getBarcodeDescrip.js

function getDescription(barcode) {
	var exec = require('child_process').exec,
		child,
		description;

	// async command line call, takes its time to finish
	child = exec('curl http://www.upcdatabase.com/item/' + barcode + ' -s | grep Description',
		function (error, stdout, stderr) {
			if(stderr.length > 0){
				sys.puts('exec stderr: ' + stderr);
			}
			if (error !== null) {
			  sys.puts('exec error: ' + error);
			}
			
			description = processPage(stdout);
		});
	return description; // this will return before the above command finishes.
}