RSS Output Mod & Icon

The code modifications make a simple change to external.php to explode a list of child forums in addition to some quick template changes to provide a common button for users to click to see the RSS feed.

1) at the Forum Home level, the xml link when clicked, produces an RSS feed for all threads in all forums. No changes made to external.php for this to work.

2) at the Sub-Forum level, the xml link when clicked, produces an RSS feed for all threads in the listed sub-forums. external.php is changed to explode the list of child forums.

3) at the Forum level, the xml link when clicked, produces an RSS feed only to threads in the that forum. No changes made to external.php for this to work.

I’m using this on an internal forum and have not had any problems. But your mileage may vary. Let me know what you think and if it works for you or not.

I've uploaded the rss.gif file that I'm using.

-paul

[7 June 2004 - re uploaded - small doc changes - no code changes]
[8 June 2004 - re uploaded - Natch's code changes, two options now available]

[SnowBot]

Instead of having the feed icon displayed on the forums, how could i get it like this

http://www.sitepoint.com/syndication/

Any help would be great

[Roms]

Very nice job!!! *clicks install

[streetfighter]

Hey, cool hack....

Everything installed fine and properly working....

My only request is to add instructions at the bottom of rss_mod.txt file is:

Enable External Data Provider>RSS(Yes)& XML(Yes)
from Admincp>vboptions

Cos, tats the most important thing without which maximum users get Blank page displays...

[roundhost]

FANTASTIC!

/me clicks install!

/me states that he has got it installed and working easy peasy!

/me is happy!

[pgrote]

Ok I had another question for you all. A while back we were working on getting our feed to spit out the full post, with all of the html intact, where we changed this in the external.php file:

PHP Code:

echo "\t\t<content:encoded><![CDATA[". htmlspecialchars_uni(fetch_trimmed_title(strip_bbcode($thread['preview'], false, true), $vboptions['thread'])) ."]]></content:encoded.\r\n"; 


to this:

PHP Code:

require_once('./includes/functions_bbcodeparse.php');
echo "\t\t<content:encoded><![CDATA[". parse_bbcode2($thread['preview'], false, true, false, true) ."]]></content:encoded.\r\n"; 


Smileys dont show up when viewing it through bloglines (our company's aggregator of choice)...this is a small annoyance but if someone could fill me in on what to do to get smileys to show up as well that would be great...I NEED the full html so I cannot compromise that, so if it is one or the other, than I can live without smileys.

My big thing is that it seems as though the feed is only pumping out the first posts of each thread, anytime a thread is replied to it does not show up in the feed...any one have any ideas how I can remedy this situation? Any help would be greatly appreciated...Thank you!

[Slynderdale]

Originally Posted by pgrote

Ok I had another question for you all. A while back we were working on getting our feed to spit out the full post, with all of the html intact, where we changed this in the external.php file:

PHP Code:

 echo "\t\t<content:encoded><![CDATA[". htmlspecialchars_uni(fetch_trimmed_title(strip_bbcode($thread['preview'], false, true), $vboptions['thread'])) ."]]></content:encoded.\r\n"; 


to this:

PHP Code:

  require_once('./includes/functions_bbcodeparse.php');
 echo "\t\t<content:encoded><![CDATA[". parse_bbcode2($thread['preview'], false, true, false, true) ."]]></content:encoded.\r\n"; 


Smileys dont show up when viewing it through bloglines (our company's aggregator of choice)...this is a small annoyance but if someone could fill me in on what to do to get smileys to show up as well that would be great...I NEED the full html so I cannot compromise that, so if it is one or the other, than I can live without smileys.

My big thing is that it seems as though the feed is only pumping out the first posts of each thread, anytime a thread is replied to it does not show up in the feed...any one have any ideas how I can remedy this situation? Any help would be greatly appreciated...Thank you!

Check this hack I just made:
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=68815

It lets you choose if you want the feeds to parse bbcodes or not and have support for smilies.

For your second question, open external.php and find:

PHP Code:

         ORDER BY thread.dateline DESC
         LIMIT 15 


and replace that with:

PHP Code:

         ORDER BY thread.lastpost DESC
          LIMIT 15 


Now when a thread gets replied to, it shows up on the feeds.

[AlexSFBay]

I just tweaked the XML image display placement to align to the right of the Forum/Thread title. Looks much cleaner.

FORUMHOME

<!-- ORGINAL CODE <td class="thead" width="100%" align="$stylevar[left]">$vbphrase[forum]</td> -->

<!-- RSS FEED MOD -->
<td class="thead" width="100%" align="$stylevar[left]">
<table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
  <tr>
    <td class="thead">$vbphrase[forum]</td>
    <td><a href="external.php?type=RSS2" style="float:right"><img src="$stylevar[imgdir_button]/rss.gif" alt="XML RSS 2.0 feed for all Threads in all Forums" border="0" /></a></td>
  </tr>
</table>
</td>

FORUMDISPLAY

<!-- ORIGINAL CODE <td class="tcat" width="100%">$vbphrase[threads_in_forum]<span class="normal">: $foruminfo[title]</span></td> -->

<!-- RSS FEED MOD -->
<td class="tcat" width="100%">
<table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
  <tr>
    <td class="tcat">$vbphrase[forum]<span class="normal">: $foruminfo[title]</span></td>
    <td><a href="external.php?type=RSS2&amp;forumids=$foruminfo[forumid]" style="float:right"><img src="$stylevar[imgdir_button]/rss.gif" alt="XML RSS 2.0 feed for Threads in $foruminfo[title]" border="0" /></a></td>
  </tr>
</table>
</td>

* Notice I added the Forum Title in the "alt" description for the sub-forums. Now reads alt="XML RSS 2.0 feed for Threads in $foruminfo[title]"

See it in action here

Hope this helps. Enjoy!

[ChessMess]

Is there a way to have the xml icon show on each category on the main forum page? Since my subforms do not need to be expanded to see the sub-boards (All boards are visable on main index page) It'd be ideal to have the icon next to each sub-forum listed.

[ChessMess]

Anyone?

[SeanThomps]

Having a problme with the hack; I have put rss on my site, and I want to use myyahoo's button: http://my.yahoo.com/s/button.html

The weird thing is when I type in the url to rss for my site, which works if you click it, it does not work for yahoo. The link is: http://www.volconvo.com/forums/external.php?type=RSS2

Got any ideas?