Retrieving data from an constatly updated API

Questions
#1

Hi there

Please help me up with the following skill idea

I have almost a month trying to make a skill that allows users to retrieve data, but I’m stuck on it.

This is the idea I’m picturing…

Let’s say somebody did lost a thing (a backpack for example) inside a mall

The guy approach to an alexa device in the mall and ask alexa something like:

User: Alexa, open “lost things”

Alexa: Tell me what did you lost

User: backpack

Alexa: There are four backpacks in my lost things database

Alexa: Tell me what color your backpack is

User: green

Alexa: Thera are one green backpack at the concierge’s desk, ask her about it

So, for doing this

I did create a data base in a API (I made this using the next url https://spreadsheets.google.com/feeds/list/MYDATABASE/od6/public/basic?alt=json )

I’m using an API block as following:

Header assignments

(no data in htttp header nor in value)

Transform into variables

Object path: response.feed.entry. [row number].title.$t

apply to: [variable]

But I’m realizing this way may take me for ever entering an object path for every item in the database and at the end, that API database is going to be updated every time a lost thing is recovered or collected in the concierge’s desk.

Is there anything else to try or to correct in my project skill?

#2

so you care about that results might be changed between first question(backpack) and second question(color)?

I am not sure how much you want it strictly, generally speaking, database consistency is very difficult theme and that’s why there are extremely expensive database companies. So, it might be tough but I think:

  • when a lost thing is recovered and collected, do not delete its record. update some thing like its status.
  • everytime you retrieve data from database, check its status, filter data depending on its status, and also make sure if it has not been changed between the first and the second time.

Even If you do these carefully, access collision or data inconsistency might happen depending on how frequetly data is updated. JSON object from Google sheets is not such a strict database.

1 Like
#3

Thanks!

I’ll take your advices in count, sure something good is comming.