Python scripts for generating RSS feed of images in a directory. Resulting file can be served up by any webserver to (for example) a LCD picture frame that can accept RSS feeds. Adapted from http://www.stuffaboutcode.com/2012/09/python-create-rss-podcast-of-mp3-files.html

RSSgen.py

# import libraries
import os
import sys
import datetime
import time
import random

# import constants from stat library
from stat import * # ST_SIZE ST_MTIME

# format date method
def formatDate(dt):
    return dt.strftime("%a, %d %b %Y %H:%M:%S +0000")

# get the item/@type based on file extension
def getItemType(fileExtension):
    if fileExtension == "jpg":
         mediaType = "image/jpeg"
##    if fileExtension == "aac":
##         mediaType = "audio/mpeg"
    elif fileExtension == "mp4":
         mediaType = "video/mpeg"
    else:
         mediaType = "audio/mpeg"
    return mediaType

# constants
# the podcast name
rssTitle = "Image Stream"
# the podcast description
rssDescription = "Image Stream"
# the url where the podcast items will be hosted
rssSiteURL = "http://x.x.x.x:pp"
# the url of the folder where the items will be stored
rssItemURL = rssSiteURL + "/frame/flickr"
# the url to the podcast html file
rssLink = rssSiteURL + "/index.html"
# url to the podcast image
rssImageUrl = rssSiteURL + "/logo.jpg"
# the time to live (in minutes)
rssTtl = "60"
# contact details of the web master
rssWebMaster = "me@me.com"


#record datetime started
now = datetime.datetime.now()


# command line options
#    - python createRSFeed.py /path/to/podcast/files /path/to/output/rss
# directory passed in
rootdir = sys.argv[1]
# output RSS filename
outputFilename = sys.argv[2]


# Main program

# open rss file
outputFile = open(outputFilename, "w")


# write rss header
outputFile.write("<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\" ?>\n")
outputFile.write("<rss version=\"2.0\">\n")
outputFile.write("<channel>\n")
outputFile.write("<title>" + rssTitle + "</title>\n")
outputFile.write("<description>" + rssDescription + "</description>\n")
outputFile.write("<link>" + rssLink + "</link>\n")
outputFile.write("<ttl>" + rssTtl + "</ttl>\n")
outputFile.write("<image><url>" + rssImageUrl + "</url><title>" + rssTitle + "</title><link>" + rssLink + "</link></image>\n")
outputFile.write("<copyright>mart 2012</copyright>\n")
outputFile.write("<lastBuildDate>" + formatDate(now) + "</lastBuildDate>\n")
outputFile.write("<pubDate>" + formatDate(now) + "</pubDate>\n")
outputFile.write("<webMaster>" + rssWebMaster + "</webMaster>\n")


# walk through all files and subfolders 
for path, subFolders, files in os.walk(rootdir):
    
    print len(files)
    # limit to 250 images to stay within possible limitations of target picture frame
    random_list = random.sample(files,250)
        for file in random_list:
         # split the file based on "." we use the first part as the title and the extension to work out the media type
        fileNameBits = file.split(".")
        # get the full path of the file
        fullPath = os.path.join(path, file)
        # get the stats for the file
        fileStat = os.stat(fullPath)
        # find the path relative to the starting folder, e.g. /subFolder/file
        relativePath = fullPath[len(rootdir):]

        # write rss item
        outputFile.write("<item>\n")
        outputFile.write("<title>" + fileNameBits[0].replace("_", " ") + "</title>\n")
        outputFile.write("<description>A description</description>\n")
        outputFile.write("<link>" + rssItemURL + relativePath + "</link>\n")
        outputFile.write("<guid>" + rssItemURL + relativePath + "</guid>\n")
        outputFile.write("<pubDate>" + formatDate(datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(fileStat[ST_MTIME])) + "</pubDate>\n")
        outputFile.write("<enclosure url=\"" + rssItemURL + relativePath + "\" length=\"" + str(fileStat[ST_SIZE]) + "\" type=\"" + getItemType(fileNameBits[len(fileNameBits)-1]) + "\" />\n")
        outputFile.write("</item>\n")

        
# write rss footer
outputFile.write("</channel>\n")
outputFile.write("</rss>")
outputFile.close()
print "complete" 

todo

• crawl a directory on a web server as well as a file directory
• code to download full images from a Flickr group