Program Title: A Reusable Pattern for Scheduled Python/SQL/API Jobs
ILS: Sierra
Program Description: Goals of this presentation:
- To encourage those who have not begun to automate their SQL queries or leverage the REST API to take the plunge.
- To lay out the structure of files and folders which simplify the creation of new scheduled jobs to update Sierra and/or generate custom reports.
The cron/bash/Python/SQL/API scripts in use at Stark Library for the past 2 years will be discussed. It will not be a deeply technical how-to, as there is Jason Boland’s excellent weeklong course on the topic. The following will be discussed:
- These programs share a usually concise common structure, permitting the coder to copy/paste earlier programs, make a few changes and accomplish a very different task without having to remember how every little piece works.
- A variety of different tasks can be performed; some of these Python scripts are updating Sierra while others are simply producing reports. Some rely on SQL to define the task while others read input from a text file. Some send the results as email while others record their activities to a log file for later review. Or both.
- There exists a CircActive caveat when updating patron records via the API. This was an expensive lesson to learn, but it can be avoided and I will describe how.
- Time permitting, a currently-active job will be used as the template for a brand new job, edited and implemented.
Notes:
Members may have seen a shorter version of this same presentation during the IUG East Virtual Conference in November 2022.
Although bash is mentioned above, I believe Windows .BAT files and PowerShell scripts would likely work as well. I simply have not tested that.
Speaker/ Information: Bob Gaydos (bgaydos@starklibrary.org) - ILS Administrator, Stark County District Library