Q about iTunes 4.9 and the RSS feed

[joelthecomic]

Hey everyone,

I was able to find our show listed on the new iTunes. It had generic art and no genre, etc. So I re-did the RSS feed with the specifications apple gives here: http://phobos.apple.com/static/podcast_specifications.pdf , however none of these changes were reflected on the iTunes music store.

My question is, does anyone know if I need to re-submit my feed to them? If I do it requires an account, which I don't have (and don't need, thank you usenet). Or are they just updating that periodically (like the alley is now), rather than dynamically (ie when someone requests the info from the feed). They seemed to find the RSS feed easily enough without us submitting (prolly 'cause our show is the all-conquering King Kong of comedy podcasts), so I'd hate to re-submit.

I know it's new and everything, but any info is appreciated. Also feel free to take a look at our feed now because I updated it up to specs for iTunes (just the <channel> bit though).
http://www.coreyandjoelradio.com/index.xml

Let me know if I did it wrong. I don't think I did!

[ferg]

Joel,

I don't think it's anything you did that would be causing the problem. My guess is that it's updating on a cycle of which we're unaware. I don't even think they've finished their initial "crawl" yet. I actually resubmitted our feed, and that hasn't shown up yet either.

However, looking at your feed, your image link looks like this:

<itunes:image href="http://www.coreyandjoelradio.com/images/ituneslogo.jpg"/>

I know that's how the instructions read, but it doesn't work. To get your image to show up, you have to do it like in the example. In your case, it would look more like this:

<itunes:link rel="image" type="video/jpeg" href="http:///www.coreyandjoelradio.com/images/ituneslogo.jpg">Corey and Joel Radio</itunes:link>

I only know this because I actually resubmitted ours, and when you do, you get a confirmation page that shows how your tags have been interpretted. In fact, as a test, you may want to do the following:

1. Copy your rss file.
2. Change the title or something (one of the standard rss tags, not an itunes tag).
3. Submit the new file.
4. If everything looks okay on the confirmation screen, just click "cancel" and you can remove the copied file.

The reason you'd have to make a copy and change something is because if the file appears to match the one they've already got, it won't even let you look at the confirmation page.

If anyone would could please post to this thread when they HAVE seen a change reflected on iTunes, so we'll have some idea as to what the time cycle is like, it'd be appreciated!

[buddysystems]

I've been looking at the "Technology / All" list all day, and it has stood at 245 "songs" (hope they fix that one!). It would be nice to know that they are working on it.

The news on the other thread of submissions directly from Podcast Alley sounds very exciting.

[joelthecomic]

However, looking at your feed, your image link looks like this:

<itunes:image href="http://www.coreyandjoelradio.com/images/ituneslogo.jpg"/>

I know that's how the instructions read, but it doesn't work. To get your image to show up, you have to do it like in the example. In your case, it would look more like this:

<itunes:link rel="image" type="video/jpeg" href="http:///www.coreyandjoelradio.com/images/ituneslogo.jpg">Corey and Joel Radio</itunes:link>
!

Ferg,

I did specifically not due the image the way the example said, as I was worried that it would read as an enclosure and start showing up in aggregators and stuff like that. I think the way I did it is valid, and I'll see if it shows up that way in a few days.

You said you submitted, and that requires an account, which I assume means giving a credit card and personal info to those a-holes at Apple and I'd prefer not to.

Speaking of a-holes at Apple, any one really pissed that they could just deal with our RSS feeds as they were? I mean, they're a huge pain in the *** without using automation (like from your blog software), and how long until blog software automatically generates iTunes compatible tags? Moveable Type (which we us) doesn't really even support podcasts as it doesn't handle the MP3 enclosures without using a 3rd party plug-in (google Brandon Fuller). Bastards.

[ferg]

I did specifically not due the image the way the example said, as I was worried that it would read as an enclosure and start showing up in aggregators and stuff like that. I think the way I did it is valid, and I'll see if it shows up that way in a few days.


Hmmm...I hadn't thought of that. However, since it's an <itunes:link> tag, I don't think it will. I found it odd that they explained that the <itunes:image> was the way to post an image, but then provided no example... You may be right about the <itunes:image> tag working, but who's to say where the image URL goes? I think more info will soon be provided, and really, the image is not nearly as important as the categorization, et al.

That said, I had tried formatting my image tag as you did, and on the confirm screen it was basically ignoring it (no image showing up at all).


You said you submitted, and that requires an account, which I assume means giving a credit card and personal info to those a-holes at Apple and I'd prefer not to.


Good point. I hadn't considered that. Yes, I already have an iTunes account, and would probably not have set one up just for this purpose.


Speaking of a-holes at Apple, any one really pissed that they could just deal with our RSS feeds as they were? I mean, they're a huge pain in the *** without using automation (like from your blog software), and how long until blog software automatically generates iTunes compatible tags?


I agree. I do understand why they wanted to do some things differently (such as allow for larger images and longer summaries), but I see no reason why, if there are no iTunes tags present, they couldn't just use the standard RSS info. That would have made more sense (iTunes tags take precedence if they're there; if not - default to the standard tags).

But to answer your question - they did it because they can.

[alissa]

sorry. i'm joining in late. but basically this means feedburner people are sol?

[thefly]

sorry. i'm joining in late. but basically this means feedburner people are sol?

If you build your reference RSS feed, the one that Feedburner pulls from, with these tags, I think they might flow through the feedburner system.

I'm testing this now. Building my iTunesApproved feed.

But I also think the FB folks are working like mad to implement this.

[Will-Casel]

sorry. i'm joining in late. but basically this means feedburner people are sol?

Feedburner is working this issue as we speak.
They are adding an area to the feed settings to allow you to simply enter the itunes specific data without having to modify your RSS feed.

They say it will be out within a couple of days.

Will

[Craig]

<itunes:image href="http://www.coreyandjoelradio.com/images/ituneslogo.jpg"/>

I know that's how the instructions read, but it doesn't work.
This is the big mystery at the moment, but if you look at the RSS feeds for the podcats that are showing up with images (you can get the URL for the feeds by right-clicking on a subscribed show name and selection Show Description) they have the image tag as shown above...at least the ones I looked at. I've tried it the way the PDF say to do it and it doesn't work. I just switched to the above way and we'll see what happens.

Craig

[jeffoest]

Does anyone know - if you end up hacking a XML file (above and beyond a feed that is already in iTunes) would you end up having two feeds and two listings? Just curious if anyone has tried this.

[ferg]

Does anyone know - if you end up hacking a XML file (above and beyond a feed that is already in iTunes) would you end up having two feeds and two listings? Just curious if anyone has tried this.

I copied my FB rss file, added the tags, and submitted it to iTunes.
As of now, nothing's happened.
It seems as though nothing has changed since the initial launch.

I'm guessing it will result in multiple listings, though...
because, until I changed the title, it gave me a message saying it had already been submitted.

[ToasterBoy]

The only things that hasn't updated for our show is the picture (which I'm switching to the code Craig mentioned above) and the categories. I would LOVE to get the categories working as there's a million better categories for our show other than Audio Blog!

Grant
www.DoctorFloyd.com

[Craig]

To be more specific, the two code variations I've seen in working feeds are:

<itunes:image type="video/jpeg" href="http://www.mysite.com/images/mylogo.jpg">My Podcast</itunes:image>
<itunes:image rel="image" href="http://www.mysite.com/images/mylogo.jpg">My Podcast</itunes:image>

Craig

[Art a GoGo]

Once you submit your feed to iTunes, how long does it take for it to appear in their directory? Also, how do you go about making changes to the details (i.e. description, picture, etc) once you have submitted?

Thanks,

Doug

[jeffoest]

I read in some blog somewhere (sorry, I just forgot the reference, so take the info for what's it worth - maybe nothing) that new submissions are checked by humans before 'accepted' into iTunes. Translation - perhaps awhile.

[ToasterBoy]

To be more specific, the two code variations I've seen in working feeds are:

<itunes:image type="video/jpeg" href="http://www.mysite.com/images/mylogo.jpg">My Podcast</image>
<itunes:image rel="image" href="http://www.mysite.com/images/mylogo.jpg">My Podcast</image>

Craig

Should those ending tags be </image> or </itunes:image> ?

Also, Craig have you had any luck with the Categories?

Grant

[Craig]

Sorry, should be </itunes:image>. I've corrected my original post. I've also now seen 3 different formats of the tag in working RSS feeds, including the one used in Apple's PDF, and am starting to think that Apple may actually be picking up the image from this:

<image>
<itunes:link>http://www.mysite.com/images/podcast.jpg</itunes:link>
<title>My Podcast</title>
<link>http://www.mysite.com</link>
</image>

I'm testing it now. Changes seem to appear in search results within a few hours. It takes longer to show up in the podcast info page.

Craig

[ToasterBoy]

I've added two links to images in my feed. we'll see how that works. Thanks Craig!

I sure wish that category stuff pops up soon! I also noticed for categories with ampersands in them you have use that special coding or else your feed breaks!

Grant

[Craig]

I haven't attempted categories yet...one step at a time!

Craig

[theFerf]

The & Sign does make the feed non parsable, and you should use the &amp; instead for itunes categories.

[jimk]

Have you guys been able to add the "categories" code successfully?

[no1slistening]

Yeah, mine has worked so far. Is it not populating into the category field when you subscribe in iTunes?

[ToasterBoy]

I have entered in the categories code just like the PDF said, but our cast has yet to be placed in categories. Now, I am under the impression you can put as many categories as you want right? Maybe they have to look at each category and make sure it's cool for you to be in there.

So far the only thing that won't update off my feed is those categories and the picture. I'm thinking maybe they have to approve the pictures as well. Who knows what kind of pictures they'd get if they just left it wide open.

Everything else seems to be working! I think it's REALLY cool of Apple to let us control things this much. I wish they'd let me log in and write out a description for my songs on iTunes! :-)

Grant

[ferg]

<itunes:image href="http://www.coreyandjoelradio.com/images/ituneslogo.jpg"/>

I know that's how the instructions read, but it doesn't work.
This is the big mystery at the moment, but if you look at the RSS feeds for the podcats that are showing up with images (you can get the URL for the feeds by right-clicking on a subscribed show name and selection Show Description) they have the image tag as shown above...at least the ones I looked at. I've tried it the way the PDF say to do it and it doesn't work. I just switched to the above way and we'll see what happens.

Craig

Can you?
I did that for Dawn and Drew, and I got...

http://dawnanddrew.podshow.com/wp-rss2.php

But if you goto THAT feed, there are no itunes tags at all.

[VxJasonxV]

<itunes:image href="http://www.coreyandjoelradio.com/images/ituneslogo.jpg"/>

I know that's how the instructions read, but it doesn't work.
This is the big mystery at the moment, but if you look at the RSS feeds for the podcats that are showing up with images (you can get the URL for the feeds by right-clicking on a subscribed show name and selection Show Description) they have the image tag as shown above...at least the ones I looked at. I've tried it the way the PDF say to do it and it doesn't work. I just switched to the above way and we'll see what happens.

Craig<itunes:image> should be self closing. <itunes:link> should not.
Oddly enough, I still have it as <itunes:image href="link">Link text</itunes:image>

I'll wait until I see it update in iTunes before I change anything...

Methinks Apple needs to release podcast_specifications part 2. There's the link/image inconsistency and some nit picky spelling/grammar things to be taken care of.

[jeffoest]

The Apple .pdf doc is 95% there. It's a pity that they couldn't assign about an hour's time to an Apple enginner to make it 100% accurate and 100% clear.

[ToasterBoy]

Just as an update, Categories have worked for me now. Just make sure to use &amp; instead of just & if you use Arts & Entertainment of Movies & Television.

Now all i need is Artwork! Come on Artwork!

Grant
www.DoctorFloyd.com

[VxJasonxV]

I suddenly cannot validate on <itunes:image /> nor <itunes:link></itunes:link>

A little help?

[RandomChatter]

I'm sure there are some of you who AREN'T confused by this, but for the other people experiencing something similar to this, there's hope...

I downloaded an XML editor (about 20, actually, but that's another story) and decided to start manually editing my XML feeds. Feedburner supports iTunes tags, and so does LibSyn, where my show is hosted, but I want the "link" tag to point back to my personal website, not to LibSyn. So I'm stuck doing manual entry for my RandomChatter podcast whether I like it or not (the TFN podcast is handled by the TFN techies).

Most of the changes came up almost immediately. For example, the change in the description. So I knew the new RSS file was being processed. However, the image and the category fields both weren't updating properly.

Then, about 36 hours later (about an hour ago), I now have an image up. But the category still isn't populated correctly. It still says "Audio Blog," which isn't even found in my XML file. Rather, I've got....

<itunes:category text="Movies &amp; Television"/>
<itunes:category text="Arts & Entertainment">
<itunes:category text="Entertainment"/>
</itunes:category>

...yet it doesn't show up under either of those categories.

Well, the DUPLICATE entry for my podcast does... the one pointing to the PodcastAlley "iTunes compatible link," but I don't really want iTunes using that one.

So... If it was reading MOST of the RSS file correctly, and then eventually updated the image, maybe it'll eventually update the category too.

Sounds silly, but you never know...