RSS Usage Problems

[ColinG]

I have enabled the RSS feed option in v3.8.0 and the RSS feed is generally working. I have several specific problems.

1. I set up a separate forum (RSS Feed) and user name (RSSFeed) and am sending all the postings there. When not logged in and you click on New Postings you get the RSS feed postings also. Suggestions on how to elimiminate the RSS feed postings in the new posting area. When logged in the new postings appear to be correct and the RSS feed is not there.

2. The RSS feed when looked at it using Firefox looks reasonably well, however some of the postings are duplicated. This may be due to changes in the settings as I try and get the RSS feed to work better. Suggestions?

3. When the link in the RSS feed is clicked on and the RSS feed postings is viewed, the link enclosed in the More (this More is clickable and the [ url ] - spaces added to view the code - code is not activating the link) text is not clickable and the user has no easy way to get to the full posting and thread unless they cut and paste. BB Code is on for the RSS feed and forum and is so indicated on the page. I have looked all over in the Admin area and cannot find a way to turn this on. Suggestions?

4. I am using feed2js.com's code to convert the RSS feed to javascript to put on the home page. Works great and was easy to set up. Check it out if you want to use the RSS feed on your main site.

This is a small forum - about 100 regular users that are professional, and about 10 postings a day. Some of the problems may be related to caching.

I moved the forum from Discus Pro 4.10 and am wowed by the added features.

[glennybee]

1. http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?t=172811

2. don't know

3. This is what I have set as the Body Template for one of my rss feeds.

{feed:description}

[url={feed:link}]Download...[/url]

[Tom McConnell]

It automatically put in this code:

{feed:title}

{feed:description}
{feed:link}]More...

Where is info on these commands?

[ColinG]

Thank you.

1. added code and it eliminates the RSS forum from the new postings.

2. Duplicate listings still occur. May clear up as we add new postings.

3. New postings have the clickable link, old ones do not and that is OK.

[ColinG]

Duplicate postings still occur. With a low traffic site it some times takes time to figure out.

The first posting is from the forum where the posting was made - and the second posting is from the RSS Forum where the Admin CP points.

Let's go over RSS postings:

1. Added new forum from the Admin CP called it RSS Feed and added special user RSSFEED.

2. During editing, went to RSS Feeds > RSS Feed Manager. The new RSSFEED forum is not listed in the RSS Feed Manager list of feeds. It is listed under the Forum/User Name column as is the special user name.

3. Under each forum I want to feed, I have selected feed enabled, the feed name, a short feed check as our server has almost no load, RSSFeed forum and RSS Feed user name. Everything else seems OK.

Both postings - in the forum and in the RSSFeed forum are being selected and feed.

Suggestions as to what is wrong and what was selected twice.

[ColinG]

Dumb mistake and misunderstanding.

As I was working in the RSS feed manager it was not at all obvious to me or from the notes that the real RSS feed controls were in the vBulletin Options area under External Data Provider.

Once I eliminated all the forums in the RSS Feed Manager area and reworked the controls in the vBulletin Options area - all is well.

I also learned a lot along the way.