Wanted: RSS-like feed for my webpage using a script

[qarch]

We are a small organisation and would like to add a small internal news section with headlines somewhere on the main page. There are two reasons we don't want to use RSS. Firstly, the audience for the news will be mainly for internal consumption and doesn't warrant use of RSS.

Secondly, I have found that RSS requires constant coding, re-coding & re-re-conding, by whatever method, whenever the news changes, and we feel the cost of hiring someone just for that is not yet justified.

What I propose is :
1. News will be made using MS Word (since already available, or any other) with or without graphics and saved as html file. One file per news.
2. If the script can handle spaces in the html filenames, then the filename (without the extension) will become the news heading. If not, then whatever the filename, the script will instead read the meta content description tag which will be made meaningful and used as the news heading.
3. All the news files will be kept in one specified directory.
4. The script will read the directory for the existance of html files. If html files exist, it will first display a heading on a column of the main web page where the news are to appear, say something like "The latest news.." or so. Below this, the sript will write out each of the html filenames (or the meta tag contents, as the case may be) and filedate, one line per file/news.
5. The news heading put up as above is to be automatically linked to the corresponding html file so as to bring it up when clicked by a visitor.
6. Unless the script becomes too big or bloated, the news may be time-sorted to have the latest news at the top.
7. Whenever I have any new news item, I or someone will just upload the file to the specified directory and delete or archive old ones. No extra coding, re-coding etc will be required from my side. Practically maintainance-free.
8. If possible, the script may be in either php or javascript.

From my experience with picture galleries, I have found that most gallery makers require one to remake the whole gallery whenever even a single picture is changed. It also generates a lot of html files-one file per picture. Then I came upon a php script which acts as my news proposal above. I just have to add (or delete) the main picture and corresponding thumbnail in the
designated directories. Besides the mainpicture and the thumbnail, I use just one small php file and one css file only.

I feel my proposal above can be done without much difficulty.

Am I asking for too much? Please fell free to comment if it indeed is.

Is there a knowledgeable and good smaritan out there who can help me out?

 

[Zeeshan Quireshi]

A simpler solution will be to set up a PHP-MySQL CMS like Drupal

*www.drupal.org ,

use it to publish your news items and it automatically creates an RSS Feed for the news items .

If you want to display the news on another page , simply use the readily available PHP RSS scripts to read the Drupal RSS feed(of your site) and embed it in HTML on the desired page .

Hope this helps

 

[victor_rambo]

Ok, here is how I understand your requirement:

1. You want to have a column where you can post latest news/happenings.
2. You want it to be automatically updated.

What I suggest:
Instead of having your employees to download a file to their computer, how about posting the news on a page?

Use a blogware eg www.wordpress.org

 

[Pathik]

+1 for Modded WP

 

[qarch]

To Shenoy, Thanks, you have got my requirements nearly correct. I want the column on my main page to contain only the headlines (updated automatically by the script whenever visited) not the whole news. When the headline is clicked it will take the visitor to another page which will show the actual news in full. I cannot have any one from our organisation mucking up the main page with all the full news right there.

To Qeireshi, Thanks for the suggestion. As I mentioned earlier I don't want to make an RSS feed. However, I have downloaded the Drupal package and seen that it is a cms package and as such is good in producing RSS feeds from my website. However I am re-checking and I hope drupal has what I want.

 

[victor_rambo]

Ok, what can be done is:
1. Use a wordpress blogware engine.
2. Write a script to include latest posts from your wordpress blog.

Step 1: Setting up the wordpress blogware is easy.
Step 2: Setting up that script is something I can help you with.

Ok, what can be done is:
1. Use a wordpress blogware engine.
2. Write a script to include posts from wordpress blog.

Step 1: Setting up the wordpress blogware is easy.
Step 2: Setting up that script is something I can help you with. I have arranged a small demo for you at *biologyformhtcet.com/blog/latestnews.php

You can include a small piece of code on any page where you want that latest news column to be included.

 

[Zeeshan Quireshi]

Drupal and Wordpress both can do the job easily .

Drupal is my personal preference .

 

[Quiz_Master]

I personally prefer Modded WP.... Its a little easier (atleast 4 me as I have experience with it...hehe... ) + More Versatile then Drupal.

 

[Zeeshan Quireshi]

I personally prefer Modded WP.... Its a little easier (atleast 4 me as I have experience with it...hehe... ) + More Versatile then Drupal.

Nope , Drupal is Very Much Versatile than Wordpress .

Wordpress is just a blogging system . Drupal is a complete Content Management System with support for Blogging , Forums , Photo Gallery and almost any feature can be added using the Modules Available .

digg runs on Drupal , so that should give you an idea of it's power .

 

[dotcommakers]

if u want to use rss feeds in your html website than what you have to do is just rename that page to .shtml and search google for "rss2html" download the script thats it simple 3 to 5 files solution and very easy.. and customisable

 

[qarch]

Hi guys, thanks for all the suggestions. However one main point is being missed. Due to a lack of a techie, we cannot have RSS or cms or a blogware. Too much coding, programming and maintenance involved. Let me please rephrase what I wanted.

There will be this "news" directory which will contain standard html files (say upto 10 files/news). The 'title' of the html pages will become the news heading. This script I wanted will read this directory for .html files, extract the 'titles' and display them a a main page at some particular column or position. The script will also link it to the actual html file so that when a user clicks it, the actual news page will be shown on a new page (same or new window/tab).

As an example please look at yahoo main page. Its wide central column is all news. Click one heading you are taken to the news page ( although with all extras like other links, ads,etc). Their advantage : They have all the techies they require.

As you all know news is fast moving. News today gone tomorrow. In our case we will just delete or archive old news and upload new html news pages and these new news heading shall be shown on the main page.

Come on guys, isn't there a php expert out there? If not I will have to learn php myself to get the job done (I am not a programmer/software guy). In php I have already learnt how to read files in a directory (I now require how to filter/narrow it down to .html files). I also learnt how to extract the "title" of standard html files. I will learn how to display the "title"s as text in the main html page and to make it link to the corresponding news page. If my patience lasts, I will also learn using mysql or otherwise how to sort the files based on filedate and show the newest first and oldest last. Any pointers here will also be welcome.

 

[Zeeshan Quireshi]

Well i can help you Integrate the Drupal RSS News system into your site .

Drupal supports Authoring content through MS Word 2007 so people can easily write news even if tey don't know anything about html .

Btw , what's the site you wanna integrate into .

 

[qarch]

Hi every one, sorry for the long absence. Lots of reasons ....

To Zeeshan, the site is www.mizopwd.org. Very bland and static. I am not the webmaster and both of us are not techies.

To Rohan, the demo looks exactly like what I want, but to be integrated into a right-hand column of the main page. However my requirement still stands - minimal maintenance, no fooling around with some scripts, settings and/or software like a blogger every time a new news is uploaded or old ones deleted. The webmaster just uploads new news html files given to him to a specified news directory and deletes old ones.

 

[victor_rambo]

To Rohan, the demo looks exactly like what I want, but to be integrated into a right-hand column of the main page.

Can be done with some one-time modifications. Your site has been done in ASP(?) but the script needs PHP. So simple one time modifications can do it, provided your server has PHP support

However my requirement still stands - minimal maintenance, no fooling around with some scripts, settings and/or software like a blogger every time a new news is uploaded or old ones deleted.The webmaster just uploads new news html files given to him to a specified news directory and deletes old ones.

Don't mind me but I think your mental block is actually making a simple process difficult. Its more easy than what you have assumed

 

[qarch]

Hi. No offense taken. It is just that there is no word from anyone that there will be a minimal maintenance required, as near as I have outlined. I have read about RSS and have found that besides generating content, some extra work is also required to generate/update the feeds which is a no-no at the time being. Since I am not getting any response on the way I want (I know it can be done) I have started learning PHP and am in the process of ironing out some of the various errors that I am getting.

Meanwhile I am open to suggestions requiring as less maintenance as possible. Yes the keyword is "minimal maintenance".

I have learn't that PHP/mySQL is supported at my site. Kindly let me know how I may implement the process to my requirement as you have suggested. Thanks.

 

[victor_rambo]

OK, to know if PHP and MySQL is supported, simply ask your web host.
BTW are you open to the idea of using a wordpress blog? That would perfectly fit in your "minimal" req.!

 

[qarch]

I am open to all suggestions which fit my "minimal" req. including wordpress blogs.

php, mySQL are supported as also asp. Must be a windows server!

Pl go ahead.