Need to add custom element in sitemap.xml file

Question

I have installed sitmap module to create sitemap.xml file.
Now I want to add some custom element like

<expires>2010-10-10</expires>

for some URLS.

Answer 1

If you don't mind a programmatic approach, then follow these steps:

1. Ensure that XML Sitemap module is installed & enabled

2. Create/use a custom module (say, MYMODULE) & use the following hook:

     function MYMODULE_xmlsitemap_element_alter(&$element, $link, $sitemap) { 
       // Some logic to generate datetime
       // or hardcoded value
       $element['expires'] = '2010-10-10';
     }
   

3. Go to admin/config/search/xmlsitemap/batch-generate & click on 'Run'
4. Go to admin/config/search/xmlsitemap/rebuild & click on 'Rebuild sitemap'
5. Go to sitemap.xml, inspect element or view page source & verify that 'expires' tag is included

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

The expires tag is not valid Sitemaps.org Protocol - http://www.sitemaps.org/protocol.html

You can configure the overall sitemap lifetime on this page: /admin/config/search/xmlsitemap/settings

Set it the Minimum sitemap lifetime to "1 Day" and make sure your nodes are unpublished when you want them to expire, either manually or using a module like Scheduler, and they will be removed from the sitemap.xml