[Tutor] Retrieving data from a web site

[Phil]

On 18/05/13 16:33, Alan Gauld wrote:
> On 18/05/13 00:57, Phil wrote:
>> I'd like to "download" eight digits from a web site where the digits are
>> stored as individual graphics. Is this possible, using perhaps, one of
>> the countless number of Python modules? Is this the function of a web
>> scraper?
>
> In addition to Dave's points there is also the legality to consider.
> Images are often copyrighted (although images of digits are less
> likely!) and sites often have conditions of use that prohibit web
> scraping. Such sites often include scripts that analyze user activity
> and if they suspect you of being a robot may ban your computer from
> accessing the site - including by browser.
>
> So be sure that you  are allowed to access the site robotically and that
> you are allowed to download the content or you could find yourself
> blacklisted and unable to access the site even with your browser.
>

Thanks for the replies,

The site in question is the Lotto results page and the drawn numbers are 
not obscured. So I don't expect that there would be any legal or 
copyright problems.

I have written a simple program that checks the results, for an unlikely 
win, but I have to manually enter the drawn numbers. I thought the next 
step might be to automatically download the results.

I can see that this would be a relatively easy task if the digits were 
not displayed as graphics.

-- 
Regards,
Phil