I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW RSS FEEDS WORK

[bigee]

What the EFF? I was using Rizzn.net, but they have had a few problems, and I figured I needed to get it up and running on my own site anyways.

Help a brother out....

[dannywall]

What the EFF? I was using Rizzn.net, but they have had a few problems, and I figured I needed to get it up and running on my own site anyways.

Help a brother out....

I'm a programmer of several languages. What exactly do you need help with. I'll be glad to give you a hand.

-Danny

[bigee]

Basically, what do I download (and to what location do I download) in order to create my own RSS feed. Then, how do I use it?

After which, how do I convert the mp3 so that the feed will carry it? I think it's called enclosures.

As you can tell, I am so clueless that I can barely tell you what I'm looking for.

A step-by-step procedure might help me.....who knows

[dannywall]

Basically, what do I download (and to what location do I download) in order to create my own RSS feed. Then, how do I use it?

After which, how do I convert the mp3 so that the feed will carry it? I think it's called enclosures.

As you can tell, I am so clueless that I can barely tell you what I'm looking for.

A step-by-step procedure might help me.....who knows

You are making this whole RSS thing significantly more complicated than it really is.

An RSS "feed" is simply a file on your web host. Here is a sample file ...
<rss version="2.0">
<channel>
<title>Your Title Here</title>
<link>http://www.yourwebsite.com/</link>
<description>
This is the description of the entire podcast.
</description>
<language>en-us</language>
<docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
<item>
<title>
This is the title of an individual entry
</title>
<description>
This is the description/content of the blog/podcast entry
</description>
<link>http://www.yourwebsite.com/linktostory.html</link>
<pubDate>Tuesday, February 22 2005</pubDate>
<enclosure>
http://www.yourwebsite.com/linkto_mp3file.mp3
</enclosure>
</item>
</channel>
</rss>

Now, because I'm a programmer, I have things setup so that when I add new content to my content manager, the RSS file is generated automatically.

BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO IT THAT WAY. You could just do it by hand and upload the RSS file (give it a .xml extention by the way) to your website that way. Your RSS "feed" is then simply the URL to the file you uploaded.

Hope this helps. If you have any other questions, ask away.

[bigee]

I guess what I don't understand is how it gets converted to the xml file. I tried just copying and pasting the framework you posted above, with my locations all in there, and iPodder still does not recognize that there is an enclosure to download.

Sorry for being a complete moron about this....

url is

http://www.bigeeshouse.com/bigee.xml

[dannywall]

I guess what I don't understand is how it gets converted to the xml file. I tried just copying and pasting the framework you posted above, with my locations all in there, and iPodder still does not recognize that there is an enclosure to download.

Sorry for being a complete moron about this....

url is

http://www.bigeeshouse.com/bigee.xml

I tried going to the URL you provided and I get a 404 error (file not found). That's probably why iPodder isn't downloading anything.

As for how the file gets converted into xml" ... the framework I gave you *IS* the xml file. If you changed the file to have your information, then that would be YOUR xml file ... no further "conversion" is required.

It seems to me that your only problem at this point is you didn't put the file where you think yuou did or you didn't name it what you think you did (perhaps there's a cap in there somewhere?)

[bigee]

once again....the moron strikes

www.bigeeshouse.com/bigees.xml

[dannywall]

once again....the moron strikes

www.bigeeshouse.com/bigees.xml

There needs to be a space between the ending quote and the beginning of the length in the enclosure.

You have:
url="http://www.bigeeshouse.com/public_html/downloads/firesidebeh20050221.mp3"length="11020567"

It should be:
url="http://www.bigeeshouse.com/public_html/downloads/firesidebeh20050221.mp3" length="11020567"

Hope this helps.

[bigee]

OK got that, now iPodder gives this message in the log:

Downloading http://www.bigeeshouse.com/public_html/downloads/firesidebeh20050224.mp3
Updating playlist Big E's Fireside Chats with firesidebeh20050224.mp3
Can't set Grouping="Podcast", as iTunes didn't let us know which tracks got added.

That's a new one on me

[paulc]

Here are some other errors:

1. There are "-" signs before <rss>, <channel> and <item> which need to be removed.

2. The <lastBuildDate> and <pubDate> are formatted incorrectly. It has to be something like:

<pubDate>Fri, 25 Feb 2005 13:00:00 GMT</pubDate>

I have uploaded a version of your file here:

http://files.yojutsu.com/test.xml

This validates correctly. The dates need to be changed to whatever you want them to be (ie fix the timezone).

http://feedvalidator.org is a site you should bookmark, it is really useful.

[dannywall]

Here are some other errors:

1. There are "-" signs before <rss>, <channel> and <item> which need to be removed.


There aren't dash signs in the actual file. Those dash signs are put in by the browser to make viewing the file easier.


2. The <lastBuildDate> and <pubDate> are formatted incorrectly. It has to be something like:

<pubDate>Fri, 25 Feb 2005 13:00:00 GMT</pubDate>

I have uploaded a version of your file here:

http://files.yojutsu.com/test.xml

This validates correctly. The dates need to be changed to whatever you want them to be (ie fix the timezone).

http://feedvalidator.org is a site you should bookmark, it is really useful.

As to the rest of this, good point about the date and using feed validator.

[paulc]

Yes, there are dashes in the file. Download it and see. I wouldn't have said it otherwise. You should check it yourself before assuming I am wrong.

The reason why they are there is obvious. If you view someone's XML file then select all, copy and paste, you copy the dashes as well.

[dannywall]

Yes, there are dashes in the file. Download it and see. I wouldn't have said it otherwise. You should check it yourself before assuming I am wrong.

The reason why they are there is obvious. If you view someone's XML file then select all, copy and paste, you copy the dashes as well.

Well sit me down and shut me up! :D

You're right. Sorry about that.

[dog_spawn]

My view is making invalid XML should be punishable by death. Seriously.

[paulc]

You're right. Sorry about that.

Yes One-Nil to me, GG.



My view is making invalid XML should be punishable by death. Seriously.

Podcast clients should definitely reject invalid feeds. Also the errors they give aren't very helpful.

[dog_spawn]

Podcast clients should definitely reject invalid feeds.
I agree. And also: all clients should reject all invalid content. The XML spec has this requirement. The original reasoning was it prevents errors from propagating (meaning spreading into common usage).

http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-xml/

[bigee]

Thanks for all the help, but still getting the error message from iPodder.

Frustrating as all hell, I tell ya...[/quote]

[paulc]

Did the one I uploaded at http://files.yojutsu.com/test.xml work in ipodder?

I noticed on yours at the moment the enclosure is missing length="". Also there seems to be an extra space after the url (.mp3 ").

It should be:

<enclosure url="http://www.bigeeshouse.com/downloads/prisoners.mp3" length="sizeBytes" type="audio/mpeg" />

[ajmacca54]

Hi all, so far your discussion has been very helpful, especially the framework and validater. However, I now have a couple of questions that I hope someone can answer. I've validated my xml file on that site, but I simply entered in a random length for my file and surprise surprise it doesn't work in iPodder. Basically I'm just asking if anyone could please tell me how to establish the length property of my file.

Thanks muchly, any help is appreciated!

[ajmacca54]

sorry to do this to everyone, but I somehow stumbled through it all myself and got it to work in iPodder!

Thanks to anyone who planned on helping :P

[bigee]

A THOUSAND THANKS! :D :D :D THE FEED NOW WORKS!

Thanks to all that took the time to look at the feed and give me pointers.

Big E

[shamigo]

Hey...been looking through this post and its really helpful, but i still have a few questions...

ok so i make my first .xml file and upload it and put the link for my first cast on, but then wot happens when i create my second cast? we're assuming that i'm doing anything here manually, and correct me if i'm wrong, but am i supposed to edit the .xml file on my comp (like from notepad?) and then re-upload it and everything is fine?

its just this updating thing thats got me a lil confused.

Thx =)

[yaz]

neither do i...

[bigee]

yeah, what I do is just copy and paste the <item> and update that. It's a bit of a pain, but since it took me so long to get it up and going, I ain't messing with it!

hope this helps

[yaz]

if you don't get something, email bischoff...

[Bad Dawg Radio]

I use the rss extension. Is this wrong? My iPodder downloads it and the directories all seem to see it and it even verifies on one of the rss verification
websites. I do have a problem with the iPodder.org directory I am getting a 404 error. I use Tristana to write the code. If someone can I would appreciate if you could take a look. www.baddawgradio.com/KT2005GDA.rss

Also whenever I upload a new show I need to update my rss file, but do I need to keep going back to all the directories and announce the new show?

[Bad Dawg Radio]

Ty to TheFerf for such a quick reply.

[buddha]

Thanks, now I understand when I submit a podcast feed it automatically gets updated. But what happens when I create second page of mp3's? Do I have to link the pages in some way to be recognized?