Import Comments Into Disqus with Ruby and Sinatra

One of our users Jim Mulholland at LocoMotivation has created a great tool to import your existing comments into Disqus using Ruby and Sinatra.

What does this mean?

You can transition your old blogging system comments into Disqus via an RSS feed. It does require a some coding knowledge but Jim made it easy to understand.

What is Sinatra?

“Sinatra, it is a very light-weight Ruby web framework. It is good to use for simple micro-apps when Rails and/or Merb would be overkill.”

-Jim Mulholland

What do you need?

  • Sinatra – Simple Ruby web framework
  • FeedTools – Tool to parse or RSS feeds
  • REST Client – REST client for Ruby to access REST api calls
  • json – Parse the JSON objects returned from Disqus

For the Full Instructions on how to use this tool, visit his guide at LocoMotivation.

Thanks Jim!

View Comments

Giannii on December 1st 2008 in disqus

  • When ever I click on the link for LocoMotivation it opens an nonexistent link in any browser window I have open. This would be great if I could access it!
  • Great tool to transfer existing comments to "disqus". Thank's.
  • Great tool to transfer existing comments to "disqus". Thank's.
  • Great tool to transfer existing comments to "disqus". Thank's.
  • 3stuff
    good stuff.....

    http://www.3stuff.org
  • Actually I guess what I meant was it would be nice for Disqus to just host this code if it would make sense to do so.
  • Actually I guess what I meant was it would be nice for Disqus to just host this code if it would make sense to do so.
  • Actually I guess what I meant was it would be nice for Disqus to just host this code if it would make sense to do so.
  • This is great post. I hope that everyone will transfer from sinatra to disqus.
  • This is great post. I hope that everyone will transfer from sinatra to disqus.
  • This is great post. I hope that everyone will transfer from sinatra to disqus.
  • Great feature!
  • It would be nice to have a gui and I will pass the thought onto the
    developers.

    Giannii
    DISQUS
    Community Manager
    giannii@disqus.com
  • It would be nice to have a gui and I will pass the thought onto the
    developers.

    Giannii
    DISQUS
    Community Manager
    giannii@disqus.com
  • Ditto on the need for Disqus to throw up a GUI around this so users don't need to jump through so many hoops just to do something so mundane.
  • Ditto on the need for Disqus to throw up a GUI around this so users don't need to jump through so many hoops just to do something so mundane.
  • Ditto on the need for Disqus to throw up a GUI around this so users don't need to jump through so many hoops just to do something so mundane.
  • cript186
    thanks!
  • Many now interests how correctly to eat. The number of the people dissatisfied with the figure or health recently has increased and, as consequence, trying to get rid of excess weight. You should pick up a diet approaching you, and also learn to make correctly balanced diet.
  • Sounds like Frank Sinatra. But hey, that's informative.
  • Sounds like Frank Sinatra. But hey, that's informative.
  • Cindy P Dennis
    Excellent, entertaining, useful reading, Thanks !!
  • Okay, I know that this is only recommended for experienced code users, but I feel the need to do this anyway.

    Couple of questions though. I have not yet made the leap to Disqus, since I don't want to lose my old comments from Blogger.

    What is the order I need to do things?

    1. Must I set up my entire Disqus account first?

    2. If so, which choice do I make when asked to Upload Template? Use Disqus on future blog entries only
    or Use Disqus on all entries?

    3. Is my API Key generated after these steps?

    4. What is the easiest way to locate the rss url for my comments and my feeds?

    5. When asked number of comments to transfer, must I put the exact number, or can I choose a number that is obviously highter than the number of comments to ensure they make the jump?

    6. The most basic question is what is the simplest way to get this to work for someone who has no knowledge of Ruby or Sinatra.

    7. Will an easier way to import Blogger comments be coming soon from Disqus itself?

    Whether or not I continue with my transition to Disqus depends on your response.

    Thanks again! I am looking forward to jumping in and getting my feet wet!
  • Ditto on the need for Disqus to throw up a GUI around this so users don't need to jump through so many hoops just to do something so mundane.
  • It would be nice to have a gui and I will pass the thought onto the
    developers.

    Giannii
    DISQUS
    Community Manager
    help@disqus.com
  • Actually I guess what I meant was it would be nice for Disqus to just host this code if it would make sense to do so.
  • Okay, I know that this is only recommended for experienced code users, but I feel the need to do this anyway.

    Couple of questions though. I have not yet made the leap to Disqus, since I don't want to lose my old comments from Blogger.

    What is the order I need to do things?

    1. Must I set up my entire Disqus account first?

    2. If so, which choice do I make when asked to Upload Template? Use Disqus on future blog entries only
    or Use Disqus on all entries?

    3. Is my API Key generated after these steps?

    4. What is the easiest way to locate the rss url for my comments and my feeds?

    5. When asked number of comments to transfer, must I put the exact number, or can I choose a number that is obviously highter than the number of comments to ensure they make the jump?

    6. The most basic question is what is the simplest way to get this to work for someone who has no knowledge of Ruby or Sinatra.

    7. Will an easier way to import Blogger comments be coming soon from Disqus itself?

    Whether or not I continue with my transition to Disqus depends on your response.

    Thanks again! I am looking forward to jumping in and getting my feet wet!
  • Okay, I know that this is only recommended for experienced code users, but I feel the need to do this anyway.

    Couple of questions though. I have not yet made the leap to Disqus, since I don't want to lose my old comments.

    What is the order I need to do things?

    1. Must I set up my entire Disqus account first?

    2. If so, which choice do I make when asked to Upload Template? Use Disqus on future blog entries only
    or Use Disqus on all entries?

    3. Is my API Key generated after these steps?

    4. What is the easiest way to locate the rss url for my comments and my feeds?

    5. When asked number of comments to transfer, must I put the exact number, or can I choose a number that is obviously highter than the number of comments to ensure they make the jump?

    6. The most basic question is what is the simplest way to get this to work for someone who has no knowledge of Ruby or Sinatra.

    7. Will an easier way to import Blogger comments be coming soon from Disqus itself?

    Whether or not I continue with my transition to Disqus depends on your response.

    Thanks again! I am looking forward to jumping in and getting my feet wet!
  • Thanks for the info. May God have mercy on us all.
  • Thanks for the info. May God have mercy on us all.
  • Ash
    Excellent article
  • MuscleNerd
    That is great
  • pytey
    cool
  • using this disqus system, its being easier
  • cod5_is_awesome
    wow why am i talking to myself
  • cod5_is_awesome
    yay no one's on! finally i can talk to myself
  • cod5_is_awesome
    what are we talking about
  • cod5_is_awesome
    hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
  • MuscleNerd
    That is great
  • pytey
    cool
  • cod5_is_awesome
    yay bedtime
  • cod5_is_awesome
    hi eric! hi Eric! how's it going? wonderful!
  • cod5_is_awesome
    wow why am i talking to myself
  • cod5_is_awesome
    yay no one's on! finally i can talk to myself
  • cod5_is_awesome
    what are we talking about
  • cod5_is_awesome
    hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
  • Great ! Thanks for the info .
  • Great ! Thanks for the info .
  • test comment
  • mully
    Thanks for the mention, Giannii!

    This is a rough cut of code, but it worked great for both our squeejee.com and locomotivation.com blogs.

    The code is in GitHub. Feel free to fork and enhance to your heart's delight!

    Please let me know if there are any questions.

    - Jim
  • mully
    Thanks for the mention, Giannii!

    This is a rough cut of code, but it worked great for both our squeejee.com and locomotivation.com blogs.

    The code is in GitHub. Feel free to fork and enhance to your heart's delight!

    Please let me know if there are any questions.

    - Jim
  • Hello everybody... I just joined and found this feature... you guys rock! I thought i would have to start over.. Kudos
  • flashmen99
    hi how r u everybody? can u add me in this forum?
  • haircolor
    Hello everybody... I just joined and found this feature... you guys rock! I thought i would have to start over.. Kudos
  • flashmen99
    yup
  • flashmen99
    hi how r u everybody? can u add me in this forum?
  • All i can say is - you guys rock. I am in love with disqus.
  • flashmen99
    yup
  • All i can say is - you guys rock. I am in love with disqus.
  • Jules
    That would be wonderful....( I take back my comment, I was just fustrated)  It should be Jules,  not Julea.  Any help would be great!




    ________________________________
  • Jules,

    Do you still need help correcting your user name? I can help you with that if you like.

    Giannii
    Community Manager
  • Jules
    I'm sorry but this thing is not even worth signing up for. i make a mistake on my name, can't change it though.
    Cause you have to wait 2 days to get into your profile so see if you can change it
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