Creating a Custom Hyperlink from Scratch

If you understand the parts of the URL for the custom hyperlink, then you can create the hyperlink from scratch. This means that you can write down the different parts of the URL without searching in Information Portal. (For more information on the parts of the URL, see Parts of the Information Portal Searching URL.)

If you want to limit or sort your search results, you should create the search by searching in Information Portal. It may be too difficult to get the correct values for the limits or sorts without searching in Information Portal.

If you want to create a URL for a search or cross-index search that uses multiple search terms with the boolean operators (“and,” “or,” and “not”), then you can create this URL by using nested boolean operators, instead of repeating the “term” and “oper” variables. You can also truncate search terms using the question mark (?).

All custom hyperlinks must have at least one variable. If the only variable is the term variable, then Information Portal uses the index specified for the search on the Welcome sub-tab.

To create a custom hyperlink from scratch

1 Write down your Information Portal base URL.

For example, write down this:

http://205.10.10.10:8080/ipac20/ipac.jsp

2 At the end, write down a question mark ( ? ).

For example, your URL should now look similar to this:

http://205.10.10.10:8080/ipac20/ipac.jsp?

Important: Now you can write down the different variables you need. You must enter at least one variable, or your URL will not work. The profile variable may be a good one to use.

3 Write down the “index” variable and its value.

For example, you could add the text in bold:

http://205.10.10.10:8080/ipac20/ipac.jsp?index=TW

4 Write down the ampersand.

For example, you could add the text in bold:

http://205.10.10.10:8080/ipac20/ipac.jsp?index=TW&

5 Write down the “term” variable and its value.

For example, you could add the text in bold:

http://205.10.10.10:8080/ipac20/ipac.jsp?index=TW&term=air

If you want to use nested boolean operators for multiple search terms on this same index, your URL may look similar to this:

http://205.10.10.10:8080/ipac20/ipac.jsp?index=TW&term=(air or water) and pollut?

6 If you want to use the “oper” variable for boolean searching instead of the nested boolean operators, write down the “oper” variable and its value; otherwise, skip to step 8.

For example, you could add the text in bold:

http://205.10.10.10:8080/ipac20/ipac.jsp?index=TW&term=air&oper=or&term=water&oper=and&
term=pollut?

Note: You can truncate the search terms (in the term variable) the same as you would while searching.

7 If you want Information Portal to perform a cross-index search, repeat steps 3 through 5.

For example, you could add the text in bold:

http://205.10.10.10:8080/ipac20/ipac.jsp?index=TW&term=(air or water) and pollut?&index=AW&term=smith

8 On your web page, enter the URL you just created in the HREF tag or other linking tag that you want, or give this URL to your external source (such as your indexing or abstracting service).
9 Test accessing Information Portal using the URL on the web page.

When a user clicks on the custom hyperlink from the external source, the web browser launches the search in Information Portal. The search results that Information Portal displays for you while testing will be what Information Portal displays for the user.

10 Change and test the URL again, if necessary.

 


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