OK, it's been a few months but I have a prototype...and "alpha-plus" (or "beta-minus") version. It works swimmingly for me, but now I need a few people whom it would benefit.
To recap: I have a Democratic Underground Thread grabber and formatter. It works as follows:
1. If you are on DU site, you can just copy a link, either off the address bar in the actual thread, or by right-clicking the link to the thread itself.
2. Open the form that shows your copied link, OR select a DU link from the "Latest Links" listbox.
3. Excel sheet opens with the thread in an excel sheet. The original post is on top and is automatically selected (and cannot be deselected). You can peruse all the replies, then click ONLY the replies you want to bring over to the Cave.
4. A new form opens which will allow you to review all the posts you want to bring over to the cave. In addition, you can comment before and after each DU comment.
5. Once you are satisfied, click "Review Post."
6. This is where the magic really comes in. The post is automatically formatted into a single message post, with the following:
- The title of the OP and the link to the thread is automatically included at the top of the post.
- All DU messages are formatted in Quote boxes.
- All Bold, Italic, Underline, and Strikethrough html are automatically converted from DU htlm to Cave BBS.
- Likewise, all html links, picture links, and youtube links are automatically converted from DU html to Cave BBS.
7. Copy the full post and paste it into a new thread on Cave in the DUmpster section.
8. Click PREVIEW. Review the post and clean up anything or add / delete anything you like.
No more cutting, pasting, and individually formatting ad adfinitum.
Let me be very clear: There is NO AUTOMATION that involves either DU or CC in any way, other than accessing DU's thread list and subsequent thread selection (which would be done manually anyway). The only connection CC would have with the application is that the user would copy the text off the app and paste it into the CC's reply box. The app does NOT access CC in any way. I hope that's clear enough.
CAVEAT: As it stands, this program does NOT violate the
DU Terms of service or
Copyright concerns. So there is no worry about legal repercussions, as long as certain copyright infringements are not broken. In general, this program generates a "Fair Use" format, and there is no current DU restriction against having a program access the items.
If you want to give it a whirl, you have to have Microsoft Excel, any version from Office 2003 and up (except for MAC office 2008). You also must allow macros, as the program runs on VBA, and of course you need to be on the Internet for the program to work.
Just private message me. I'm limiting this to only a few people, and only those who've been here awhile and have posted significantly in the DUmmy forum, or to anyone the Admin authorizes.
