RSS Feeds
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RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a function that publishes changes to websites in a simple, structured way, using a standardized format (XML). RSS is usually offered in the form of so-called RSS channels. The channel contains small elements of information (e.g. job title) that come from the original page. The provision of such data is known as an RSS feed. If the user has subscribed to the RSS-Channel, the client (Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox etc.) will search the server for updates in the RSS feed. The recipient is informed regularly about any changes (similarly to a news ticker), and can use a feed reader to display those changes.
Note:
RSS does not work in newer versions of the Google Chrome browser (see also: http://googlereader.blogspot.de/2013/03/powering-down-google-reader.html).
When is an RSS feed used?
Thanks to the standardization of RSS, this approach to publication can be applied easily across a wide range of contexts, but at the expense of design options. Many applications support RSS, thereby allowing for further processing of RSS content.
Typically, the RSS feed represents an alternative or additional approach to publication, alongside your company's own (external) job board.
What are the main attributes of the RSS Feed?
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Creating a new RSS feed
Note: the MASK SQL flag is enabled by default when creating a new RSS feed. Disable the MASK SQL flag if special characters are used when creating the RSS feed.
The RSS feed data are extracted using an SQL script. and then structured implicitly (without a dedicated XSLT file) in accordance with the RSS standard (XML format). Only certain marginal aspects of the formatting/design, e.g. logos, can influenced. The RSS feed can then be accessed through a dedicated URL, or integrated in the company's own website.
A separate RSS feed must be defined for each publication language.
Create a new RSS feed with the action "+ Create new RSS feed":
- Elements shown in the feed
- Channel
- The title of the RSS feed (e.g. "Advertised jobs").
- Base URL
- Corresponds to the address of your home page (e.g. www.umantis.com).
- RSS feed description
- Provide a brief, meaningful description of the feed.
- Publisher
- Logo
- You have the option to upload a logo here.
- Logo title
- Enter a logo title.
- Logo link
- Enter a logo link.
- Technical details - SQL for the channel elements shown in the feed
- SQL query
- A database query used to extract the relevant job data. Note: The mapping to the RSS standard XML is performed via aliases in the SQL script. Typically, the jobs that are selected are those that are currently published on the company's own (external) job board.
The following elements are important for the presentation of channel items:
- title
- description
- link
- guid
- pubDate
The mapping to XML is performed via aliases in the SQL script. The [hostname] variable is automatically replaced with the first part of the customer URL (https://recruitingapp-XY.umantis.com/). It is recommended that you place any additional information for channel items (e.g. Location) in the "description" field. Additional specific elements (which must be assigned to a namespace) can also be defined in the form.
- More elements (up to 5) can be added - see the section on "Configuring namespaces for additional fields in an RSS feed".
- Escape SQL data
- Place a checkmark here to replace special characters in the SQL query result.
- Comment
- Enter a comment about the RSS feed.
- Language
- Indicate the language.
- Configuring namespaces for additional fields in an RSS feed
Besides the "default" elements title, description, link, guid and pubDate, additional fields (up to 5) can be defined for a specific presentation of channel items. For each element, enter the same field name as in the SQL query, along with a namespace and a namespace URL.
- Name field 1
- Enter the field name (in accordance with the SQL).
- Namespace field 1
- Enter the namespace.
- Namespace URL 1
- Enter the URL for the namespace.
Click on "Save and verify SQL" to save the RSS feed (and verify the SQL). The update interval (in minutes) can then be defined in edit mode.
Note: Once an RSS feed has been created, it must still be activated before it can be used. You can do this with the Start updating RSS feeds action.
Accessing an RSS feed
You can access the RSS feed by entering a parameterized URL:
https://recruitingapp-[CustomerID].umantis.com/RssFeed/[RSSFeedID]/rss.xml
- [CustomerID]: The ID for the customer solution (e.g. 1067)
- [RSSFeedID]: The ID for the RSS feed (e.g. 70)
Example:
https://recruitingapp-1067.umantis.com/RssFeed/70/rss.xml
Activating or deactivating RSS feeds
After an RSS feed has been created, it can be activated with the action "Start updating RSS feeds". Similarly, an RSS feed can be deactivated with the action "Stop updating RSS feeds". Depending on the current "status" of the RSS feeds, the appropriate link is shown in the Actions.
Integrating an RSS feed in the website
The code shown below can be used to insert an RSS feed into the website.
A link to the RSS feed should be included in your website header.
<head>
<link href="https://recruitingapp-[CustomerID].umantis.com/RssFeed/[RSSFeedID]/rss.xml" rel="alternate" type="application/atom+xml" title="our job offers" />
<link href="...change..." rel="alternate" type="application/atom+xml" title="...change..." />
</head>''
You can also integrate the individual RSS feeds into your website as direct links.
<body>
<a href="https://recruitingapp-[CustomerID].umantis.com/RssFeed/[RSSFeedID]/rss.xml">rss feed</a>
<a href="https://recruitingapp-[CustomerID].umantis.com/RssFeed/[RSSFeedID]/rss.xml"><img src="http://www.yourdomain.com/image.png"></a>
</body>