[Plugin: podPress] Server returned HTTP Error 403: Forbidden

Hi Andrew,

I’m sorry. I have no concrete idea why the URL http://theonlypodcast.com/?feed=podcast does not work. But I have noticed that this problem seems to be limited to the additional Feeds of podPress. For instance the redirection of the default RSS Feed URL http://theonlypodcast.com/?feed=rss2 works.
It seems to be more an issue of these redirections. I have of course installed podPress in my blog too and it is no problem in this blog to use both URL schemes while a non-default Permalink scheme is active.

Please, try to set the Permalink scheme back to the default scheme for a moment and control whether the URL http://theonlypodcast.com/?feed=podcast works with this settings.
Does it work with the default Permalink scheme?

(You can test the URL in your browser. But it might be necessary to clear the cache of the browser to see a difference before reloading the “page”.)

I need to research a little bit before I can try to help you more.

Regards,
Tim

Are you able to tell since which podPress version this problem has occurred?

I have thought about this problem a lot and I know two further blogs besides my own blog where podPress 8.8.8.x is running and the /?feed=podcast and the /feed/podcast Feed is working at the same time.
That is why I think that it might be a problem on your server or blog. Are you able to rule out that no other plugin interferes with your Permalinks or rewrite rules?
I have also read the first post in this thread again and I have noticed the last sub section:

I have done everything you suggested in a previous post; re-saved my permalink structure, made sure the slug name remained “podcast”, and made sure that I the feed is active.

The order of the action is important.

Maybe you should try it this way:
* controlling/changing the Slug Name
* check the Active Feed checkbox
* saving the podPress Feed settings
(after this step the /?feed=podcast Feed should work)
* saving the Permalink settings (if you are using a non-default Permalink scheme)
(after this step the /feed/podcast Feed should also work)

If you have done these action in this order then maybe try it again while the other plugins are deactivated temporarily.

You could also try to find out whether the podPress Feeds like the “podcast” Feed has been added correctly to the rewrite rules of your blog. The plugin AskApache RewriteRules Viewer can show you all the rewrite rules. At the options page of this plugin are several boxes one of them with the name “feeds Supported default feeds.” (the second box with this name) should contain a section which looks like this

[root_rewrite] => Array
(
    [feed/(feed|rdf|rss|rss2|atom|podcast|enhancedpodcast|torrent|premium|playlist.xspf)/?$] => index.php?&feed=$1
    [(feed|rdf|rss|rss2|atom|podcast|enhancedpodcast|torrent|premium|playlist.xspf)/?$] => index.php?&feed=$1
    [page/?([0-9]{1,})/?$] => index.php?&paged=$1
    [comment-page-([0-9]{1,})/?$] => index.php?&page_id=2&cpage=$1
)

As you can see this list contains and should contain all slug names of the additional feeds. Please, control whether the podcast Feed is in this list when the non-default Permalink scheme is active.
The slug name should also be in first box with this name. That other contains only a simple list with all the slug names of the feeds. The slug name of the of the “podcast” Feed should be in that list as long as podPress and this Feed is active regardless of the Permalink scheme.

Control also the mod_rewrite_rules box. While you are using a non-default Permalink scheme e.g. Day and Name, the content of this box should contain

RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteRule ^index\.php$ - [L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule . /index.php [L]

While you are using the default Permalinks, this box is probably empty.
If it is not empty in this situation, please post here what is in there.

Okay. The other plugins are not involved and the rewrite rules are looking to me.
I’m still not able to reproduce the problem.
Would you do a further test?

If the problem is not limited to podPress then it will probably happen when you add a further Feed with a different plugin.

The following code snippet is a simple plugin which adds a RSS Feed to a blog. This Feed with the slug name “testfeed” will have the same content as the main entries RSS Feed.

[Code moderated as per the Forum Rules. Please use the pastebin]

Create a new file with a text editor and name it e.g. testfeed.php.
Open the file with the text editor and copy and paste that code into the file.
Upload this file to your blog and store it for instance in the folder /wp-content/plugins/testfeed/.
Afterwards head to the plugins page of your blog and activate that plugin (“A Test Feed”).
This will create the Feed /?feed=testfeed (and /feed/testfeed).
Choose a non-default Permalink scheme and save the Permalink settings.

Does /?feed=testfeed work?
Does /feed/testfeed work?

If /?feed=testfeed is not working while the non-default Permalink scheme is active (and /feed/testfeed is working), deactivate a part of the this plugin by inserting comment characters in one line of the code. You may use the plugin editor of the blog for this action.

Modify the code like this:
old:

function testfeed_do_feed($withcomments) {
	testfeed_modify_certain_feedelements();
	do_feed_rss2($withcomments);
}

new:

function testfeed_do_feed($withcomments) {
	//testfeed_modify_certain_feedelements();
	do_feed_rss2($withcomments);
}

Or you modify the file with the text editor on your computer and upload the file again.

If this is also not working then you should try this code:
[Code moderated as per the Forum Rules. Please use the pastebin]

(This is comparable to the way the podPress versions before version 8.8.9 have added the Feeds.)

If the /?feed=testfeed URL does not work while /feed/testfeed works (while a non-default Permalink scheme is active) then it is probably a problem which is not limited to the podPress plugin.

Please, control also the /?feed=rss2 and the /?feed=atom Feed while the non-default Permalink scheme is active.
Is the RSS and the ATOM Feed working?

If the ATOM Feed or the /?feed=testfeed Feed is not working then turn off the podPress plugin temporarily and test the ATOM Feed and /?feed=testfeed again (while the non-default Permalink scheme is active).

This may not bring the solution but it will definitely help to narrow down the number of possible sources of the problem.