XML News Feeds

The pages we built using Visual Studio .NET.

Requirements:

These files require a Web Server with the Microsoft .NET framework installed to function. To retrieve the XML news feeds, a connection to the internet from the application is necessary.

Installation Instructions:

Unzip the files and import them in a web, or create a new web with these files. Build the application from Visual Studio or compile using the .NET compilier. They should work as is. You can customize the look with the Style tags or simply copy past the code into your own web forms. Browse to the news.aspx page to start the application.

Use Cases:

News Browser: Comes to the News.aspx page and is presented with the Top Stories headlines. Using the left navigation, they can browse many topics divided into several Sections. System: The system will make a call to MoreOver.com's web site to get the XML news feed. Before each call, a check will be made to see if the headlines have been Cached. Caching occurs for each topic, and expires after a set time period, 10 minutes default.

Adding Categories:

To add your own categories, you will need to seek out the category name from MoreOver.com's web site, then add them to the Drop-Down list values. They can be found here: http://w.moreover.com/categories/category_list.html.

File Descriptions:

News.aspx: Displays the news and Navigation News.aspx.cs: Holds the Server-side processing and events fired from the Navigation drop-down boxes.

MoreOverNews.cs: Holds the functionality to make the MoreOver.com requests and format the headlines.

Contact:

Please report and bugs, and we appreciate your comments or suggestions. We can be reached at webmaster@HarrisonLogic.com or visit us at www.HarrisonLogic.com.

MoreOverNews.cs


using System; 
using System.IO; 
using System.Text; 
using System.Net; 
using System.Xml.XPath; 
namespace HL.xmlNewsFeeds { 
///<summary />
/// MoreOverNews.cs: This class holds methods used to retrieve 
/// MoreOver XML 
/// news feeds from their site. You will have to know the 
/// Catagory to use in 
/// the MoreOver uri. We have compiled several for you to use,
/// however you can 
/// find others by visiting their site. - HarrisonLogic 
///</summary />
public class MoreOverNews { 
public static string GetNews(string Category, 
int NoReturnedArticles, 
string articlePrefix, string articleSuffix) { 
/* PARAMETERS: Category: MoreOver.com's Topic category, 
   find legal Categories from their site 
   NoReturnedArticles: Number of article links you would 
   like retrieved 
   articlePrefix: Code inserted in from of each article link. 
   (i.e. </p>, <li>,<td />..etc) 
   articleSuffix: Code inserted at the end of each article link. */ 
if (NoReturnedArticles > 25 | NoReturnedArticles <1) { 
// Default to 5 Headlines if not within range 
NoReturnedArticles = 5; } 
// Use this news Uri from MoreOver.com 
string newsUri = "http://p.moreover.com/cgi-local/page?c=" 
+ Category.Trim() + "&o=xml"; 
// Use the String builder object, more efficient than a string 
StringBuilder newsContent = new StringBuilder(1024); 
// Keep track of number of Articles 
int articleCount = 0; 
// Use the WebRequest / Response objects, allows us to set a timeout 
WebRequest moReq; 
WebResponse moRes; 
Stream moStream; 
// Set timeout for five seconds 
moReq = WebRequest.Create(newsUri); 
moReq.Timeout = 5000; 
// Get the Response and insert in the Stream object 
moRes = moReq.GetResponse(); 
moStream = moRes.GetResponseStream(); 
//Open a XPathDocument with Stream Object 
XPathDocument doc=new XPathDocument(moStream); 
//Create the XPath navigator 
XPathNavigator nav=((IXPathNavigable)doc).CreateNavigator(); 
//create the XPathNodeIterator of Article nodes 
XPathNodeIterator iter=nav.Select("/moreovernews/article"); 
while(iter.MoveNext() & articleCount != NoReturnedArticles) { 
newsContent.Append(articlePrefix + LoadArticle(iter.Current) 
+ articleSuffix); articleCount += 1; } 
// Do a simple check to see if there are no articles returned, 
//this could be 
// the result of a bad Cateogry name 
if (articleCount == 0) { 
newsContent.Append("There were no articles returned for your category.


If you feel there should be articles returned, contact the system 
administrator."); } 
return newsContent.ToString(); } 
private static string LoadArticle(XPathNavigator lstNav) { 
string headline = ""; 
string url = ""; 
string source = ""; 
// We are passsed an XPathNavigator of a particular Article node 
// we will select all of the direct descendents and return the 
//article link 
XPathNodeIterator 
 iterArticle=lstNav.SelectDescendants(XPathNodeType.Element,false); 
while(iterArticle.MoveNext()) { 
switch(iterArticle.Current.Name) { 
case "headline_text": headline = iterArticle.Current.Value; 
break; 
case "url": url = iterArticle.Current.Value; 
break; 
case "source": source = iterArticle.Current.Value; break; } 
} 
//return article link; 
return "<a class="newslink" href="" target="_blank">" + headline + 
"</a>" + " <i>" + source + "</i>"; 
} 
} 
}


<!--asp@ Page language="c#" Codebehind="News.aspx.cs" 
AutoEventWireup="false" Inherits="HL.xmlNewsFeeds.News" -->
<meta content="C#" name="CODE_LANGUAGE" />
<meta content="JavaScript" name="vs_defaultClientScript" />
<meta content="http://schemas.microsoft.com/intellisense/ie5" 
name="vs_targetSchema" />
<style>.headingCell {BACKGROUND-COLOR: #006699; color: white; 
font-style: small-caps }
            .navigationCell {BACKGROUND-COLOR: #FFFFCC;}
            .newsDropDown {FONT-SIZE: 8pt; WIDTH: 100px; 
            FONT-FAMILY: tahoma; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #eeeeee; }
            td { font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; 
            }</style>
<form id="News" method="post" runat="server">
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" width="98%" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="navigationCell" valign="top">
<p>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="150" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="headingCell">   Browse News</td></tr>
</tr />
<tr>
<td>  Top Headlines

<dropdownlist id="TopHeadlines" runat="server" autopostback="True" 
cssclass="newsDropDown" onselectedindexchanged="LoadTopNews" />
<listitem /> 
</listitem />
<listitem value="Top%20business%20stories" />Business
<listitem value="Top%20stories" />Top Stories
</listitem />
<listitem value="Top%20internet%20stories" />Internet
</listitem />
<listitem value="Top%20US%20stories" />US news
</listitem />
<listitem value="Sports%3A%20top%20stories" />Sports
</listitem />
<listitem value="International%20relations%20news" />International
</listitem />
<p>Technology

<dropdownlist id="Technology" runat="server" autopostback="True" 
cssclass="newsDropDown" onselectedindexchanged="LoadTechNews" />
<listitem /> 
</listitem />
<listitem value="Developer%20news" />Web Developer
<listitem value="Webmaster%20tips" />Web Master
</listitem />
<listitem value="Java%20news" />Java
</listitem />
<listitem value="Wireless%20sector%20news" />Wireless
</listitem /></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Financial

<dropdownlist id="Finance" runat="server" autopostback="True" 
cssclass="newsDropDown" onselectedindexchanged="LoadFinanceNews" />
<listitem /> 
</listitem />
<listitem value="Personal%20finance%20news" />Personal Finance
<listitem value="Mutual%20funds%20news" />Mutual Funds
</listitem />
<listitem value="Stock%20Exchanges%20news" />Stock Exchange
</listitem /></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sports

<dropdownlist id="Sports" runat="server" autopostback="True" 
cssclass="newsDropDown" onselectedindexchanged="LoadSportsNews" />
<listitem /> 
</listitem />
<listitem value="Sports%3A%20baseball%20news" />Baseball
<listitem value="Sports%3A%20basketball%20news" />Basketball
</listitem />
<listitem value="Sports%3A%20boxing%20news" />Boxing
</listitem />
<listitem value="Sports%3A%20American%20football%20news" />Football
</listitem /></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Special Interest

<dropdownlist id="Interest" runat="server" autopostback="True" 
cssclass="newsDropDown" onselectedindexchanged="LoadInterestNews" />
<listitem /> 
</listitem />
<listitem value="Consumer%3A%20fitness%20news" />Fitness
<listitem value="Religion%20news" />Religion
</listitem />
<listitem value="Science%20news" />Science
</listitem />
<listitem value="Space%20science%20news" />Space
</listitem />
<listitem value="Consumer%3A%20parenting%20news" />Parenting
</listitem /></p>
<p> </p></td>
<td valign="top" width="100%"><b><label id="Heading" runat="server">
 </label></b>
<p> </p><label id="headlines" runat="server"> </label></td>


using System; 
using System.Collections; 
using System.ComponentModel; 
using System.Data; 
using System.Drawing; 
using System.Web; 
using System.Web.SessionState; 
using System.Web.UI; 
using System.Web.UI.WebControls; 
using System.Web.UI.HtmlControls; 
namespace HL.xmlNewsFeeds { 
///<summary />
/// This page uses the Classes in MoreOverNews.cs to pull news
/// feed from 
/// the site MoreOver.com, which generates XML news 
///feed comiliations. 
/// 
/// I have defaulted to Top Stories when first reaching the page,
/// and if 
/// there is a blank selection. You may change at will. 
/// 
/// More downloadable applications are available at 
///ww.HarrisonLogic.com 
/// Thanks for your interest. 
///</summary />
public class News : System.Web.UI.Page { 
protected System.Web.UI.WebControls.DropDownList TopHeadlines; 
protected System.Web.UI.WebControls.DropDownList Technology; 
protected System.Web.UI.WebControls.DropDownList Interest; 
protected System.Web.UI.WebControls.Label Heading; 
protected System.Web.UI.WebControls.DropDownList Finance; 
protected System.Web.UI.WebControls.DropDownList Sports; 
protected System.Web.UI.WebControls.Label headlines; 
private void Page_Load(object sender, System.EventArgs e) { 
if (!this.IsPostBack) { 
// Default to Top Stories 
Heading.Text = "Top Stories"; 
headlines.Text = GetNewsFeed("Top%20stories"); } 
} 
private string GetNewsFeed(string Category) { 
string newsArticles = ""; 
// We want to check for the cache first 
if (Cache[Category] == null) { 
try { 
// Get the news from MoreOver using the 
// Methods in MoreOverNews.cs 
string MoreOverArticles = ""; 
MoreOverArticles = 
HL.xmlNewsFeeds.MoreOverNews.GetNews(Category, 10, 
"<li>", "<p>"); 
// Cache for 10 minutes, see the 'Cache' documentation 
//for more info 
//on this method 
Cache.Insert(Category, MoreOverArticles, null, 
System.Web.Caching.Cache.NoAbsoluteExpiration, 
TimeSpan.FromMinutes(10)); 
newsArticles = MoreOverArticles; } 
catch (Exception err) { 
// Catch any errors and report to the user 
newsArticles = "<i>Error: No news headlines were retrieved.</i> </p>
<p><font size="-1">" + err.Message + " </font></p>"; } 
} 
else { 
// Use the Cached information 
newsArticles = Cache[Category].ToString(); } 
return newsArticles; } 
public void LoadTopNews(object sender, System.EventArgs e) { 
if (TopHeadlines.SelectedItem.ToString().Trim() == "") { 
Heading.Text = "Top Stories"; 
headlines.Text = GetNewsFeed("Top%20stories"); } 
else { 
Heading.Text = TopHeadlines.SelectedItem.ToString().Trim(); 
headlines.Text = 
GetNewsFeed(TopHeadlines.SelectedItem.Value.ToString().Trim()
); } 
} 
public void LoadFinanceNews(object sender, System.EventArgs e) { 
if (Finance.SelectedItem.ToString().Trim() == "") { 
Heading.Text = "Top Stories"; 
headlines.Text = GetNewsFeed("Top%20stories"); } 
else { 
Heading.Text = Finance.SelectedItem.ToString().Trim(); 
headlines.Text = 
GetNewsFeed(Finance.SelectedItem.Value.ToString().Trim()
); } 
} 
public void LoadSportsNews(object sender, System.EventArgs e) { 
if (Sports.SelectedItem.ToString().Trim() == "") { 
Heading.Text = "Top Stories"; 
headlines.Text = GetNewsFeed("Top%20stories"); } 
else { 
Heading.Text = Sports.SelectedItem.ToString().Trim(); 
headlines.Text = 
GetNewsFeed(Sports.SelectedItem.Value.ToString().Trim()
); } 
} 
public void LoadTechNews(object sender, System.EventArgs e) { 
if (Technology.SelectedItem.ToString().Trim() == "") { 
Heading.Text = "Top Stories"; 
headlines.Text = GetNewsFeed("Top%20stories"); } 
else { 
Heading.Text = Technology.SelectedItem.ToString().Trim(); 
headlines.Text = 
GetNewsFeed(Technology.SelectedItem.Value.ToString().Trim()
); } 
} 
public void 
LoadInterestNews(object sender, System.EventArgs e) { 
if (Interest.SelectedItem.ToString().Trim() == "") { 
Heading.Text = "Top Stories"; 
headlines.Text = GetNewsFeed("Top%20stories"); } 
else { 
Heading.Text = Interest.SelectedItem.ToString().Trim(); 
headlines.Text = 
GetNewsFeed(Interest.SelectedItem.Value.ToString().Trim()
); } 
} 
#region Web Form Designer generated code override protected void 
OnInit(EventArgs e) { 
// 
// CODEGEN: This call is required 
by the ASP.NET Web Form Designer. // 
InitializeComponent(); base.OnInit(e); } 
///<summary />
/// Required method for Designer support - do not modify 
/// the contents of this method with the code editor. 
///</summary />
private void InitializeComponent() { 
this.Load += new System.EventHandler(this.Page_Load); } 
#endregion } 
}