Santa Clara University - Web Publishing - CommonSpot - Elements

Using RSS

How to share Web site content using RSS

About RSS

RSS (an acronym for Really Simple Syndication, or Rich Site Summary) is a file format used to share content between systems. It is a fundamental component of weblogs, podcasting, and news syndication. An RSS file is an XML text file format, with standard tags for structure (such as category, title, description, and link). Adhering to this standardized format allows Web sites to easily share content with other Web systems, or client software that can read an RSS file.

How RSS is used at SCU

The SCU site publishes RSS feeds for press releases, campus events, job listings, and blogs (including the Web Publishing blog). These feeds are used to share content with external systems (primarily the eCampus portal). The SCU Athletics Web site includes an RSS feed that is distributed from the SantaClaraBroncos.com site to display headlines. And the "Current SCU Weather" element gets its content from an RSS feed published by the National Weather Service.

Getting started with RSS

If your site includes content that is regularly updated, and the content would conform to the RSS structure (category, title, description, author, link, date, etc.), you may want to consider publishing it as an RSS feed. An example of this type of content would be the Human Resources Department's staff job listings. This content is regularly and continually updated, conforms to a standard structure, and has an audience that would appreciate the timely nature of updates being delivered to an RSS feed reader. Also, the ability to share (or syndicate) content with other Web systems via RSS is an advantage for this content.

If you're interested in exploring the potential uses of RSS on your Web site, contact the Web Publishing team in OCM and Media Services.

RSS Custom Elements

Custom elements are available for displaying content from an RSS feed, or displaying a subscription link. There's an RSS Reader/Aggregator element for content displayed in the content well or the right column, and a "subscribe" element that can be displayed in the content well. Use the Reader/Aggregator element for both content well and right column displayes, setting the display parameter to modify the presentation. In the example that follows, we're aggregating content from two Web Publishing RSS feeds (and there's an example of the right column RSS element on this page).

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Web Publishing Updates

A few Commonspot blog updates

The interface to the Commonspot Blog Manager has been updated, allowing for more space to display the text editor. The editor's toolbar includes a few more options (indent/outdent/table), and the summary text field will display the character count when entering text.
Continue reading - Nov. 14, 2011 2:21 PM
Twitter widget now supports hashtags

The Twitter widget can now be used to display content based on a search keyword or hashtag, along with Twitter profile content.
Continue reading - Nov. 14, 2011 2:19 PM
Embedding a form created in Google Docs

A new element has been added that will allow you to embed a form created in Google Docs within a Commonspot page. The element requires a form ID, which is provided by Google in the embed HTML code, and has optional height and width configuration settings. Look for the "Google Docs Form" element in the Content Well element gallery category.
Continue reading - Sep. 20, 2011 1:40 PM
SCU Experience Videos

The videos displayed in the SCU home page "SCU Experience" presentation are available to use individually within a Commonspot page. Use the form on this page to preview videos and copy the video URL. Then add the Media Player element to a page, and set it to use the URL for the selected video.
Continue reading - Sep. 20, 2011 1:35 PM
Linking to the SCU Phonebook

As an alternative to using 'mailto' links for individuals, you can direct readers to the directory page for anyone in the SCU Phonebook just by adding the person's name to the Phonebook URL:

example: phonebook.scu.edu/firstname+lastname

This will also work for department names, as in this example:

phonebook.scu.edu/media+services
Continue reading - Jul. 12, 2011 5:00 PM

Commonspot, step-by-step

Find step-by-step directions on how to perform various functions in the Commonspot system.

Step-by-step guides

Looking for help with your Web site?

Send a support request to the SCU Web Publishing team in OMC and Media Services.

Send a request

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Updates

Holy Family Sculpture by Artist A. Wasil To Be Unveiled Sunday Feb. 12 at Santa Clara University
A bronze sculpture, depicting the Holy Family of Mary, Joseph and Jesus in an unusually informal, private family moment, will be unveiled and dedicated Sunday on Santa Clara University's campus. Continue reading - Feb. 10, 2012 9:48 PM
Kevin Rogan & Kyle Graham

An all-day conference sponsored by the Santa Clara Law Review and the High Tech Law Institute, which focused on the legal implications of self-driving cars, was covered in a story in The New York Times that was picked up by about four dozen other publications and sites, including Mashable, CNBC and The Sydney Morning Herald. The event was previewed by NBC and the San Jose Mercury News and its affiliated publications. In some stories, law student Kevin Rogan and professor Kyle Graham (Law) were quoted.
Continue reading - Feb. 10, 2012 8:07 PM
Solar Decathlon

News that Santa Clara University had been selected for the 2013 Solar Decathlon(Engineering) was carried in numerous publications, including the Chronicle of Higher Education; Eco-Structure; Green Building Blog; Renewable Energy Magazine; Archinect Architecture News; Electronic Component News; Environmental Design + Construction; and PM Engineer. NBC Bay Area did an extensive in-studio interview with SCU studentsJake Gallau (Engineering) and Jay Dubashi (Engineering) discussing the strategy the team will use for the competition.
Continue reading - Feb. 10, 2012 8:06 PM

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