HowTo podcast with WordPress 1.5
UPDATE 2 July 14, 2005: As it turns out most WordPress 1.5 installs will podcast automatically, without doing all this stuff bellow. It appears that my web host is set up in such as way to make it hard. This how-to is my work around. Use it if it is helpful. Otherwise bask in the automatic podcasting glory of Word Press! 
As of this minute I only have one way to create my Podcast RSS 2.0 feed with Word Press 1.5. My old install of Movable Type had a plug-in that added the mp3 link and all info into my RSS 2.0 feed automatically. So far I haven’t found a method as easy in Word Press. But here is a HowTo to make it work in Word Press 1.5 anyway. This is what I did to get my enclosure tags for RSS 2.0 working and part of what I do each and every time I release a Podcast. IF ANY ONE KNOWS OF A PLUG-IN OR EASY HACK FOR WORD PRESS 1.5 THAT MAKES PODCASTING SIMPLER PLEASE PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
Update: Supposedly WP 1.5 should add links to MP3s in the post to your RSS feed automatically. Here is the Word Press Codex page that describes this. I’m not getting this functionality. Hmmmm.
HowTo podcast with WordPress 1.5
1) Make sure to upload the mp3 your want to podcast to your webserver.
2) Get the full URL to the file
ex. http://www.yourwebserver.com/myfile.mp3
3) Find the file’s size in bytes. That right bytes not MegaBytes (MB)or KiloBytes (KB) but bytes
ex. a number like 37611020
In the unix terminal the following command will tell you how many bytes large your mp3 file is.
ls -l
Here is an example output of what ls -l will tell you. A number similar to the one I made bold is what your looking for.
-rw-r--r-- 1 username users 37611020 Feb 10 12:26 your_podcast.mp3Go here for more info about the command ls.
4) Log into your WordPress blog Admin panel
5) Click on ‘Write‘ just like your going to compose a blog entry. (Make sure your Writing Posts in Advanced mode. If you do not see the Advanced area under the ‘Write Post’ area at the top then…
Go to:
Options > Writing > Writing Options
Click the radio button labeled ‘Advanced Controls’
Click the ‘Update Options’ button.
6) At the bottom of the page look for the form labeled ‘Add a new custom field to this post:‘
7) Click on the drop down form called -Select-. Do you see a option called ‘enclosure‘? If not type in the word enclosure into the form feild called ‘Key’ and click on the button labled ‘Add Custom Field’
Now you should have an option in the drop down form at ‘dd a new custom field to this post:’ called enclosure. Select that.
9) In the form feild called ‘Value‘ enter the following info on three seperate lines.
-
a. The full URL to the mp3 you’ve uploaded
-
b. The size of the file in bytes
-
c. The description of the mp3 mime type.
Here’s how it should look:
http://www.yourwebserver.com/myfile.mp3
13681184
audio/mpeg
Don’t forget to replace your specific info 
10) Click ‘Add Custom Field’ button and be sure to click the ‘Publish‘ button when your done writting your blog entry text
11) Go check to be sure your enclosure got encluded in your RSS feed.
This address should be something like this:
http://www.yourserver.com/yourdirectory/wp-rss2.php
The key part to look for is wp-rss2.php. The rss2 part is describing the type of rss it is, 2.0. RSS 2.0 is the only one with the enclosure aggrument encluded in it’s standard. This is why we use it for podcasting.
A good way to look at the structure of your RSS 2.0 feed is by using the Firefox browser. It prints out the RSS in a clean color coded manner.
Good luck and email me if you have questions, corrections, and/or suggesions!
(This is a living document that might change from time to time.)
Date last Edited: o3/03/05
March 3rd, 2005 at 7:00 pm
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March 3rd, 2005 at 8:01 pm
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How To Podcast With WordPress 1.5 Since I just upgraded to WP 1.5, this tutorial on podcasting is worth saving.
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March 3rd, 2005 at 9:15 pm
I was experimenting with podcasting this evening and found that WP fills in the enclosure data when you hit the ‘publish’ button. I just did <a href=”http://www.yourwebserver.com/myfile.mp3>My Podcast</a>, hit publish and that was it.
March 3rd, 2005 at 9:19 pm
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March 3rd, 2005 at 9:40 pm
Ian: I’ve tried the same thing with no luck. The WP codex says you can do just that. When did you download and install WP 1.5? I did it the day i came out. Maybe I need to upgrade to the latest.
March 4th, 2005 at 2:07 am
I was having the same problem but I found a solution that works for me. I was using the upload feature in WP and using the html code it generated ie
wp-content/your.mp3I solved the problem by using the full url ie http://www.yoursite.com/wp-content/your.mp3 and then the automatic enclosures worked. Hope this helps
March 4th, 2005 at 4:16 am
I think it was 2 or 3 days after release. I still had the trackback bug in my download if that helps to date it. Also, mine was an upgrade from 1.2.2, if that makes any difference.
March 4th, 2005 at 6:03 am
this has been working even when 1.5 was still 1.3 and i am using this heavily. if the links that automatically generate the enclosures don’t point to a real mp3 location (like redirects with php or other) this does not work, but you can still add the enclosures manually if you want to. ftp links don’t validate too. or if the server you have the mp3s lying at is not all that reachable
March 4th, 2005 at 9:36 am
Any reason why you need to put in the file size and type? I just put in URI for the mp3 and it seems to work just fine. Do some podcast readers need that info? I tested with ipodder on the pc and it picked up the enclosure….
March 4th, 2005 at 9:59 am
Thank you everyone for commenting!
bleed: I think your on to something. My mp3 links are full urls. I upload the files using ftp straight to my webserver. I’m guessing now that the WP 1.5 code isn’t reaching my audio files. Maybe this is a directory or file permissions problem …
Allen: The enclosure tag in RSS 2.0 has three arguments. URL, size in bytes, and mime type of the file your enclosing. I entered these so it would write a valid enclosure tag.
When someone puts just the URL of the file - like a regular link tag - in the post WP 1.5 is going out and *automatically* discovering the other info (size in bytes and mime type). Correct? This is the core of my problem I believe. WP isn’t going out and finding this info about my files.
General Question: Does WP 1.5 generate log files? (I’ll go to the WP forums and find out)
March 4th, 2005 at 4:13 pm
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March 4th, 2005 at 4:21 pm
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March 10th, 2005 at 11:26 am
When I put just the URL in the enclosure (without the file size or mime) it does not go out and find the information… but I havent seen it to be a problem in podcasters. but for validity sake…
I’ve tested just having links in my WP 1.5 post… and it does not automatically enclose the file into the RSS2 feed. I went from 1.2 to 1.5… maybe there was something in 1.3 that added the feature and not in 1.5, but stays after upgrading?
also… i’ve testing just putting the URL without linking… doesnt work.
April 2nd, 2005 at 5:37 pm
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April 3rd, 2005 at 9:34 am
I have a completely un-scientific theory on why podcasting isn’t working automatically for some. PHP is configured in such a way to prevent it. Why do I think this? Several people I know who are having the same problem I am are on the same web server. I’ve now Podcasted with WP 1.5 automatically on a install on another web server.
April 10th, 2005 at 11:13 pm
it seems to me like the auto-enclosure hook happens when the web interface is used, but not when things are submitted via XMLRPC / blog apps. is this true? maybe the code hook to make it happen just needs to be relocated … just a thought
May 19th, 2005 at 8:19 am
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June 17th, 2005 at 9:46 pm
http://codex.wordpress.org/Podcasting
June 22nd, 2005 at 8:41 pm
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June 22nd, 2005 at 8:54 pm
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July 2nd, 2005 at 1:54 am
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July 13th, 2005 at 9:58 am
I’ve been using iPodCatter (as of 2 days ago) and i’ve found that when i edit posts it adds more and more and more custom tags. aside from that, it works just fine.
i’d love to see a plugin that essentially replaces [loudblog](http://loudblog.de/index.php) admin system for podcasting right out of wordpress.
July 14th, 2005 at 2:57 am
funny, my RSS enclosures work automatically on wordpress… it’s 1.5, too.
July 14th, 2005 at 2:14 pm
Yes. It turns out the WordPress 1.5 will podcast automatically, without doing all this stuff above. It appears that my web host is set up in such a way as to make it hard. The above post is my work around.
November 27th, 2005 at 5:31 am
Article works out fine - not an issue in the world
was wondering if the process could be simplified with a javascript plugin. Perhaps even just a script to measure the size of the file and then post the blog.
anyone have anythought on this - it is my first 2 days with wordpress, it is awesome simple yet powerful just the way it should be.
January 29th, 2006 at 6:46 pm
Thanks for making this post as it has proved very useful!
January 31st, 2006 at 6:20 pm
Does anyone know if WP will pick up a mp4 ipod video file and make an enclosure automatically like it does an mp3 audio file?
Is there a plug-in
Mike
February 3rd, 2006 at 7:11 am
PodPress is a new WordPress plugin for Podcasters using WordPress. PodPress makes it MUCH easier to host a podcast and includes iTunes support, a built in Flash MP3 Player and overall ease of use.
March 8th, 2006 at 11:15 pm
If anyone is having trouble with Word Press 1.5 not automatically adding the enclosure information ….
I was having success with WordPress adding the enclosure tag. Then one post it would not add the encloure info. The sound file that I uploaded had a SPACE in the file name. The other sound files did not. I took the space out of the file name. Posted the info into WordPress again and it worked!
Worth a try if you are stuck on this … NO SPACES IN YOUR MP3 FILE NAME.
June 4th, 2006 at 12:26 pm
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May 5th, 2007 at 1:45 am
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