How to create blog feeds and import feed items

External RSS content can be imported into the FSP site in two ways:

  1. For sources that regularly provide relevant content: Create a feed from a blog source.  This will make all blog items published in this feed available for import.
  2. For a source that does not regularly provide relevant content: Import single items from the feed.

Creating a feed

To add a feed, create new content of type "Feed" (Create content/Feed on the Navigation menu), and provide the requested information. To edit or delete a feed, click Blog Feeds in the navigation menu, click on the feed of interest, and then click the edit tab.

To make a feed item show up in the site blog item list (e.g. on the front page), do the following:
  1. Select Blog Feeds in the navigation menu, and then select the feed of interest.
  2. Select "Refresh this feed" to get the newest items.
  3. Select "View feed items", which will display all the items in the feed.
  4. Browse through the feed items, using "Read More" or clicking on the post title where needed, to get the full item text.
  5. To make an item available in the main blog item list, click on the title of the feed item to open the item text, click the "Edit" tab, and:
    1. Set the teaser break in the body if needed.
    2. Edit the title and body if necessary.
    3. Set the "Discard item older than" setting in the "Feed Item Settings" to "Never".
    4. In the "Publish Options" section, set the "Promoted to front page" flag.

The item will now show up in the main blog item lists.

Importing a single item

  1. Create a "Feed Item" content type (Create content/Feed Item from the Navigation menu).
  2. Edit the title and body if necessary.
  3. Set the teaser break in the body if needed.
  4. Enter the external item's URL (not the RSS feed as a whole) in the appropriate field.
  5. Set the "Discard item older than" setting in the "Feed Item Settings" to "Never".
  6. In the "Publish Options" section, set the "Promoted to front page" flag.

Submitted by liber_tas on May 2, 2008 - 9:40am.