3.5h Today was a lot of fun working on my transit api app. It’s still super ugly, but it is starting to get some functionality. I really need to draw out the ui and lay down how I want it to work. I keep finding out a new thing I can do with the api and then thinking, “well maybe I should just do this thing instead of my original idea!” NO! is the answer! I should focus on a goal so I can hit it. This is an achievable project if I can get that dialed in.

I spent some time today working on converting csv data to something more usable for js. I converted it to json and truncated it to the part that is interesting to me. I’ve been able to write it in as code and access it that way. I now need to figure out how to include it as a separate file. The fact that browser js is designed to be client-side so file access is a huge no-no is constantly not what I am expecting. in python it’s so easy to import and play with json. I think I may need to set up node to serve it as a file. That sounds like a lot of work compared to just pasting it in at the bottom of a component! I doubt that is the right way though.

I was also able to get geolocation figured out and the pythagorean theorem came back into my life after a long, long break! I’m now accurately calculating distances from my computer to the closest 10 subway stops. That feels like a fairly usable chunk of code to me. I’m happy with that right now. The next step is to start figuring out where to keep state and how to wire everything together, and then finally how it all looks. I’d love to have a little google map box but the last time I tried they were charging for even the smallest bit of functionality. Maybe there is something else similar that I can use.

Today has been a good day. This week will be trying because the family and I are all traveling for 5 days. I’ll get something lined up. Hopefully testing and more react stuff. If nothing else then I can work on my projects.