• Article Type: General
• Product: MetaLib
• Product Version: 4

Description:
I would like to create a link from our university portal to a specific function in one of our MetaLib Portals (not necessarily my default portal).
How do I construct the deep link to syntax?

Resolution:
As of MetaLib Service Pack 155, v3.13, this is possible. This new deep link feature can be particularly useful to consortia.

A standard deeplink to the MetaSearch module is constructed as follows:
http://<server>:<port>/V?func=meta-1

To send a user to a specific page, such as MetaSearch, in a specific portal belonging to a specific institute using the improved deep links syntax requires the addition of 2 parameters in order to change portals -- [1] the portal and [2] the institute.

For example, to move to the EXLA portal in the EXL institute, the link could be constructed as follows:
http://<server>:<port>/V?func=meta-1&portal-name=EXLA&institute=EXL

Either of these deeplinks formats will change the portal:

http://metalib.yourlibrary.com:8331/V/?func=change-portal-1&portal-name=EXLA
This format will change the portal and go to the default page:

http://metalib.yourlibrary.com:8331/V/?func=quick-1&institute=EXL&portal-name=EXLA
This format allows you to change the portal AND go to a specific page:

Please note that "change-portal" only works with the "portal-name" parameter, as shown above.
On the other hand, the func + institute + portal feature works with either "portal-name" or "portal".
For example,
?func=quick-1&institute=EXL&portal-name=EXLA
?func=quick-1&institute=EXL&portal=EXLA

If there is more than one portal or institute in the MetaLib installation, it is imperative to ALWAYS include institution AND portal parameters in a deep link to a specific page. For example, a link that will work perfectly well within institutional IP ranges may default to the catch-all institution when a user selects a deeplink while working from an unknown IP.

Note: Before implementing this functionality, make sure that all portals are correctly configured in the ./vir00/tab/default_z312 table. Refer to the document “How to add a portal” for instructions on how to configure portals in the table.

• Article last edited: 10/8/2013