DealerData

Demo available at CarMax.io.

This package includes:

• Data collection engine for gathering CarMax inventory data
• Database setup queries for incoming inventory data
• Node back-end to accept HTTP requests and run system workers
• React front-end with price range visualization tool
• (Optional) Reverse proxy virtual host setup for Linux + Apache + Node stacks
• (Optional) Alternate OOP-based PHP back-end for those who aren't running Node

How it works

In essence, the entire system process is quite simple.

1. Collect inventory data from CarMax
2. Sanitize and sort data from CarMax
3. Compare and store data from CarMax
4. Routine data check-ups to detect sales

Collecting inventory data

CarMax grants access to their semi-public API through api.carmax.com, which this software utilizes for its data gathering.

Sanitizing and sorting data

In the case of this software, we alter the storage method for the Miles column. Originally, mileage is stored in the database as 100k or 10k and so forth. To allow for easier aggregate calculations, this software stores them as their integer counterpart, 100000 or 10000 respectively.

This implementation forgoes certain available fields, but check the raw data returned from api.carmax.com and alter your data storage as needed.

Comparing and storing data

When new inventory data is collected, each resulting vehicle is examined in individually. Here is a basic decision list that is used.

• Is this vehicle is not in the database, insert it and return
• If this vehicle already exists in Vehicles, compare the StoreId of this result and the previously stored record to detect moves
• If this vehicle already exists in Vehicles and exists in Sales, remove the sales record and mark it in Returns

Routine data check-ups

To detect sales, CarMax's return period of 7 days is taken into consideration. Once a vehicle has stopped appearing in CarMax's inventory for 7 days, it has the potential to be marked as sold.

If for some reason the vehicle reappears in CarMax's inventory, the sales record is removed and a vehicle return is logged instead.

Installation

Setup is as easy as running a couple queries and changing a few variables.

Prerequisites

• MySQL v5.7+
• NodeJS v7.6+
• ReactJS v16.0+

MySQL

Run queries in mysql directory to create database(s) and tables

mysql> use DealerData_CarMax;
mysql> source DealerData_CarMax.sql;
mysql> use DealerData_CronJob;
mysql> source DealerData_CronJob.sql;

The only table with data is DealerData_CarMax.Dealerships which contains all current CarMax franchise locations so your local installation of the app has the data collection points necessary to begin.

Node

1. Set ORIGIN in node/src/config.js to the same value as this.host in react/App.js
2. Set PORT in node/index.js (optional)

React

1. Extract the react folder to a location of your choosing, we'll use c:/dev cd c:/dev
2. Use npm install to install all applicable dependencies npm install
3. Use npm start to initiate the test server for your new React app npm start
4. Change host in react/App.js to your domain this.host = https://my-app-domain.com
5. Use npm run build to create an optimized build for your front-end app npm run build

PHP (deprecated)

It is recommended to run the newer Node version of this software, but the PHP version is still functional if you need it instead.

1. Import files from import - originally used Able
2. Change MySQL settings in php/import/config.mysql.php
3. Use the default path (/) to access the HTTP(S) API
4. Run cron/inventory, cron/sales, and cron/returns repeatedly

If using PHP, the ProxyRequests and ProxyPass settings in the vhost configuration are no longer needed.

V-Host Proxy Setup

Feel free to use this vhost boilerplate if you're running on Apache (created on Ubuntu 16.04).

# domain: api.example.com
# public: /home/user/apps/example.com/api

<VirtualHost *:80>
  # Admin email, Server Name (domain name), and any aliases
  ServerAdmin admin@example.com
  ServerName  api.example.com
  ServerAlias www.api.example.com

  # Index file and Document Root (where the public files are located)
  DirectoryIndex index.php index.html
  DocumentRoot /home/user/apps/example.com/api

  # Setup proxy for Node server
  ProxyRequests on
  ProxyPass / http://localhost:8080/
  # If you only want to forward one directory to NodeJS, use this
  # ProxyPass /api http://localhost:8080/

  # Log file locatapins
  LogLevel warn
  ErrorLog  /home/user/apps/carmax.io/log/error.log
  CustomLog /home/user/apps/carmax.io/log/access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

Usage

Node API

Files available in node/src/api

Users

• POST /get/price - used to perform PriceCheck.exec({...formData})

Workers

• GET /worker/inventory - used to perform Inventory.exec()
• GET /worker/sales - used to perform Sales.exec()
• GET /worker/returns - used to perform Returns.exec()

Sales worker

File located in node/src/workers/sales.js

Main worker

• exec() - main worker used to log new sales

Returns worker

File located in node/src/workers/returns.js

Main worker

• exec() - main worker used to log new returns

Inventory worker

File located in node/src/workers/inventory.js

Main worker

• exec() - main worker used to refresh inventory data

Dev methods

• url() - gets the next applicable URL for the CarMax API
• inventory() - uses url() to fetch JSON from the CarMax API
• page() - returns the next worker page number for the CarMax API
• dealership() - returns the next dealership zip + id for the CarMax API
• increment() - increments the worker page for the CarMax API
• reset() - resets the worker page and dealership (if applicable) for the CarMax API

React UI

File structure

• react/API.js - contains wrapper for posting data to the Node server
• react/App.js - contains config settings and high-level app logic and imports
• react/App/Page.js- basic template for all default pages to follow
• react/App/Pages/PriceCheck - main page with the price visualization tool

Icon packages

Only icomoon and font-awesome-4 are included by default, but there are other icon packages ready to be used after a simple inclusion; otherwise they stay unused.

• react/src/__gfx__/fonts/icomoon

• react/src/__gfx__/fonts/elegants-icons

• react/src/__gfx__/fonts/font-awesome-4

• react/src/__gfx__/fonts/font-awesome-5

• react/src/__gfx__/fonts/simple-line-icons

Other tools

• react/import/NewWindow - component to prevent target="_blank" warnings
• react/import/AnchorScroll - component for smoothly scroll to an anchor on the page
• xhrFields: { withCredentials: true } - unused but available in react/API.js and node/index.js to allow the client to maintain cookies/sessions on an alternative domain via ajax requests

Built With

• MySQL - Database used
• NodeJS - Server-side environment
• ReactJS - Front-end framework

Authors

• Dan Lindsey - Initial work - Adom.co

License

This project is licensed under the GPLv3 License - see the LICENSE.md file for details.