Open Social: How To Migrate old URL of App / Gadget / Widget to New URL ?

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I received email from Google Pages stating that they going to move to Google Sites and when I check further Google Sites doesn't support files like XML, HTML, CSS, JS. Now, here the problem begins since I have hosted most of my Google and Orkut Apps on Google Pages. Similar issue with geocities.com which is also going to be closed soon, and their also I hosted some apps XML, CSS and JS files.

I can figure out the place where can I host my files but I can not find any way on iGoogle or Orkut to change the origianl URL of my App, Gadget and Widget to something new. But in last few days I found the way to migrate the old URL to new URL and here are some simple step by step gude for both iGoogle and Orkut sandbox.

For hosting XML file
You can use Google Gadget Editor to host all XML files of your gadget. [Click Here]
To host other files like images, CSS, JS please refer some free hosting site here
And then make relavant changes in your open social XML file

Migration for iGoogle Gadgets / Widgets

There are two methods that you can use to create a gadget alias:

1. You can use the gadget alias request form here.
2. Submit a request to email [sites-migration@google.com] (will take longer than option 1).

Migration of Orkut Apps

Some important things to remeber befor migrating Orkut Apps

1. You must have claimed ownership of the existing app.

To claim ownership of an app, visit http://www.google.com/gadgets/directory/verify

2. You be logged in with the account with which you claimed ownership.

3. The existing app must be a featured app on Orkut.

4. The new application URL must NOT have been used as an app on ANY google container -- including orkut, iGoogle, etc.

Note: This is very important, otherwise the migrate request will fail. It is recommended that you create an absolutely new and unique URL when migrating. Unfortunately, this also means that you cannot test the new app URL on sandbox before issuing a migrate request.

Step for migratting Orkut Apps

1. Visit http://sandbox.orkut.com/AppUrlMigrate.aspx

2. Type in your existing app url and the new URL to migrate to.

3. Check the exisiting and new app URLs. (see attached screen shot)

4. Double check - (you really don't want a typo in the new URL).

5. Hit the submit button.

6. A migration confirmation message will appear.

7. The migration changes will propagate through caches and will be live in 24 hours.

Caution: If you use the same existing app URL on any other google property, this migration request will have an effect on the other property.

Source: http://orkutdeveloper.blogspot.com/2009/06/app-url-migration-tool-available.html

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Open Social: Getting Started Tutorial using GGE (Google Gadget Editor)

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If you are new to Open Social, then first thing you can do is try some sample open social apps / gadgets on iGoogle using Google Gadget Editor (GGE) it has lot of sample apps / gadget examples available to use various kind of Open Social APIs.

To use Google Gadget Editor (GGE), please check the following steps

• Go to htttp://www.google.com/ig and login / sign in using your gmail / google id
• After this you are at iGoogle home page
• Now to install Google Gadget Editor (GGE) app / gadget / widget to your iGoogle home page go to http://www.google.com/ig/directory?url=gge.xml and click on Add it now button to add Google Gadget Editor to your iGoogle home page
• After adding you can click on File -> New withing this Google Gadget Editor
• It will display list to samples as shown bellow
• In the category drop down you can select whether you want to see Popular Gadgets or API Examples
• You can open any examples and have look at its code as a reference while building your app / gadget / widget
• After doing all this you can edit the code accouring to your requirements or copy & paste your own code here
• Click on File -> Save As to save your newly created gadget
• Once it is saved you can check your gadget / widget / app in the Preview tab, to verify how it will look when it is deployed
• When eveything is alright you can click on File->Publish to publish your app / gadget / widget to iGoogle
• It will show dialog with 3 options as bellow:

- Add to my iGoogle page

- Publish to iGoogle Directory

- Add to a webpage

Among this click on Publish to iGoogle Directory and your app / gadget / widget is published to iGoogle directory

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