Question about DigitalPoint tracker tool

Discussion in 'Keyword Tracker' started by DigiNewb, Jun 30, 2011.

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  1. #1
    Question about the DigitalPoint keyword tracker: Do we need to put in the "Google API Key:" field in Tracker Settings? I didn't, and it seems to work, but does this mean the tracker script is scraping google results from my server? (which is against the TOS?).
     
    DigiNewb, Jun 30, 2011 IP
  2. digitalpoint

    digitalpoint Overlord of no one Staff

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    #2
    It won't work without the API key unless Google changed something. Either way, it only uses the Google API, and does not scrape.
     
    digitalpoint, Jul 1, 2011 IP
  3. DigiNewb

    DigiNewb Member

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    #3
    Hey Shawn, thanks for replying. I setup the keyword tracker for my site several months ago. If I did enter an API key, would the "Google API Key:" box now be empty? (because it is).

    I was reading the TOS for the JSON/Atom Custom Search API (that's what the tool uses, right?) and noticed it says:

    Wouldn't the tracker tool be considered an "automated means"?
     
    DigiNewb, Jul 1, 2011 IP
  4. digitalpoint

    digitalpoint Overlord of no one Staff

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    #4
    The JSON API is depreciated. Update your advanced usage script and enter your API key.

    Regardless, the JSON API terms did allow automated queries.
     
    digitalpoint, Jul 1, 2011 IP
  5. DigiNewb

    DigiNewb Member

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    #5
    I updated the script on my server; I didn't realize you had changed the tracker code.

    What did you mean by saying the JSON API is depreciated? It looks like it's still available: http://code.google.com/apis/customsearch/v1/overview.html .

    I tried updating my keywords today; curiously, the first one updated fine, but clicking any of the others returns

    Would that be because as I mentioned, the "Google API Key" field is blank for me?

    Thanks Shawn!
     
    DigiNewb, Jul 5, 2011 IP
  6. digitalpoint

    digitalpoint Overlord of no one Staff

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    #6
    The old one was this API, which is now depreciated: http://code.google.com/apis/websearch/

    The new API used requires use of the Google API key. If you don't have a Google API key entered, it's not going to work for you.
     
    digitalpoint, Jul 5, 2011 IP
  7. drhowarddrfine

    drhowarddrfine Peon

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    #7
    He means deprecated, not depreciated.
     
    drhowarddrfine, Jul 6, 2011 IP
  8. DigiNewb

    DigiNewb Member

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    #8
    Erm, right. We both knew what we meant :)

    In any case, apparently the JSON API is not deprecated. In fact, it says "Labs" when I look at the documentation, which would mean it's really new, right?
     
    DigiNewb, Jul 6, 2011 IP
  9. digitalpoint

    digitalpoint Overlord of no one Staff

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    #9
    They changed the name of it. The old one USED to be called the JSON API... now it's just called "Google Web Search API", and it's deprecated. http://code.google.com/apis/websearch/

    The "new" JSON API requires a Google API key. No matter how you argue it, if you want to use the keyword tracker with Google, you need to enter a Google API key.
     
    digitalpoint, Jul 6, 2011 IP
  10. DigiNewb

    DigiNewb Member

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    #10
    So Google first named it the JSON API, deprecated it and renamed it Google Web Search API, and then named the new one the JSON/Atom Custom Search API?

    Confusing :)
     
    DigiNewb, Jul 6, 2011 IP
  11. digitalpoint

    digitalpoint Overlord of no one Staff

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    #11
    More or less, yes.
     
    digitalpoint, Jul 6, 2011 IP