[ipac] HIP starting URL

[Jonathan Rochkind]

Interesting. We've still got a weird static HTML page at:

http://catalog.library.jhu.edu

Check it out, I think you'll recognize it, it's something I've seen on 
other Horizon servers. Have most of you replaced that with simply a 
redirect to http://host/ipac20/ipac.jsp?profile=
?

[I wonder why on our HIP you can leave the profile= off, and it chooses 
the default profile for you, no problem. But no matter].

But anyway, until/unless we get rid of that weird static 'starting' 
page, there are still times I want to link to the real HIP 
too.(Sometimes just to send someone a link in email for testing 
purposes, so they know what page I'm talking about! That's how this came 
up, because email clients have a tendency to strip out that ? when you 
click on the link).  I think I'll create a redirect/rewrite from 
something like:
http://catalog.library.jhu.edu/opac
to
http://catalog.library.jhu.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?

Jonathan

Greg Barniskis wrote:
> Day, James wrote:
>> We point simply to http://server (http://ipac.seminolecountyfl.gov)
>> which becomes
>> http://ipac.seminolecountyfl.gov/ipac20/ipac.jsp?profile=#focus.
>
> That's the best way. You don't want to publicize or otherwise link to 
> even a modestly deep path in the application, you want to publicize or 
> link to a very generic entry point that can be remapped to any 
> arbitrary location at any time with a simple HTML redirection header 
> or other rewrite/redirect technology.
>
> Otherwise, what will you do when the next big upgrade changes
>
> http://server/ipac20/ipac.jsp
>
> to
>
> http://server/iprooms80/gadget_du_jour.jsp
>
> Both of these paths are destined for the great junk pile of history at 
> some point, but the URL you print on PR materials and embed everywhere 
> else doesn't have to be. Abstraction, opacity, smoke and mirrors... 
> all your friends. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!
>
>

-- 
Jonathan Rochkind
Sr. Programmer/Analyst
The Sheridan Libraries
Johns Hopkins University
410.516.8886 
rochkind (at) jhu.edu