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Adding feeds

A new feed is created by selecting 'Add feed' or 'New' from the components->datafeeds menu selection in the joomla administrator.

First visit the affiliate company's website and retrieve the feed url. Copy the feed url and past it into the 'feed url' field of the feedconfiguration.  Give this configuration a (unique) name.

Selecting the class

Each type of feed has it's own parser class.  You must select the correct class for a correct import. The default setting is 'auto detect', this will work for most XML feeds, however 'auto detect' will not work correctly for most CSV feeds. When using CSV feeds select the correct version (using the right delimiter) manually.

Below shows the picture for Legwear International a webgains feed.

hit the apply button, the feed should be fetched and the right hand should show data. The next step is to specifiy the mapping of the feed to the database using the 'Field Selection' sub menu. The component will try to prefill fields.

Groups and select fields

The database compromises 10 fields for categories, the first field 'Select0' or 'Group' is a fixed value entered in the feed configuration. The Select0 is the main category topic of the feed.

The other nine fields are mapped from the actual feed. For this tutorial the setup as to groups 'Fashion' and 'Accommodation', for this field the correct value for the Select0 field would be 'Fashion'. If you website is just a single topic the Select0 field is probably less relevant as a 'grouping' parameter, however you could use it the create a group of 'Premium' and a group of 'Normal' feeds. ( and use a module later to have a top pick from the premium feeds )

To the component the 10 fields have no specific meaning. Whenever starting a new group you must determine first how you want to use the fields ( and stick to it ). This tutorial will create a website with two groups, the mapping for the groups will be:

Select0 Fashion Accommodation
Select1 Category Country
Select2 Sub Category Region
Select3 Sub Sub City
Select4    
Select5    
Select6 Size  
Select7 Color  
Select8 Gender  
Select9 Brand  

The order of the fields is not important, however life will be easier if you keep them in some common sense order.

 

For the Legwear International feed the mapping will look like:

Hit the Save button, and click 'Cron/Import data' the actually import the feed.

The callback function in the feed configuration allows to parse all items thru a filter, manipulating the data. This will be covered in another article.

 

The examples for the other three feeds of this tutorial:

 

Lingerie.co.uk (affiliatewindow)

 

Bellvilla ( Tradetracker)


Waytostay (Tradetracker)

 

 

After adding and importing (cron) the feeds, you should see the feeds in the feed submenu and some information about the imported items in the 'overview' and 'items' sub menu's.

 

Next step Adding a menu