JavaScript Syndication Feeds To JavaScript-Disabled Browsers
If you have syndicated content delivered with JavaScript,
the increasing number of folks who turn their browser's
JavaScript off can be a concern.
Syndicated content, in this article, means HTML content
(text, images, forms, and so forth) delivered from a remote
site and published on your page with JavaScript code similar
to:
<script language="JavaScript"
src="http://domain.com/file.js">
</script>
On our various sites, the percentage of visitors with
non-JavaScript enabled browsers averages about 5%. This
may be significant, depending on how important the content
is to your site.
If you merely want to deliver a notice to non-JavaScript
enabled browsers, the following on your page will do the
job:
<noscript>
<h3>JavaScript required to view this content.</h3>
</noscript>
However, if you want to display the syndicated content to
all browsers, this article will show you how.
Why They Turn It Off
During the last six months, every person who has told me
s/he now surfs with JavaScript turned off is doing so
because of the interruptive popups they were encountering.
If you feel you must use popups on your site, "Pop-Under
Windows -- The Latest Pop-Window Trend" by Shelley Lowery
presents methods to reduce visitor irritation. You'll find
the article at http://www.web-source.net/popunder.htm
How To Deliver Syndicated Content To All Browsers
Instead of putting JavaScript code into your page, like
the code presented above, use SSI (Server Side Includes).
Your SSI page calls a script. The script retrieves the
content and inserts it into your page.
The SSI tag is
<!--#exec cgi="/cgi-bin/JStoSSI.cgi"-->
Replace "/cgi-bin/JStoSSI.cgi" with the location and name
of the script on your server. (The script is presented
below.)
On many servers, pages with SSI need to have file names
with the .shtml extension. Your server may be different.
Contact your hosting company if in doubt.
For additional information about about SSI, see the
"Server Side Includes" article linked from
/library/
The Script
Here is the script your web page will call with the SSI tag:
#!/usr/bin/perl
my $JavaScriptURL = 'http://domain.com/file.js';
use strict;
use LWP::Simple;
my $content = get $JavaScriptURL;
my @content = split /[\r\n]+/,$content;
chomp @content;
for(@content)
{
unless(/^document/) { $_ = ''; next; }
$_ =~ s/^document\.writeln\(\'//;
$_ =~ s/\'\)\;$//;
$_ =~ s/\\\'/'/g;
$_ =~ s/\\\\/\\/g;
}
$content = join "\n",@content;
print "Content-type: text/html\n\n$content";
# end of script
Use a plain text word processor like NotePad or BBEdit to
edit the first two lines of the script.
-
The first line must point to the location of Perl
on your server.
-
On the second line, replace the URL between the
apostrophes with the URL of the syndicated content.
This would be the URL found in the src="_________"
attribute of the <script... tag (if you were using
the JavaScript method to insert the content). If
you are syndicating these WillMaster Possibilities
articles, the URL is /library/c/wmp.js
Next, upload the script to your server. Upload it as
ASCII/plain text to a directory that can run CGI scripts.
In this article's examples, it is assumed you're uploading
the script into the cgi-bin directory and that the file
name of the script is JStoSSI.cgi, but you're not
restricted to that.
NOTE: The above script requires the Perl module LWP::Simple.
If you are unsure whether or not your server has the
module installed, ask your hosting company or use
Master Pre-Installation Tester from
/master/pit/
Review
A. If you were inserting syndicated content into your pages
with JavaScript, the JavaScript would look something like
this:
<script language="JavaScript"
src="http://domain.com/file.js">
</script>
B. To use the SSI method instead:
-
Replace the second line of the script with the URL
in the scr="_______" attribute in the JavaScript.
-
Replace the JavaScript itself with:
<!--#exec cgi="/cgi-bin/JStoSSI.cgi"-->
(Assuming the script is in the /cgi-bin/ directory
and that the file name is JStoSSI.cgi)
Your SSI page will probably need the .shtml file name
extension.
Your Own Syndicated Content
If you want to publish content that others are syndicating,
see
http://www.web-source.net/syndicator.htm
The SSI method of inserting syndicated content presented in
this article, in lieu of the JavaScript method of insertion,
will work with many syndication content sources including
both of those listed above.
If you want to syndicate your content to other web sites,
see:
-
"
Syndicating Your Articles
"
-
Master Syndicator (product page)
-
Master Syndication Gateway I (product page).
The SSI method presented in this article will work with the
methods of creating syndicated content found at the three
URLs, above.
If you are a webmaster syndicating content, you may wish to
provide your remote syndication sites with the opportunity
to use the SSI method. Simply send this article to them.
Question:
Did you find this article interesting and understandable? How can it be improved?
Your response is anonymous.
When done typing, click anywhere outside the box. [more info]
Will Bontrager
©2002 Bontrager Connection, LLC
Please note:
Articles on this website are presented "as is". However -
If you have a question about a CGI script, HTML, CSS, PHP, or JavaScript
Ask one of our Experts and you'll have your answer!
Click here for details.
