Site RSS feed problems (UPDATE: FIXED!)

Several readers have emailed me to let me know that there is a problem with my site’s RSS atom feed. I am working on getting that resolved, and will post an update when it gets fixed.

In the meantime, here’s an alternate link you can use in your RSS feed readers for the ST blog:

http://sistertoldjah.com/feed

The feed link that comes up in browsers is the atom feed link, and I don’t know how to change it, but I did change the link to the RSS feed that I have in my right side column.

Thanks, and apologies for the inconvenience.

Update: ST reader steveegg provided some helpful advice in the comments which I used, and it looks like the problemo with the atom feed has been fixed. Thanks, steve

8 Responses to "Site RSS feed problems (UPDATE: FIXED!)"

steveegg says:

October 17, 2007 at 7:56 am

(Also e-mailed you with this)

The problem is an invalid character in the Sad news in the blogosphere post. As best as I can determine, it’s the ” ” in the blockquoted portion that the feed readers and validators are choking on. Until either that’s fixed (you’ll need to replace that with “!!”) or it “ages” off the feed (another 13 posts will do it), the feed will continue to choke feed readers.

To replace the feed that comes up in browsers and feed readers when someone puts in the blog address, you’ll need to go into Presentation >> Theme Editor, and edit the Header file. You’re looking for a line that contains <?php bloginfo(‘atom_url’); ?>. You can either replace that line entirely or put this just above it – ” />.

If you replace the line, the only feed option that will come up is the RSS 2.0 feed. If you put the new line on top, the readers will have a choice between the RSS 2.0 feed and the (depreciated) Atom 0.3 feed (can’t remember if WP 2.3 finally went to Atom 1.0), with the “default” being the RSS 2.0. In either case, those that were using the Atom feed will still be using it with no further problems.
steveegg says:

October 17, 2007 at 7:57 am

AAARRRGGGHHHH; durn auto-HTML. That line you should add to the Header file is –

<link rel=”alternate” type=”application/rss+xml” title=”RSS 2.0″ href=”” />
steveegg says:

October 17, 2007 at 7:59 am

Let’s try that one more time (it’s a good thing I sent it through e-mail as well)

<link rel=”alternate” type=”application/rss+xml” title=”RSS 2.0″ href=”<?php bloginfo(‘rss2_url’); ?>” />
Sister Toldjah says:

October 17, 2007 at 8:20 am

Thanks Steve – got your email, and corrected that post. How does the RSS feed look now? (I can’t tell from the current browser I am using).
steveegg says:

October 17, 2007 at 8:24 am

They’re just fine, though now you’ll have to edit my first post to take out the offending character.
Sister Toldjah says:

October 17, 2007 at 8:33 am

Gracias, steve I just went and added the atom feed to my Newsgator service and it worked. Hooray
steveegg says:

October 17, 2007 at 8:38 am

Not a problem, ST.
Lorica says:

October 17, 2007 at 10:08 am

Thank you Steve

Comments are closed.