RSS creation

[mhwatson]

Hi,

I'm trying to create RSS feeds by using the gm-rss mod, with a view to extract the feeds from the blog ( blog.watson-trant.com )and feed them into our main website. I've followed the readme, and all is well until I run the gm-rss.cgi file. At that point I get a 500 error.

Ownership and permissions on the file are correct.

Where should I look next?

Excuse my inexperience with GreyMatter - I only found it a few days ago!

Thanks in advance for any help,

Martin.

[petefinnigan]

Hi Martin,

Welcome to greymatter blogging...:-), do you have access to the apache error_log file? - if you do then this is the best place to start to find out the issue. The actual error will be shown in the log file.

Does your web host have installed XML::RSS and XML::Atom::Simplefeed, XML::Simple and XML::Parser? - This is most likely the issue. If not then let me know what the actual error is from the error_log. If they are not installed then see if the ISP can instal them, if not then it is still possible to get this working. What you need to do is got to cpan and get the source code for the packages and instead of the line:

use XML::RSS;

instead use:

#require '/home/htdocs/hosted/libs/RSS.pm';

change the path to the actual path where you have put the perl source.

Let me know if you have a problem and I will put the pm files on my site for download.

cheers

Pete (Also from Yorkshire!)

[mhwatson]

Hi Pete,

Yes it looks like I'm missing a module. I have root access to the server, so I'll go get them (my host is not the most helpful...). Either way I'm sure it will work out OK.

If I struggle to get the bits I need it would be great if you could post the modules for download. I'll let you know how I get on....

Thanks for the help, and have a great weekend,

Martin.

[petefinnigan]

Hi Martin,

I have added the three necessary Perl module files and some simple instructions on where to edit them and gm-rss to my site. take a look at web.petefinnigan.com/gm-rss.htm.

cheers

Pete

[mhwatson]

Hi Pete,

Thanks for that, but unfortunately it's still a no-go 500 error. Permissions 755 on the script and 644 on the perl files.

From the error logs, it's looking for XML:Parser.

Thanks for the help anyway!

Martin.

[petefinnigan]

Hi Martin,

Looks like i had XML::Parser installed by the ISP so didnt need a local version. XML::Parser is referred to in a "use" statement in RSS.pm (XML::RSS) and doesn't appear to be in any others. Also XMl::Parser doesnt appear to have any dependancies.

I have downloaded the XML::Parser source and added it to my gm-rss page web.petefinnigan.com/gm-rss.htm

hope it works this time

cheers

Pete

[mhwatson]

Hi Pete,

Still a 500 I'm afraid - thanks for all your help anyway.

Martin.

[petefinnigan]

Hi Martin,

hmmmm. What is the error in the error_log? - is it still XML::Parser or is it now looking for something else?

Can you post the line from the error_log - take out all ID info of course first such as IP's etc.

I will check back here again later

cheers

Pete

[mhwatson]

Hi Pete,

Here you go... ;D

Can't locate XML/Parser/Expat.pm in @inc at XML-Parser.pm line 14.
BEGIN failed--compilation aborted at XML-Parser.pm line 18.
Compilation failed in require at RSS.pm line 7.
Compilation failed in require at gm-rss.cgi line 41.
Premature end of script headers: gm-rss.cgi

Martin.

[mhwatson]

Hi Pete,

I think I'll move GreyMatter over to my test server for a while, so I can get to the bottom of this one - I'll look at other solutions in the meantime.

Once I get it figured out I'll look at writing some sort of script and howto in case anyone else finds themselves in the same boat.

All the best,

Martin.

[coldstone]

Hi Martin,

If you have a local copy of the XML/Parser/Expat.pm, you proabably need to have a 'use lib' line in gm-rss.cgi in order for Perl to find it. Where is the module currently? In local dir or did you get your webservice to install it?

[tedh]

Hi, I'm testing this on my local tesbed server (Indigo Perl) and having the same problem. I got hold of Expat after error came calling for it - then have arrived at this point.


Can't locate loadable object for module XML::Parser::Expat in @INC (@INC contains: C:/aaa/lib C:/aaa/site/lib .) at c:/aaa/cgi-bin/thblog/rsspm/XML-Parser.pm line 15
Compilation failed in require at c:/aaa/cgi-bin/thblog/rsspm/XML-Parser.pm line 15.
BEGIN failed--compilation aborted at c:/aaa/cgi-bin/thblog/rsspm/XML-Parser.pm line 19.


Lines 13-19 read:


BEGIN {
#  require XML::Parser::Expat;
 require 'c:/aaa/cgi-bin/thblog/rsspm/XML-Parser-Expat.pm';
 $VERSION = '2.34';
 die "Parser.pm and Expat.pm versions don't match"
   unless $VERSION eq $XML::Parser::Expat::VERSION;
}


Both versions are 2.34.

Any ideas?

That's been sorted - now going live.

[petefinnigan]

Hi Martin, Ted and Coldstone,

Sorry to not reply sooner Martin, I have been away on-site and also it was by son's birthday.

I looked at expat and whilst it is possible to follow the same route of solution that I started on web.petefinnigan.com/gm-rss.htm - its beginning to look like a never ending spiral or getting source from cpan and editing perl modules to use "require" and use the local sourfce instead. As you can probably guess Perl is not my main language, i usually code in C. A better solution especially if you have root access is to simply install the XML::RSS and XML::Atom::Simplefeed modules as all the dependancies should be included. Download the tar.gz files from CPAN and then follow the instructions here:- www.cpan.org/modules/INSTALL.html to install.

Of course it should be possible to install the source and use require statements but its tedious.

cheers

Pete