Create a custom RSS feed using XML export
Tags: aleph
, rss
, php
Last Updated: Oct 30, 2009 00:48
- Description
Create a custom RSS feed with PHP using a fixed query and a regular XML export routine. It works nice for new acquisitions if your catalog data has a custom field that you can query.
- Author: Daniel Zimmel
- Additional author(s):
- Institution: Max Planck Gesellschaft
- Year: 2009
- License: BSD style
- Short description: Use, modification and distribution of the code are permitted provided the copyright notice, list of conditions and disclaimer appear in all related material.
- Link to terms: [Detailed license terms]
- Skill required for using this code:
intermediate
State
Stable
Programming language
PHP
Author(s) homepage
Download
[http://www.exlibrisgroup.org/download/attachments/24610204/alephrss.php]
Installation instructions
1. Use ret-03 and print-03 to generate a MARCXML file; put it into your job list (e.g., for a daily routine).
2. Put the file from scratch to an accessible web directory (e.g. with a cronjob).
3. Customize PHP code to your needs.
Change the server paths. You will at least need some modification to $lastModDate (the example uses a temporary MARC 991 field containing the last update in Aleph cataloging).
 | You can customize the MARCXML fields using a fix routine in print-03. |
Known issues
This solution is a bit clumsy because of the file copying involved, but it works and is more reliable than e.g. pulling live data from the X-Server. We decided to use an external script because the Web OPAC RSS functionality doesn't work for us right now in an acceptable way.
Comments
4 Comments
comments.show.hideNov 06, 2009
Thomas McNulty
I'm curious to know what issues you encountered with the X-server in generating RSS feeds as I'm working on a script to do just that and haven't had too many issues. What version of Aleph is this for? We're on 18 right now and I'm not aware of any "Web OPAC RSS functionality". Is that in a later version or are you using Primo? I'm looking forward to seeing your script but as of now the link is broken.
Nov 10, 2009
Daniel Zimmel
We run 18 as well. We decided to avoid the X-Server for this one mainly because it only adds complexity-- with X, you are forced to move around data quite much (query for a set number, query for data with set no, add queries if your title list exceeds 100...)
i found it much easier to have an xml file lying there already and just parse it.
the link to the code works perfectly here when i click on files on the upper right.
(well maybe it could need some cleanup).
if you want customized rss feeds, you are better off with the x-server of course.
Would be delighted to see some better solutions than this one!
Nov 09, 2009
Matthew Phillips
From version 18 the Aleph OPAC has had RSS functionality. Look up SDI in the System Librarian Guide. You may also wish to look at my page http://www.exlibrisgroup.org/display/AlephCC/Enhance+and+fix+faults+with+Aleph+SDI which has a document attached giving details of some of the problems with the Aleph SDI and RSS mechanism.
Nov 19, 2009
Mark Watmough
We're currently on version 19. We've implemented RSS feeds for our users via our Aleph OPAC. We use SDI Alerts along with the xserver (get the ISBN for syndetic cover images) and then query the data and out put JSON via Yahoo! pipes, this is then read and transformed using Javascript in the necessary files on the server.
You can see our implementation here. And also the resulting RSS feed that users can subscribe to here.
Mark.