RSS in Grey Matter

[coldstone]

Please vote and express your opintions on including RSS feature into the core Grey Matter software.

[scottlindberg]

Is there any way that the new Greymatter RSS will be able to run without needing to install additional PERL modules beyond those currently required by the core GM 1.3.1 install? This is the one thing holding me back from using gm-rss right now -- my hosting service won't allow "non-standard" modules such as those required by this script.

[coldstone]

Yeah, I would like to see that the rss is not dependant on additional mods, I have the same restriction with my ISP. I think that is a resonable goal, that the core functionality comes out of standard perl.

Also, the changes I have made architecturaly so far have been to break gm into mods with a libs directory. Since the scripts 'use libs' they could pick up any non-standard perl module placed in the 'libs' dir, so that enables people to 'install' perl modules locally for GreyMatter to use.

[scottlindberg]

This is great. It really sounds like you're pushing Greymatter up to that next level!

[coldstone]

Well, I am trying. I just hope it all works. Its actually alot of fun so far and its great to see a new community forming. It wierd, I am usually don't do coding on my own time, until last december and then it just became fun. I think its because I have a machine to work off at home and because I don't get to do fun stuff at work.

[ghost]

i would love to see RSS as part of the core of GM, i really dont know much about cgi, so it makes me a little nurveous to edit certin things...

[Carlos Phelps]

Coldstone,

You should check out the following Perl module search.cpan.org/~sburke/XML-RSS-SimpleGen-11.11/lib/XML/RSS/SimpleGen.pm#INTERFACE
it will make it easier to output an RSS feed.

[petefinnigan]

Hi Guys,

I have started to integrate RSS 1.0, RSS2.0 and Atom 1.0 into GM. I have started a complete re-write of the gm-rss code as a builtin package in GM core. This will mean that there will be no need to include or use any external packages.

I still need to look at how to add new parameters to GM to support the feed generation.

I have been very busy at work for the last three weeks and we are rebuilding our bathroom at the moment but its nealry complete so hopefully in acouple of weeks I will have something to show here.

cheers

Pete

[coldstone]

Carlos - Thanks for the tip, but I am not that much involved in the RSS stuff, I am very happy to leave that in Pete's very capable hands.

I am a big fan of reusing code (but I am also a big fan of doing redoing the wheel, I learn alot that way). With GM though, Pete and I have noticed that its easier to build stuff into GM, since I would say a significant portion of GreyMatter users would have difficulty installing their own Perl modules.

Additionally, we have people that are using many different versions of Perl and by coding the features (such as RSS) into GM, we are able to ensure a broader Perl version compatibility. Notice we don't even use the CGI module.

I don't speak for Pete, but I like keeping GreyMatter accessible. This mostly means keeping things simple, when possible, to make it easy for people with varying degrees of computer knowledge to use GreyMatter.

I don't say this to discourage you, just to vocalize how I am approaching GM. I appreciate the help you have been providing to people

[amiiss]

Yes please do add it to core (I couldn't see a way to vote) - but please also:
1- make it easy to configure file names, extensions and paths (so we don't have to change existing ones)
2- include a module for pinging popular aggregators like Technorati, weblogs.com and weblogsalot etc. etc. etc. www.pingomatic.com has the whole list. There are probably scripts out there for doing this.

Thanks,
A.I.

[petefinnigan]

Hi Ami,

There is work in progress by me and Coldstone to add feeds to the core software.

Also there is already a free script to ping pingomatic. This is available here - web.petefinnigan.com/xml-rpc.txt - open the file, add your weblog name and url - see the variables

$weblog_name = "";
$weblog_url = "";

in the scipt. Then chmod it to 755 and place it where you can run it, i.e. the gm cgi-bin then simply call it from your browser and it will ping pingomatic for you. I have used this script for a few years and it works fine.

cheers

Pete

[coldstone]

I had noticed that a while ago but forgot. Should that pingomatic script be integrated into the core?

I wonder if that can be leveraged to do trackbacks. I know when I was looking at it that the WP trackback stuff assumed people had LWP installed, which not everyone has (like me for instance). While alot do, maybe the socket stuff in your xml-rpc script could be used instead? Seems more universal.

[petefinnigan]

Hi Coldstone,

Thanks for your comments. Yes it would be great to include xml-rpc in the core and its on my radar for after the feeds (whenever i get them done); some time ago i spent quite a bit of time looking into xml-rpc for pinging sites, for trackbacks and pingbacks and also it would be a great interface for remote editing programs. I.e. you can create a client program that can edit, add and whatever in the GM intreface via xml-rpc. This is a long term project though and simply adding a ping feature would be a good first step.

We cannot add the existing code to GM as its based on Hans Kellners script and is already GPL. I planned to rewrite this completely so that it can become part of Greymatter.

cheers

Pete

[coldstone]

Excellent! I wasn't trying to put more on your plate though, just thinking out loud. I would of course be willing to help move stuff into the core

[conservationist]

I found this guy, who created an RSS template using greymatter templates:

www.webword.com/moving/rss.html

I have no idea if it's still viable -- I'm looking into it now.

Here's one guy who got it working:

www.ordersomewherechaos.com/rosso/webdev/greymatter_rss_file/

If not, I may be considering a mod. As coldstone indicated, RSS output is simple **if you have the right variables hot and ready nearby** in very, very standard perl.

Existing links:

Pete's gm-rss:
web.petefinnigan.com/gm-rss.htm

PHP-based RSS greymatter solution:
www.mensink.nl/projects/gm-rss/

RSS generator that requires additional perl modules:
ebanana.orconhosting.net.nz/gm-rss.html