Does anyone have experience in integrating IDX to a current website? If so, can you give me any ideas on a solution?
Thanks in advance!
Printable View
Does anyone have experience in integrating IDX to a current website? If so, can you give me any ideas on a solution?
Thanks in advance!
I just got this info from my client's MLS provider:
Can anyone give me any direction on this or tell me what I have to do? It is greatly appreciated!Quote:
If you want to use a third party IDX provider to display the MLS listings on your website with a RETS data feed, please verify that RL Hanson-Online.com has capability to upload RETS.
What are the requirements for uploading RETS? If it is like most other data feeds all that is required would be FTP. You should ask them what the upload requirements are for RETS.
Matt -
I visited the RETS | RETS - Real Estate Transaction Standard site and took a look at this page also:
Variman User's Manual
I'm not getting it. :( Do you know anyone familiar with developing webpages with this type of programming?
It says it can be deployed on linux servers but that it requires a persistent connection to the database and mention PostgreSQL which I've never used.
I found this to: VieleRETS Documentation which seems to be the recommended one to use for php5...
Any thoughts or clarifications you can provide me would be greatly appreciated. I don't have a grasp on data feeds as it is... :)
Well first things first I guess:
pgsql and persistent connections are only available on dedicated servers or VPS.
vieleRETS on the other hand says this in their requirements page:
VieleRETS Documentation
"No database or local repository is required."
So that eliminates the need for pgsql and persistent connections there.
okay - so then it's just a matter of figuring out the coding right? I'm stressed about it as my client's mls will charge $50 to get her set-up with the feed info and I don't want to not be able to implement it, ya know?
That is what it would seem like. I did not get in depth to those docs but the PHP / no DB required solution sounds like a good idea, at first glance.
You should ask the devs if they have a demo acct or demo feed that you can test your scripts with before paying the $50.00
This was the response:Quote:
You should ask the devs if they have a demo acct or demo feed that you can test your scripts with before paying the $50.00
Quote:
Rapattoni RETS information can be found at this website. Please let us know if you need anything further.
http://www.rapattoni.com/supp/mls/rets/default.asp
I'm obtaining a quote from someone who may be able to do this as it seems I have to rely on doing all the research instead of getting any specific information from them. :)
I'd ask them again and tell them you searched their forums, FAQ and wiki and there is no mention of a sample or demo feed. But then if you can get someone else to build it, that's always a good thing too :)
I already have open realty installed on the site, and Transparent Technologies is listed as a RETS host ind developer on the RETS wiki site - I'm going to contact them also.
fyi: Developers - RETS Community Wiki
Also, just found this: Variman: Demo
Thanks!
Lynne,
It looks like RETS is a standard for the MLS services, I found a DTD there on the RETS standard. Basically, it will depend upon what MLS that your client wants to draw upon. The basic web service for the MLS, such as Realtor.com and Zillow.com, etc. is the API you need to know to communicate with each server. Those web services should be compliant with the RETS standard already. All you have to do is pass and receive the data in a format that they want to see.
As in all development projects, my solution is to find a solution that exists already and then try to use that in my application. The Aircraft building term, "hammer to fit, paint to match" applies nicely to this mode. Sourceforge works good, but I tried out the software that you have linked to above and am not very impressed with it - but, then again, it could be a good place to get started.
The fact is, RETS appears to be a standard protocol. What you do with it is up to you - display it on demand, cache it in a database, etc. Therefore, your conflicting statements about databases being required and not being required make sense.
I don't have any experience with RETS to answer your question, but it seems much like passing information to a credit card processor. Look at the MLS documentation for their API, for the site you need to get information from and that should be a good place to start, at least from what I understand about the situation.
Hope that helps,
Thanks for the response Charles. :)
I have open realty installed on the site and have contact transparent technologies about dev. but they only offer a D-I-Y (do it yourself) with being able to edit many things I am unfamiliar with or Hosting it through them:
I'll discuss it with my client and see what she wants to do - I can move her hosting if that's what it's going to take - not really game for charging her for something I have no clue how to do - and from what I understand would require a dedicated server anyway. :)Quote:
The TransparentRETS add-on requires the following:
- Unix/Apache (POSIX) based web hosting platform.
- Fresh install of Open-Realty v2.3.5 or greater.
- PHP 5 (with the following modules)
- PHP SimpleXML
- PHP CURL
- PHP OpenSSL
- MySQL 4.1+
- PHP ZEND Optimizer
- Ability to create CRON jobs that can use CURL (optional, for automating all processes)
- Ability to change your Apache Timeout Value
- Ability to make outbound connections from your server to HTTP, HTTPS, and RETS servers.
So, for now, playing with framed link rapatoni sent when we originally requested the IDX info...
:)
Thanks for all the input Charles and Matt!
The only thing that a shared server would not support in that list is this:
Ability to change your Apache Timeout Value
What do they need it to be set to?
I'll ask them via email now...
This is all the site says (besides the requirements I mentioned above - and the fact that I have no idea how/what to do with: Ability to create CRON jobs that can use CURL)
Quote:
TransparentRETS™ is avaliable for use on Open-Realty® websites that we do not host. This is the ideal solution for anyone already running their own server or who already has a great web hosting account and wants to have the ability to import listngs from their MLS's RETS server into Open-Realty®, without paying monthly fees.
DIY Package:
This option is for mid to advanced users who are very comfortable with installing and modifying PHP applications on a website. With this option you are purchasing a perpetual license to use our software. but you are also then completely responsible for all configuration and setup of the software to work with your MLS RETS Server.
Server Requirments
First, please bear in mind that importing data from an outside source like a RETS server should be something that you absolutely understand will be a mission-critical process essential for the correct operation of your web site. Therefore, it is unwise to attempt to use the TransaprentRETS addon with giveaway or super-budget web hosting accounts that are not reliable or are overshared. The larger the amount of listings and photos per listing that the TransparentRETS add-on has to manage, the more server resources it will require from a web hosting account.
cron jobs are very straight forward and can be setup in cPanel. They will give you a command to copy and past in the box in cPanel and that's about it. All it does is execute a script at a certain time of day. Good for generating invoices, getting new results from a data feed, etc.
I love this...
... It gives me the image of being in a tropical paradise on the beach with a laptop, feet kicked up and wearing "I ate the worm" t-shirt, installing the php app. Not just "comfortable", but "very comfortable". Gotta love lexicon.Quote:
users who are very comfortable with installing and modifying PHP applications on a website.
Lynne, I agree with Matt, it really doesn't seem that hard. Since they have created everything for you, you simply install their app, give it your db parameters in a config file (i'm assuming) and away you go. Who knows about the timeout thing - I bet the stock Apache timeout setting would work - I would try it first to see.
We'll back you up.
How much time do you think something like this would take to implement?
I know our shared hosting is very reliable so that doesn't even concern me - just worried about having issues and not having a clue! lol
If they didn't charge $300 for the license I'd probably offer to do it for her for free just to learn it - I guess I could ask them if they have a refund policy for developers who may not be successful. lol!
Charles - eating the worm is exactly what I'm worried about! lmao!
Okay - I'll hit her with the license fee tomorrow and see what I can get figured out.
Thanks so mch for all the input and support!
Lynne,
I actually think you're onto something here. Thanks for the info - I read up on this solution and I think that this may be your big ticket into dedicated serverdom. Basically, there were more requirements on their site for IDX. Depending upon how many listings your client will do on a daily basis will determine how much horsepower you'll need.
The only requirement I see in here that you'll need Glowhost to help with is the editing of the php.ini.
Quote:
The IDXManager™ add-on requires the following:
- Unix/Apache (POSIX, LAMP) based web hosting platform. (MS Windows Hosts are not supported)
- Clean install of Open-Realty v2.1.4 or greater.*
- PHP5 v5.0 - v5.2.0
- PHP CURL support enabled
- PHP OpenSSL support enabled
- PHP FTP and FOPEN/FREAD functions enabled.
- PHP PEAR libraries
- PHP ZEND Optimizer 3.x
- mySQL 4.0.2 or higher. Your Open-Realty® database must also have mySQL FILE permissions.
- Your Open-Realty® database user must also be able to execute the MySQL "LOAD DATA INFILE" command.
- Ability to edit php.ini and APACHE httpd.conf.**
- Ability to create CRON jobs that can use CURL (optional, for automating all processes)
- Ability to make outbound connections from your server to FTP, HTTP, and HTTPS servers.
*You may use an already existing Open-Realty® installation, but for best results you should first remove any existing property classes (and all listings) so that you can start with a clean slate. You can then add additional property classes after the IDXManager™ is up and running.
** Depends on the size and amount of data and images provided in your IDX, for sites with less than 2000 listings total this may not be necessary.
That's what I'm talking about - Lynne, you need to charge more! Don't ever do anything for free!
Quote:
Savvy web site developers can leverage this powerful combination to create informative and lucrative customer-oriented Real Estate web sites that rival completely custom solutions costing $20,000.00 or more.
I try not to market what I am unfamiliar with and use clients to learn-as-I-go but I don't want to give away my time either...
They are charging $40 a month and I believe $299 for set-up and I think the license is $399 ... I'll have to take a look at the ded prices again - didn't you have anxiety about transferring everything?!
It's so easy to transfer files using the WHM utility for copying an account, it's really ridiculous. I started to do it the manual way - ftp, exporting databases, re-uploading and then I discovered the copy account functions on WHM. So frigging easy and done in a flash. The hard part was getting some of my clients to switch their DNSs to the Harmonmediagroup.com DNS, not the copying of the accounts. Plus, the biggest advantage of a dedicated is a separate hard drive that makes nightly backups of only the files and / or databases that have changed during that day. You can sleep well at night that way, or at least better.
The thing to do is to add up all your hosting you're charging and figure out how much off you would be (or maybe not at all) by getting a dedicated. If it's like $40 you're out of pocket per month, or even $60 after you factor in what you are charging your clients, it is very worth the move IMHO.
So, if I have it right, the transparent software is the add on to the other software you already have installed - sort of like a module somewhat?
As far as learning as you go - sometimes it's the only way. It can be scary, but it will force you to learn what you have to learn to make things work.
Thanks for the input Charles! I really do appreciate it.
I already have most of my clients' dns set to my custom nameservers but not quite where I can afford the ded server. I have quite a bit of work in and some more supposedly on it's way... maybe sooner than I think for the ded server. :)
I'll sleep on this and talk with the client tomorrow.
Thanks again!
Here's the response I just got from Transparent Technologies:
What do you think?Quote:
The Timeout needs to be set high enough that the import script can run long enough to get all the data from your RETS server. It will depend greatly on the speed of the rets server, your server, and your servers internet connection speed. Generally, I suggest you set it to 10,000 seconds run your import and once you know how long it is actually taking you can then reduce the timeout to a appropriate value.
The shared servers have a firewall that will timeout anything that runs for more than 1800 seconds which is 30 minutes. The semi dedicated allow up to an hour so 3600 seconds. VPS and dedicated you can set this as you need.
However both of these scenarios seem like a long time to me. But then a lot of that depends on how big the MLS stuff from a particular region is.
If you are in Miami, Florida its going to be a lot larger and take a lot longer than if you are in Gunnison, Colorado.
Here's the link to the mls search:
http://kspropertyads.rapmls.com/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=Ksst&PRGNAME=MLSLogin&ARGUMEN T=GTkElBdUDSSuA8GFeOl9y4dPtvFl88Dz73tZhEXYY2A%3D&K eyRid=1
The thing that I am curious about is: they don't even allow you to have search criteria that exceeds 100 listings - so doesn't that mean that they are putting a cap on their server resources?
How would you guys handle it if you couldn't afford the ded server yet? What would your recommendation be to the client?
I'd tell the client that a dedicated server is going to be a gazillion times cheaper than the print ads that most realtors pay every month and is going to be a more effective form of advertisement.... if you can get the google organic search part squared away for them, it will be. That is just me though :)
In agreement with Matt,
I would explain to your client that in order to accommodate this type of service, they will have to fork over more money in hosting. If it were me, I don't like discount shoppers, though there is a place for them as well - but, if they are serious about the IDX integration, it's going to cost them more in hosting.
Just my $.02
Hey Charles...
Quick question: Did you go with an unmanaged server or managed?
Thanks!
Last time I checked and at the time when I decided, the cost of a managed server was not too far off that of an unmanaged one, so I went with a managed server. That way, when I'm sailing on my Yacht in the Mediterranean, I can rest assured that someone is watching my stuff. I don't want to go it alone and you know how good the service is here, so why would you want to give that up?
That's the way I look at it, anyway. Ah, Yacht in the Med... wouldn't it be nice!
Charles
Thanks for responding. :)
I'm still thinking about this, obviously. lol