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jarigo2
9-26-09, 08:37 AM
Hi,

So I've googled this for some time now and I'm not finding what I'm looking for. Perhaps I'm using the wrong terminology in my searches.

I want to add an RSS feed to my website - http://www.grilling24x7.com

Here are some of my questions - if you know of a site that will explain it please point me there!

I have read about how to make the rss feed code and it seems pretty easy (http://www.astaara.com/rss-feed-code.html).

However, in my case where I want to have a feed with lets say 10 items, will I need 10 seperate xml pages corresponding to each item (my information is stored on .shtml pages)? Also, the rss text file is saved on the server. What extension does that initial page get? .rss? .xml?

I feel like I may be going about this backwards - it seems to me that most people have automatic blogger website that automatically generate this stuff but here I will be updating the html and then going back and duplicating it with rss.

Thoughts? Any help is appreciated.

John
bdw
9-26-09, 09:09 AM
to add a new item simple copy everything in the "item" tags and paste it. edit it to include the information you want. You can have as many items as you want, but I would keep it to a minimum. You will not need to create another xml file.

Save it either .rss or .xml as far as im aware. But It might be best for you to save it as xml file and use Feedburner to distribute it.

I wrote an article about this on my music website: Create Your Own RSS Feed (http://www.bdwrekordings.com/articles/create-your-own-rss-feed.html)

Hope this helps, let me know if you need anymore help.
jarigo2
9-26-09, 09:54 AM
thanks for your reply - one quick question that jumps out at me after reading your site: within the item description can you have images?

For example, let's say that I want one item to be the middle column of this webpage - http://www.grilling24x7.com/rot_pork.shtml - would I just copy all of the html text including <img src> tags or must it be text only?
bdw
9-26-09, 10:05 AM
yes, you can, but unfortunately straight html wont work.

It would be something like this:

&lt;img src="http://www.yourwebaddress.com/image.jpg"&gt;&lt;/img&gt;

Just replace the image address with your one.
bdw
9-26-09, 10:11 AM
Use this webpage to convert your html

http://www.felgall.com/htmlt47.htm
jarigo2
9-26-09, 01:45 PM
so in the "description" in the rss feed there is text like this "&lt;" ?
bdw
9-26-09, 04:30 PM
Yes, because straight html may not be parsed properly via the xml file you need to convert the html coding, otherwise it will show the html code in feedreaders instead of the image.

&lt; actually gives you <

If you dont wanna type it all in yourself, use the converter I linked to.
bdw
9-26-09, 04:35 PM
right, lets say we where using your first image, rot_pork_small.jpg, the following code would be needed.

&lt;img src="http://www.grilling24x7.com/rot_pork_small.jpg"&gt;&lt;/img&gt;

Copy and past that into the description for that story in your xml file.
Croc Hunter
9-26-09, 10:15 PM
Syndicating (s)html.. bleh. That is backward. A stitch in time saves.. nine lives. Or something like that. "...here I will be updating the html and then going back and duplicating it with rss..." Search engines may slap you for that. Install and transfer your content to one of them blog thingy's that automate this RSS and trackback stuff. Then grab your ski's and hit the water, ahh Baltimore.. so pretty from the water.
jarigo2
9-27-09, 08:33 AM
Syndicating (s)html.. bleh. That is backward. A stitch in time saves.. nine lives. Or something like that. "...here I will be updating the html and then going back and duplicating it with rss..." Search engines may slap you for that. Install and transfer your content to one of them blog thingy's that automate this RSS and trackback stuff. Then grab your ski's and hit the water, ahh Baltimore.. so pretty from the water.

well that's an ugly added wrinkle to think about!!! you think ill be penelized (in terms of search engine ranks) for having an xml file with mostly identical content as the shtml files?

by the way... baltimore water is GROSS! avoid it all costs :-)
bdw
9-27-09, 04:22 PM
Thats why you only give snippets and not the entire story in your rss. Its meant to be a teaser for people to come to your website, not to duplicate it. At least thats the way i do it anyway.

I also prefer not to use a blog thingy, as it will need a mysql database and require php. And if your rss feed runs from that and your feed gets a huge amount of subscribers, then that can run you into problems with too much traffic.
stuquisput
10-6-09, 05:33 AM
Thats why you only give snippets and not the entire story in your rss. Its meant to be a teaser for people to come to your website, not to duplicate it. At least thats the way i do it anyway.

I also prefer not to use a blog thingy, as it will need a mysql database and require php. And if your rss feed runs from that and your feed gets a huge amount of subscribers, then that can run you into problems with too much traffic.

Good post. I appreciate it
That's pretty good.
Many thanks to ur post. I love it.