Summer of Code: AtomPub-based Importer Midway Status Report

[Ronald Heft]

Hello everyone,

I'm Ronald Heft, and I have been working on an AtomPub-based importer for TypePad/Movable Type during Google's Summer of Code. The importer aims to alleviate some of the issues with the previous importer, and provide a simpler import process, similar to the current Blogger importer.

We're now halfway through the Summer of Code, so I'm sending out this status update. Over the past month I have implemented the following features in the importer:

- Developed a method for parsing the TypePad AtomPub feed (MT's is currently unavailable due to bug in their AtomPub feed).

- Worked around limitations of TypePad's AtomPub implementation, such as missing draft status and trackbacks.

- Wrote the code to convert the information into WordPress data.

- Created a progress bar to help make the slow import process feel faster.

Over the remainder of the program, I have set the following goals:

- Improve performance wherever possible.

- Remove workarounds and implement trackbacks / draft status correctly should TypePad add those to their Atom API.

- Continue to work with Six Apart in getting Movable Type's AtomPub feed working. Should this become a reality, make any changes needed to get Movable Type to import.

- Import media stored on TypePad's servers into WordPress' media browser, all using AtomPub.

- Test the importer on as many TypePad blogs as possible, both large and small.

Since the performance of the importer is quite slow at the moment due to workarounds and slow TypePad servers, performance enhancements will be my overall goal for the remainder of the program. I want to make sure the import process is as quick and painless as possible.

For anyone interested, I have a video of the importer (albeit, slow), available here: <http://www.viddler.com/explore/cavemonkey50/videos/45/>

You can follow the development on Google's Code servers: <http://code.google.com/p/wordpress-soc-2008/source/browse/trunk/ronald>

Anyone is welcome to download the current SVN release of the importer and test it out. I would greatly appreciate that, as I could always use more feedback.

Due to 2.6's release date being moved up, you won't see the new importer in trunk until trunk goes bleeding again, but the importer will definitely be ready for 2.7.

--
Ronald Heft, Jr.
Information Sciences and Technology
Pennsylvania State University

ronaldheft.com
cavemonkey50.com