Insert SlashDot News Generator Object version .98
The Insert SlashDot News Generator object allows you to use Slashdot’s XML news feed as a datasource for a Macromedia Generator template. It utilizes the Generator SDK, the Xerces XML parser, the JDOM API, and the Insert Date / Time Generator object.
The example on the right uses Macromedia Generator to dynamically create a Flash movie with the SlashDot.org news headlines. Do not link directly to the Flash file. Link to this page.
I have a crontab job that runs once an hour and calls offline Generator. When Generator is called it gets the XML from SlashDot.org and then creates the Flash movie.
The Flash movie on the right requires the Flash 4 plugin, although the object is Flash 3 (and up) compatible.
Download the object and its source from the Flash Exchange. Download my more generic Generator XML Object. More info on Macromedia Generator.
Requires Flash 4 Player
Here is a snippet of what the XML news feed looks like :
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<backslash xmlns:backslash="http://slashdot.org/backslash.dtd">
<story>
<title>IOC To Olympic Athletes: Online Diaries Verboten</title>
<url>http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=00/09/02/1541210</url>
<time>2000-09-02 15:37:39</time>
<author>timothy</author>
<department>my-last-vestige-of-respect-just-self-immolated</department>
<topic>censorship</topic>
<comments>46</comments>
<section>articles</section>
<image>topiccensorship.gif</image>
</story>
<story>
<title>Making The Macintosh 1.0</title>
<url>http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=00/09/02/1245242</url>
<time>2000-09-02 13:43:58</time>
<author>Hemos</author>
<department>blast-from-the-past</department>
<topic>apple</topic>
<comments>33</comments>
<section>articles</section>
<image>topicapple.gif</image>
</story>
</backslash>
