NETWORK WORLD NEWSLETTER: MARK GIBBS ON WEB APPLICATIONS 11/29/04 Today's focus: Checking out World's Simplest RSS Reader
Dear [EMAIL PROTECTED], In this issue: * A feed reader for RSS feeds * Links related to Web Applications * Featured reader resource _______________________________________________________________ This newsletter is sponsored by AVAYA SUPERCHARGE YOUR CONTACT CENTER TODAY Avaya offers unique, compelling and profitable applications for contact centers. Our voice server consolidation reduces capital expenditures and virtual site consolidation increases staffing efficiency. Customer calls are connected to the right resource the first time. Download our Free Best Practice White Paper at avaya.com/driverevenue. http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=86128 _______________________________________________________________ COMPREHENSIVE APPLICATIONS RESOURCE Go to NW Fusion's Research Center for detailed information on applications. Find the latest breaking news, case studies, white papers, commentary, reviews and more. Topics on how to rebuild Jboss from source code, how to build advanced forms, compartmentalizing the internet and more are all found in the Research Center. Click here: http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=89262 _______________________________________________________________ Today's focus: Checking out World's Simplest RSS Reader By Mark Gibbs I just stumbled across the simplest RSS news feed reader yet. Billed as the World's Simplest RSS Reader in PHP (weighing in at a mere 2.5K byte), it is definitely simple and very effective. Written by Kailash Nadh, this script was intended as a feed reader for RSS feeds generated by his lightweight blog system, boastMachine. I had planned to write about boastMachine but I will have to defer that article until I sort out a bug I think I found in the latest version. The RSS Reader relies on the PHP function xml_parser_create() and Nadh's "Magic Loop" which moves the XML tags and tag contents into an array for easy manipulation. This is actually a wonderful example of handling XML data and can be easily adapted for all kinds of Web applications. I couldn't leave well enough alone so I modified the code so that I could use it for my own presentation purposes. I relied on PHP's simple method for accessing values passed by an HTTP GET request. This simply requires you to use the same name in your PHP script as you use in the get request: http://www.gibbs.com/examples/rss-reader.php?rssfeed= http://www.nwfusion.com/rss/howto.xml In this example, (which actually works) you can see that the GET variable rssfeed (pointed to the Network World "how to" feed) is used in the script: [EMAIL PROTECTED](fopen("$rssfeed","r"),10000) or die("$rssfeed is not available."); In common with the minimalist approach of the original script, I designed the output of my version to be equally simple. Instead of using the original's layout I used the feed item description in the name field of the item's link so that mousing over the link reveals the text. This allowed me to incorporate the feed listing in a "data rich" page without adding even more visual complexity than I had to. I will use the script in iframes so that I can precisely allocate my screen space and I omitted any formatting in the output so that the script output format will be controlled by the output document. Check out the page on my Web site that demonstrates this script's uses. RELATED EDITORIAL LINKS World's Simplest RSS Reader http://boastology.com/pages/dload.php?id=rss-reader boastMachine http://boastology.com/ PHPBuilder documentation on xml_parser_create() http://www.phpbuilder.com/manual/function.xml-parser-create.php Gibbs.com variant of the World's Simplest RSS Reader http://www.gibbs.com/examples/ Forum adds message queuing support Network World, 11/29/04 http://www.nwfusion.com/news/2004/112904forum.html _______________________________________________________________ To contact: Mark Gibbs Mark Gibbs is a consultant, author, journalist, and columnist and he writes the weekly Backspin and Gearhead columns in Network World. We'll spare you the rest of the bio but if you want to know more, go to <http://www.gibbs.com/mgbio>. Contact him at <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> _______________________________________________________________ This newsletter is sponsored By BMC Software Linking IT Priorities to Business Objectives, an IDC whitepaper. Get insights from IDC on aligning business goals and IT priorities. IDC offers practical, actionable information on how Business Service Management can help you reduce operating costs, improve service levels, respond faster to business needs and protect delivery of business-critical. Click here to download this whitepaper now. http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=88782 _______________________________________________________________ ARCHIVE LINKS Archive of the Web Applications newsletter: http://www.nwfusion.com/newsletters/web/index.html _______________________________________________________________ FEATURED READER RESOURCE DOWNLOAD INDUSTRY WHITE PAPERS NOW NW Fusion's White Paper Library is your source for the latest industry white papers. Recent additions to the library include white papers on securing remote access, VOIP and productivity, domain name system best practices, WLAN security, IT documentation and much more. Click here to download: <http://www.nwfusion.com/vendorview/whitepapers.html> _______________________________________________________________ May We Send You a Free Print Subscription? You've got the technology snapshot of your choice delivered at your fingertips each day. Now, extend your knowledge by receiving 51 FREE issues to our print publication. Apply today at http://www.subscribenw.com/nl2 International subscribers click here: http://nww1.com/go/circ_promo.html _______________________________________________________________ SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES To subscribe or unsubscribe to any Network World e-mail newsletters, go to: <http://www.nwwsubscribe.com/Changes.aspx> To unsubscribe from promotional e-mail go to: <http://www.nwwsubscribe.com/Preferences.aspx> To change your e-mail address, go to: <http://www.nwwsubscribe.com/ChangeMail.aspx> Subscription questions? Contact Customer Service by replying to this message. This message was sent to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please use this address when modifying your subscription. _______________________________________________________________ Have editorial comments? Write Jeff Caruso, Newsletter Editor, at: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Inquiries to: NL Customer Service, Network World, Inc., 118 Turnpike Road, Southborough, MA 01772 For advertising information, write Kevin Normandeau, V.P. of Online Development, at: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Copyright Network World, Inc., 2004 ------------------------ This message was sent to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
