screaming-liquid-tiger

Simple script to automatically generate valid RSS and Atom feeds from a list of media files in the same folder.
Screaming Liquid Tiger
23 May 20201362
218php2audiobooks1feed-generator1overcast1pocketcasts17rss32feed readers943selfhosted

Screaming Liquid Tiger

Simple script to automatically generate valid RSS and Atom feeds from a list of media files in the same folder. Written in PHP to enable use even on the cheapest shared host.

I wrote this because I wanted an easy way to use Overcast to listen to my audiobooks. However, I don't recommend it anymore since the author decided to make it free but to include annoying ads that you can only get rid of by a subscription of $10 per year. In my view this is an unreasonable price to ask for such an app. I'm using Pocket Casts now. You should check it out. Podcast players are ideal applications for this, contrary to generic media players. It is also trivial to be adapted to other uses and file types.

  • Automatically gets media files from same folder, no fiddling with a GUI
  • Automatically sets file modification date
  • Automatically sets per-file MIME type
  • Automatically sets file size
  • Generates valid RSS and Atom feeds for maximum compatibility
  • Automatically extracts tag information when mediainfo is installed

Caffeinating

When you find this helpful, you could buy me a coffee. Keeping me properly caffeinated accelerates things. And it would really make my day. Kindness of strangers and all that. If you can't or won't, no hard feelings. It's available completely free for a reason. Still, it would be awesome.

Buy Me A Coffee

Installation and Usage

  • Upload index.php file to a folder on a web server running PHP 5.4 or higher.
  • Edit the configuration variables if needed and upload media files of any kind.
  • Optionally make sure mediainfo is installed. Set the $mediainfo_check variable to true and follow the instructions displayed. If no instructions show but your feed appears, it already works.

For personal podcasting use, those should obviously be audio files but you can use it with any kind of file.

For easier upgrades, you can now use a config.php file (included) to set your options. Just rename config.php.default to config.php and make your adjustments. The script will autodetect if it is present. If not, it will fall back to its included defaults.

If you have a rather large collection of files, you may want to set up a cronjob running the script, redirecting its output to an XML file like so:

*/15 * * * * curl http://example.com/folder/index.php > /usr/local/www/podcast.xml

How to Create Your Own Audiobooks

There are several approaches but the one I like best is converting CDs or audio files to a 'Bookmarkable MP4 File', most commonly spotted by its extension .m4b. Here's a quick list of software you can use.

For Mac OS X, take a look at Audiobook Builder. It's a fantastic and inexpensive piece of software. It's what I use.

For Windows, I hear good things about Chapter and Verse. You'll need both the application and iTunes for it to work.

For Linux, there are two older projects worth mentioning: m4baker and zak. If those won't do, you could always script the hell out of ffmpeg, mp4v2 and MP4tools.

Donation

In case you feel particularly generous today, you can buy me a coffee. That would really make my day. Kindness of strangers and all that. If you can't or won't, no hard feelings.

Bitcoin: 1HXi42h9Uk5LmDrq1rVv8ykaFoeARTXw9P

Screenshot

Here's what an audiobook may look like while playing in Overcast. Nice, isn't it?

Screenshot

Changelog

0.4.0

  • Added support for optional custom media directory. (by @farktronix)
  • Added ETag support. (by @farktronix)

0.3.1

  • Makes sure that dotfiles are not included in the feed generation. Sometimes extended attributes are saved in dotfiles with the same suffix. Those files are now excluded by default and no longer clutter up the feed.

0.3.0

  • Refactoring of feed generation code.
  • Moved config file to template.

0.2.2

  • Enabled external config file config.php.

0.2.1

  • Exchanged ffmpeg for mediainfo, as image support in podcasting clients is generally limited and mediainfo generates faster and more reliable output.
  • Set $mediainfo_check variable to false as default

0.2.0

  • Added optional tag and artwork reading capability through ffmpeg
  • Added optional feed image output
  • Added optional duration tag

0.1.2

  • Added .gitignore
  • Proper array alignment
  • Added FLAC extension and MIME type
  • Exchanged fileinfo for manual array of MIME values
  • Normalized PHP echo tags
  • Implemented XML header fix for PHP 7

0.1.1

  • Some restructuring and clean up.
  • More code comments.

0.1.0

  • Initial release.