Use the RSS portlet to import content

 

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The RSS portlet allows you to include formatted data from external Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds. An RSS feed is simply an XML file in a standardized format, often used for news stories or any other syndicated information. By pointing the RSS portlet at a particular feed, the portlet will display the feed's most up-to-date content every time the portal page is refreshed. For example, if you select a BBC news feed (see related information), whenever that RSS XML file is updated on the remote site, the portlet will reflect those updates on the next portal page reload.

Content feeds are commonly used by information providers to syndicate content to parties who subscribe to the feeds Examples: News web sites, Blogs, etc.

Really Simple Syndication (RSS) is the de-facto feeds standard. RSS 2.0 (most prevalent version) was copyrighted by Harvard and released under a Creative Commons license in July 2003. However, it can be extended using XML namespaces to provide specialized functionality for different applications.

Atom was created to address RSS programmability challenges. Atom adheres to XML standards and is an IETF proposed standard. Includes a syndication format and also a publishing protocol. Most likely standard for IBM to leverage moving forward.

Prior to deployment, RSS is located in the portal_server_root/installableApps directory. The portlet is titled RSS but on the file system it is called xslt.war.

The RSS portlet is actually already deployed in this version and we can find it under...

portal_server_root/installableApps/XSLT Portlet_PA_1_0_4D.ear

...although the PA_1_0_4D part may differ depending upon the install).

RSS must be configured from the Administration section of portal. This means that any portal user who installs this portlet will see the same RSS feed. To configure the portlet, follow these steps.

  1. Go to...

    Administration | Portlet Management | Portlets

  2. Find the RSS Portlet in the list of portlets on the right side of the page and click on it.

  3. From the menu which appears to the right, select Configure Portlet.

  4. Select the parameter that you wish to alter and from the menu which appears to the right, then select Edit parameter.

Here we can modify the following settings for the portlet, including:

  • The source RSS file (url), which can be a local file or a URL

  • The stylesheets for Web browsers (stylesheet.html), for PDAs (stylesheet.pda), or for wireless devices (stylesheet.wml)

  • The icon to display on a PDA (pda-icon)

  • The language associated with the feed (Edit Locale Specific Titles)

Once you have made the changes, click OK and they will be stored. We can then click on Home to see the results of the changes.

The following is a simple set of steps for setting up the RSS portlet:

  1. Add the portlet to the page using "Edit Page" and clicking the "Add Portlets" button in the "Edit Layout" interface.

  2. Enter the Administration section of Portal.

  3. Select the "Portlets" menu, followed by the "Manage Portlets" submenu.

  4. Find the "RSS Portlet" in the list of portlets on right and select it.

  5. Click "Configure Portlet" on the menu to the right of the portlet list.

  6. Modify the URL, stylesheets (HTML, WML, or PDA), or locale information.

  7. Click "OK."

  8. To see the effects the changes, return to "Home".

 

RSS Enhancements

RSS 2.0 is not flexible enough to transport the content attributes needed to leverage the content delivery capabilities of IBM WCM

  • Location of content in the site framework
  • Taxonomies and categories which describe the content
  • Other meta-data including security information (entitlements)

IBM has created their own custom XML that represents much of the WCM 5.1 object model in the feed. The "RSS Consumer for WCM Feed Format Specification" documents the full custom namespace and feed examples

Implementations and nuances of CMS products including Documentum, Interwoven, Stellent and Vignette 

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<rss version="2.0" 
        xmlns:ibmwcm="http://purl.org/net/ibmfeedsvc/wcm/1.0" 
        xmlns:ibmfs="http://purl.org/net/ibmfeedsvc/feedsvc/1.0" >

  <channel>
    <lastBuildDate>Thu, 07 Feb 2007 08:59:00 EST</lastBuildDate>
    <ibmfs:etag>SEQ000004</ibmfs:etag>
    <item>
      <title>Release 2.0 Announcement</title>
      <pubDate>Thu, 07 Feb 2007 08:59:00 EST</pubDate>
      <guid>80000006</guid>
      <author>jsample@ibm.com</author>
      <link>http://www.ibm.com/products/software/news/rel20.htm</link>
      <category>/Audience/Employees</category>
      <category>/Audience/Customers</category>
      <ibmwcm:objectType>Content</ibmwcm:objectType>
      <ibmwcm:contentType>News</ibmwcm:contentType>
      <ibmwcm:expirationDate>Thu, 21 Feb 2007 08:59:00 EST<ibmwcm:expirationDate>
      <ibmwcm:action>Add</ibmwcm:action>
      <ibmwcm:location>/Portal/Home/News</ibmwcm:location>

      <ibmwcm:workflow name="Standard Workflow">
        <ibmwcm:workflowStage>Published</ibmwcm:workflowStage>
      </ibmwcm:workflow>

      <ibmwcm:component name="Headline" >
        <ibmwcm:type>text</ibmwcm:type>
        <ibmwcm:value>Release 2.0 Ships Today! </ibmwcm:value>
      </ibmwcm:component>

      <ibmwcm:component name="Body" >
        <ibmwcm:type>html</ibmwcm:type>
        <ibmwcm:value>
          <![CDATA[<p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet</p>
          <p>consectetuer adipiscing elit. Suspendisse id metus. Proin hendrerit euismod magna.</p>
          <p>Sed quis arcu. Quisque eget felis sed dui placerat lobortis. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet</p>
          <p>consectetuer adipiscing elit et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus.</p>]]>
        </ibmwcm:value>
      </ibmwcm:component>
      <ibmwcm:entitlement type="live.>[all users]</ibmwcm:entitlement>
    </item>
  </channel>
</rss>

 

Related information

 

Parent topic:

Import content from remote sites