Site Map Question

[goldxpress]

To all StoreStackers with site maps,

Are your site maps dynamic (updates automatically) or did you do it manually?

I'm trying to figure out the best way to set up my site map since we are also using eBay.

Any info will be appreciated (including best software app for dynamic site maps).

Thanks...

goldxpress

[goldxpress]

I just noticed jjarrett post on the "Automatic Sitemap Generator Script." I will try it later today. The post is here:

http://www.halfagain.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2146

________________________
goldxpress

[Omar]

Not really an answer to your question, but just wanted to add that SS will have a build in sitemap.xml soon, that is dynamic and automated (updates once with the site without any user intervention)

[Crazeet]

but just wanted to add that SS will have a build in sitemap.xml soon, that is dynamic and automated (updates once with the site without any user intervention)

I have to say I'm glad to hear that one!! I've spent pretty much the whole day working on the 404 problem I PMed you about and still havn't figure it out yet.

2 questions, will the sitemap crawl other directories that are added to SS if SS is in the root directory?, and any idea how soon this will be available?

[goldxpress]

Not really an answer to your question, but just wanted to add that SS will have a build in sitemap.xml soon, that is dynamic and automated (updates once with the site without any user intervention)

Both sitemap.xml and sitemap.html that's dynamic and automated would be GREAT! And maybe an urllist.txt for Yahoo, along with the you-tube plugin for videos (you promised) would win the Software Award of 2008 IMHO.

Anyways the "Automatic Sitemap Generator Script" does not meet my needs...I also want a sitemap.html for my visitors. I use site maps often myself when surfing...makes it easier to find what I'm searching for.

Right now I'm testing the "Standalone XML Sitemap Generator." However, IMO a SS built-in site map generator should be much better.

I'm feeling good about StoreStacker...

Come on all you StoreStackers...OOH RAH!!!...OOH RAH!!! LOL

___________________________________
goldxpress

[Crazeet]

Right now I'm testing the "Standalone XML Sitemap Generator."

I'm also trying to get this to work, without any joy, have you got it to work with SS yet?

[Omar]

I am currently playing (read as testing) with the plugin for rss, including videos and sitemaps.

Sitemap module now builds a google xml sitemap and only based on SS internal pages. It does not crawl pages, not to drain resources for big sites on small hosts, but uses the database.

A html sitemap.. well.. that may be possible too, but not sure how usable for a surfer. Imagine a site with 10 categories and some 100 products on each category (which as i seen is a pretty small site, users make lot more categories and products). A html sitemap would need to have at least 1000 links for products, without counting any static pages, category pages, etc. That means will need to be split into more pages, like 20 of 50 links. Do you think that will be more usable for a surfer then just use categories or search module of the script to look for what they want?

Anyway, anyone wanting to play with the new features, let me know and i will send you a beta zip. Just be aware that is still beta.

[Crazeet]

I'd like to try a copy of the Beta thanks.

[goldxpress]

I'm also trying to get this to work, without any joy, have you got it to work with SS yet?

Yes, it works with SS. It generates perfect sitemap.xml & urllist.txt files, but the HTML template can use some polishing/editing. However, some users are leaving the HTML template as is...I'm having a problem with editing.

You can PM the admin at "Sitemap Generator" forum and he will help you with setup problems, but no help editing HTML template.

Good Luck!

__________________
goldxpress

[goldxpress]

I am currently playing (read as testing) with the plugin for rss, including videos and sitemaps.

A html sitemap.. well.. that may be possible too, but not sure how usable for a surfer......

Anyway, anyone wanting to play with the new features, let me know and i will send you a beta zip. Just be aware that is still beta.

Well, I find HTML site maps to be very useful as long as the design flows in a logical readable format. It's an additional search option for the visitor...and that's a positive.

_______________
goldxpress

[Crazeet]

Yes, it works with SS. It generates perfect sitemap.xml & urllist.txt files

What did you add to your .htaccess to allow it to work with SS?
 Assuming you have SS in your root directory.

Also, what version are you using?

I've emailed Oleg with several times and just waiting to hear back from him form my last email cause I just can't get it to work with SS in the root directory.

[royalmice]

HI all,

I have successfully created the following sitemaps, they can be updated via cron and the software also ping the search engines and very configurable. I use it on all my SS sites

XML sitemap
In text format
In ROR format
HTML sitemap

Here are some examples:
 
> http://www.travel-e-store.com/sitemap.xml
> http://travel-e-store.com/generator/data/urllist.txt
> http://www.travel-e-store.com/ror.xml
> http://travel-e-store.com/generator/data/sitemap.html

PM me if you want me to give you some more info

[goldxpress]

What did you add to your .htaccess to allow it to work with SS?
 Assuming you have SS in your root directory.

Also, what version are you using?

I've emailed Oleg with several times and just waiting to hear back from him form my last email cause I just can't get it to work with SS in the root directory.

Yes, I added the SS to my root and named the site map folder, smgenerator (that's the same folder as royalmice's "generator" in post above - I just gave it a different name). I added the following to the .htaccess file:

RewriteRule   ^smgenerator(.*)$     -     [L]

My setup is the same as royalmice's, except his HTML site map needs some REAL work...to many duplicates for human use.  You and royalmice need to contact the admin via the forum, publicly or by PM. I don't think he's into emails very much. Plus, it's easy to add a "header" to the HTML template; my problem is trying to edit their code into the design I want for my sites. Any help will be appreciated.

You will be ok if you work with admin and follow their instructions, including and especially setting permissions.

Also, I'm using updated version of SS...

_______________________
goldxpress

[Crazeet]

RewriteRule ^smgenerator(.*)$ - [L]

That was the first thing I did but it didn't work so I then added 2 more lines so ended up with these additional lines in the htaccess
RewriteRule ^ror\.xml$ - [L]
RewriteRule ^sitemap\.xml$ - [L]
RewriteRule ^generator(.*)$ - [L]
but I still get a 404 not found message for .../url.txt and a head error message for the ror.xml
Then tried RewriteEngine off in a htaccess file in the generator folder but that didn't work either.

Anyway it will just have to wait for another day as I'm spending way too much time trying to get it sorted out and it's a sub-domain for a site that is crawled by the spiders already so the store will get picked up.