BBC Clifton API JSON data (attn: Martin Powell)

[Mike Ralphson]

As we got shown the door at the forum, I hope it's not too off-topic to post this here.

To clarify, this data is not mine or generated by me, it comes straight from the BBC's replacement for the data sources they shut down back in April/May. It *could* be used by get_iplayer to reinstate the lost category information, should the maintainer so wish.

Using the BBC's normal category names, it's possible to get a list of all currently available PIDs for that category by fetching the data from a URL such as:

http://clifton.api.bbci.co.uk/aps/programmes/genres/drama/scifiandfantasy/player/episodes.json

I'd suggest using cURL or wget to fetch the data, but you should be able to save it from a browser.

If you need a list of categories, they're available here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/genres.json

As the JSON output is somewhat difficult to read (especially if it's all on one line), I'd suggest using the jq programme (https://stedolan.github.io/jq/) to query / reformat it.

An example of the syntax is:

jq '. | .episodes[].programme | .pid+","+.display_titles.title+","+.title' scifi.json

cURL, wget and jq are all available for Windows, Mac and Linux.

Cheers, Mike

[Mark Carroll]

Post by Mike Ralphson
As we got shown the door at the forum, I hope it's not too off-topic to post this here.

Thank you for sharing. I was planning to get around to doing a bit of
get-iplayer-related scripting and this would be easy to work into it.
It's always hard to know how much effort to invest without any long-term
assurance of service availability but some simple JSON parsing isn't too
much cost to sink.

Post by Mike Ralphson
To clarify, this data is not mine or generated by me, it comes straight from
the BBC's replacement for the data sources they shut down back in April/May.
It *could* be used by get_iplayer to reinstate the lost category information,
should the maintainer so wish.

When we had it I did find the category information quite useful. For
instance, I can summarily ignore everything from "Relationships &
Romance"! (-:

-- Mark

[RS]

From: Mike Ralphson
Sent: Friday, December 1, 2017 10:24 AM

Post by Mike Ralphson
As we got shown the door at the forum, I hope it's not too off-topic to post this here.
To clarify, this data is not mine or generated by me, it comes straight
from the BBC's replacement for the data sources they shut down back in
April/May. It *could* be used by >get_iplayer to reinstate the lost
category information, should the maintainer so wish.

I had not seen this discussion on the forum, and I have never used
categories, but if anyone wants to read it the link is here.
https://forums.squarepenguin.co.uk/showthread.php?tid=1600

[RS]

From: Mike Ralphson
Sent: Friday, December 1, 2017 10:24 AM

Post by Mike Ralphson
As we got shown the door at the forum, I hope it's not too off-topic to post this here.
To clarify, this data is not mine or generated by me, it comes straight
from the BBC's replacement for the data sources they shut down back in
April/May. It *could* be used by >get_iplayer to reinstate the lost
category information, should the maintainer so wish.

I had not seen this discussion on the forum, and I have never used
categories, but if anyone wants to read it the link is here.
https://forums.squarepenguin.co.uk/showthread.php?tid=1600

[SquarePenguin]

Post by Mike Ralphson
As we got shown the door at the forum, I hope it's not too off-topic to post this here.

Yes sorry about that. That thread did draw Dinky's ire.

Normally off-topic stuff is just moved to the 'Any other business' sub-forum[0]
in the Off-Topic parent forum (it's down the bottom of the forum homepage).

I know there is a bit of a cross over with these topics sometimes so feel free
to post this sort of thread there. It is welcome, and that group of Off-topic
forums is ignored by Dinky.

Unfortunately it's also ignored by almost everyone else so I would say you're
much more likely to get feedback here on the list with this type of topic :-)

The folks here are great and the forums site has quite a different focus as
really it's aimed at a lot of the 'drive by' support stuff rather than in depth
technical detail or discussion (unless it's s reproducible bug).

The Off-Topic section is a move to give some of the regular visitors over in the
forums a place to expand the discussion, but it's not really a focus of that
place at all. So I guess my message is - no harm in posting to both places if
you wish in the future but here's probably your best bet.

[Owen Smith]

Yes well, Dinky's attitude over the last couple of years has gradually driven me away from get_iplayer. There used to be support and encouragement for users with more technical knowledge and that had an interest in improving features. Now that all seems to be frowned on despite it still being the same maintainer. It's really put me off.
--
Owen Smith <***@cantab.net>
Cambridge, UK

Post by SquarePenguin

Post by Mike Ralphson
As we got shown the door at the forum, I hope it's not too off-topic to post this here.

Yes sorry about that. That thread did draw Dinky's ire.
_______________________________________________
get_iplayer mailing list
http://lists.infradead.org/mailman/listinfo/get_iplayer

[George Eycott]

Hmm, I do get the impression that DP has adopted a "my way or the highway"
approach, but to be fair, he does this without getting paid and while trying
to keep under the radar from Aunty. There is no way I could maintain the
code and no-one else seems to be offering an alternative since the demise of
Radio Downloader (I primarily use GIP for radio rather than TV).

I am just grateful for what I can get!

-----Original Message-----
Behalf Of Owen Smith
Sent: 01 December 2017 22:40
To: get_iplayer
Subject: Re: BBC Clifton API JSON data (attn: Martin Powell)
Yes well, Dinky's attitude over the last couple of years has gradually

driven

me away from get_iplayer. There used to be support and encouragement for
users with more technical knowledge and that had an interest in improving
features. Now that all seems to be frowned on despite it still being the

same

maintainer. It's really put me off.
--
Cambridge, UK

On 1 Dec 2017, at 20:20, SquarePenguin

Post by Mike Ralphson
As we got shown the door at the forum, I hope it's not too off-topic to

post

Post by Mike Ralphson
this here.

Yes sorry about that. That thread did draw Dinky's ire.
_______________________________________________
get_iplayer mailing list
http://lists.infradead.org/mailman/listinfo/get_iplayer

_______________________________________________
get_iplayer mailing list
http://lists.infradead.org/mailman/listinfo/get_iplayer

[Martin Powell]

Hi Everyone, it's Martin here.

Are people happy with the mailing list approach, or do people think that
the 'AOB' section would be better??

I'd go for the mailing list, but if anybody really wants the AOB, I'm
sure it can be done.

Martin

Post by SquarePenguin

Post by Mike Ralphson
As we got shown the door at the forum, I hope it's not too off-topic to post this here.

Yes sorry about that. That thread did draw Dinky's ire.
Normally off-topic stuff is just moved to the 'Any other business' sub-forum[0]
in the Off-Topic parent forum (it's down the bottom of the forum homepage).
I know there is a bit of a cross over with these topics sometimes so feel free
to post this sort of thread there. It is welcome, and that group of Off-topic
forums is ignored by Dinky.
Unfortunately it's also ignored by almost everyone else so I would say you're
much more likely to get feedback here on the list with this type of topic :-)
The folks here are great and the forums site has quite a different focus as
really it's aimed at a lot of the 'drive by' support stuff rather than in depth
technical detail or discussion (unless it's s reproducible bug).
The Off-Topic section is a move to give some of the regular visitors over in the
forums a place to expand the discussion, but it's not really a focus of that
place at all. So I guess my message is - no harm in posting to both places if
you wish in the future but here's probably your best bet.
_______________________________________________
get_iplayer mailing list
http://lists.infradead.org/mailman/listinfo/get_iplayer

[Ralph Corderoy]

Hi Martin,

Post by Martin Powell

Unfortunately [AOB is] also ignored by almost everyone else so I
would say you're much more likely to get feedback here on the list
with this type of topic :-)

Are people happy with the mailing list approach

I think technical get_iplayer discussion is perfectly on-topic for here.
(I don't like web forums so just stick to mailing lists generally,
I suspect other lurkers here are the same.)

[Martin Powell]

And you can't beat a good lurker!!!

Martin

Post by Ralph Corderoy
Hi Martin,

Post by Martin Powell

Unfortunately [AOB is] also ignored by almost everyone else so I
would say you're much more likely to get feedback here on the list
with this type of topic :-)

Are people happy with the mailing list approach

I think technical get_iplayer discussion is perfectly on-topic for here.
(I don't like web forums so just stick to mailing lists generally,
I suspect other lurkers here are the same.)