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Author Topic: Good, Free Desktop RSS Editor  (Read 6,483 times)

BGM

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Good, Free Desktop RSS Editor
« on: April 10, 2018, 02:47 AM »
We have a local LAN website and I keep an RSS Feed there for some technical news.
It is a bit painful to edit those feed.xml files manually, so I use a program called RSS Builder.
Problem is that it is ancient, has no Recent Menu, no drag-n-drop, etc, and no updates for 10 years.

So I would love to find a good alternative.  Free is important.
I've tried all the free ones I can find via websearch and like RSS Builder the best of all, but I still don't like even that one.
Now, I would make my own, but I don't have the time.
Ideas, anyone?

BGM

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Re: Good, Free Desktop RSS Editor
« Reply #1 on: April 14, 2018, 07:29 PM »
Maybe nobody here maintains an rss feed?

wraith808

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Re: Good, Free Desktop RSS Editor
« Reply #2 on: April 14, 2018, 08:48 PM »
Apparently not. My feeds are automagically generated. 

I did plug RSS Builder into Alternativeto.net, i.e. https://alternativeto.net/software/rss-builder/

There was only one alternative: Feed Launch .NET.  It is open source, so could be enhanced; it's had no attention since 2013.  It looks pretty basic, but without knowing what you liked or didn't like about RSS Builder, I can't say if it will benefit you.

wraith808

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Re: Good, Free Desktop RSS Editor
« Reply #3 on: April 14, 2018, 09:19 PM »
I downloaded the source, removed the intro form, and updated it to .NET 4, and built it.  I don't think it's enough of a change to warrant making a new repo, but if you want changes, I can try to get to them, and create a new repo (I refuse to use sourceforge).  It uses pretty dated, if functional, technologies and programming.

BGM

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Re: Good, Free Desktop RSS Editor
« Reply #4 on: April 14, 2018, 10:46 PM »
Thanks for the lead!  I'll try it out.  Actually, if I had the source for RSS Builder, I would fix it myself.  But I'll try this one out and let you know what I think.

BGM

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Re: Good, Free Desktop RSS Editor
« Reply #5 on: May 05, 2018, 04:48 PM »
wraith, I tried it, and it *requires* me to fill in all the fields (which I don't need).  Also, I really want a recent menu - that's the main reason I don't like rss builder so much - it doesn't remember your last feed and you always have to fetch the path.  I guess I could try to build it myself and fix it the way I want...

wraith808

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Re: Good, Free Desktop RSS Editor
« Reply #6 on: May 05, 2018, 06:04 PM »
wraith, I tried it, and it *requires* me to fill in all the fields (which I don't need).  Also, I really want a recent menu - that's the main reason I don't like rss builder so much - it doesn't remember your last feed and you always have to fetch the path.  I guess I could try to build it myself and fix it the way I want...

So those are the only two changes you need?

BGM

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Re: Good, Free Desktop RSS Editor
« Reply #7 on: May 05, 2018, 06:41 PM »
Wraith, thanks for asking!
Actually, I think adding drag-n-drop to load a feed.xml file would be a good idea, too.
And, when you add a new item, it should add it to the top instead of the bottom.  That way you don't have to find it and move it up.
Also, if you add an item, then move it, then add another item, it moves all the ones you created to the bottom again = bug.
It also requires you to enter a link, and that shouldn't be a requirement.

If you don't want to spend time on this, I don't blame you.  I think the program is a good, basic start, but needs a little work.

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