jmhobbs

Use xmllint to Pretty Print API Output

I've been messing with the Foursquare API and I was getting frustrated by it's unreadable output. Too much XML, not enough whitespace!

jmhobbs@katya:~$ curl -l http://api.foursquare.com/v1/venues?geolat=41.243385\&geolong=-96.017697

170922Peter Kiewit Institute79037College & Education:UniversityUniversityhttp://foursquare.com/img/categories/education/default.png
1110 South 67th Street
at Pacific StOmahaNE6818241.2436984-96.014670204025543333PKI255345883Liv Lounge79168Nightlife:LoungeLoungehttp://foursquare.com/img/categories/nightlife/lounge.png
2279 S 67th St
at Center StOmahaNebraska6810641.2436984-96.01467020255245578Walmart79221Shops:Department StoreDepartment Storehttp://foursquare.com/img/categories/shops/default.png
1606 S 72nd St
at Pine StOmahaNE6812441.2440158-96.024115804023939560541254875Aksarben Village79196Parks & Outdoors:Plaza / SquarePlaza / Squarehttp://foursquare.com/img/categories/parks_outdoors/default.png
6600 Shirley St
at Center StOmahaNE6810641.2414632-96.01205190518170916Scott Technology Center79115Home / Work / Other:Corporate / OfficeCorporate / Officehttp://foursquare.com/img/categories/building/default.png
6825 Pine Street
OmahaNE6810641.243385-96.0176970402502600002468550Juice Stop79071Food:Juice BarJuice Barhttp://foursquare.com/img/categories/food/default.png
2119 S 67th St
Shirley StOmahaNE6810641.2403021-96.014660704029343870427199022Scott Conference Center96353Home / Work / Other:Event SpaceEvent Spacehttp://foursquare.com/img/categories/building/default.png
6450 Pine Street
OmahaNE41.244514-96.0134890373772128Courtyard Aksarben VIllage79273Travel:HotelHotelhttp://foursquare.com/img/categories/travel/hotel.png
1625 S 67th St
at Pine StOmahaNE6810641.243304-96.01434904029514300280247344Wohlner's Market96359Shops:Food & Drink:GourmetGourmethttp://foursquare.com/img/categories/shops/default.png
2289 S 67th St
at Center StOmahaNE6810641.23806024488222-96.0138988494873040255168756722564306First Data79115Home / Work / Other:Corporate / OfficeCorporate / Officehttp://foursquare.com/img/categories/building/default.png
6855 Pacific Street
OmahaNE6810641.2487029-96.01925530606
jmhobbs@katya:~$

How can we rectify this situation? xmllint! This is part of libxml and should exist on most systems.

jmhobbs@katya:~$ curl -l http://api.foursquare.com/v1/venues?geolat=41.243385\&geolong=-96.017697 | xmllint --format -
  % Total    % Received % Xferd  Average Speed   Time    Time     Time  Current
                                 Dload  Upload   Total   Spent    Left  Speed
101  5265  101  5265    0     0  13778      0 --:--:-- --:--:-- --:--:-- 29914


  
    
      170922
      Peter Kiewit Institute
      
        79037
        College & Education:University
        University
        http://foursquare.com/img/categories/education/default.png
      
      
1110 South 67th Street

      at Pacific St
      Omaha
      NE
      68182
      41.2436984
      -96.0146702
      
        0
      
      4025543333
      PKI
      255
    
... snip ...
    
      2564306
      First Data
      
        79115
        Home / Work / Other:Corporate / Office
        Corporate / Office
        http://foursquare.com/img/categories/building/default.png
      
      
6855 Pacific Street

      Omaha
      NE
      68106
      41.2487029
      -96.0192553
      
        0
      
      606
    
  

jmhobbs@katya:~$

So there you go, a handy trick of the day for you.
In case you missed it the short form is:
curl -l [url] | xmllint --format -