Topic: RSS link not https / SSL compatible

[Vexthem]

On an SSL / HTTPS secured implementation the RSS link at the bottom of the page does not result in a valid action. 

"

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http://https:/..." (please note single forward slash after https in addition to the double prefix) is sent instead of just "

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https://..." such as the below (sanitized) example.
"

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http://https:/mydomain.com/forums/index.php?action=.xml;type=rss"

    Version(s) of SMF
2.0.2
    Your Setup:
        List any Modifications you have installed
Countdown BBCode
        List any Themes you have installed
Custom based on default
        List any non-English Language packs you have installed
None
        Are you using UTF-8?
No
        Any other related information?
        What caching level are you using?
Level 1
    Server Software:
        Apache/IIS version?:
        PHP version?:
        Database type and version:
        Any other related server information?
    Where the Error Occurred
        File:
        Line:
        Any relevant errors in the SMF error log (if so please post them)?:
    How to Reproduce this Error?:
    Additional Information?

[Vexthem]

I tried manually adding the feed to Outlook and that would not work either.  I entered:

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https://mydomain.com/forums/index.php?action=.xml;type=rss and got a message of "Outlook cannot process the RSS content from ... The link may not point to a valid RSS source."

Does RSS simply not work on a secure connection?

[emanuele]

Hello Vexthem and welcome to sm.org.

I just tried to use sMF on localhost (XAMPP) using https, but the link in the footer looks good and I can get the feed with the proper https, without even configuring properly SMF (just relying on self-detection of https).

Are you using the default theme? Do you have any mod installed?
Would be possible to have a link to your forum?

[Vexthem]

Let me investigate from my end a little more, so I'm not wasting more of your time, if this looks like a non-core SMF issue.

As far as I know, I just have a modified default theme and the Countdown BBC mod on the SSL (problem causing) forum and a non-SSL forum where the RSS link and feed works fine.
The one that works fine is

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http://www.nexusmilwaukee.com/forums/index.php.

The SSL forum is a private family one, so I'm hesitant to provide access.  What level of access would you need?

[Vexthem]

I just had a thought.  If the Forum in question is locked down with no public / guest content would that affect the ability of the RSS to work?  This occurred to me when I realized that the Forum where RSS was working as expected has public / guest viewable content and only that content is reflected in the RSS feed, which is what one would wish for.

[emanuele]

It shouldn't make any difference on the creation of the feed url.

I would just like to see the page (you can send me a PM too if you want).
And maybe you can attach to a post your index.template.php.

[Vexthem]

I PMed you links to what you requested.  I also ran a file comparison (WinMerge) and it said that the index.template.php from the Forum and RSS link that works is identical to the one that seems to not work.

Also, I don't think I can attach files...

[emanuele]

You can attach files here. (open the "attachments and other options" below the textarea where you are writing).

[Vexthem]

OK, I "swear" that wasn't there before.  I've been using SMF for many years now and am very familiar with it.  I had assumed that there was a post min before attachments were allowed.  I really hope I didn't miss the attachment button several times.  If I did I'm blaming the Verification box section ;-)

Like I said both files are the same, but included for the sake of completeness.  Deleted the bad. and good. obviously if you try to load them anywhere.

[emanuele]

yeah...nothing wrong with them...

Can you check in your Settings.php if $boardurl has https or not?

Also, may you create a simple php script with the following code inside and see what's the output?

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<?php
$detected_url = isset($_SERVER['HTTPS']) && strtolower($_SERVER['HTTPS']) == 'on' ? 'https://' : 'http://';
$detected_url .= empty($_SERVER['HTTP_HOST']) ? $_SERVER['SERVER_NAME'] . (empty($_SERVER['SERVER_PORT']) || $_SERVER['SERVER_PORT'] == '80' ? '' : ':' . $_SERVER['SERVER_PORT']) : $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'];
$temp = preg_replace('~/' . basename($scripturl) . '(/.+)?$~', '', strtr(dirname($_SERVER['PHP_SELF']), '\\', '/'));
if ($temp != '/')
$detected_url .= $temp;

echo $detected_url;

[emanuele]

Unfortunately I can't access your board (I appear to be banned), so I can't see much.

BTW, searching in google:

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Outlook 2007 "https" feeds
I found this result:
https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/JRA-17367
I'd say it's an outlook/server config clashing.
I'd drop outlook!

[Vexthem]

With Emanuele's help I finally figured out how to unsecure my forum enough to allow guests to view a board/topic and when manually setup in Outlook the RSS feed worked properly.  So as is appropriate RSS feeds only work on public / guest viewable content.

Outlook does not properly import an SSL / https:// RSS feed request.  But if you right click and copy the RSS link at the bottom of your forum page and paste it in to the Outlook new RSS feed box, it will work.

Does SMF have the ability to submit the bug found to Microsoft?  I''m sure they will get right on that ;-)

[emanuele]

If you read the link I posted the bug has already been submitted to MS:
https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/JRA-17367?focusedCommentId=158479&page=com.atlassian.jira.plugin.system.issuetabpanels:comment-tabpanel#comment-158479

So if there is a way that you can affect things at the server (i.e., if the servers response can indicate that the data is cachable), then this should allow RSS feeds to work with Outlook 2007.

If it turns out we need to pursue how we ask for the feed in Outlook instead, then that will end up being a design change request and there is no guarantee that is will be changed. Since changing the Outlook code affects millions of users and is a huge deal to change, we would like to investigate other workarounds before pursuing that avenue.

[Vexthem]

I really couldn't follow what the MS report thread was trying to say.  But it did not seem to me that they realized that Outlook was trying to process "http://https:/..." instead of "https://..."  And clearly the problem has not been fixed if they did realize it.