Open 5 random books in New Taipei City Library WEBPAC

ntpc_lib_random_books.py

import random
import requests
from bs4 import BeautifulSoup
import webbrowser

def get_random_mid():
    # Generate a random number under 2000000
    # 1107787 is the biggest known entry
    return random.randint(0, 2000000)

def check_title_exists(mid):
    url = f"https://webpac.tphcc.gov.tw/webpac/content.cfm?mid={mid}"
    response = requests.get(url)
    soup = BeautifulSoup(response.content, "html.parser")
    # Check if there is any <h2> tag with content (book title)
    # Check if the entry exist
    return soup.find("h2") is not None and len(soup.find("h2").text.strip()) > 0

def open_random_catalog_links(num_links):
    base_url = "https://webpac.tphcc.gov.tw/webpac/content.cfm?mid="
    opened_links = 0
    tried_links = 0
    total_tried_links = 0
    while opened_links < num_links:
        mid = get_random_mid()
        tried_links += 1
        if check_title_exists(mid):
            print(f"Found after {tried_links} tries")
            url = base_url + str(mid)
            webbrowser.open(url)
            opened_links += 1
            total_tried_links += tried_links
            tried_links = 0
    return total_tried_links

# Open 5 random catalog links with existing book titles
n = 5
ttl = open_random_catalog_links(n)
print(f"Success rate: {n / ttl}")

print("Press a key to continue...")
input()