RSS autodiscovery
 

This mod will trigger autodiscovery in news aggregators that support autodiscovery (most do). What does this mean?

Let's say you have a news aggregator, like Newz Crawler installed. If you visit a site with this 'mod' installed, Newz Crawler automatically discovers your RSS feed and will allow you to simply add it as a news source.

Here's how to install it:

In AdminCP, in the headinclude, find (usually about 3-4 lines from the top):
add the following below:
That's it. Simple.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Demo - turn on your autodiscovering news reader before visiting http://www.efhs84.com/

update - changed feed type to RSS2.

The RSS isn't on by default, so you might want to come up with an IF statement for the above code.

Done - code updated

Also, I've noticed that if you use Opera, and have the navigation toolbar turned on, this mod will cause the "newsfeed" button to light up.

Someone asked how this will work with the RSS Output Mod & Icon hack. All I can say is that my mod only supplies the full RSS feed, which is the same feed as that described in the FORUMHOME part of the RSS Output Mod hack. It will NOT interfere with that hack. Two different results using two different methods. Mine merely triggers autodiscovery.

Here are a couple of screen shots. The first is the autodiscovery popup from Newz Crawler when going to a site with this mod installed.

The second is a shot of the Opera Navigation toolbar when visiting the same site. Notice that the "newsfeed" button is no longer greyed out.

Also, for what it's worth, if your users are using some news aggregators that continuosly check their feeds, new posts on your site will automatically notify the user. Note the screen shot below, which occured a couple of minutes after that post was made to the site.

How might one create a 'Syndication' page that contains all the desired rss links (since my forum has many) so that if you visited this page it will auto-discover all feeds?

Also Auto-Discovery with the mod that allows sub-forums and boards to have thier own news feeds would be idea.

Interesting idea. You can have multiple link tags that point to RSS files. But your autodiscovery idea (for subforums) would require more queries.

The "Syndication" page is "doable".... Let me think on that one. Interesting idea.

Note: Please click INSTALL if you're using this. Also, I added another hack that uses link tags to enable some Opera features. Check it out at http://www.vbulletintemplates.com/mo...ead.php?t=7003

Any progress?

I've just determined that this hack also causes the RSS button in Firefox 1.0 to become visible. You can then click on it to view the feed. See attached screenshot.

No progress on the other request, and I'm not sure I'll be able to pull it off easily.

By default, which forums will be pulled? I have some private forums that I wouldn't want showing up in the feed.

It should pull all of them (by default), since it's just pointing to external.php. You could modify the line that actually calls external.php in my example in post #1 by adding the forum IDs, as mentioned at http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?t=97030, http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?t=109943, http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?t=109645,
http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?t=112012, and
http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?t=102442.

HHhmm..... I had kind of thought that was going to be the answer (it's been a bit since I've played around with external.php); just a suggestion but it might be a good idea to include that information in the instructions post so that people are aware of that the fact that it will pull from all forums by default. From randomly looking at some of the response it seems that some people have already implemented the code without specifying which forums to pull from.

OK, now that aside...... cool mod! :cool: I'll be implementing later tonight (but with explicit forums specified :p ).

True (and good point), but to be honest, I hadn't even thought of that when I originally posted it. When I get a chance, I'll rebundle the hack and update the first post.

Enable Opera's navigation toolbar options uses the same method to cause other options in Opera to become available, and this was just an added benefit that I released.

HHhhmmm..... looks like I may have to install Opera one of these days to play around with it.

(heads over to opera.com)


Edit: OK, I'm playing around with Opera but when I go to your site it looks like it's pulling http://www.efhs84.com/forum/external.php?type=php instead of http://www.efhs84.com/forum/external.php?type=rss2 -- With "php" the message text doesn't come across. This on purpose or did I miss something with the Opera install? Going off on a totally different tangent...... :p Opera renders my home page site diferent than IE or FireFox does. With Opera I'm getting some extra space at the top & bottom margins. Looks like it's time for me to hit the Opera support forums on that one.

Work fine with Desktop Sidebar also. :cool:

http://www.desktopsidebar.com

Okay, that's my fault. I was noodling around and had changed it to PHP for something, and neglected to change it back. I've fixed it in the demo. Thanks for pointing it out.

Firefox PR1 now has the same feature :) and this works a treat with it - thx for the tip :)

OK, call me an idiot but I don't see see any new buttons in FireFox PR1 for the RSS feeds; the only thing I see is the "Live Bookmarks" option. :confused: Or is that what you meant and I'm making a mistake by assuming you were talking about the navigation buttons?

That's what the live bookmarks are.

The live bookmarks in Firefox just act as quick URL links to the posts. The Opera navigation buttons I mentioned are actual interface buttons on the tool bar of the browser that appear based upon the contents of the page that's being viewed. When you then click on "Newsfeeds" in Opera you're presented with the RSS feed in a navigable GUI to allow you to see the descriptions, etc..

*Installs.

I have had real good luck having my feeds picked up using a service called FeedRoll. Give it a look...

The Sage extension in Firefox acts more like that, and can be combined with the LiveBookmarks feature and the notifier icon in the status bar.

This looks like a good mod, but I've already added it prior to seeing this thread.
;)

the fps_external hack is a good addition to this.

Pimpin hack. Thanks. Clicks "INSTALL"

This is exactly what I was looking for, not sure why vB didn't have this already built in, thanks 58sniper!

this is still helpfull right ? in 3.6.3 ?