RSS Desktop
Intro: RSS Desktop
I was tired of useless pictures hanging around my desktop so i decided to turn my desktop into a constantly updating RSS bullitin board.
I just loaded a shot of my my background as a game too(JT's blocks from Yahoo)!
I have also included the full HTML with JavaScript and better screen shots in the .zip file.
I just loaded a shot of my my background as a game too(JT's blocks from Yahoo)!
I have also included the full HTML with JavaScript and better screen shots in the .zip file.
STEP 1: Create the HTML Document.
You're going to have to make an HTML file. The easiest way to get results is with tables. Decide how many feeds you are going to have and create a table with an appropriate number of rows and columns. Also, set the width and height of the table to meet your needs. I set it to according to my screen resolution.
STEP 2: Insert META Tag to Refresh Page Every 10 Minutes
To make the feeds update you have to add a refresh to your HTML document. This is fairly simple.
Simply place this between your <head></head> tags: <meta http-equiv="refresh" content="600">.
That simple. The "600" is the number of seconds. If you want to increase the time to say 20 minutes, you simply put in "1200" and so on.
Simply place this between your <head></head> tags: <meta http-equiv="refresh" content="600">.
That simple. The "600" is the number of seconds. If you want to increase the time to say 20 minutes, you simply put in "1200" and so on.
STEP 3: Use Feed2JS to Create HTML Feeds
Now, you find the feeds that you want from all over the web and go to: http://jade.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/feed/index.php?s=build
Place the URL of the feed(like the instructables feed at https://www.instructables.com/ex/y/process/rss.xml) into the form and set it up the way you want it. There are a lot of different options so be sure to use the preview feed button until you have it the way you want it.
Once you are happy with it, simply click on the Generate JavaScript button and cut and paste the code it generates into your html for the individual cells in your table.
It will look like this (<script language="JavaScript" src="http://jade.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/feed/feed2js.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.instructables.com%2Fex%2Fy%2Fprocess%2Frss.xml&chan=title&num=4&date=y&targ=y" type="text/javascript"></script>)
Place the URL of the feed(like the instructables feed at https://www.instructables.com/ex/y/process/rss.xml) into the form and set it up the way you want it. There are a lot of different options so be sure to use the preview feed button until you have it the way you want it.
Once you are happy with it, simply click on the Generate JavaScript button and cut and paste the code it generates into your html for the individual cells in your table.
It will look like this (<script language="JavaScript" src="http://jade.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/feed/feed2js.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.instructables.com%2Fex%2Fy%2Fprocess%2Frss.xml&chan=title&num=4&date=y&targ=y" type="text/javascript"></script>)
STEP 4: Place in Documents Folder
After you have finished editing and cutin' and pastin' be sure to save the file somewhere on your computer as an HTML file.
STEP 5: Point Your Desktop to It
Right click on your desktop and select properties. Click on the Desktop Tab, then the Customize Desktop button. Then, click the Web tab and press the New Button. Browse to yout HTML file and hit Ok, then Ok again. Place a check mark next to your files directory listing and remove the one next to "My Current home Page" and click Ok. then hit Ok again.
You may have to do some stretching and moving around but it's all in how you want it to appear.
You may have to do some stretching and moving around but it's all in how you want it to appear.
STEP 6: Expand However You Want
I wasn't happy with just RSS feeds so i also added the weather. When you add any pages to your desktop simply make the link to them target = "_self" and it will stay right on your desktop. Enjoy and expand on it as you please. be warned though, this is built on internet explorer so any sites that you go to inside your desktop are completely exploitable the same as ie so I have all of my external links opening with firefox....
106 Comments
motherprune 9 years ago
Its nice
cobbledbeard 9 years ago
Excellent idea, very usable and fun.
mousepaper 9 years ago
Thats excellent
Christopherhenson88 9 years ago
Thats stunning...
gorgeddamp 9 years ago
Brilliant...!!
illrings 9 years ago
Its fabulous
airbugger 9 years ago
This is awesome!
williamsjavellana 9 years ago
Thats marvelous
headlymph 9 years ago
nice
tealrink 9 years ago
OUTSTANDING...
grousebandit 9 years ago
Thanks
harechubby 10 years ago
good
jiffymanager 10 years ago
great
calmlunch 10 years ago
nice
clapfilk 10 years ago
wonderful
NumerologyAnswers 10 years ago
good
spongeraffle 10 years ago
This is so great!
spongeraffle 10 years ago
This is so great!
workexaminer 10 years ago
Its wonderful :)
clickyummy 10 years ago
nice