Podcast / iWeb 08 update issue

Question

I just recently got into podcasting. I have been using Garageband to create and then send to iWeb. I was using iWeb 06 until just recently. I updated to iWeb 08.
In iWeb 06, the podcast showed up in iTunes and you were able to subscribe to it. However, since updating to 08, iTunes can no longer find the podcast. It claims the rss could not be found on the server. Is this because of the update to 08? I noticed a slight change to my website name. Is this the issue?
If so, how do I correct this? Can I just resubmit my entire podcast to iTunes for approval and start all over?
Any help is appreciated.
My podcast is located at: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=321929259

Answer 1

OK, I'll try to unravel this: but I should make clear that I'm running on a certain amount of guesswork here and I can't promise the solution I suggest will work. Give it a try and let me know.
I'm not familiar with iWeb 06, but I suspect that what has happened is that it used a different folder layout: when you upgraded to 08 it changed to the newer folder layout, leaving a redirect from the old address: however there isn't a redirect for the podcast feed (and even if there was it wouldn't work in iTunes) so it's effectively sabotaged you. Nice.
iTunes thinks your feed is at
http://rss.me.com/markandjill/iWeb/SW Miniverse/Star Wars Miniverse/rss.xml
In fact is is now at
http://web.me.com/markandjill/SWMiniverse/Star_WarsMiniverse/rss.xml
What you need to do is to persuade iTunes to change to the new feed. Please read these instructions carefully and carry them out to the letter.
Open your iDisk, and navigate to the Web/Sites/SWMiniverse/Star_WarsMiniverse folder. Look for a file called 'rss.xml' and download it to your desktop.
Drag this file to the TextEdit icon in your Dock (or in the applications folder). You will see your feed. Somewhere in the top few lines - it doesn't matter exactly where as long as it's before the first 'item' tag - add this extra line:
<itunes:new-feed-url>http://web.me.com/markandjill/SWMiniverse/Star_WarsMiniverse/rss.xml</itunes:new-feed-url>
(be careful that you don't get a line return in the middle of this - you might get one in your browser display).
Now choose 'save as' and save this as rss.xml - TextEdit will suggest you make this .rss.xml.txt, decline this offer. Make sure the file is called rss.xml and is a plain text file.
Now the tricky bit.
Open your iDisk and try to navigate to the Web/Sites/iWeb/SW Miniverse/Star Wars Miniverse folder. If it doesn't exist you will need to create the new folders as appropriate. Upload the rss.xml file you created there.
Now to check whether this has worked.
Go to the iTunes Store page for your podcast. Click the subscribe button and go to 'Podcasts' in the sidebar.
If it's recognized this feed you should see the episodes listed when you click the disclosure triangle. On the top line - the podcast title - at the right you will see a little 'i' button: click this and you will see the feed address - it should read
http://rss.me.com/markandjill/iWeb/SW%20Miniverse/Star%20Wars%20Miniverse/rss.xm l
(strictly you shouldn't have spaces in file or folder names which is why they are replaced with %20).
If all this is the case you should be good to go: eventually iTunes will update to the correct feed - you should leave the feed you just uploaded there until it does, and it might take a fortnight. You can check by clicking on the 'i' button as before and seeing whether the correct feed URL is displayed.
I'm making assumptions about the way iWeb 06 behaves: if they aren't correct this may not work. If it doesn't please post back and we'll explore another avenue.