Relationship Bootstrap

A Node.js application for auto-messaging all of your matches on OkCupid. This application is the follow up to my previous foray into automated online dating, OkCupid_Match_Messenger (Ruby version).

How do Relationship Bootstrap and OkCupid Match Messenger (Ruby Version) Compare?

Unlike its predecessor, which was only a command line Ruby script, Relation Bootstrap has a web based user friendly interface where the user can configure how the application will auto-message others and set filters to specify what type of people the user woud like to message.

How does filtering work?

A user can filter whom the application will auto-message by the following dimensions:

1. Match %
2. Friend %
3. Enemy %
4. Who's New
5. Last Online
6. Special Blend
7. Match % & New
8. Match % & Last Online
9. Match % & Distance

Installation (Node.js & Dependencies)

Install Node.js

Use a pre-compiled installer for your operating system

These can be found at the official Node.js website

http://nodejs.org/

Use the package manager Homebrew (OSX only)

Install Homebrew

/usr/bin/ruby -e "$(/usr/bin/curl -fsSL https://raw.github.com/mxcl/homebrew/master/Library/Contributions/install_homebrew.rb)"

Install Node.js

brew install node

Install NPM (Node Package Manager)

curl http://npmjs.org/install.sh | sh

Install MongoDB

If you already have Homebrew installed from the previous step it's as easy as...

brew install mongodb

Install Dependencies

Node.js Dependencies

Install required Node packages individually

npm install express

npm install mongoose

npm install request

npm install jsdom

npm install ejs

npm install stylus

Or install them simultanesouly from those specified in package.json. Within the top level directory of the application run

npm install

Quick Start

Create the MongoDB database you will use

At the Mongo cmd line type:

use database_name

Where "database_name" represents whatever you named your database earlier

Configure the application for deployment

Specify the MongoDB database you made earlier in okcupid.js

Add your OkCupid username and password where needed in okcupid.js

Start The Application

Spinning up the app's server is as easy as:

node app.js

More Information

The application needs an OkCupid authenticity token in order to sucessfully send requests to their servers and receive content back. Unfortunately this is the only step in the entire process that hasn't been automated yet.

My method for obtaining said auth token is as follows:

1. Go to OkCupid.com in a browser capable of viewing the HTTP requests going in and out (I found Firefox / Firebug best for this process).

2. Send a message to anyone on the site and inspect the POST request to http://www.okcupid.com/mailbox to find the Form Date, which looks like this:

Form Data (url encoded)

ajax:1 sendmsg:1 r1:okaycupidgrl subject: body:hey! threadid:0 authcode:1%2C0%2C1339917833%2C0x3c555cf6c4f6d5af%3Bb16d35ec40883e324e28d4fed05cce9799216a6b reply:0 from_profile:1

1. Copy the 'authcode' key and paste it into okcupid.js.