Using Sitemap.php on IPS 4.0

[tnn]

Sitemap.php in IPS 4.0 is a nifty little tool that automates your Sitemap.xml creation and update. Since I didn't have a clue I thought I'd do a little write up on properly using it because I did some major changes and wanted Google to pick it up sooner than possible.

First, you want to enable "Use recommended settings?" or modify it to your liking. System -> Search Engine Optimization -> Sitemap. 

Make sure the url is pointing to the already installed sitemap.php (http://YourDomain.com/sitemap.php).

Next, go to your root directory and remove or rename your old sitemap.xml. (Note the .XML)
(after I installed IPS 4.0, the old sitemap.xml was stuck in perpetual "pending" in Google Webmaster, that's why I mention this.)

Your not done so don't pick up that beer yet.

Go to Google Webmasters Tools -> Crawl -> Sitemaps -> "Add/test Sitemap". Add the url to Sitemap.php, test it and then submit it. 

Go to Google Webmasters Tools -> Crawl -> Sitemaps and deleted  Sitemap.xml. (THE OLD ONE)

Now you can pick up that beer and enjoy - you are done, Google will pick them up. 

However, if you made major changes to your forums and topics like I did and want Google to pick it up sooner, put the beer back down and follow...

In Google's "Sitemaps (All content types)" you should see /sitemap.php - click on it. You should then see several sitemaps (see below). You will also see the date they were processed. 

Click on each individual link and then"Resubmit Sitemap". In my case I only needed forum_forum and forum_topics because there were major directory name changes and the sitemaps were 4 days old before I realized they were not being picked up because I was only resubmitting "Sitemap.php"

(each of these can be resubmitted)
/sitemap.php?file=sitemap_content_core_Statuses_Status_1
/sitemap.php?file=sitemap_content_forums_Forum
/sitemap.php?file=sitemap_content_forums_Topic_1

Remember you don't have to do this all the time, the sitemap is pinged on a regular basis. Now for Bing Webmasters tools, you probably only need to go in the control panel and removed the OLD XML file. It will pick up the new Sitemap. Yes, there is a Bing Webmaster's Tool.

[The Old Man]

Thanks for this, I was having issues with Google Search Console/Webmaster Tools reporting errors with my Sitemap being in HTML format.

Followed your guide and realised the file name sitemap.php was missing from the path to the file in AdminCP (mine just had the domain name). Changed it to the full URL including filename, re-run the task to rebuild the sitemap, then resubmitted the main sitemap.php, then resubmitted each sub-sitemap as per your guide and the errors disappeared and I had over 1500 URLs pending.

Thanks again.

 

[tnn]

Yes, that's what happened to me, only the domain name and not the path so I did this write up because the sitemap is non-functional in its original state. I'm glad it helped and you got it running. 

[RTM]

Thanks for this write-up - it's timely.

I had no trouble getting Google (GWT) to accept and process my sitemap.php file with all the forums, topics, and so on.

However, on Bing Webmaster Tools, I've submitted it (and the detailled variants such as  /sitemap.php?file=sitemap_content_forums_Topic_1 ) yet it always fails with an error message

" Download of the sitemap or feed failed

We encountered an issue when we tried to download this sitemap. Please check the sitemap for errors and resubmit the sitemap."

Anyone else with trouble getting Bing to index and crawl the new sitemap.php file?

Thanks in advance!