Oncalls RSS Version 2

Not to be confused with RSS 2.0 (!) … Maybe tomorrow we'll build an Echo/Not Echo/Kuvop feed.

I've updated the URL to the link below so that it gets schedule data from the demo group.  If you want to see the native Oncalls view (or even modify the schedule) You can log in to the demo account at www.oncalls.com  with username "demo" and password "demo." 

To modify the schedule that you will see in the RSS feed, you have to put someone on call today – as the feed reports today's schedule.  (I suppose we could add a URL parameter with the date requested .. but that's tomorrow's project.)

You'll have to know some of the names of the providers in the Demo group, since the program won't let you put someone on call who doesn't exist in the system.  That would be bad.  So you can click on the EDIT menu and then MEMBERS to see (or add) members.  Then go to EDIT ==> Schedule to change the schedule.   Two notes: a) NO .. there's no "save" button.  It saves every entry when you move from field to field.  Cool, eh?  b) IE 5+ required for editing the schedule.  Sorry.  Log in with Username "Dork" and password "Demo" for a typical user's view that doesn't require IE

To see the data in a newsreader, use this url.  Here's what it looks like:

http://www.oncalls.com/rss/oncalls.cfm?dID=805&lg=%243X%2A9IP%20%20%0A&pg=%243XB%26HP%20%20%0A

What is all of that?

• http://www.oncalls.com/RSS/oncalls.cfm is the URL for the page that creates the RSS.
• dID=805 is the ID of the user for whom this feed is created.  Every user gets their own feed.
• lg=%243X%2A9IP%20%20%0A&pg=%243XB%26HP%20%20%0A   is the encrypted password for this user.  Don't bother trying to crack the code.  Every user has a unique encryption key in the database.  Dave came up with this (cool) method of making a reasonably safe method of providing RSS access to password protected data. 

And here's another idea:  Use AmphetaMailer to mail the results to whoever "needs" them. 

While we've built many methods for users to get at their data within our software, RSS enables the user to control this data by themselves.  Nice.  I'd love to hear from any current (or future) OnCalls users to hear how they are using this feature.  We can do weekly or monthly feeds as well … if anyone asks for them.