RSS Feed not reached?

[kosmro]

1) Script Title: Pausing RSS Scroller

2) Script URL (on DD): http://www.dynamicdrive.com/dynamici...ller/index.htm

3) Problem Description: The scroll feeder is showing the message "Sorry: It's not possible to reach RSS file ..... I give up trying to fetch RSS feed"
I am trying to get it to fetch a Google Calender RSS/XML feed. I have checked this feed with a reader, and it seemed to display, so it's not a bad link. I have also tried the ones which are already in the code as demo's, as well as a few other RSS feeds...all of them come up with the same error.


my rss scroller url (website URL) http://gmas.cu.cc/index.htm <----------- The scroller is in the black speach box
my rss url https://www.google.com/calendar/feed...m/public/basic

Thanks,
~kosmro~

[Beverleyh]

Try checking with your web host that TCP outbound connections aren't blocked.

With my web host they are be default, but a quick email got it lifted. They might ask you for the external RSS file link so they can get it added to a whitelist.

Also check that you have fopen set to 'on' in php.

I don't know if its of interest to you but if you have other RSS feeds to manage, maybe my Fast Feed script could be of use to you. http://fast-apps.co.uk/fast_feed.php I initially wrote it for myself and other admins on syndicated sites to manage a group/community news feed (with this RSS pausing scroller from DD), but as it outputs an RSS feed and customisable HTML, it can be used with other RSS aggregators or 3rd party news ticker scripts.

[jscheuer1]

It looks like there are two problems:

1. The script is out of date.
2. https: is probably not supported by your host's PHP as a 'wrapper' for the type of remote file fetching required to grab the feed.

Fortunately I have an update for the script and the same contents are available under http: which probably is a supported 'wrapper'. I've made a simple demo with the update and using http: instead of https: (right click and 'Save As'):

rsspausescroller_pie_gmas.zip

Use everything in the archive to set it up. Once it's working, which it should right away*, then you can adapt it to your page. Make sure to use only the new files, as the scripts, and PHP files have all changed. Usage is very similar, any changes in usage are commented in the files where applicable.


*assuming the potential problems Beverley mentions do not exist

If they do, an alternative is:

http://www.dynamicdrive.com/dynamici...sescroller.htm

I tested it's basic API with your feed and that worked.

[Beverleyh]

Hi John, (excuse me as I'm on iPhone at the mo - limited options so I can't download you zip at present) with regard to your updated scripts for the RSS pause scroller, do you think it would be beneficial for anyone (me) to update from the versions on the DD demo page or is your update mainly to help with kosmro's problem? The sample scroller that I have is at the bottom of the page that I linked to in my post above, using the older versions from the DD demo page.

[kosmro]

Thank you so much for your help, both of you!

The problem has now been resolved.

The problem may have likely been your original suggestion Beverleyh --> Blocked outbound TCP. I didn't request the web-host's to unblock this, as it's a free host and the work to actually have an issue lodged is quite painful (I did it once, on my own free host with the same people).
So I solved the issue by using the second suggestion by jscheuer1, which was to use the Ajax Google hosted feed. This ties in nicely with the Google Calendar I suppose ^^

So, this issue has now been resolved (you can take a look at it working at the same website URL if you would like).

Many thanks,
~kosmro~