Kall,

Cloudrunner's way is the only way I have got this to work, and is the way the .htaccess is written to work. Google doesn't seem to mind either.

After reading 60 of the 90+ pages here I gave up! Can someone help me with the file created for Yahoo? I was able to get the file for Google and see it at
http://biker-talk.com/forum/sitemap_index.xml.gz
so I know that the .htaccess is set correctly. However I can see the file created for Yahoo. I've tried looking for both /forum/sitemap.txt.gz and also up a level. I can however see it under /forum/vbseo_sitemap/data/ via FTP.

Anyone know why I can't see/access the file for Yahoo under the forum directory, while I can access the file used for Google?

BTW, I'm running vB 3.6.4 and not running any of the other vBseo or any other addon product.

Unfortunately the way this system was coded it can only be run from the subfolder.

)O( Cloudrunner )O(

Alright folks, here it is. The definative [HOWTO] on getting this to work with vBeulltin 3.6.4 with vBAdvanced CMPS installed and the root directory instead of /forum/. This is step by step from modification to installation to notifying Google and Yahoo. I hope this helps some folks out.

1. Ignore the installation instructions given in the archive as it will not work for you very well if you are running vBAdvanced CMPS!
2. In your /vbseo_sitemap/ directory edit the file "index.php".
   • Find the following code:
     Code:

     ---

     define('VBSEO_SMDIR', dirname(__FILE__));

     ---

     Add below it the following code and modify it to your server's forum location:
     Code:

     ---

     define('DIR', '/home/yourwebsite/public_html/forum');

     ---

     Then find the following code:
     Code:

     ---

     chdir('../');

     ---

     Replace it with this:
     Code:

     ---

     chdir(DIR);

     ---

   • Save and close "index.php".
3. In your /vbseo_sitemap/ directory edit the file "vbseo_sitemap.php".
   • Find the following code:
     Code:

     ---

     define('DIR', dirname(__FILE__).'/../');

     ---

     Replace it with the following code and modify it to your server's forum location:
     Code:

     ---

     define('DIR', '/home/yourwebsite/public_html/forum');

     ---

     Then find the following code:
     Code:

     ---

     chdir(dirname(__FILE__).'/../');

     ---

     and replace it with this:
     Code:

     ---

     chdir(DIR);

     ---

   • Save and close "vbseo_sitemap.php".
4. In your /vbseo_sitemap/ directory edit the file "vbseo_sitemap_functions.php".
   • Find the following code around line 466:
     Code:

     ---

     'url'=>$vbseo_vars['bburl'] . '/' .$sm_filename,

     ---

     and replace it with this:
     Code:

     ---

     'url'=>$vboptions['homeurl'] . '/' .$sm_filename,

     ---

     making sure to have the 'homeurl' defined in your vBulletin Admincp->Options->Sitename / URL / Contact details->Homepage URL as your root directory, ie.: http://www.your-site.com
   • Save and close "vbseo_sitemap_functions.php".
5. In your /vbseo_sitemap/addons/ directory edit the file "vbseo_sm_vba.php":
   • Find the following code:
     Code:

     ---

     $vba_url = $vbseo_vars['bburl'].'/';

     ---

     Replace that with the following:
     Code:

     ---

     $vba_url = '';

     ---

     .
   • Save and close "vbseo_sm_vba.php".
6. Upload your .htaccess file to your webroot directory.
   • /home/yoursite/public_html/.htaccess
7. Upload the now modified vbseo_sitemap directory to your webroot directory.
   • /home/yoursite/public_html/vbseo_sitemap/
8. CHMOD your /vbseo_sitemap/data/ directory to 777.
9. Import the product xml that came with this modification by going to AdminCP->Plugins & Products->Manage Products->[Add/Import Product].
10. Go to your AdminCP->Options page and select vBSEO Google/Yahoo Sitemap Generator and fill out the options according to the instructions for the modification.
    • Make sure to put vbseo_sm_vba.php in the Addons Generator Modules section or your vBAdvanced pages will not be included in the sitemap.
    • Save your Options.
11. Create a new vB Cron Job by going to AdminCP->Scheduled Tasks->Add New Scheduled Task and input the following settings (See Attachment 1):
    • Varname: sitemaps
    • Title: vBSEO - Create Google/Yahoo Sitemap
    • Description: Creates a sitemap for google sitemaps.
    • Log Phrase: vBSEO - Create Google/Yahoo Sitemap
    • Day of the Week: *
    • Day of the Month: *
    • Hour: 2
    • Minute: 0
    • Active: Yes
    • Log Entries: Yes
    • Filename: ../vbseo_sitemap/vbseo_sitemap.php
    • Product: vBSEO :: Sitemap Generator
    • vBulletin Default: No
12. Run this new scheduled task for the first time. There should not be any errors listed.
13. Once your scheduled task has run successfully it is now time to submit your sitemap(s) to Google.
    • Login to https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/siteoverview
    • Create a new site listing for your web-root (http://www.your-site.com) if you have not done so already and get it verified.
    • Click the link "Manage *yoursite*"
    • Click "Sitemaps"
    • Click "Add a Sitemap"
    • Select "Add General Web Sitemap"
    • In the resulting input box put the path to your new sitemap xml index document.
      • http://www.yoursite.com/sitemap_index.xml.gz
        • You MUST use this address otherwise it will not work right.
    • Click "Add Web Sitemap"
    • In a few minutes (It may take as long as an hour to get the spider to your site and have google check your files) Google will spider the file and then check and parse it. Check back to https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/siteoverview to make sure no errors occured in the parsing of the files.

I am still waiting to make sure that the yahoo portion of this is working. When it comes back good I'll post specifics on it as well.

Again, These are the steps I took to get it working with my 3.6.4 and vBAdvanced CMPS. I'm certain there are other methods, but this seemed the easiest for me, and if it helps to alleviate issues for only one more person then I am happy.

Namaste
)O( Cloudrunner )O(

Great description! While I already loaded this sitemap gen to my standalone forum, I will be loading vB CMPS soon and this will cut back on the headaches.

Looking forward to hearing if this fixes the Yahoo problem (no output file) I've experienced.

Ken

Shoot me a pm boss, I'm not sure where the issue may lie, but perhaps I can help with that.

I ran the task again and here is the log:

Generate Sitemap
[homepage] [0s (+0)]
[SECTION START] forumdisplay [0s (+0)]
[forumdisplay] forum_id: 6, total threads: 224, pages: 12 [0s (+0)]
[forumdisplay] forum_id: 5, total threads: 490, pages: 25 [0s (+0)]
[forumdisplay] forum_id: 12, total threads: 58, pages: 3 [0s (+0)]
[forumdisplay] forum_id: 3, total threads: 1673, pages: 84 [0s (+0)]
[forumdisplay] forum_id: 9, total threads: 57, pages: 3 [0s (+0)]
[forumdisplay] forum_id: 13, total threads: 5, pages: 1 [0s (+0)]
[forumdisplay] forum_id: 7, total threads: 17, pages: 1 [0s (+0)]
[forumdisplay] forum_id: 11, total threads: 27, pages: 2 [0s (+0)]
[forumdisplay] forum_id: 14, total threads: 26, pages: 2 [0s (+0)]
[forumdisplay] forum_id: 15, total threads: 1, pages: 1 [0s (+0)]
[SECTION START] showthread [0s (+0)]
[archive homepage] [2s (+2)]
[SECTION START] forumdisplay archived [2s (+0)]
[SECTION START] showthread archived [2s (+0)]
[create sitemap file] filename: sitemap_1.xml.gz, number of urls: 20000 [3s (+0)]
[create sitemap in text format] part #2 [3s (+0)]
[create sitemap file] filename: sitemap_2.xml.gz, number of urls: 960 [3s (+0)]
[create sitemap in text format] part #3 [3s (+0)]
[create sitemap index] filename: sitemap_index.xml.gz, number of sitemaps: 2 [3s (+0)]

Done

I don't see the txt file being created for Yahoo.

I got yer PM boss, yer .htaccess is messed up, I sent you a fix. give it a shot and we'll fix it there :D.

The txt file doesn't look to be being created, double check your options and make sure that you have the yahoo .txt option set to yes, then implement the changes I gave you in the PM.

Got your PM, revisions partially worked. Still don't see the txt file being logged but it is being created :confused:

Reply PM sent... I think this is close to being resolved now, thanks!

I have a question. Do I have to submit my sitemaps daily to Google/Yahoo or it does that automatically?