RSS Feed

[Bonnet]

While there are several older threads (two to be precise, one by me), this time I have done a little more than ask for it. I found an extension that will make the external.rss much more useful. Works with vBulletin 3. http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=69834

Some features I know everyone will like:

A new option has been added named "items" to allow you to specify if the feed should be only of new threads or of any threads that have had recent activity. By default the current version of external.php will only show the last 15 new threads; if somebody replies to an older message then that thread will not be included in the output since the thread creation date is older than the 15 newest threads. Providing a value of "active" to the new "items" option will result in the X number of threads you specify that have either had recent replies or is new thread.

A new option has been added named "postlen" to let you specify how much of the post's text should be included in the feed. You have three choices: (a) Specify "full" to include the entire text or (b) specify an X number of characters or (c) don't specify anything and default to the value specified in your ACP ("ACP --> vBulletin Options --> Forum Display Options (forumdisplay) --> Length of Thread Preview Text"). Example usage:

A new option has been added named "bbcode" to let you specify whether the text should include any BB codes, parse the BB codes into HTML, or strip the BB codes. You can either "yes" to not strip the the codes, "parse" to translate the BB codes into HTML or not specify anything and let it default to removing the codes. NOTE: I have this turned on currently only for the item's description. To enable this option for any of the other fields you'll have to change the "clean_text" command in question.
Please mom, please , please can I have it?!

Older threads with approval, here (http://forums.relicnews.com/showthread.php?t=93817&highlight=RSS) and here (http://forums.relicnews.com/showthread.php?t=81751&highlight=rss+feed).

Nova would like to voice his support, but can not post here for some reason...(even though he is a senior, whats up with that?)

[ceejayoz]

Nova is a moderator, and non-senior (or is it non-super?) moderators don't get to post in FI. :p

Not sure which one of us has the vBulletin license required to download it, I suspect Dyn or Pike. I was working on my own solution, but this looks easier...

[Delphy]

I already have this script since I use it for MTS2, and it's now live on the RN forums.

The old RSS feed is external2.php. The new one replaces external.php

There are a lot of options available and I'm not sure anybody has written up any documentation. I just had an idea of maybe automatically generating RSS feed links when viewing forums...

Edit: I've hacked in (per cj's request) a &t= value, so you can throw it a threadid and it only gives you an RSS feed for that thread.

[Xypher]

YAY for Delphy! I will definitely be using this new feed option.

http://img349.imageshack.us/img349/7394/twocookies5ha.th.jpg (http://img349.imageshack.us/my.php?image=twocookies5ha.jpg)

[Xypher]

Ok. I've been using the old feed from the forums on Google's Personalized page. Previously, when I click on the header title, it would take me to the forums main page. With the new feed, it now takes me to the RN website instead. Fix for it?

Also, can some examples of the possible uses be listed here please? Since I don't have a VB License, I can't see the examples on the VB website:

Codedisplayerror: (Update license status)
You cannot view codes as long as you haven't proven your license status!

[Bonnet]

Oooh Cookies>!

Sorry to ruin your fun cj.

Alright, just for those who don't want to work at it: This (http://forums.relicnews.com/external.php?type=rss&forumids=29&items=active&postlen=300&bbcode=parse) link will provide an RSS feed of the GD, highlighting new posts & provide a three hundred char brief of the post. This (http://forums.relicnews.com/external.php?type=rss&forumids=1&items=active&postlen=300&bbcode=parse) will do the same for the entire community section.

To add these to firefox bookmarks, click bookmarks >>> manage bookmarks. In the popup window click file, new live bookmark, in the name type your name, and in the feed location post the RSS url.

A brief tutorial on how to customize your RSS feed.
First off, inputing the variables. If you go to url=http://forums.relicnews.com/external.php?type=rss]http://forums.relicnews.com/external.php?type=rss[/url] you should see a question mark followed by type=rss. You will always want to keep this variable. Everything after the "?" is a variable, and the equals sign what that variable, well equals. We separate variables in the url with an "&". Eg, http://forums.relicnews.com/external.php?type=rss&qty=20&forumids=1
Consult below for the variables, there defaults, and the results.


qty:

Short for "quantity", this specifies how many posts the RSS feed wail show. If you set "qty=15" the 15 newest threads (as set by the item) attribute are shown.
Items:

This specifies how threads will be chosen as "new" to be displayed in the RSS feed. items=active will display threads by newest post, not newest thread creation date. If left off threads will be sorted, and shown by the thread creation date, not the newest post
forumids:

This specifies which forums the threads will be picked from. The forum id is after the ?f= in the url of the forum. For example in the url "http://forums.relicnews.com/forumdisplay.php?f=29" (General discussion) the forum id is 29. You can specify multiple fora by separating the ids with commas. For example "forumids=29,4" (general discussion and forum issues). I think when you select a forum, all sub=fora are selected as well.
postlen:

"postlen" to lets you specify how much of the post's text should be included in the feed. You have three choices: (a) Specify "full" to include the entire text or (b) specify an X number of characters or (c) don't specify anything and default to the value specified by the forum.
t:

This option lets you specify a thread to monitor. You may only enter one thread id (I think, xyph?). The thread id can be found, like the forum id, in the url for a thread after the "?t=". In the url "http://forums.relicnews.com/showthread.php?t=98138", 98238 is the thread.
bbcode:

"bbcode" to lets you specify whether the text should include any BB codes, parse the BB codes into HTML, or strip the BB codes. You can either "yes" to not strip the the codes, "parse" to translate the BB codes into HTML or not specify anything and let it default to removing the codes.
html:

"html" to lets you specify whether the text should be stripped of HTML special characters. You can either specify "yes" to not strip the the special characters or not specify anything and let it default to removing them. NOTE: I have this turned on currently only for the item's description.



A suggestion for php to automatically generate a link for RSS to monitor a thread.

<?php
if(isset($_GET['t'])){
echo '<a href="external.php?t"'.$_GET['t'].''' name="rss feed for thread"> Get rss feed</a>';
}?>
or

<?php
if(isset($_GET['t'])){
echo '<tr>
<td class="vbmenu_option">
<img class="inlineimg" src="images/Purple/buttons/rss.jpg" alt="Add a Poll" />
<a href="external.php?type=rss&t="'.$_GET['t'].''' name="rss feed for thread"> Get rss feed</a>
</td>
</tr>';
}

That would be added the to <!-- thread tools menu --> section.

[ceejayoz]

Yeah, I'm going to add in code for the thread tools.

[Bonnet]

CJ: I just edited it, i forget a = sign after the t.

[Homdax]

Is this info still relevant, since I want to be able to link RSS feed from selected forums on another site and I read Ionfish wrote in State of The Forums improvements on this are considered.

Bonnet, have you implemented it somewhere I can check it out?
I have browsed Your links but the Community only shows header Community, with no threads...

Yes, I am a n00b to RSS. :slow:

[Delphy]

Yes it's still relevant. :)

[Bonnet]

Hrm, it doesn't seem to give anything back for forum id=1 (odd), so here is one with all community but tapletop: http://forums.relicnews.com/external.php?type=rss&forumids=42,29,45,10&items=active&postlen=300&bbcode=parse.
One with tapletop:
http://forums.relicnews.com/external.php?type=rss&forumids=42,29,45,10,101&items=active&postlen=300&bbcode=parse

[ionfish]

I don't know that it works for categories (like the Community section, which you can't actually post in). Have you tried it for id 169 (http://forums.relicnews.com/forumdisplay.php?f=169), which is the Relic Games section?

[Homdax]

Ok, assuming I find , which I have, a way to embed certain forums in an external site of mine for summaries of their topics, would that affect RB forum server performance and do you have any opinions as to how I should do it?

I have found two approaches, via js and via php.
Example: http://www.feedforall.com/php-documentation.htm
Example: http://www.rss-to-javascript.com/p/Home___154.html Hmm, I tested this and it seems I would have to link through that site, which I would like to avoid, I guess.
Example: http://www.wynia.org/wordpress/2005/09/28/embed-rss-feeds-in-pages-with-php-and-magpierss/


If you feel I am going about this the wrong way, please say so, but be prepared to help out in that case....at least with a link ;)

EDIT/
I think above might be considered irrelevant, since I am just now browsing through this: http://codex.wordpress.org/Plugins/Syndication


Question, how is it I dont get the forumid right using:
http://forums.relicnews.com/external.php?type=rss&forumids=72&items=active&postlen=100&bbcode=parse

Something is screwed but I dont know where, my aggregator works, but it shows the wrong forums.
Ok I understand it must be on my part.... :steam:
It seems to grab latest post, from some forums, mostly DoW and DC

I am using CG-Feedread from http://www.chait.net/ a WP plugin.

[Mnementh]

Hmm, with this wouldnt it be possible to kludge together a dev tracker? (other than Uber)

I know lithium forums have rss feeds for bloody everything you can think of, and its a crazily usefull feature.

[Rampaged]

So I apoligize for being a noob on this but I added the rss but it's for the entire relic news forums. Is there a way i can just have it Company of Heroes specific?

[ÜberJumper]

Try this rampaged...

http://forums.relicnews.com/external.php?type=rss&forumids=146&items=active&postlen=300&bbcode=parse

[Rampaged]

Thanks Uber that worked ;)

[ÜberJumper]

Welcome.

[Homdax]

Ok, first working attempt from http://feedonfeeds.com/

http://www.conram.com/rssfeed1/view.php

It is not protected so I You fell You want to mess with it, go ahead. (The "Panel" link).
I don't like the layout though, and clicking on the forum name will bring up www.relicnews.com, not RB.

Will get back with more.
Please remember I am posting this in raw unformatted views FYI, and all will be adapted to suit a WP site.

Next:
http://gregarius.net wow, but I will be having problems merging this into the site...:weep:
http://www.conram.com/rssfeed2/

Ok, after 2 days on and off with this I finally found something that allows me to customize the Feeds, based on the URL's from Relic Boards, and that also gives me 100% control as to where and how I want them available. http://ink.bur.st/wordpress-plugins/#kqf

Delphy, if this causes any load on Your side, I would like to know, but I have been told that it would be like ordinary browsing.

Ah, and bonnet, sub forums are not parsed, for EVERY forum, use the specific forumid, like 88 for Mods in progress inside Tanis.