We’ve made some major updates to Pipes. The big news is that we have 8 new modules to announce!

There are 2 new modules under Sources:

• The Feed Auto-Discovery module detects feed URLs that are embedded in a webpage using auto-discovery links (such as link rel tags). This example demonstrates how you could use the Feed Auto-Discovery module to find the RSS feed for a given webpage and then fetch its content.
  
• The Item Builder module allows you to create a new single item data source by defining a set of key-value attributes. This example demonstrates how you can use it to build up a new feed.
  

There are 4 new modules under Operators:

• The Loop module will run an enclosed sub-module or Pipe one time for each item in the input feed. Its output options can be set to ‘emit’ or ‘assign’ results. Emit results will replace the content of the original input item, here’s an example. Assign results will insert the content into a specified attribute, here’s an example. We introduced this module in order to support a wider range of modules, and data types, that can be looped over. You can use the Loop module with any module or Sub-Pipe except User Inputs, Operators, or Deprecated modules. Note: Old Skool Pipes users will notice that this module is similar to the For Each modules.
  
• The Reverse module reverses the order of the items contained in the input feed. This example demonstrates how it works.
  
• The Sub-element module will emit only the specified attribute or array for each item in the input feed. This example demonstrates how you could use it to take an RSS feed and emit only a specific item attribute for each item.
  
• The Tail module emits the last ‘n’ items from the input feed. This example demonstrates how you could use it to emit only the last 5 items in a feed.
  

There are 2 new modules under String:

• The Translate module automatically translates a string from one language into another. Select the language combination you desire from the pulldown menu. Note: Old Skool Pipes users will notice that this module is similar to the BabelFish module. Unlike the BabelFish module, the Translate module can be used within a Loop module and operate on any specified element attribute. This example demonstrates how you could use it to translate the Title and Description of a feed from one language into another.
  
• The String Regex module allows you to apply Perl-like regular expressions to attributes in a string. This example takes the delicious RSS feed and replaces the title for each item with its “dc:subject” element.
  

Some other updates worth noting:

• The String Concatenate module has been renamed the String Builder. It works exactly as before but if you’re new to it here’s an example that demonstrates how you can use it to build up strings!
• In a few cases several older modules have been Deprecated and replaced by what we consider to be improved modules. The For Each: Annotate and For Each: Replace modules have been replaced by the Loop module. And the BabelFish module has been replaced by the Translate module. The Deprecated modules will continue to work but we’re discouraging their use.
• In the Editor, we’ve updated how you can modify the properties for your Pipe. In the past, there was a button labeled Publish in its place there’s a new Properties button that brings up a dialog window that allows you to modify your Pipes name, description and tags. You now have the option to either make these changes so only you see them or to publish them along with your Pipe.
  
• And, as usual we also fixed miscellaneous bugs that have either been reported or that we stumbled upon. Thanks for continuing to share your suggestions!

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 19th, 2007 at 2:58 pm and is filed under Announcements, Editor, Site Updates.