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RSS - Version 0.91 Tags and Syntax
Here is the structure of an RSS 0.91 document:
<?xml version="1.0"?> <!DOCTYPE rss PUBLIC "-//Netscape Communications//DTD RSS 0.91//EN" "http://my.netscape.com/publish/formats/rss-0.91.dtd"> <rss version="0.91"> <channel> <title>...</title> <link>...</link> <description>...</description> <language>...</language> <rating>...</rating> <copyright>...</copyright> <pubDate>...</pubDate> <lastBuildDate>...</lastBuildDate> <docs>...</docs> <managingEditor>...</managingEditor> <webMaster>...</webMaster> <skipHours> <hour>...</hour> </skipHours> <skipDays> <day>...</day> </skipDays> <image> <title>...</title> <url>...</url> <link>...</link> <width>...</width> <height>...</height> <description>...</description> </image> <item> <title>...</title> <link>...</link> <description>...</description> </item> <!-- More item tags --> <textInput> <title>...</title> <description>...</description> <name>...</name> <link>...</link> </textInput> </channel> </rss>
Here is the detail of all the optional and mandatory tags related to RSS 0.91. Check out the given example to prepare an RSS v0.91 Feed for your website.
NOTE: All the tags are case-sensitive and should be used carefully.
Here is the list of all the optional and mandatory tags related to RSS 0.91.
XML Version Identifier
As an XML application, an RSS document is not required to begin with an XML declaration. It should start with XML version identifier tag.
Syntax
- <?xml version="1.0"?> or
- <?xml version="1.0" encoding="[ encoding code here ]"?>
Here is a list of RSS v0.91 Supported Encodings.
Required
Always and exact. Optional encoding attribute (default is UTF-8).
Document Type Identifier
Similar to a valid XHTML document, it is required to specify a document type.
Syntax
<!DOCTYPE rss PUBLIC "-//Netscape Communications//DTD RSS 0.91//EN" "http://my.netscape.com/publish/formats/rss-0.91.dtd">
Required
Always and exact.
Max Length
500 characters.
RSS Version Identifier:
Syntax
<rss version="0.91">
Required
Always and exact.
Max Length
500 characters.
Start Channel Tag
There should be one channel start tag in each RSS0.91 File.
Syntax
<channel>
Required
Required. Maximum 1 per RSS file.
Channel Title
An identifying string for a resource. When used in an item, this is the name of the item's link. When used in an image, this is the Alt text for the image. When used in a channel, this is the channel's title. When used in a textinput, this is the textinput's title.
Syntax
<title>TutorialsPoint</title>
Required
Required.
Max Length
1-100 characters.
Channel Description
A channel will have a description tag as described below:
Syntax
<description>Your source for tutorials, references and manuals!</description>
Required
Required.
Max Length
1-500 characters.
Channel Title Link (URL)
This is the link to your homepage and required for a channel.
Syntax
<link>http://www.tutorialspoint.com</link>
Required
Required.
Max Length
1-500 characters.
Channel Language
It specifies the language of your channel (website).
Syntax
<language>[ language code here ]</language>
Here is a list of RSS v0.91 Supported Languages.
Required
Required.
Max Length
2-25 characters.
Channel Rating
For a complete detail on how to use Channel Rating, let us now check how to use PICS Ratings.
Syntax
<rating>[ PICS rating here ]</rating>
Required
Optional. Maximum 1 per channel.
Max Length
20-500 characters.
Copyright Identifier
This tag is allowed in an RSS 0.91 file, but Netcenter does not actually use this tag or its data. The RSS 0.91 format supports this tag for the benefit of other sites that might make use of the tag and its data.
Syntax
<copyright>Copyright 2007, TutorialsPoint</copyright>
Required
Optional and ignored by Netcenter. Maximum 1 per channel.
Max Length
1-100 characters.
Publication Date
This tag is allowed in an RSS 0.91 file, but Netcenter does not actually use this tag or its data. The RSS 0.91 format supports this tag for the benefit of other sites that might make use of the tag and its data.
Syntax
<pubDate>Thu, 19 Jul 2007 07:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
Required:
Optional and ignored by Netcenter. Maximum 1 per channel.
Max Length
1-100 characters.
Last Build Date
This tag is allowed in an RSS 0.91 file, but Netcenter does not actually use this tag or its data. The RSS 0.91 format supports this tag for the benefit of other sites that might make use of the tag and its data.
Syntax
<lastBuildDate>Thu, 19 Jul 2007 16:20:26 GMT </lastBuildDate>.
Required
Optional and ignored by Netcenter. Maximum 1 per channel.
Max Length
1-100 characters.
External Channel Description File (URL)
This tag is allowed in an RSS 0.91 file, but Netcenter does not actually use this tag or its data. The RSS 0.91 format supports this tag for the benefit of other sites that might make use of the tag and its data.
Syntax
<docs>http://my.userland.com/stories/storyReader$11</docs>
Required
Optional and ignored by Netcenter. Maximum 1 per channel.
Max Length
1-500 characters.
Managing Editor
This tag is allowed in an RSS 0.91 file, but Netcenter does not actually use this tag or its data. The RSS 0.91 format supports this tag for the benefit of other sites that might make use of the tag and its data.
Syntax
<managingEditor>mohtashim@tutorialspoint.com</managingEditor>
Required
Optional and ignored by Netcenter. Maximum 1 per channel.
Max Length
1-100 characters.
Webmaster
This tag is allowed in an RSS 0.91 file, but Netcenter does not actually use this tag or its data. The RSS 0.91 format supports this tag for the benefit of other sites that might make use of the tag and its data.
Syntax
<webMaster>mohtashim@tutorialspoint.com</webMaster>
Required
Optional and ignored by Netcenter. Maximum 1 per channel.
Max Length
1-100 characters.
Start Skip Hours Tag
A list of <hours> indicating the hours in the day, GMT, when the channel is unlikely to be updated. If this sub-item is omitted, the channel is assumed to be updated hourly.
Syntax
<skipHours>
Required
Optional, Ignored by Netcenter. Maximum 1 per channel.
Hour
If you are using skipHours tag then it is required to use this tag as well.
Syntax
<hour>7</hour>
Required
Required, if <skipHours>. Maximum 24 per <skipHours>. element.
Max Length
Numeric Value: 0 - 23
End Skip Hours
If you are using skipHours tag then it is required to use this tag as well.
Syntax:
</skipHours>
Required
Required, if <skipHours>.
Start Skip Days Tag
A list of <days> of the week, in English, indicating the days of the week when your channel will not be updated.
Syntax
<skipDays>
Required
Optional, Ignored by Netcenter. Maximum 1 per channel.
Day
If you are using skipDays tag then it is required to use this tag as well.
Syntax
<day>Monday</day>
Required
Required, if <skipDays>. Maximum 7 per <skipDays>. element.
Max Length
1-10 characters
End Skip Days
If you are using skipDays tag, then it is required to use this tag as well.
Syntax
</skipDays>.
Required
Required, if <skipDays>.
Start Image Tag
You can have one image start tag inside a channel.
Syntax
<image>
Required
Optional. Maximum 1 per channel.
Image ALT Text
If you are using image tag, then it is required to use this tag as well.
Syntax
<title>TutorialsPoint Logo</title>
Required
Required, if <image> tag is available.
Max Length
1-500 characters.
Image Location (URL)
Location to load a resource from. Note that this is slightly different from the link tag, which specifies where a user should be re-directed to if a resource is selected.
Syntax
<url>http://www.tutorialspoint.com/images/to-logo.gif</url>
Required
Required, if <image> tag is available.
Max Length
1-500 characters.
Image Link (URL)
If you are using image tag then it is required to use this tag as well.
Syntax
<link>http://www.tutorialspoint.com/</link>
Required
Optional, if <image> tag is available.
Max Length
1-500 characters.
Image Width
If you are using image tag then it is optional to use this tag.
Syntax
<width>[ numeric value here ]</width>
Required
Optional, if <image> tag is available.
Max Length
Numeric Value: 1-144 (Default is 88).
Image Height
It is an optional tag.
Syntax
<height>[ numeric value here ]</height>
Required
Optional, if <image> tag is available.
Max Length
Numeric Value: 1-400 (Default is 31).
Image Description
If you are using image tag, then it is optional to use this tag.
Syntax
<description>Articles, discussions, builds, and more...</description>
Required
Optional, if <image> tag is available.
Max Length
1-100 characters.
End Image Tag
If you are using image tag then it is required to use this tag as well.
Syntax
</image>
Required
Required, if <image> tag is available.
Start Item Tag
This is an optional tag and you can have 0-15 item tags with-in a channel tag.
Syntax
<item>
Required
Optional. 0-15 items allowed per channel.
Item Title
If you are using title tag, then it is required to use this tag as well.
Syntax
<title>Learning RSS</title>
Required
Required, if <title> tag is available.
Max Length
1-100 characters.
Item Link (URL)
If you are using title tag, then it is required to use this tag as well.
Syntax
<link>http://www.tutorialspoint.com/rss/index.htm</link>
Required
Required, if <title> tag is available.
Max Length
1-500 characters.
Item Description
If you are using title tag then it is optional to use this tag as well.
Syntax
<description>RSS Tutorials Online. Read more about it in this discussion...</description>
Required
Optional, if <title> tag is available.
Max Length
1-500 characters.
End Item Tag
If you are using title tag, then it is required to use this tag as well.
Syntax
</item>
Start Text Input Tag
An input field for the purpose of allowing users to submit queries back to the publisher's site. This element should have a title, a link (to a cgi or other processor), a description containing some instructions, and a name, to be used as the name in the HTML tag <input type=text name="[name]">.
Syntax
<textInput>
Required
Optional. Maximum 1 per channel.
Text Input Title (Label of Submit Button)
If you are using textInput tag then it is required to use this tag as well.
Syntax
<title>Send</title>
Required
Required, if <textInput> tag is available.
Max Length
1-100 characters.
Text Input Description
If you are using textInput tag, then it is required to use this tag as well.
Syntax
<description>Comments about TutorialsPoint?</description>
Required
Required, if <textInput> tag is available.
Max Length
1-500 characters.
Text Input Name
If you are using textInput tag then it is required to use this tag as well.
Syntax
<name>[ value of name= attribute of input tag here ]</name>
Required
Required, if <textInput> tag is available.
Max Length
1-20 characters.
Text Input Link
This is the link to the script, which will the process passed data. If you are using textInput tag, then it is required to use this tag as well.
Syntax
<link>http://www.tutorialspoint.com/cgi-bin/sampleonly.cgi</link>
Required
Required, if <textInput> tag is available.
Max Length
1-500 characters.
End Text Input Tag
If you are using textInput tag, then it is required to use this tag as well.
Syntax
<textInput>
Required
Required, if <textInput> tag is available.
End Channel Tag
One end channel is required for a channel start tag.
Syntax
</channel>
Required
Required.
End RSS Tag
This is the closing tag for an RSS0.91 document.
Syntax
</rss>
Required
Required.
Using Special Characters and HTML Entities
Although an RSS 0.91 file is an XML document, RSS 0.91 extends XML by supporting a full set of HTML entities. If you want to use special characters such as ampersands (&) in <url> or <link> tags, you must substitute the appropriate decimal or HTML entities for those characters.
Check for a complete set of HTML entities in out HTML tutorial.
RSS v0.91 Example Feed
Here is an example that shows how to write RSS Feed using version 0.91.
<?xml version="1.0"?> <!DOCTYPE rss PUBLIC "-//Netscape Communications//DTD RSS 0.91//EN" "http://my.netscape.com/publish/formats/rss-0.91.dtd"> <rss version="0.91"> <channel> <title>TutroialsPoint</title> <link>http://www.tutorialspoint.com</link> <description> Online Tutorials and Reference Manuals. </description> <language>en-us</language> <rating> (PICS-1.1 "http://www.rsac.org/ratingsv01.html" l gen true comment "RSACi North America Server" for "http://www.rsac.org" on "1996.04.16T08:15-0500" r (n 0 s 0 v 0 l 0)) </rating> <image> <title>TutroialsPoint</title> <url>http://www.tutorialspoint.com/images/to-logo.gif</url> <link>http://www.tutorialspoint.com</link> <width>88</width> <height>31</height> <description> Tutorials, Articles, discussions,and more... </description> </image> <item> <title>RSS Tutorials</title> <link>http://www.tutorialspoint.com/rss/index.htm</link> <description> Learn RSS in simple and easy steps. </description> </item> <item> <title>PHP Tutorials</title> <link>http://www.tutorialspoint.com/php/index.htm</link> <description> Learn PHP in simple and easy steps. </description> </item> <textInput> <title>Send</title> <description>Comments about TutoprialsPoint</description> <name>responseText</name> <link> http://www.tutorialspoint.com/cgi-bin/tp-contact.cgi </link> </textInput> </channel> </rss>
RSS 0.91 File Extension
A specific file-extension for an RSS 0.91 document is not required. Either .rdf or .xml is recommended, the former being preferred.
RSS 0.91 DTD
Check the following link RSS 0.91 DTD.