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Stecyk
12-27-2006, 03:24 PM
Moderators, I am not sure if this is the correct section for this post. If it isn't, please move it.

Hi,

I recently began using Feedburner with my Movable Type blog version 3.31. I wanted to use Feedburner because a) better statistics for my feeds, b) it now incorporates site statistics as well from its BlogBeat acquisition, c) FeedFlare feature set that it now provides (FeedFlare (http://blogs.feedburner.com/feedburner/archives/2006/12/feedflare_gets_even_more_delic.php)), d) various bots are directed to one feed source and something else--besides my account--absorbs the bandwidth (quiet minor anyway, no big deal), and e) just generally curious.

Incidentally, Feedburner provides the correct format to whatever reader is asking for a feed. In other words, it will deliver automatically the various and correct versions of RSS and Atom.

I wanted to ensure that if I were not happy with Feedburner, I could easily go back to my original state. I did not want this to become an irreversible decision or one that caused pain. So here's what I did to engage Feedburner:

1) Create a Feedburner Account

1a) Go to Feedburner (http://www.feedburner.com/) and create an account


2) Created a separate Feedburner Atom feed

I am using this standalone so that I can easily reverse the process later if I so choose, without my readers becoming affected.

Steps:
2a) Templates | Atom Index, and copy the code

2b) Templates | Create New Index Template...paste code and name it feedburneratom.xml...save and rebuild

You should make sure that your build options are a) Clear: Enable dynamic building for this template; and b) Checked: Rebuild this template when rebuilding index templates.

Now you have a duplicate Atom feed.


3) Burn your feed at your Feedburner account using your feedburneratom.xml file

You will use this information you gain from this step for the redirection in the next step.

4) Redirect all your feeds

This is a critical step. Here we are redirecting all your blog's feed requests to Feedburner. And Feedburner uses your duplicate file.

4a) Insert the lines below into your .htaccess file in your blog's root directory.


#Feedburner Lines Below
Redirect temp /blog/atom.xml http://feeds.feedburner.com/yourfeedburneracct/anotherfeedburneracctinfo
Redirect temp /blog/index.xml http://feeds.feedburner.com/yourfeedburneracct/anotherfeedburneracctinfo
redirect temp /blog/index.rdf http://feeds.feedburner.com/yourfeedburneracct/anotherfeedburneracctinfo


The redirected location is the same for all three source inputs.

You're done. So when someone wants a feed from your blog, they are automatically redirected to Feedburner, which gets the feed from your duplicate Atom feed. No matter if that person wanted atom or rss, FeedBurner will provide the correct format.


If you want to change back to your original state without affecting your readers:

1) remove lines from .htaccess (readers are no longer redirected to FeedBurner and will instead use your original feed source files)

2) delete template feedburneratom.xml (this is more for cleanliness than anything else; it is not required)

You're done.


I hope others found this helpful.

Best regards,
Kevin

Stecyk
12-28-2006, 12:18 AM
Just a quick note in Step 4 above, "/blog" is my weblog's root directory, which is a subdirectory off the www root directory. If your weblog does not have a subdirectory, then just eliminate the "/blog".

So it become then...

#Feedburner Lines Below
Redirect temp /atom.xml http://feeds.feedburner.com/yourfeedburneracct/anotherfeedburneracctinfo
Redirect temp /index.xml http://feeds.feedburner.com/yourfeedburneracct/anotherfeedburneracctinfo
redirect temp /index.rdf http://feeds.feedburner.com/yourfeedburneracct/anotherfeedburneracctinfo

Again, key point to this message is whether or not your weblog is in its own subdirectory. If it is, then follow the format in the earlier message. If it uses the www as its main directory, then use the above format.

I should also note that this process is for MT 3.31 and MT3.33. I have MT 3.33. I had forgotten about the maintenance release.

Key words for searching purposes:

Movable Type
MT
Feedburner
version
3.33
3.31
Movable Type 3.33
MT 3.33