Validate RSS Feeds with QuerySurge

QuerySurge is a smart data testing solution that automates data validation and testing. When paired with the CData JDBC Driver for RSS, QuerySurge can work with live RSS feeds. This article walks through connecting to RSS feeds from QuerySurge.

With built-in optimized data processing, the CData JDBC Driver offers unmatched performance for interacting with live RSS feeds. When you issue complex SQL queries to RSS, the driver pushes supported SQL operations, like filters and aggregations, directly to RSS and utilizes the embedded SQL engine to process unsupported operations client-side (often SQL functions and JOIN operations). Its built-in dynamic metadata querying allows you to work with and analyze RSS feeds using native data types.

Connecting to RSS Feeds in QuerySurge

To connect to live RSS feeds from QuerySurge, you need to deploy the JDBC Driver JAR file to your QuerySurge Agent(s) and add a new connection from the QuerySurge Admin view.

Deploy the JDBC Driver

1. Download the CData JDBC Driver for RSS installer, unzip the package, and run the JAR file to install the driver.
2. Once the driver is installed, stop the Agent Service.
3. Copy the JAR File (and license file if it exists) from the installation location (typically C:\Program Files\CData\CData JDBC Driver for RSS\lib\) to your Agent(s) (QuerySurge_install_dir\agent\jdbc).
4. Restart the Agent Service.

For more information on deploying JDBC drivers for QuerySurge, refer to the QuerySurge Knowledge Base.

Configure a New Connection to RSS

1. Log into QuerySurge and navigate to the Admin view.
2. Click Configuration -> Connections in the Administration Tree.
3. Click Add to create a new connection.
4. In the QuerySurge Connection Wizard, click Next.
5. Name the connection (e.g. CData JDBC Connection to RSS).
6. Set the Data Source to "All Other JDBC Connections (Connection Extensibility)" and click Next.
7. Set the Driver Class to cdata.jdbc.rss.RSSDriver and click Next.

8. Set the Connection URL using the necessary connection properties to authenticate with RSS. Your Connection URL will look something like the following:

   jdbc:rss:URI=http://broadcastCorp/rss/;

   Built-in Connection String Designer

   For assistance in constructing the JDBC URL, use the connection string designer built into the RSS JDBC Driver. Either double-click the JAR file or execute the jar file from the command-line.

   java -jar cdata.jdbc.rss.jar

   Fill in the connection properties and copy the connection string to the clipboard.

   You can connect to RSS and Atom feeds, as well as feeds with custom extensions. To connect to a feed, set the URL property. You can also access secure feeds. A variety of authentication mechanisms are supported. See the help documentation for details.

9. Set the Test Query to enable the Test Connection button for the Connection (e.g. SELECT * FROM Latest News LIMIT 1) and click Next.
10. Click Test Connection to ensure the connection is configured properly and click Save to add the connection.

Once the connection is added, you can write SQL queries against your RSS feeds in QuerySurge.

Compare RSS Feeds Queries with a QueryPair

With the connection configured, you can follow the steps below to compare querying RSS feeds with a QueryPair.

1. Select "Design Library" from the Design Menu
2. Click QueryPairs under QuerySurge Design
3. Click "Create New QueryPair"
4. Name the QueryPair and click Save
5. In either the Source or Target panes, select the connection created above (select the same connection to query RSS twice or another connection to perform a comparison)
6. Write queries in the Editor for each pane, e.g. SELECT * FROM Latest News
7. Click the "Design-Time Run" tab to execute the queries
8. When the query execution is finished, click "View Query Results" to see the RSS feeds returned by the query

Download a free, 30-day trial of the CData JDBC Driver for RSS and start working with your live RSS feeds in QuerySurge. Reach out to our Support Team if you have any questions.