MtG JSON

Introduction

This module is designed for interacting with the MtG JSON website, a site providing a series of JSON files that act as a database for Magic the Gathering Cards.

You might be interested in this module if you're making any kind of node app involved with Magic the Gathering, for example a database, simulator, etc.

The scope of this module can include anything to do with the website, and currently is able to download and read all 8 files stored in the website.

Compatibility

This module uses some features from ES6, so requires node version 4.0 and greater.

Usage

Quickstart

• First install the module: npm install mtg-json --save

• Then require the module and call it:

      //Require the module
      const getMtgJson = require('mtg-json');
   
      //Request AllCards.json and store it in the current directory
      getMtgJson('cards', __dirname)
   
      //Use the json data
        .then(json => {
            let stormCrow = json['stormCrow'];
            console.log(stormCrow.types) // Logs ['Creature']
        });

API

The module consists of one function with the following signature: getMtgJson(type, directory, opts)

• type (string): Required. Either 'cards' or 'sets', to determine if you want a file organized by card or by set. See the MtG JSON website for details.

• directory (string): Required. The directory in which to place or look for the JSON file. This may often be __dirname, the current directory constant, but you must set this yourself, __dirname is not the default.

• opts (object): Options. An object with three optional keys:

  • extras (boolean): True if you want the file to include extras (rulings, printings, foreign language names etc.). Again, see the MtG JSON website for details.
  • zip (boolean): True if you want the file to be downloaded as a zip file. If this is true, the promise return value will be a filepath, and not JSON.
  • returnFile (boolean): True if you want the promise to resolve with the json filename, rather than the JSON data itself. True by default if zip is true.

Tests

The module is quite comprehensively tested. Simply run npm test or mocha test.js twith Mocha globally installed to run the tests. Note that these can take a while (about a minute) because they actually involve downloading the large JSON files from the website a number of times.