Create an API

[danielthepope]

Make a simple REST API that returns the same results that trntxt the website returns, but in a parseable output.
Suitable for use in RenderHack 2018

[nullpixel]

would this be open? seems like you have it behind a secret in that commit

[danielthepope]

Hi, the API is open at the moment (I uncommented the verification bit for RenderHack then never put it back), but I don't plan on keeping it open or supporting it long-term. What are you planning to do?

[nullpixel]

at the moment, i don’t have a specific plan/use case for it — it just seems pretty nicely done and could potentially come in useful for some projects. i may end up writing a iOS app for trntxt if that gets interest though.

[danielthepope]

If it's a solid REST API you want, you might be better off with something like Huxley: https://huxley.unop.uk/
You can self-host a Huxley so you can make it as reliable as you want it to be. I've not tried it properly myself but I'm pretty sure it contains more information and endpoints (I'm only looking at /departures).

[nullpixel]

ooh, thanks for sharing that. that looks like a great wrapper around the horrible NR APIs!

[danielthepope]

SO HORRIBLE. Trntxt is using OpenLDBWS, which isn't even compliant SOAP, so I'm locked to a really old version of the node-soap library to make it work.
National Rail provide Historic Service Performance (HSP) as an API too, which I haven't looked into at all, but it might be better for what you want to do. http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/100296.aspx

[nullpixel]

OpenLDBWS put me off doing anything with the NR API which is why I was pleasantly surprised to see this awesome project open-sourced :)