libmal search error (sometimes) about trackma HOT 5 CLOSED

I noticed this too, but I think it has to do with invalid characters in the document MAL returns.
MAL doesn't return correct XML entities, so the parser dies when trying to parse it, and it doesn't return results.

The only way to fix it on my end is to extend the custom parser (there is one in libmal.py), or find a way for it to just ignore invalid entities.

Will look into it, thanks.

from trackma.

I think I've tried directly from chrome, and the same happens. I don't know if my browser tries to compress or not though ... I'm afraid it's entirely due to myanimelist api, and the only thing that could be done is to play with the words in the search query, maybe deleting one word after the other until we get a valid answer ...

from trackma.

Oh so you think that it's due to the query string?
Mhm, could you tell me which search words did you try?

from trackma.

Just checked again using Arpeggio of Blue Steel - Ars Nova as a test string:

• doesn't work:
  http://myanimelist.net/api/anime/search.xml?q=Arpeggio+of+Blue+Steel+-+Ars+Nova
• deleting the - doesn't either, so not a problem of urlencoding
  http://myanimelist.net/api/anime/search.xml?q=Arpeggio+of+Blue+Steel+Ars+Nova
• have to delete all but the first 2 words to work
  http://myanimelist.net/api/anime/search.xml?q=Arpeggio+of
• This works too:
  http://myanimelist.net/api/anime/search.xml?q=Ars+Nova

It's not just about a number of words, because this works:
http://myanimelist.net/api/anime/search.xml?q=one+piece+Movie

I don't really know what fails on their side ...

from trackma.

Yes, this seems to be a problem on their side.
http://myanimelist.net/anime.php?q=To+Aru+Majutsu+no+Index
http://myanimelist.net/api/anime/search.xml?q=To+Aru+Majutsu+no+Index

I don't think there's anything I can do other than hope them to fix it. Which I don't think will happen, because the API is pretty much abandoned. Won't fix, but I accept suggestions.

from trackma.