Nice wiki on development of additional modules and such is available, I see, but is there a step by step anywhere on how to use feedapi to set up a nice looking views of, say, a bung of blogs all in one place? There are alot of implentation concepts involved here I'm not finding much info on. Any help appreciated.

I decided to use feedapi because the default aggregator only provided a couple of views and these either included titles only or pretty much entire feed items. Couldn't get it to display one-paragraph teasers.
So I figured, turn them into nodes and use views to customize but I'm thinking I'm on the wrong track now.

Comments

peteratomic’s picture

peteratomic commented

Sounds like I want to use this in the same way you do... Don't want just a headline link, but grab a picture and teaser text. But I can't make any sense of how to do this. Once again, another module with very thin documentation.

Krummrey’s picture

Krummrey commented

Have you looked at #321549: help with setup?

If so, where do you stumble? What isn't clear?

Drupal is great because you can use all these modules and make therm work together. But with X variations and setups it's hard to come up with a good documentation setup.

aharown07’s picture

aharown07 commented

Thanks for your hlp
I think it would be fair to say that I'm confused in two areas: content type setup and views setup.
For now, will focus on the former. The content type setup has me pretty confused. Looked at #321549: help with setup and didn't see anything about that there.
Specifically, when I go to Content Types, I see an item there called "Feed" and also one called "Feedapi aggregator (lightweight items)".

In both of these I see references to a content type for feed items that are converted into nodes. I think I understand now what to do there, but only after a good bit of trial and error.

If my goal is to turn feed items into nodes and then use views to arrange them in blocks, am I right that I don't need the "feedapi aggregator (lightweight items)" content type? In general, I think I'll be less confused if I eliminate all unnecessary clutter.

peteratomic’s picture

peteratomic commented

What isn't clear? NONE of it. This module (and many others) are only designed for those who have been using Drupal for years. I went to the link you sent and again, its a bunch of bullet points. Its not real documentation with instructions and definitions. This is the main problem with the whole open-source concept -- its mainly for those who have been in the inner circle since its inception or have vast amounts of time to figure it out for themselves. I'd gladly pay $10 for a real documentation manual on how to use this instead of wasting hours playing with it by trial and error. Its beyond frustrating.

aharown07’s picture

aharown07 commented

My experience has been that some modules are harder to penetrate than others. Generally the more powerful ones are the hardest to get started on... no gradual and easy onramp (e.g., views, panels, feedapi, cck).
But I've also found if I take a few days away and come at it again, I get a piece or two each time and it slowly starts making sense.

In this case, I figured out that you need a Feed content type which is essentially a source. So each newssource or blog is a "Feed" of that content type.

When setting up the "Feed" content type, you come to a "Feed API" section.
Enable the "Is a Feed API content type" box.

Below that there should be some "parser" options. You need at least one to get RSS data in in a readable forms. SimplePie is a good choice.

Below that you have "processor" options. If you want to turn blog/news entries into nodes, you have to have the feed api node module enabled. That will give you the FeedAPI Node - create nodes from feed items option in that Feed content type. Enable it. Weight? I'm pretty sure if you have only one parser and one processor it doesn't matter. Leave 'em at 0.

Now this is where I got really confused (I was already pretty unsure of what I was doing)... under that you find Node type of feed items. When I set this up initially, I already had a "Feed item" content type. Not sure where it came from (another mod I tried out?) but I figured that was what I should pick here. Didn't work. Not sure why. But you can use "story" or make a new content type for the purpose.

Another thing that got confusing was, what to do w/the content type you're using for your feeditems-turned-into-nodes... near the bottom, it's also got a "Feed API" section... do I set that up, too? No. It's only there to confuse you. (-: If there's any use for it in that situation, I don't know yet what it is.

Hope that helps some. ... now if I can just figure out views ("arguments" what are they and why?!)

Working w/mods does require a fair amount of "beat head against wall," but I've discovered that over time the walls crack in places and many eventually crumble... but yes, my head hurts frequently :-D.

alex_b’s picture

alex_b commented

There is an ongoing effort on documenting FeedAPI - if you learn something here, be sure to pass on your knowledge to others: #326657: FeedAPI Handbook pages - please help .

Documentation for site builders is really one of the big things that are missing for FeedAPI.

aharown07’s picture

aharown07 commented

Looks like you've already linked to here from there. Thanks.
Glad to see the handbook project is underway. Once i get my current time-sensitive project done, I hope I can do some writing for the handbook.

AntiNSA’s picture

AntiNSA commented

i AM having the exact same questions as you!!!!!!

Do you click that twice?

And what to use...

Feed Content type says
Items from these feeds will be turned into nodes.

And Aggrebgation_feed says:
Represents the feed the site aggregates from. Items are generated from feeds during cron runs.

WTF?

I just want to have nodes created from my feeds that I can then use in views to create blocks...

In onew of those types you have to enter the url twice...

And do I clikc on this is a feedtype or not?

Is clicking on this is a feed type only for newly created content types?

eyecon-1’s picture

eyecon-1 commented

I have about 500 feeds on my site. If a one on one colloquy would be more helpful, feel free boiledfrog at tips-q.com. You might want to take a look at the site to see if that's what you are looking for (I am using panels on the front page)..

I have been where you are at. I assure you that it will all click together in one "eureka."

ghumpley’s picture

ghumpley commented

For a clear explanation of setting up FeedAPI with CCK I'd recommend this:

http://drupaltherapy.com/node/34

Obviously it's geared toward creating nodes with embedded video but the principles would be the same for creating nodes to show photos, articles, pretty much anything.

aharown07’s picture

aharown07 commented

Check out your site. Very much what I had in mind. Should you feel inspired to write a tutorial, I'm sure "How to make a feeds page with teasers and photos using views, panels and feed api" would of interest to many.
In my case, it'll probably be another week or two before I work my way back to it.

Did you find that running panels slowed page loads down in any noticeable way?

alex_b’s picture

alex_b commented

#11 aharown07: I can only encourage you and encourage you and encourage you to make some time and put your newly won experience into the handbook: http://drupal.org/node/326601 :-)

jan krummrey did a great job in getting this page off the ground but we need people to step up and improve it.