OMG What have I done?

[thankins]

Frobn would be able to answer the open realty question, we custom code everything so I dont use them.

What kind of scripts do you need? We could code something for you so that you would have the data in a managable fashion. Do you have any php experience at all? Like if we wrote the updating scripts etc and got it into a mysql database for you, could you handle coding the search pages, listings and details pages?

Yea I have coded in php and used MYSQL for a pervious project that required me to program the code to allow a search feature and other things like that. I just don't know where to be begin for the script that would pull the information from their MLS/IDX server and into my database, or how to extract those files from the zip files. I guess that is the only thing holding me back.

I really appreciate all the help, it has been a great learning experenice the past few days!

[wotech]

thankins,

there's a discussion on this forum between myself and a member named Carrie regarding importing MLS data and images from a text file and zip file.
I posted the script on there that we used to use when we got the MLS info via FTP.

what kind of server are you using to host all this sfuff?? the script I posted is a bash shell script that logs in to the MLS FTP server, downloads the zip file, unzips it, extracts the images to the 'images' folder, then imports the data from the text file to the mysql database.
worked well for us for quite a while (we now use RETS).

Just a couple more things that have been discussed on this thread--

i'd definitely go for an integrated system versus just a framed system. 90% of the framed systems I've seen the local MLS board give to their agents SUCK. many of them are hard to use (rapattoni), not designed well, and most of them time don't 'jive' with the theme of your site, thus making it look unprofessional and kinda thrown together. it also makes it very difficult for people to bookmark property pages. however, on the plus side, it's free/cheap.

around here, only the brokers can get access to the IDX 'feed'. regular agents can't; they have to get their broker to do the paperwork and get the feed, then the broker has to have someone develop an app to download the data/images to a database of their own, then the agents can have an integrated search developed for their website and use that data that the broker downloads. convoluted, over-complicated, and meant to protect brokers; welcome to world of real estate technology!

an integrated MLS search and information display is more than just a 'script'. It's borderline web application, as there's many components to a system like what you want. You have the search form and page that builds the database query, then the results pages, then details pages. To get it all working seamlessly, make it easy for the user, and give the user all the search features they're used to, it can be quite a project. As webmaster stated before, this wouldn't be an easy/quick project for a noob to server side programming (php, asp, asp.net, etc.).

[MattL]

an integrated MLS search and information display is more than just a 'script'.

Since we crossed 100,000 lines this year, I'd say that's definitely the case.

And, just to chime in, our data feed is 70MB and the images store (with size variants) contains 1.2 million photos.

You'd be amazed by how much code just doesn't scale to that size.

-Matt

[bscseo]

I have been creating real estate websites in php for many years and work with 3 different mls systems. the largest just changed to a new provider for the data. it required a lot of recoding to match up with how they display the content about a listing.

so the truth is there cannot be an all in one solution until there is a universal standard adopted by the idx providers. (RETS) is suppose to be developing that standard.

as to the size of the data. if you have to download zip file and decode it or receive a push file from the idx provider, that is bad thinking on their part. it should be on a live server that you can access only the changed data since the last time you have downloaded it. (every 30 min it is refreshed in one of the IDX feeds i work with. )

I recommend using a more robust solution to handle getting the data into your database. Python is a good choice. it can take the source file after being downloaded to your server and parse it into your database quickly. you should also have the images broken in to subdirectories to allow for faster retrieval. you can put a field in your table to tell php where the image is located.(photo_loc) for ex.
then, if it is a condo listing have a condo dir. and a numerated sub dir structure to store the images for that listing. so then the link to recall the image would be delivered from the photo_loc field and the field would have something like 'condo/123/87/mlsnumber(image no or letter).jpg'
in it. for thumbs have a different dir called thumbs
and the thumb would have /thumbs/$photo_loc
if you need help with a script for download let me know.

[MattL]

I think that if you are using a good system for disconnecting your data code from your logic & presentation code, it's not too strenuous when the MLS changes feeds.

MLSNI has steadily added fields to the VOW feed here over time, and if we had locked the import code to the database and then to the display code, god only knows how many times we would have had to rewrite stuff.

We use MySQL as a database, and their "LOAD DATA FROM" routine makes importing a quick snap.

-MattL

[RobertD]

Our photo server has about 600 GB of photos on it, and we will need to expand it soon.

[MattL]

Robert,
You must work in one of the MLS areas that allows 18 photos per listing. I couldn't even imagine. Ours are all prepped down to 640x480 (max), so the storage size isn't terribly big.

By the way, I saw your work on CBBain last week. Very nicely done. I actually have some technical questions off-list if you're interested in talking.

-Matt

[RobertD]

I've actually changed companies in the past few weeks. I'm no longer with Real Tech officially, though I am doing some contract stuff for them.

We (well, they) have about 40 MLS's in our system right now. Feel free to contact me though.

[Soylent]

The point is probably moot by now, but earlier in the thread thankins asked about importing the idx data feed into Open Reality. They (Transparent Technologies, the makers of Open Realty) have a program for that:

http://www.transparent-realestate.co...nonhosted.html