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Tutorial: Creating RSS feeds for each category

Damon
Staff / Moderator

Nov 13, 2006, 2:06 PM

Post #1 of 14 (4996 views)
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Tutorial: Creating RSS feeds for each category	Can't Post

Hi,

To create an RSS Feed for each category we simply need to add a Publish Rule for this. Here are the steps:

Creating the Category Publish Rule:
Go to Admin > Publishing > Global RSS Feed - modify

Copy the Global RSS Feed the rule. At the bottom of the Global RSS Feed Publish Rule, in the Advanced Commands dropdown list, select Copy Rule and click go.
Note: The Copy Rule feature was added in 2.02.

Make the following changes (the default settings are okay if I don't include them in the list of changes):

Rule Name: Category RSS Feed
Placeholder Set Name: categoryRSS

Published Files (select the Mulitiple files radio button)
Filename: <catFile>/rss (and xml for the extension)

This will publish each category RSS feed in the category directory.
Example: http://www.yoursite.com/news/rss.xml

You can publish the category RSS feeds where ever you like but if they are is the same directory, you will need to give them unique filenames.
Example: <catFile>_rss

Note: make sure the Always Publish checkbox is checked (Always publish this rule even when publishing updated content only).

Save and publish the new Category RSS Feeds rule.

Adding the RSS feed link to each category:
Open the category template to edit:
/templates/articleLists/categoryIndex.html

Add the code where you would like to have the Category RSS link appear:

For example, find this code:
Last Updated: $_lastUpdated$

Add this right after it:
 
<a href="$published.categoryRSS.webpath$"><img src="$_weburl$images/webfeed.gif" width="16" height="16" border="0" align="right"></a>
<a href=" $published.categoryRSS.webpath$">$category.name$ Feed</a>

Here is an example of how the link will be published on the category page:

That's it. Let me know if you have any questions.

Cheers
Damon Edis
interactivetools.com

(This post was edited by Damon on Nov 13, 2006, 2:18 PM)

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categoryfeedlink.gif (1.49 KB)

nigelparry.net
User

Jun 28, 2008, 4:22 PM

Post #2 of 14 (3983 views)
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Re: [Damon] Tutorial: Creating RSS feeds for each category [In reply to]	Can't Post

Thanks for this Dave!

Is there a way of preserving Category Breadcrumbs in the feed name?

I tried poaching code from the Category Breadcrumb template, selecting Category Menu as a Publishing Rule type, and adding the following code without any luck:

Code

<category> 
<!-- template insert : $categoryList$ --> 
<!-- templatecell : categoryRow --> 
<!-- templateIf : $isSelectedCategory$ == "0" --> 
$category.name:textOnly:htmlEncoded$ : <!-- /templateIf  --> 
<!-- templateIf : $isSelectedCategory$ == "1" --> 
$category.name:textOnly:htmlEncoded$<!-- /templateIf  --> 
<!-- /templateIf  --> 
<!-- /templatecell : categoryRow --> 
</category>

NB: The <category> and </category> tags are the XML tags that define an RSS category.

Is there another way of displaying just the parent and child category names other than $isSelectedCategory$?

Perhaps it didn't work for me because there is no category "selected" technically?

Making the image clickable too would be useful but there doesn't seem to be a template option in RSS to control this. Any ideas?

Another thing I noticed in RSS feeds, is that article imported during the AM1 to AM2 conversion have summary images that appear above the summary, even if they are aligned. Articles added after the AM1 to AM2 conversion have correct alignment.

The only thing different between the two (articles imported versus articles posted in the regular way) is that a piece of code has been inserted in the imported ones between the image (which was inserted at the beginning of the summary) and the start of the summary text:

Code

<br style="clear: both;" />

There were never any breaks in any of the image/image caption cells in the old Artman. Any ideas why the AM1-AM2 Importer or AM2 is inserting this line?

Check it out, the last import before the site started being updated in the usual way was June 18th. Anything before that has a whacky summary image, anything after is fine:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/imeu/commentary

Cheers,

Nigel
_____________________

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(This post was edited by nigelparry.net on Jun 28, 2008, 4:58 PM)

Jake
Staff / Moderator

Jun 29, 2008, 4:08 PM

Post #3 of 14 (3925 views)
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Re: [nigelparry.net] Tutorial: Creating RSS feeds for each category [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hi Nigel,

Displaying the whole breadcrumb tree here is going to be tricky - the only way to really do this would be to use an SSI, and almost always SSI code is not available for pages using the .xml extension. That being said, some servers do allow you to specify custom extensions that can use SSI code, usually through a .htaccess file. If this is the case, you could set up XML files to process SSI's which would allow you to include a full category breadcrumb in your RSS feed. The way you had this set up as "a category menu" rule type won't work because you need to generate a list of articles to create the actual RSS entries themselves, since category menus aren't able to generate article data. If you wanted to try the method using an .htaccess file, you would want to add this line to it:

AddHandler server-parsed .shtml .xml

If you'd like, I can take a look at this for you myself through a second-level support request:

http://www.interactivetools.com/support/

I don't believe the RSS specification allows you to specifically set up image links so I don't think there's anything you can do for that.

I suspect that the " " code was something that was added to articles by the WYSIWYG editor in Article Manager 1. I couldn't be sure of this when taking a look at your RSS feed though, as it only had articles created after the date you mentioned available:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/imeu/commentary

If you have an old version of that file I'd be happy to take a second look for you.

I hope this helps!
-----------------------------------------------------------
Cheers,
Jake Swanson - Product Specialist
support@interactivetools.com

Hire me!
Save time by getting our experts to help with your project. Template changes, advanced features, full integration, whatever you need. Whether you need one hour or fifty, get it done fast with Priority Consulting.

nigelparry.net
User

Jun 30, 2008, 10:22 AM

Post #4 of 14 (3846 views)
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Re: [Jake] Tutorial: Creating RSS feeds for each category [In reply to]	Can't Post

Thanks for this Jake,

So basically, there's no global placeholder/placeholder modifier that shows where you are in relation to the other categories (eg. parent or child), such as News > Sports > Features?

Thanks for the htaccess solution!

I suppose that second level RSS for specific categories could be setup with a manual cat name in the template with different publishing rules for different second level subcategories.

Re: the br tag, we never have implemented WYSIWYG on this site in either AM1 or AM2. WYSIWYG messes up displays more than it helps, and I've found that teaching people link, bold, italic, and list codes has been a better solution to avoid this.

Of course the good news in your not being able to see the older articles is that RSS moves on, so anything in the early deployments is gone quickly. :-)

Thanks for all your help! :-)

Nigel
_____________________

For more information about Nigel Parry and nigelparry.net
websites please see http://nigelparry.net

nigelparry.net: award-winning communications
solutions for clients with something to say

Website & print design

Internet, public relations & media consulting

Jake
Staff / Moderator

Jun 30, 2008, 6:06 PM

Post #5 of 14 (3821 views)
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Re: [nigelparry.net] Tutorial: Creating RSS feeds for each category [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hi Nigel,

There is a placeholder that can be used to retrieve a parent category's number ($category.parentnum$) that's one level above, however this isn't effective when you have a category nested two levels deep or more, as well as the fact that you would need to write a templateIf for each category number in order to actually display its name, since there isn't a placeholder for that.

As you mentioned, it would be possible to set up the type of feed categories you described if you had publishing rules for each one.

Let us know if you'd like help with anything else. Smile

-----------------------------------------------------------
Cheers,
Jake Swanson - Product Specialist
support@interactivetools.com

Kimber
User

Jul 24, 2008, 8:49 AM

Post #6 of 14 (3664 views)
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Re: [Damon] Tutorial: Creating RSS feeds for each category [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hello,

I made rss feed for all category fine however in the main rss feed I would like to have a few categories not publish in the "main rss feed". Is that possible? Set up an exclude category from rss publish rule.

Thanks

Donna
Staff / Moderator

Jul 24, 2008, 2:46 PM

Post #7 of 14 (3645 views)
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Re: [Kimber] Tutorial: Creating RSS feeds for each category [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hi Kimber,

Yep, exactly that -- go into the main RSS publish rule, and set the category filter to exclude the categories you don't want to appear. :)

Donna

Kimber
User

Jul 31, 2008, 3:55 AM

Post #8 of 14 (3487 views)
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Re: [Damon] Tutorial: Creating RSS feeds for each category [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hello,

I am not sure this is possible but wanted to ask anyway. I have three article managers and planning on buying three more soon.

I have Category RSS Feed set up. I like to run feeds on one article manager to another articles manager using feedburner codes.

However I have want to running only matching categories rss feeds in matching categories of another article manager.

I was looking at Admin > Database Editor > Field Editor.

1) In the text box Default Value of the Field Editor can I put in my feedburner codes to make the codes show up using a place holder?

2) Is there a way to set the Field Editor so they only show up in a set category?

Examples: In Articles for Mom I want the educational articles rss feed to only run in the Print Me Free educational free printables.

As I said, I am not sure this is possible but it never hurts to ask if there are setting or publishing rules I can set up to do this.

Thanks

Kimberly

Jake
Staff / Moderator

Jul 31, 2008, 10:39 PM

Post #9 of 14 (3360 views)
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Re: [Kimber] Tutorial: Creating RSS feeds for each category [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hi Kimberly,

Were you trying to set up a way to automatically import articles into another copy of Article Manager? That isn't really possible to do, but you can display articles from an external RSS feed on your other Article Manager pages.

Let me know if I've overlooked anything or if you have any other questions!
-----------------------------------------------------------
Cheers,
Jake Swanson - Product Specialist
support@interactivetools.com

Kimber
User

Aug 1, 2008, 5:51 AM

Post #10 of 14 (3357 views)
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Re: [Jake] Tutorial: Creating RSS feeds for each category [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hello,

I did not think it was possible but just to make it clear what I was trying to do.

I can go to templates editor articlePages/articlePage.html I input this from feedburder and it shows my feed on ever article page.

Codes;

<script src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/momsbreak/featured_free_printable?format=sigpro" type="text/javascript" ></script><noscript>Subscribe to RSS headline updates from: <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/momsbreak/featured_free_printable"></a> Powered by FeedBurner </noscript>

I was trying to find a way to make these codes using a placeholder only show up in set category. Example: The codes would open show in stationery_card category http://www.printmefree.com/printable/stationery_cards/index.shtml and not all article pages.

This is not a big just a nice feature I like to have and figure it was worth asking. Honestly, I want to make a bulk buy of the article managers soon now the codes and template editor are becoming clear to me. I am at this point testing what I can and can't do so when I buy I can build the sites faster. I got a printing lot of the forum and make my own tutors with notes so I read to go.

Thanks
Kimberly

Jake
Staff / Moderator

Aug 1, 2008, 1:24 PM

Post #11 of 14 (3264 views)
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Re: [Kimber] Tutorial: Creating RSS feeds for each category [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hi Kimberly,

Thanks for your reply!

Based on what you've written, this should be possible - you just need to set up a templateIf on your articlePage.html template like this:

Code

<!-- templateIf: $category.num$ eq "***stationery_card category number here***" --> 
***Feedburner code here*** 
<!-- /templateIf -->

What that will do is only show the feedburner code on stationery_card article pages. You can get this category's number by going to the "Categories" page while logged in to Article Manager and hovering your mouse over this category's "modify" link. It's number will be displayed at the very end of the URL for the "modify" link.

I'm glad to hear Article Manager is working out for you. Smile

-----------------------------------------------------------
Cheers,
Jake Swanson - Product Specialist
support@interactivetools.com

Kimber
User

Oct 9, 2008, 4:08 AM

Post #12 of 14 (1135 views)
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Re: [Jake] Tutorial: Creating RSS feeds for each category [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hello,

I am just getting to this and it work great! {Thanks}
Example: http://www.printmefree.com/printable/halloween/Halloween_story_school_lesson.shtml

But only in the articles first categories, if you put an article in two Categories then it will not work in the second Categories which is fine, not a huge deal, but I wanted to ask if there a way to get the second Categories to work also.

Example: http://www.printmefree.com/printable/Primary_Lined/Ghost_Love_Candy_Too_Primary_Lines_School.shtml

Thanks
Kimberly

Kimber
User

Oct 10, 2008, 9:39 AM

Post #13 of 14 (1030 views)
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Re: [Jake] Tutorial: Creating RSS feeds for each category [In reply to]	Can't Post

Never mind, I figure out I can add for sub-categories, my brain just not got this processed Blush

Donna
Staff / Moderator

Oct 10, 2008, 12:56 PM

Post #14 of 14 (1018 views)
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Re: [Kimber] Tutorial: Creating RSS feeds for each category [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hi Kimber,

Glad to hear you got this sorted out -- let us know if you run into any other problems. :)

Donna

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