Script to download The dilbert comic strips

dilbert.py

#!/usr/bin/env python
"""
Simple script to download the Dilbert comic strips in a defined period of time

If no arguments are passed to the script, it will download all the Dilbert comic
strips in the current folder (It may take a while).

Acknowledgments
---------------
This script is strongly based in the work from:
https://community.spiceworks.com/scripts/show/982-download-all-dilbert-comics
"""

import datetime
import os
import re
import sys
import time
import argparse
from dateutil import rrule, parser

# for backwards compatibility
if sys.version_info[0] > 2:
    import urllib.request as ul
else:
    import urllib as ul


def main():
    args = parse_input_arguments()

    # If a dump folder has been defiled, create if (if does not already exists)
    # and move to it
    try:
        if args.output != '.' and not(os.path.isdir(args.output)):
            os.makedirs(args.output)
    except:
        args.output = '.'
    os.chdir(args.output)

    download_strips(args.start_date, args.end_date)


def parse_input_arguments():
    argp = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Dilbert strips download script.')
    argp.add_argument("-s", "--start",
                        help="start date (1989-04-17, 1st published strip).",
                        dest="start_date",
                        default='1989-04-17')
    argp.add_argument("-e", "--end",
                        dest="end_date",
                        help="End date (default, today)",
                        default=None)
    argp.add_argument("-o", "--output",
                        dest="output",
                        help="Comics dump folder",
                        default='.')

    args = argp.parse_args()
    if args.end_date is None:
        args.end_date = datetime.datetime.now().date()
    else:
        args.end_date = parser.parse(args.end_date)
    args.start_date = parser.parse(args.start_date)

    return args


def download_strips(start_date, end_date):
    for date in list(rrule.rrule(rrule.DAILY, dtstart=start_date, until=end_date)):
        comic_date = '%04d-%02d-%02d' % (date.year, date.month, date.day)
        url  = 'http://dilbert.com/strip/' + comic_date
        comic_name = comic_date + '.jpg'
        print('getting comic from', comic_date)
        ul.urlretrieve(get_true_comic_url(url), comic_name)
        time.sleep(0.01)


def get_true_comic_url(comic_url, comic_name='comic'):
    """
    get the true comic strip url from http://dilbert.com/strip/<date>

    It looks like Scott Adams has protected himself against pointy haired
    pirates by hiding him comic strips within the assets.amuniversal domain.
    This function digs into the comic strip web-page, finds (and returns)
    the URL where the original image lives.
    """

    html=str(ul.urlopen(comic_url).read())
    comic_strip_pattern = 'https://assets\.amuniversal\.com/[a-zA-Z\d]+'
    return re.search(comic_strip_pattern, html).group()


if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()

line 92 should be:

comic_strip_pattern = 'https://assets\.amuniversal\.com/[a-zA-Z\d]+'

I'm afraid the script got a bit out of date since it was written. Thanks for pointing out the change from http to https !! :-D