I just started using Google desktop. It provides "web clips" from sites that I visit regularly, but says "no web clip at given url" when I try to set it to pick p stuff from NAM.

This is the url it is looking for these things at: www.northamericanmotoring.com/external.php?type=RSS

I have absolutely ZERO idea what I am talking about other than the fact that I would love for random interesting NAM stuff to appear on my Google Desktop.

MotoringFile does work for this as a reference.

p.s. for anyone who doesn't know what Google desktop is, it allows you to search your own computer using the google search engine and it also comes with a bunch of pretty neat little thingies that do neat stuff. Again, I'm not too good at explaining it but it is worth the download. I was able to instantly locate a photograph that I was sure was gone for good my first time using the Google Desktop.

 

Interesting. This is really a question for Mark, but I may have to check out that google desktop after reading this.

 

having a RSS feed from here might be frustrating (no real "articles" like motoring file, but TONS of new posts), unless you could set it to only push subscribed threads. actually that would be very cool. might could make a rss feed from the link to my sub'd threads. hrm, must tinker....

oh, and google the google desktop engine b4 you install it and decide for yourself. it's lke the M$ toolbar in that there is a lot more to it than meets the eye.

lol i'm not talking about the privacy "issues" some folks go on and on about. i'm just referring to the software. it adds several background processes that are always running. they can really suck up clock cycles when it decides it is time to index... everything

 

The geocaching website does feed me new threads from the specific forums that I look at and not the ones I don't, so may be possible for it to feed new posts.

But as you said Dave, this is probably something for Mark and I certainly don't know squat about it.

You can stop the indexing or set it to index when idle, which does help, but the first time it indexes your computer, you might as well plan to do something else for a good long while. Mine took a couple hours to index.

 

We've had an RSS feed on NAM for a long time (more than 2 years). Go Motoring pulls it as well as several club sites. That said the way it was accessed was only through

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...s/external.php

I've added a web server directive so that

https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/external.php

will also know do the same thing. Either of these provides a feed that only includes MINI-related forum posts (no OT).

If you want to be specific in the forums you get in your feed you can do the following:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...forumids=33,36

This will include only the Interior/Exterior Mods and Tire & Wheel forums in your feed. To get the numbers you need to use for the above:

1) Click on Forums to get a list of all the forums (if you wish to include a regional forum or club be sure to click on the regional category to expand it as well)
2) Move your cursor over the link to the forum you are interested in and it should display something like https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...splay.php?f=33

The number after "f=" is the id of the forum. Just string these numbers together in the url above for accessing the feed.

Hope this helps!

Mark

 

Mark,

Thanks so much for explaining this. I'm now receiving the feeds on my google desktop. Very happy about it!

I think I understand how to get the specific forums to show up, but am too tired to configure it right now. I'll do it tomorrow and report back.

Again, thanks! This is really neat-o stuff!