Article Bot

Article Bot
by velocd


Article Bot is a script that allows you to assign a user account (preferably an exclusive one) to an article bot that will post RSS feeds in select forums at designated intervals. These articles are derived from RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds.

RSS files are assigned to article bots, as well to individual forums, which in turn directs what, when and where your article bot will post.

Features

• Works with RSS versions: 0.9x, 2.0, 1.0, and Atom 0.3
• AdminCP interface for adding/modifying/deleting article bots & rss feeds
• Designate intervals (in minutes) to each RSS feed for when your article bot will post them.
• Requires only 1 file edit (admincp/index.php), allowing ease of upgrading your vBulletin
  without having to remodify files.
• Easy to install. Works best in conjunction with crontab (contab help is inside install.html)

News

• 7/25/04 - Version 1.1 Released
  • Bug Fixes
    • Replaced htmlspecialchars() with htmlentities() in articlebot.php to fully convert special entities from descriptions.
    • Added trim() to thread titles, to prevent double threads from being posted that are merely off by whitespace.
    • New table articlebot_rss_cache for storing a copy of article bot threads, for quicker checking of doubles when posting new threads.
    • Threads are checked in articlebot_rss_cache, so you can permanently remove them from the thread table (you don't have to "soft delete") without worrying about the bot replicating them.
    • Other minor bugs.
  • Features
    • New installer/upgraders for doing the SQL part automatically.
    • Added "label" field to add/modify RSS interface, that allows you to tag a label, e.g. [yahoo], to the beginning of threads, unique to each RSS feed. This might help for better distinction of RSS feeds.
    • Added an option to toggle on/off of building similar threads per RSS feed. Some RSS feeds could hault the script if the building of similar thread results for that feed takes too long (maybe the article thread title is too vague, and matches a lot of results--my guess is it's only a problem on large forums).
    • Added an option to toggle on/off skipping of articles that don't contain descriptions.
    • Regular expression search and replace for article titles and descriptions. This grants you much flexability to filter out things you don't want in your titles or descriptions (given you have some regex experience, I will try to post some patterns in due time.. feel free to add yours )
• 7/11/04 - Version 1.0 Released

Upgrading

• To upgrade, reupload the new PHP and MagpieRSS parser files to their places on your server. Upload upgrade_vx-x (replace the x's with the version you are upgrading to) to /path/to/forums/admincp/, and then execute that script.

Files

• 3 screenshots attached
• articlebot_v1.zip
  • install.html, logo.gif
  • articlebot_admin.php
  • articlebot/
    • rss_cache.inc
    • rss_fetch.inc
    • rss_parse.inc
    • rss_utils.inc
    • extlib/
      • Snoopy.class.inc

RSS Feeds

There are several in the install.html, but if you're looking for more than you could ever want, check out NewsIsFree's directory:

http://www.newsisfree.com/sources/bycat/


Remember to click install if you use this hack.

Also be sure to read through the what you haven't of the thread before asking a question, for it may have been answered.

[School-Help]

What new template?

[JsnakeJ]

I am having the same problem as xtrememobile. I installed it yesterday when i posted and no luck

I have Post Interval set to 1.

[xtreme-mobile]

yeh mine still hasnt posted anything from the yahoo feeds any one know what we are doing wrong?

[vulture]

Installed in 3.0.7 fine.

Only problem is running via VB schedule manager. To solve it:

FIND:

if (!$_REQUEST['do'])

REPLACE WITH:

if (!$_REQUEST['do'] || $_REQUEST['do']=='runcron')

[Jaxx]

I've asked a bit ago but got no reply, so here goes.

I'm trying to figure out why I've got news, but no title, and also how I can get the link at the end of the story to be 'Click Here ...' instead of the actual link.

I've also got an issue with the formating, and i do not believe its from the RSS feed itself.

Site: http://www.nektulos.net

Feed: http://bootleg-rss.g-blog.net/d.eq2p...840092630H.php

Its a scrap since SOE does not have a true RSS feed. it supplies the title, but its not showing up on my site.

Thanks

[venomx]

Can anyone help me edit Article bot to work with this hack?
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=72560
Amy gave me the code to add to the adrticle bot file but I am not sure how to change it.

[RichieBoy67]

Just wondering.... does this actually post an article or just a link to an article???? As of right now that is all I am getting... I need to try more feeds I guess...lol

[memobug]

It posts whatever is in the Description field and links to the article. Take a look at the feed itself and you'll see what's in it in terms of text. That's all there is.

Regards,

Matt

[RichieBoy67]

Thanks,

I had it working last night but it only posted a link.... now it is not working at all..


Just wondering..

do I need to add index.php to the path??

PHP Code:

chdir('/home/talkandm/talkandmore-www/'); 


[venomx]

Take a look at the feed. Is there any new ones listed? I have a few feeds that only post every few days because thats about when they are updated.

No need to add index.php...