OPML validators
Nick Bradbury: I also tested FeedDemon’s OPML import with the OPML exported by a wide array of other aggregators, and here are the most common problems I’ve found
To date, I’ve avoided OPML discussions. As a single
example: the spec
doesn’t mention the created attribute. The
guidelines
don’t either Update:
do
now. But
this
post gives me hope that there will someday be a relaunched OPML
with a less ambitious scope and a more precisely defined spec.
But more importantly, now there are tangible test cases.
| testcase | OPML Validator Beta |
Really Simple Validation |
Feed Validator |
|---|---|---|---|
| closedbody | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ |
| missingTextAttributes | ✖ | ✔ | ✖ |
| notwellformed | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ |
| subscriptionList | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ |
| subscriptionListErrors | ✖ | ✔ | ✖ |
| unknownOutlineType | ✖ | ✔ | ✖ |
Note: FeedValidator support for OPML is not in beta. It is not in alpha. It could all be removed tomorrow. If you think it is important, but needs to be improved, please send test cases.
Also, there’s some good test cases in the OPML spec itself that you might consider adding.
Posted by Randy Charles Morin atOPML Validation
Sam Ruby has introduced OPML validation into his FeedValidator. As usually, he’s created a set of contrived samples to show the difference between the three validators; Dave’s OPML Validator, my Really Simple Validator and the FeedValidator. The...Excerpt from The RSS Blog at
I hope you can do some good; my experiences with OPML are that there is practically no interop, because it’s a Rorschach test more than a specified format. It’s so utterly semantic-free, you can pretty much use it for whatever, but god help you if you want to read it with a different program.
Posted by Mark Nottingham at
Mark, I export and import my subscription lists between RSS readers all the time. Sounds like interop to me.
Posted by Randy Charles Morin at
Last time I did any amount of importing/exporting between different aggregators (admittedly quite a while ago now) I found it failed maybe 1/3 of the time. But the format does seem to be the de facto standard (?!) for that purpose, so I think any tightening up of its specification, even if it is isn’t actually in the spec doc, is to be welcomed. More generally, I think Mark sums it up well.
Posted by Danny at
Mark, I export and import my subscription lists between RSS readers all the time. Sounds like interop to me.
Nick summarized common errors that have plagued OPML imports. It would improve interop if all such errors could be detected by an validator.
Posted by Sam Ruby atI have a couple of test cases for you. Admittedly most of them you are already checking, but they weren’t covered by the tests in your errors folder so I figured you might be interested anyway. Unfortunately I couldn’t find an email address for you anywhere - is there anywhere in particular you would like them sent?
Posted by James at
James: submit patches here.
Warning: as this area is controversial, I don’t plan to deviate from the results of OPML Validator Beta unless the spec is crystal clear. Nick’s tests were of that kind. For everything else, follow Dave Winer’s request: If you spot a problem, please post a note on the OPML weblog.
Posted by Sam Ruby atOPML validators [Sam Ruby]
[link]...Excerpt from del.icio.us/jonathans/!source:nnw2del-20051102.yaml at
OPML Feed Validation Discussions Abound
OPML validation included in popular feed validatorSam Ruby’s FeedValidator now includes OPML (Outline Processor Markup Language) validation. The controversy seems to surround the spec.The Really Simple Validator validates against the spec, as...Excerpt from RSS, Syndication, and Blogging Technology | RSSApplied at
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Is a Crappy Format Worth Saving?
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I’ll try to find my test cases and email them to you. That would only be fair since the RSV is also using 1000 of your test cases. BTW, text is not required nor is their a limit on the value of type (even a warning is wrong), unless of course, Dave released OPML v 1.2 without my knowing. Last, were you still going to forward me Atom 0.3 queries?
Posted by Randy Charles Morin at