Feature question regarding ReviewPost

[Chuck S]

I was replying when you posted so I did not see the above post until after my last response.

I handle custom coding for the company. I will say this from what I am gathering here on this subject so far. Correct me if the understanding is wrong.

It seems to me your trying to basically have a user input an xml feed or so and then have a program perform the functions of an feed reader. If this is the case basically a feed reading program would need to be created to parse the feed and display it.

If this is the case it would require alot of time and possibly custom programming would not be your best solution. Don't get me wrong we would love to have you as a customer but custom programming usually makes sense for small or medium changes in the program structure since it is very costly avenue to persue. Having whole custom applications written can be very cost prohibitive. I will read a bit more on the links you have given above though to see if there is an easier suggestion.

[pcoskat]

I'll have someone who knows more about this take a look.

The owner of podcast alley personally wrote custom code to bridge between his directory and the Wimpy Player, so I know it can be done - EASILY.

I think it would be wise to REALLY understand what I'm trying to do before making assessments about the difficulty of the project.

What is needed is custom coding to create a 'bridge' (I will hire someone to do that).

What I need to know from your team is if the field with the FEED can be utilized the way the Wimpy player needs to use it, as detailed here: http://www.wimpyplayer.com/Users_Man..._playlist.html

Please do not reference the Wimpy mp3 feature as you did earlier...it does not apply to anything I'm asking.

Originally Posted by Chuck S

Having whole custom applications written can be very cost prohibitive.

It may be 'costly', but I fail to see where you have any insight about my budget to know that it is cost 'prohibitive.'

For one client, the cost of PhotoPost might be cost prohibitive, and to another it may be considered cheap.

Moreover, as you have yet to understand what it is I'm asking, I don't really know how you can put a price on it.

If we could stick to the issue of function, rather than 'cost', I'd appreciate it.

Originally Posted by Chuck S

It seems to me your trying to basically have a user input an xml feed or so and then have a program perform the functions of an feed reader. If this is the case basically a feed reading program would need to be created to parse the feed and display it.

This is incorrect. Wimpy is the feed reader (as clearly detailed in the link above)

[pcoskat]

Now that I read the documentation more closely, it looks like this might be the solution, too:

http://www.wimpyplayer.com/support/t..._wimpyApp.html

(I don't know enough about programming to be sure, but I think this is probably what was used at Podcast Alley (with add'l programming...))

[pcoskat]

As this issue has become muddy, and complicated, below is an even further detailed list of what I'm looking for.

The answer is in one of these two links:

http://www.wimpyplayer.com/Users_Man..._playlist.html
http://www.wimpyplayer.com/support/t..._wimpyApp.html

I have a community that is 'topic specific'. I'd like to provide them with outside podcasts of interest. I would benefit my members, and offer podcasters access to a targeted audience interested in the topic of their show.



Using these applications, I'd like to build a podcast directory:

- WimpyPlayer (www.Wimpyplayer.com)
- Photopost or ReviewPost


From an end user perspective, the directory would work as follows:

- The user could browse the directory to find a podcast they want to listen to. Each directory listing would have a GRAPHIC, a DESCRIPTION, an option to COMMENT, and a CLICK HERE TO LISTEN link. (all but 'Click to Listen' are built into the Photo/ReviewPost applications)

- When the user clicks CLICK HERE TO LISTEN, a WimpyPlayer opens up with all of the recent shows from that podcaster.

See this example:

http://www.podcastalley.com/podcast_...hp?pod_id=9670

This is one of many listings at Podcast Alley. When you click on PODCAST PLAYER, it launches the Wimpy Player automatically, and the user can see other episodes available.

Note: The Podcast Alley directory is a custom one...I will be using Photopost, or ReviewPost.


From a Podcaster perspective, the directory would work as follows:

- The podcaster would use an online form to upload their GRAPHIC, enter their SHOW DESCRIPTION, and enter the RSS FEED for their podcast.

See this example from Podcast Alley:
http://www.podcastalley.com/add_a_podcast.php

Note: Nothing custom needs to be done here...Review or PhotoPost is set up to have data entered.


What I know...

- Wimpy player has a feature that allows the player to "pull" data from a MySQL database:

http://www.wimpyplayer.com/Users_Man..._playlist.html
http://www.wimpyplayer.com/support/t..._wimpyApp.html

- The Podcast Alley owner wrote custom php code to act as a bridge between his database, and the Wimpy player.


What I DON'T know...

Whether or not this same type of bridge can be written that would allow Wimpy to 'pull' data from the PhotoPost/ReviewPost field which contains the feed for the podcast.

Final words...

My site users are not tech savvy, at all, and some type of interface like this would be very helpful to them.

[Chuck S]

Well I can expand here on what the features of both programs are in relation to multimedia.

Both products you can set up unlimited categories to upload products or photos to.

Reviewpost is setup to allow up to 6 images to be uploaded to represent a single product. No multimedia capability at all

Photopost you can upload a multimedia file and set a switch to allow the multimedia to be played inline as represented here in this link as opposed to having them served as download links.

http://www.reeftalk.com/gallery/show...t/500/ppuser/1

You would be able to add an .xml extention in the multimedia types in admin => upload options and be able to upload an xml file however our application is not going to present it as a downloadable multimedia link for a user to download.

Now given the functionality above of Photopost with multimedia files this would probally be a better choice than Reviewpost in your situation.

Any customer is free to modify the base code to suit there specific needs should there be features not present in the software that they need. As to any specific changes you need to do I would not know.

[pcoskat]

This has GOT to be a joke, right? At no time, did I say anything about 'downloads'...

Based on your post, I guess my question was NOT clear [enough for your technical support team].

That said, if ANYONE ELSE with programming knowledge can take a look at this link:
http://www.wimpyplayer.com/support/t..._wimpyApp.html

...and weigh in about whether or not any of the 'post' products can serve as the 'back end', please let me know.

[Michael P]

Okay, let me try and inject some thoughts here.

None of our products is really a 'directory' product; PhotoPost PRO (and PhotoPost vBGallery) are expecting a member/user to upload an image or a multimedia file into a gallery. PhotoPost Classifieds is specific to ads that members would place and ReviewPost is specific to items which members can provide feedback on.

If I understand this conversation, you are looking for a podcast directory - a user uploads some info along with an XML URL and that information is presented back to the user with a link to launch the XML file using Wimpy as the interface (never heard of wimpy before 20 minutes ago, but is a flash-based MP3 player). I'm not really inclined to become a Wimpy expert in the next few hours, so will go based on the little I read so far.

What Chuck was saying was that you could add a custom field where a user uploading an image could also specify a URL to an XML file. What you did with the XML link would be up to you - you could add your link to the display page to launch wimpy with the URL with some minor programming changes; however, PhotoPost is still expecting something to be uploaded that will be displayed - either an image or a multimedia file.

If what you want is a directory of XML links with information, then I think that PhotoPost would be overkill for your situation - simply because the whole system is based on the idea that people are uploading files to the server and when you take out that element, alot of the features of PhotoPost don't apply.

So, my take on this is that while it can be done, it isn't the most pratical application to do it with. It would seem that you are looking more for a directory program of some sort that would allow you to add fields that can be displayed as links on an item detail page.

ReviewPost is probably closer to what you are looking for - it can even be configured to not allow image uploads. But again, you'd need to rework some of the templates to suit your needs. Assuming you want users to provide reviews of podcasts, it could work fairly well as a podcast post and review section.

[Michael P]

Quick question - are you looking at the XML file being uploaded and parsed/stored in your database; or would it be remotely hosted on the users end and serve as a simple link? I was going off the XML file being used by Wimpy as an interface to content on another server and the XML file being stored on another system.

If I read the Wimpy MySQL guide, it would suggest that users could upload their XML file along with their podcast to your server which you would then host and make available to users as a link - but do you want to host the actual podcasts?

Or would they just upload an XML file and you would pass that XML file to Wimpy as part of the call to their player?

[pcoskat]

Originally Posted by Michael P

ReviewPost is probably closer to what you are looking for - it can even be configured to not allow image uploads. But again, you'd need to rework some of the templates to suit your needs. Assuming you want users to provide reviews of podcasts, it could work fairly well as a podcast post and review section.

Actually, ReviewPost was the first app I asked about back in post #1, so this is good news!! I'm comfortable with having to modifiy this, as opposed to PhotoPost.

Changing the templates isn't a problem, but I wouldn't want to disable the photo upload, as most podcasters have a 'logo graphic' that I'd want displayed (both in ReviewPost, and on Forum Home in vBulletin). Also you are correct, that I'd need the users to be able to post reviews.

Or would they just upload an XML file and you would pass that XML file to Wimpy as part of the call to their player?

^^^ ^^^yes!!!! . I don't want it stored on my server.

The owner of Podcast Alley says he did some custom php progamming to result in the Wimpy player 'reading' the XML feeds in the directory...

I'm not sure, but I think he did what's described here:
http://www.wimpyplayer.com/support/t..._wimpyApp.html

[Michael P]

So Podcast Alley writes the XML files that are uploaded? If they are in Wimpy XML format, I wouldn't think they would need rewriting, but not knowing much about the application I could be wrong.

ReviewPost doesn't require an image - it's optional, so users could upload one if they wanted or they could just upload the info without the image.

[pcoskat]

Originally Posted by Michael P

So Podcast Alley writes the XML files that are uploaded?

No. Take a look at this link:

http://www.wimpyplayer.com/support/t..._wimpyApp.html

Seen in the first graph where it says, "If you're not afraid of programming..."

This is the 'writing' I meant. I 'think' this is the php coding the PA owner did...

There's something that has to be written to allow Wimpy to read the XML feed, as provided by the backend application.

What I'm hoping is that ReviewPost can be the backend application.

ie: once the podcaster has entered their XML feed...a custom php script will allow Wimpy to pull the feed and play it.

Again look at the example here:
http://www.podcastalley.com/podcast_...hp?pod_id=1917
This is just one entry from their directory...no matter which listing you look at, they all have the "PODCAST PLAYER" link. When you click on it, it opens Wimpy, and lists all availble episodes on the feed.

These are the only fields entered by the podcaster (and the only ones I would want entered.)
http://www.podcastalley.com/add_a_podcast.php

[Michael P]

Yes, but what isn't clear to me is weather podcastalley is reading the files and storing them locally or if those files are being read each time the page is being displayed.

If the XML files are already in a format understood by wimpy, there should be no need to do any custom programming.

I've read these pages briefly, but again, I've never implemented a product with wimpy nor had I seen it until today; anything I say about it is just off the top of my head as I don't really plan on trying any of this out myself.

[pcoskat]

Deleted...see below...

[pcoskat]

FYI, here's a message from the owner at Podcast Alley regarding the custom coding he did:

"...it should be pretty simple for someone who knows php to create. All you have to do is make the playlist comply with Wimpy's playlist standard."

Examples here: http://www.wimpyplayer.com/support/t..._wimpyApp.html

On your site, you indicate you can do custom work. Is this type of 'custom-job-for-hire' beyond the expertise of your team? If so, not a prob - just let me know.

[Michael P]

Well, that still doesn't answer the question of weather the XML file is stored locally or retrieved during the page load, processed and then submitted to wimpy. Either way, it sounds like an XML converter has to be written and that shouldn't be too cumbersome using some XML parsing code that is out there.

Chuck handles all our custom stuff; you would need to get a quote from him on the work.

[pcoskat]

Originally Posted by Michael P

Well, that still doesn't answer the question of weather the XML file is stored locally or retrieved during the page load, processed and then submitted to wimpy. Either way, it sounds like an XML converter has to be written and that shouldn't be too cumbersome using some XML parsing code that is out there.

Chuck handles all our custom stuff; you would need to get a quote from him on the work.

I honestly don't know about the data storage...it wouldn't be on my server...that I know.

As for a quote from Chuck, he indicated in post #21 that what I'm asking...

...would require alot of time and possibly custom programming would not be your best solution. Don't get me wrong we would love to have you as a customer but custom programming usually makes sense for small or medium changes in the program structure since it is very costly avenue to persue. Having whole custom applications written can be very cost prohibitive.

This isn't a 'whole custom application' or a large, time consuming, expensive mod. Granted I, personally, don't know how to do it, but both the Wimpy creators and the owner of Podcast Alley indicate that the php coding needed is 'simple' for those comfortable with php.

There's quite a gulf between "Time consuming and cost prohibitive" and "simple for people good with php".

From the Wimpy company via email about this specific issue:

Your best bet is to take a close look at the online documention to see which type of technology you think would work, XML playlists, the javascript integration or the standard directory reading -- maybe even the MySQL approach.

Please advise...

ETA
I don't know if this is helpful about where the XML files are stored, but here are several different podcast feeds, each formatted differently, but valid examples of what podcasters would enter into a specific field in ReviewPost:

http://www.harvestpointecc.com/strea...pccsermons.xml
http://feeds.feedburner.com/newreleasetuesday
http://www.zephnet.com/?select=podcast

COPY any ONE of those feeds and PASTE it into the box on this page:
http://www.pupuplatters.com/pupuplayer/try.htm
Click TRY.

This is a different flash player application from Wimpy, but it clearly demonstrates how ALL episodes that have been produced by the podcaster are loaded into the player (from that one feed url.)

I just need the 'bridge' that would get the FEED url from each ReviewPost entry into the Wimpy Player...

[Chuck S]

Earlier when I responded about custom stuff it was based off your current posts then and I figured you where needing us to create a xml viewing script. We have moved past that though as you have expanded each time with more links.

Neither Michael or I know have been exactly clear on what you want to happen from what I see by our replies.

Here is my take on what you want. User places a link to an XML file in a field. We would then have a link on the review page saying podcast player and when clicked it would load the XML file contents.

The Key thing here is finding out documentation on the wimpy site about how the program works in that regard so we can determine what be required to do. The links I am seeing do not give clear but examples of such backend requirements.

[pcoskat]

Originally Posted by Chuck S

Here is my take on what you want. User places a link to an XML file in a field. We would then have a link on the review page saying podcast player and when clicked it would load the XML file contents.

Absolutely correct.

Originally Posted by Chuck S

The Key thing here is finding out documentation on the wimpy site about how the program works in that regard so we can determine what be required to do. The links I am seeing do not give clear but examples of such backend requirements.

The links to the parts of the Wimpy documentation which apply to this issue have been posted several times, however, here is the link to the full manual:
http://www.wimpyplayer.com/Users_Manual/

Areas of interest:
XML Playlists
MySql Integration

Please let me know what you feel is unclear, and I will communicate your concerns to the Wimpy developers.

Thanks.

[Chuck S]

It is not too clear exactly what is needed in the backend script. Thats the real hold back on provided you a direct answer.

Their documentation is not direct enough IMO. It provides some short answers on what you can do but does not provide examples of how to do it. They provide configuration tools and while this might seem to make it easy on some people it makes it harder on me as a code example would be much more direct and easier.

Since it seems I must run their configuration tools to be provided with an example of how wimpy can work with an external xml link I need to find the time to install wimpy on a test server and continue from there before I can respond on this further.

I hope this makes sense.

[pcoskat]

Originally Posted by Chuck S

I hope this makes sense.

Not to me, however, I forwarded your concerns to the Wimpy team, and here is their response (note, on at least one of those pages, there is a .zip file with more detailed examples):

There are many ways to accomplish what you want. The bottom line is
that you need to populate the player with a playlist. In other words you
need to run wimpy off of **something** that generates a playlist that wimpy can read.

There are basically two kinds of playlsits: Sift and XML. With XML you
can use the wimpy-specific format, or a podcast RSS format. You may
also want to take a look at populating the playlist using Javascript. Here
are some links for you to review:

http://www.wimpyplayer.com/Users_Man.../wimpyApp.html
http://www.wimpyplayer.com/Users_Man...playlists.html
http://www.wimpyplayer.com/products/...p3_player.html
http://www.wimpyplayer.com/support/t..._wimpyApp.html
http://www.wimpyplayer.com/Users_Man...art_guide.html
http://www.wimpyplayer.com/Users_Man..._mp3/sift.html