote the CNN script, but it clearly has LOTS of people using it. I know I translated it to VB.NET and made a few changes, but I would be others have also made other changes, and there are probably 15-20 different versions of it in use now.

Steve

[stevea]

I hope I'm not violating someone's ownership of this script. I've updated it to be a more "pure" translation to VB.NET, and fixed some of the issues posted here (e.g. repeating the same alert several times). I've been using it here for a few days, but I can't say for certain there are no more issues. Please let me know if I've broken anything.

Steve

[Pete]

Thanks for updating the CNN script Steve.

Happy New Year!

[stevea]

I see the script has been downloaded 10 times, but I have one person who is reporting the script crashing with a run-time error every time it is run. It doesn't do that here, so I'm curious if anyone else is seeing an error. If so, can you either post here or send me a PM with the error message?

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Steve