Bad characters in text of HP rss links...

1. 98

   Sally's Troveposted 14 years ago

   Title of Hub in an HP rss capsule displays as "Spiders As Pets: A Beginner’s Guide To Spider Keeping".
   
   Is this just a function of my browser? If not, can I fix it? If not, then what?
   
   (I think this may be an old topic, but I couldn't find any forum posts on it through a forum search.)
   
   Thanks!

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2. 87

   rebekahELLEposted 14 years ago

   I have noticed that also at times.

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3. 98

   Sally's Troveposted 14 years ago

   Here's the skinny...
   
   I tried the HP rss feed because of all the posts going on about the new HubKarma "measure" where Hubbers also talked about using HP rss feeds. I'd never used an HP rss feed, so I thought it would be a good thing to try.
   
   Although I was able to find appropriate Hubs to link to, the text in the rss capsule is full of bad characters.
   
   So I have to ask, why should I insert typographical errors into my text thereby degrading the quality of my Hub? It makes no sense at all to use a tool that subtracts rather than adds value.
   
   So, is there a workaround for replacing these typos, or is it just what my browser is displaying while other browsers display the accurate characters, or is it something that can't be worked around or fixed?

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4. 64

   4x4posted 14 years ago

   I have noticed the same thing but haven't found the time to ask about it or find a solution. Glad you asked, I'll just follow this query then. Thanks.

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   1. 98

      Sally's Troveposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Glad you saw this thread and posted, 4x4. I'm puzzled as to why this thread hasn't been addressed by Hubbers with much more experience than I. I'm thinking of moving this thread to the "Report a Problem" forum topic, but I seem to remember that this is an old issue. Let's see what happens here first in terms of getting an answer.

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5. 87

   rebekahELLEposted 14 years ago

   I think they are foreign characters and sometimes show up on sites from browser add ons. I don't know for sure, but I found this article if this is what you're talking about. 
   
   http://ezinearticles.com/?Getting-Forei … id=3779839
   
   we need SF or some of our online gurus.

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   1. 98

      Sally's Troveposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks so much for this link, and yes, we need our online gurus.

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   2. 98

      Sally's Troveposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for the link, rebekahELLE. I took a quick look, but I think I'm going to have to digest all that's there over a cup of morning coffee.
      
      Why do we writers have to be figuring this out? Maybe it's just not on the list of HP Team priorities, although HubKarma is. Go figure.

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6. 71

   Cagsilposted 14 years ago

   Hey Sally, I remember someone talking about the characters of those who write outside HubPages and import(copy and paste) into HubPages text capsules.
   
   It is with regards to an incapability of the software outside HubPages and HubPages capsules. When copy and paste is used it copies even things unseen on the page and when HubPages text capsules try to translate it, it comes out garbled or a mess.
   
   The only way I can think of to prevent it from happening is to optimize the RSS feed by targeting a specific keyword/tag.
   
   I only say that because, new hubbers and even some older hubbers, are not up on the SEO teachniques, which means that they do not understand keywords/tags and the use of them.
   
   With that said- I know you can make RSS feeds for almost anything and you might be better off not using a generic "hot" or "best" feed.
   
   Example: I have a capstone poetry directory for my poems, which has two feeds on it - one for "hot" and one for "best" and I've noticed the same thing you have a problem with. I haven't checked it as of lately, because it refreshes on it's own. I now use a targeted word for the feed.
   
   I hope that helped.

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   1. 98

      Sally's Troveposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Cagsil, thanks for all of that. Looks like we are all looking for a reason and a solution.
      
      I also remember a discussion about this a long time ago.
      
      The thing is, I'm using HP's tools to make these links, with no copy and pasting from anywhere.
      
      I hear you about not forcing a generic hot or best feed. But HP supposedly gives us tools to do exactly that.
      
      Do you think you could write a Hub that would help us with this?
      
      And then send your bill to HP for providing the info they should have in the first place.

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      1. 71

         Cagsilposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         On another note, I'm not fluent about SEO technique(not all of them) enough to write a hub about it. I wouldn't even know where to begin.

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7. 71

   Cagsilposted 14 years ago

   It is not what you are doing Sally.
   
   You seem to misunderstand what I said or didn't read it all.
   
   When outside Software is used and it is not capability with HubPages text capsules then more is imported into the capsule.
   
   This is apparently happening on other hubber's hubs and the RSS feed is picking it up.
   
   I hope that cleared it up for you.

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   1. 98

      Sally's Troveposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Apparently you and I are not on the same wavelength.
      
      I read what you said, but perhaps you didn't do a good job in conveying your point.
      
      Please explain "outside Software", for starts.
      
      Perhaps I know a bit about what you mean there, as in the "em" dash copied from Word to HP in the process of creating a Hub may not translate into a character that HP recognizes. If that's the case, then HP needs to educate us or fix its software.
      
      So, can you pull this all together so that I can understand?
      
      I think you are trying to say something very worthwhile.

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      1. 71

         Cagsilposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Actually, we are.
         This wouldn't not surprise me. Sometimes, even when I explain things in detail, something still gets missed.
         Exactly. Not "all" software copies and pastes the same. Most inexperienced hubbers do not bother to check their work, when finished. They rush to start another hub. So they do not notice the mess up within their own hub.
         
         If HP would put a disclaimer somewhere in-line, before the creation of a Hub, so as to warn new hub writers about the incapability of some software, it might cut down on the problem.
         
         It is the inexperienced new hubbers and some of the older hubbers(those who know nothing about SEO techniques), who make this mistake. It's really, indirectly and directly, their own fault.
         
         (a) they do not check their work, so they do not know the mistake exists, until later on
         (b) the RSS feed picks up on the mistakes and retrieves the related hubs you asked it to pick up.
         (c) to limited the damage, set the RSS feed to a specific TAG or KEYWORD, so as to eliminate a lot of the mess or mistakes.
         
         **(c) has a different line setup versus normal "hot" or "best" RSS feed tags. The "hot" or "best" feed is directly from HubPages' generalized loaded feed of hubs. Using a keyword/tag will narrow down what you receive from the feed.
         
         I only say that because of the number of inexperienced new hubbers and those who know nothing about SEO techniques(keywords/tags)- because they will not have the proper usage in play on their hubs. Thus, again eliminating a bunch of hubs that you probably wouldn't want on your hub.
         
         Hopefully that's better.

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8. 98

   Sally's Troveposted 14 years ago

   You said..."Exactly. Not 'all' software copies and pastes the same. Most inexperienced hubbers do not bother to check their work, when finished. They rush to start another hub. So they do not notice the mess up within their own hub."
   
   If you import MS Word text into your Hub, HP does not flag any characters, or distort them in the finished Hub. So it's not a matter of authors checking their finished work. It's when HP applies another piece of code on top of that finished Hub, that those differences are not accounted for.
   
   That a great feature like using HP rss feeds results in garbage characters is not the Hubber's responsibility, it's HP's.

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   1. 71

      Cagsilposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      But, realize that NOT everyone uses MS Word. Not every program converts, because the copy and paste function works differently.
      
      I personally do not use anything. I write my hubs right inside the hub itself.
      By using a keyword/tag - a specific "word", like "poem" or "poetry", you can make your RSS feed only pull hubs with that word.
      
      The line used to make your RSS feed needs to be changed, apart from the "normal" line used for "hot" or "best" feeds.
      
      Example: hXXp://hubpages.com/hubs/tags/poetry?rss
      
      That line should be different than that of "hot" or "best" and only pulls hubs which are keyword/tag related.

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9. 98

   Sally's Troveposted 14 years ago

   Please explain:  **(c) has a different line setup versus normal "hot" or "best" RSS feed tags. The "hot" or "best" feed is directly from HubPages' generalized loaded feed of hubs. Using a keyword/tag will narrow down what you receive from the feed.
   
   Sounds like this is good advice, but I have no idea what you mean. What is **(c)?

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10. 98

    Sally's Troveposted 14 years ago

    Cagsil, MS Word was an example. I know not everyone uses it. And apparently it doesn't convert well, because I use it and characters like apostrophes and em dashes produce garbage in HP rss feeds.
    
    So maybe that's the answer, to write Hubs inside the capsules, as you do, so as to eliminate the transfer from one application to another. Then, how do you get a tilda or an accent ague? Well, maybe that's a need I have that no one else does.
    
    As for eliminating the "best" or the "hot" or the "latest" from the rss URL, that defeats the purpose of your Hub's content, if you want to feature only Hubs that are of quality, or of popular interest, or of timeliness. Let's not dumb down a feature HP is trying to make work. If I want to select Hubs that are considered to be "best", then I'm glad I have the option.
    
    Again, maybe I'm missing your point.
    
    I still don't know what you mean by **(c).
    
    Time to call it a night?

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11. 71

    Cagsilposted 14 years ago

    Target keywords hubbers use.
    
    Create an RSS feed with that in mind. The keyword is relevant to your hub.

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12. 60

    Eileen Hughesposted 14 years ago

    sometimes when I copied and pasted from word on other sites I used to get all sorts of funny characters.
    
    It not longer happens though.  Maybe it is from a newbies word document like I had.

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