November 6, 2003

CSS, RSS, M-O-U-S-E

Christian Crumlish

Re Blogistan Editorial: Headlines CSS? & RSS for Posters

I am concerned though in that you mentioned a CSS way of maintaining classic "headline" style. I am most interested in how to do such a thing. Any pointers?

Actually, I'm afraid this is wishful thinking on my part. I'm not aware of any such style declaration, as it would need some kind of look-up table of exceptions, right? The closest would be the unprofessional-looking all-initial-caps style. So, I wish such as thing existed, but I don't think it does (yet). I should research this, though? It's also a question we could throw onto the blog - it's at least as salient as how to do other traditional typographic things such as drop caps, different first lines, and so on.

I ask because I currently use that style, and do it manually. I'll find it awkward to transition from one style to the next between the two posting environments. If I had a CSS way to manage this type of title style then I could sync up the two writing environments, making it less likely that I will break your rule of style.

Understood. I would say not to worry about it too much. I'm not going to lose sleep over inconsistencies, and I'm aware that my preference isn't the norm.

Also I am interested in RSS for indivual posts of mine. If you could generate an RSS feed which contained only my posts at RFB - excerpts I suspect, no need for full posts, (others I assume if they see a need) then I could see my way towards maintaining a tacked up RSS feed on my site proper which would contain current links/excertps into the RFB to show what I am writing in this space (RFB). I could create the template myself but I don't have access to the RFB templates. Any thoughts?

Sure, no problem. First of all, I can give you template access if you like. Secondly, it's easy enough to do a variation on the RDF or RSS template but add an author="filchyboy" attribute to the usual MTEntries declaration. I can set this up no problem. I'd just as soon do just one (that is, just RSS 1.0 or RSS 2.0), since there are already a bunch of extra index templates being generated (all my blogs also update the monolog page and its RSS feed, using the Global Listings plugin). Let me know if you want excerpts or full entries. Either way is fine. I totally understand wanting to corral all your posts into one place.

This might be the reason why I'd finally get off my duff and write/finish something to fix RU's flawed multi-author tool.

Just being able to route posts to different categories or blogs based on which feed they come from would be cool. It would also be nice if it didn't lose the title, slamming it into the body of the reposted entry, too. It's typical Winer kudgery: hacked together once, touted, and then basically forgotten. Or we coul hassle Andrew into adding the feature to his AmphetaDesk-to-MT hack.

Posted by xian at November 6, 2003 2:51 PM
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