RSS2MYSQL will take all the news items + descriptions available on the feed and place them into a database table.
They are randomized by the way we call them from the database table-- we use and ORDER BY rand() statement in the database query. Then as when we cycle through the query results they are listed in a random order.
I attached an example of how to call the items once they have been stored.
As for the duplicates: It will do that. When the script runs, it deletes all the items previously in the table and then repopulates the table with whatever is currently on the feeds listed within the script config.
You can set up the cron to run the script as often as you would like.
Yes it can. I attached an example excerpt of how I call the randomized feed onto my home-page (annualreportresources.com), it should work just like any other php function.
<table>
<tr>
<td width=100%><br>
<h3>Whats going on in the economic world?</h3><br>
<?php
//set number of items you would like to display
$limit = rand(7,10); //random number between 7 and 10
//or you could simply do this
//$limit = 7;
//call items from database
$query = "SELECT DISTINCT * FROM rssitems ORDER BY rand() LIMIT $limit";
$result = mysql_query($query);
if (!$result){echo "bad query. check your table name."; exit;}
// loop through and print each item
while ($array = mysql_fetch_array($result))
{
$title = $array['title'];
title = htmlspecialchars_decode($title);
$description = $array['description'];
$description = htmlspecialchars_decode($description);
$link = $array['link'];
//style your articles
echo "<div style='font-weight:600;font-size:13px;text-decoration:underline;'><a href='$link' style='color:#191970;' target=new>$title</a></div>";
echo "<div>";
echo "$description ...";
echo "</div><br>";
}
?>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
I always use my host's control panel to set up my cronjob. Setting up a cron is like declaring a special path to the script in the area that handles all cron jobs, and then declaring how often you would like to run the script indicated in the pathway. Within the script there are some instructions on what a cron command should look like, and how to go about setting it up. If you get flustered with the newness of cron jobs then just shoot your host an email or check their help files. All good hosts have documentation on how to go about this.
