The main Data Type used by Yahoo Pipes is the [Item], which is RSS feed content. I want to take an RSS's content or sub-element, make it into [Text] (or a number might work), and then use it as an INPUT into a [Module] to build a RSS-URL with specific parameters. I will then use the new RSS-URL to pull more content.
Could possibly use the [URL Builder Module] or some work-around.
The key here is using "dynamic" data from an RSS feed (not user input, or a static data), and getting that data into a Data Type that is compatible (and/or accessible) as an INPUT into a module.
It seems like a vital functionality, but I cannot figure it out. I have tried many, many work-around attempts, with no success.
The Specific API and Methods (if you are interested)
- Using the LastFM API.
- 1st Method: user.getWeeklyChartList. Then pick the "from" (start) and "to" (end) Unix timestamps from 1 year-ago-today.
- 2nd Method: user.getWeeklyAlbumChart using those specific (and "dynamic") timestamps to pull my top albums for that week.
tl;dr. Build an RSS-URL using specific parameters from another RSS feed's content.
I think I may have figured it out. I doubt it is the best way, but it works. The problem was the module I needed to use didn't have and input node. But the Loop module has an input node, so if I embed the URL builder into the Loop module I can then access sub-element content from the 1st feed to use as parameters to build the URL for the 2nd feed! Then I can just scrap all the extra stuff generated by the Loop, by using Truncate.