Embedded SFX services in ALEPH OPAC

Tags: opac , php , intermediate , javascript , prototype , sfx , aleph Last Updated: Oct 30, 2009 00:48

Description
The ALEPH OPAC supports the inclusion of a SFX button. But you could also include the SFX services offered for a bibliographic record by using the SFX API. This is an example of how to do that for records that holds an ISSN. This doesn't change the native ALEPH-SFX integration.
Author: Daniel Forsman
Institution: Jönköping University Library
Year: 2009
License: BSD style
Short description: Use, modification and distribution of the code are permitted provided the copyright notice, list of conditions and disclaimer appear in all related material.
Link to terms: [Detailed license terms]
Skill required for using this code:
intermediate

State
Programming language
Software requirements
Screen captures
Author(s) homepage
Download
Working example
Using the following Ex Libris open interfaces
Installation instructions
TO DO list
Known issues
Comments

State

In development

Programming language

Javascript (prototype), PHP

Software requirements

Protototype, PHP installed on your OPAC webserver

Screen captures

Note: AJAX activity indicator before the services are presented. In case it takes to long to fetch them.

Note: We call our SFX service e-JULIA so look for that in the image above. This screen shot is from our test-OPAC Beta-JULIA

Author(s) homepage

http://www.bibl.hj.se

Download

eJULIA.js - javascript to parse DOM and make AJAX call

sfx.php - php to query SFX API an format result.

Working example

http://julia.hj.se/F/?func=find-b&request=official+journal+of+North+American+Nursing+&find_code=WRD&adjacent=N&x=0&y=0&con_lng=eng

Using the following Ex Libris open interfaces

SFX API: sfx.response_type=simplexml

Installation instructions

0. Make sure that you create a id for the javascript DOM parser to read. We have edited our full-999-body so that i looks like this:

If you are using tables in full-999-body you must make sure that there is a for the table cell that you want to catch. Just repeat $0100 as a id for it.

1. Make sure you have PHP installed on your OPAC webserver.

2. Download and include the Prototype framework (www.prototypejs.org/) in your OPAC. Ours is included in meta-tags and available on all pages.

3. Create a div id where you want the SFX services to appear. Ours is in full-set-tail.

4. Include the eJULIA.js javascript either inline or by including it from a file below the id in full-set-tail is fine. Inline full-set-tail example below.

5. Upload the sfx.php to your OPAC server. Make sure that you edit the path in eJULIA.js so that it points to the sfx.php file. This file queries SFX so make sure to edit it so that it points to your SFX server and proxy. The services pulled are getCitedJournal, getFullTxt, getAbstract, getTOC. You can add or remove services easy.

If you want to review the XML returned for a item all you have to do is add &sfx.response_type=simplexml to your ordinary SFX OpenURL request. That way you can see what services other then the ones above you want to include in the OPAC.

TO DO list

This was just a quick and dirty way to test the SFX API - ALEPH OPAC integration. I'm sure there are things that can improve it. But at the moment I think we are in testing phase.

Known issues

If there are multiple ISSN:s in the record the last one is the one who gets shipped to SFX. (Just like the native Aleph SFX button)

Comments