Scrape PCT Permit Availablity Website

An simple application written to constantly scrape the permit pct availablility calendar from the mexican border and to alert through text message when a permit is available.

Prereqs

• node.js - developed and tested with version 18.x

Setup

1. clone repo
2. npm install
3. Sign up for a twilio trial (no credit card needed) and create a twilio number
4. create a .env file that has the following contents

TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID=<insert twilio account sid from step 3>
TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN=<insert twilio auth token from step 3>
NOTIFY_PHONE_NUMBER=<destination phone number in E.164 format>
TWILIO_PHONE_NUMBER=<twilio number created from step 3 in E.164 format>
CHECK_EVERY_X_SECONDS=<how often to check, probably don't make it less than 10>

5. either
   1. start application with node watch.js
   2. make start-process.sh executable with chmod +x start-process.sh and execute start-process.sh with ./start-process.sh
      • Start process runs the node process disconnected from the tty session so it will keep running when you close the terminal where as node watch.js will terminate once the tty session is disconnected

Changelogs

• Added debug logging to file
• Added config.json
• Added readme
• Added status.txt which displays most recent information about latest call to website