Rss Content Is Jumbling Templates

[overoceans]

I've created some of my own rss feeds to use with BS. I did this with the help of RssGround, a site that creates any rss feed from any keyword you input. It supports 50 different sources.

Perhaps these feeds are the problem, but in random instances while using the nine default templates that came with BS4, I'll get blogs with text overlapping ads and tables migrating to different parts of the page. I'm fluent in html and don't think this is a coding problem on my part.

Anybody else having this problem? Advice is greatly needed and appreciated.

[Omar]

It is probably a template issue, maybe combined with rss content too. Are you using own templates or BS default? Does your feed has any html tags in the ?

[overoceans]

It is probably a template issue, maybe combined with rss content too. Are you using own templates or BS default? Does your feed has any html tags in the ?

Omar,

Thanks for the quick reply.

I'm using default templates which I tweaked a bit to suit my needs. I also included adsense. As for the feeds I'm using, they are {keyword} specific and generated "on the fly", so I don't believe they include any descriptions at all. The templates seem to "jumble" only after a certain number of posts, which seems to implicate an rss feed problem. I've included some examples of my pages below for you to be the judge, if you'd be so kind.

Blue example:

http://blog.aquariumbubble.com/blogs/tropical-fish-compatible/

Centerstage example:

http://blog.aquariumbubble.com/blogs/georgia-aquarium/

Criterion Examples:

http://blog.aquariumbubble.com/blogs/fish-tank-supplies/
http://blog.aquariumbubble.com/blogs/coffee-table-fish-aquarium/

Reddish examples: (first is malfunct, second seems fine)

http://blog.aquariumbubble.com/blogs/baltimore-aquarium/
http://blog.aquariumbubble.com/blogs/idaho-fish-and-game/

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Omar]

Well.. first 2 examples issues are caused by adsense as i can see. Is the adsense links that are too wide and break template, not rss content.

On some others it looks like the conetnt in the feeds is the one that interfere with template. I would need acccess to your BS manage area, so i can see both template codes and rss feeds, check the content an so on..

[overoceans]

Very well. I just now sent you an email with the login information. As for the adsense causing the problems, I figured that was partially the case, but I wanted you to see the blogs as they are now before I corrected the ad sizes to appease the template tables.

Frankly I'm a bit boggled by all this. Hopefully you can see something with the rss feeds that needs ironing out. In some cases, the rss feeds may not have any content available to spit out onto the templates, which could result in problems. I don't know. I'll wait for your advice before I make any changes.

Thanks Omar.

[overoceans]

Omar,

I managed to fix one of the templates so far. The Reddish template (the one on which my posts got smaller and smaller on toward the bottom) was calling out for a class called "storycontent". I couldn't find the entry in the css file, so I made my own and inserted the desired values. I basically strong-armed the rest of the css entries and fixed it nicely now. If you're curious you can check it out here: http://blog.aquariumbubble.com/blogs/baltimore-aquarium/. I'd be curious to know if anyone else has had this weird problem. Several (if not all) probably have but just let it go.

Anyway, I'll get back to you on the status of the rest of the templates.

[overoceans]

Omar,

Through trial and error in the css of the templates and switching around many of the elements, I'm happy to report that my templates and rss and adsense are all playing well together now. Thanks for your help.

[Omar]

Tha's good. Can you tell us what was wrong? May help other people..

[overoceans]

Tha's good. Can you tell us what was wrong? May help other people..

One thing that seemed to be the deciding factor with the reddish and blue templates was the rss feed content apparently being formatted a certain way from some of my sources that BS didn't like. I changed all of the content font size css attributes to my own set sizes, substituting "font-size: Xpx;" attributes instead of "em". I know "font-size" is deprecated, but the templates responded well with them, and I believe the tags will still be recognized for years to come yet.

On a few of the templates, I had to resize the footers to shorter lengths since they seemed to be redefining the width of the tables after I inserted adsense. On several other templates I had to cut the sidebars out and move them to higher positions in the templates and apply floats to them (either left or right). (Some of these floats were already applied in css, so I had to check this first).

The largest part of the conflicts were created by adsense units being added that broke the tables, even though these units should have fit correctly into the sections per the specs of the css. Best advice is to go with smaller ads and be sure to float them where necessary so they don't break the tables. It's a trial and error thing, unfortunately.

My biggest problem was self-created when I chose to resize the templates to 800 pixels wide each. Best bet is to leave the templates set at variable widths so that the elements will auto-shift around, basically "budging in" where there's space. The only problem with this is that all the elements wind up in unpredictable positions across different screens. To avoid this, I usually go with fixed width templates (i.e. 800 pixels). Unfortunately, BS templates don't like to be bullied around, and it took some doing to "put them in their place", if you'll pardon the pun.

Best advice to others having any similar issues is to check the adsense combinations first, then go to the css and pick your own values if the rss content is jumbling or quirky. Leave the templates at variable widths (percentages, that is), unless you want more control. Hope this helps.