rss/xml and Olympus (phpbb3)

[DoubleK]

All I can say is wow I wish I would have pursued a different avenue than mxbb and phpbb3 for my blog. I have sucessfully modded a few things that work when they feel like it (embedding youtube) with bb script. By and far rss/xml is awful damn confusing in relation to podcasting and phpbb3 on my host.

I understand a podcast is nothing more than a mp3 file which is then coded to display properly in iTunes or any of the other free feed catchers.

I understand that with having a host already I can simply store this file which will later become a feed in an ftp account which I will create at my host.

I am confused as to using a username/password (private) or simply utilizing an anonymous ftp account. Are there security concerns ther than the availability of the mp3 file I want to share? If I keep it private does it complicate getting the feed easily in relation to podcasting?

Once I get the file uploaded correctly I simply plan on using any of the scripting utilities available to send the podcast link (rss/xml) in an email to the person I want to hear the message. Is it that easy I pray?

Overly complicated? Different advice? I really did not want to use any of the other free podcasting sites out there as I have my own host with three domains and phpbb3 setup on 2 of those.

As always any helpful input is greatly appreciated! In advance, Thanks!

[sr71000]

you lost me there a little. First off, are you trying to share these messages privately (so only those you allow can access them w/ username/password) or are they public. If they're public, skip the ftp and just let people download them over http. It's much easier to build the rss file that way.

Are you looking to add them to itunes or just an rss file?

where does phpbb3 come into using rss files?

[DoubleK]

I would like to share them publicly.

In doing so I would place the mp3 file in the public_html folder for the appropriate domain.

Next I would use that path to the mp3 file (.whatever.com/public_html/podcasts/mypodcast.mp3) to generate an rss feed

I get the xml code by using a utility since I am a degenerate non-coding aspiring web-designer employed in the automotive industry for the last decade and a half: http://www.tdscripts.com/webmaster_u...-generator.php

So I end up with a long piece of xml/rss code that does nothing on phpbb3. I research the subject and find that phpbb3 has to be modded to display rss/xml correctly as a link. Custom bb code if I understand correctly?

I find an open source solution at sourceforge except try as I might changing directories and paths cannot get the setup to run.

This is as far as I have gotten thus far.

[sr71000]

ohhhhh ok. so you're trying to post your rss/xml feeds through phpbb? Are you just linking to your feeds or embed them right in the page?

[DoubleK]

I am trying to have both, a link to download from the conventional ftp way and embedded rss for podcatchers.

[sr71000]

ok....i see what i was screwing up now. I misread your first post and thought you were trying to include your podcasts into phpbb3 somehow and that's where I completely lost you. If you have no trouble with rss/xml then you shouldn't have trouble with podcasts. a podcast is just an rss feed with specific information for itunes. You don't need to use ftp downloads in order to set it up (unless you want usernames/passwords). As for phpbb3, the easiest workaround I can think of, would be to code a redirect page that you can link to that'll open up your podcast in itunes. You may even be able to use a header redirect... something that in php would look like

<?php
header('Location: itpc://my.domain/path/to/my/rss/file.xml');
?>

[DoubleK]

I never thought of redirect, THANK YOU!

[sr71000]

no worries Sorry it took me so long to figure out your post. I guess it helps to reread sometimes ::blushes:: lol. Let us know how it works!