Expanded RSS Feeds Now Include Featured Content, Members, and Events [Now Live]

[Junaid Basir]

Today we launched enhancements to the RSS functionality available for your network. These enhancements are meant to serve two goals: On the one hand, they give your members better access to relevant content on your Ning Network. They also provide third-party applications, you would like to integrate with, better access to specific content on your site. Here is a rundown of the enhancements:
 

Featured Content Feeds
Previously, there were limited feeds for content, but we have now expanded those feeds to include featured content. Here are examples of featured feeds for each content type:

• Photos - http://{yournetworkurl}/photo/photo/rss?xn_auth=no&featured=1  
• Videos - http://{yournetworkurl}/video/video/rss?xn_auth=no&featured=1
• Blog posts - http://{yournetworkurl}/profiles/blog/feed?xn_auth=no&featured=1
• Forum discussion - http://{yournetworkurl}/forum/topic/list?feed=yes&xn_auth=no&featured=1
• Events - http://{yournetworkurl}/events/event/feed?xn_auth=no&featured=1

As you may notice, you can simply add a "featured=1" parameter to the existing feed URL of each content type and get the targeted featured content feed.

 

Members Feeds
Previously there was no feed available for listing of members on your network. We have introduced feeds for all members, most recent members, and featured members on your network.

• All members -  http://{yournetworkurl}/profiles/friend/feed?xn_auth=no&sort=alphabetical&page=1
• Recent members -  http://{yournetworkurl}/profiles/friend/feed?xn_auth=no&sort=mostRecent&page=1
• Featured members - http://{yournetworkurl}/profiles/friend/feed?xn_auth=no&featured=1

 

Events Feeds
Previously, an Events feed was available, but it provided very basic data about an event. For example, it captured the title and description for the event. We have expanded on this to add useful data, including:

• Author profile link
• Calendar details (which include the Event start and end time)
• Location for the event

This information is always part of the feed data but it can only be 'viewed' on a reader that understands iCalendar/xCalendar format. Your network now has the ability to show Event feeds for a specific user as well. Try it out by going to the page that lists the Events that have been created by a member. At the bottom of the list you will see a feed icon. This feed URL shows all the events created by this member. Here is an example of how this URL looks:

• http://{yournetworkurl}/events/event/feed?xn_auth=no&user=zz8o57cm9v16

 

Also note that you and your members can always access these feeds from your network pages as well (the same way they access existing feeds). That is, there is a feed icon next to listings that come with a feed.

 

We hope these additions help your members stay informed of the latest and relevant content and allow third parties to build richer applications for your Ning Network.

[Patrick Chappelle]

Brilliant! Simply brilliant! Thanks a million Junaid!

[Digital Janitor]

Thanks so much this is great!

[Manny Hernandez]

This is GREAT!!

[Robert]

Ok will I be able to produce an rss feed as a private network ? I am assuming not

[Eric Suesz]

Robert: I don't believe so.

[Robert]

ok this don't work for Private networks... Is ning looking at a way to allow Private networks NC's to still have access to our RSS feeds.

[Chris Miner]

Ning ought to look into making this work for private networks too.

[Noble Empress Kazz Haneef El Bey]

gratitude! ♥

[Spyro]

This is fantastic feature. but we don't have RSS for group members and event attendees etc. that would be great!

Group members RSS would be very useful!

[J.Wings]

This is super cool. You might also want to discuss the ramifications of setting your network to private or "front page only" on some of these. It seems some work and some don't on my front-only network.

[Brian]

Woot!

The Events Feed is absolutely fantastic!!!!!!!! Now I can make widgets for my business clients that include this!

[Brian Floe]

great ! Thank you Ning :)