ExLibris Alma and SFX Target Parser and Linking Parameter User Guide

: June 1, 2024
: EXLIBRIS

Table of Contents

Alma and SFX Target Parser and Linking Parameter
Introduction to Target Parsers
Introduction to Linking Parameters
References
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Alma and SFX Target
Parser and Linking
Parameter Guide

Alma and SFX Target Parser and Linking Parameter

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Introduction to Target Parsers

Target parsers are a software component that extracts metadata from a wide variety of resources and creates unique links for electronic resources in Alma or SFX. To create journal or book level links, the target parser program uses information stored in the collections service and portfolio levels under the parser parameter fields. For deep linking (article, book chapter, etc.), the target parser also extracts OpenURL metadata from discovery products such as Primo and Summon. The extracted metadata includes a range of bibliographic information about the resource, such as the title, author, publication date, publisher, DOI and ISSN, ISBN etc.
The discovery system is based on the central discovery index (CDI) containing many resource records from different providers. For more information, see CDI The Central Discovery Index.
Once the target parser extracts all the relevant metadata for a resource, it creates a unique link called target URL for that resource (article or book chapter-level linking). The target parser generates the most accurate target URL possible based on the information and metadata we get from the providers.
The following are the standard linking levels that the target parser can generate based on the information that it extracts:

Article or book chapter-level
Search query level
Issue level
Volume level
Journal or book-level

Target Parser Types
There are two types of target parsers: and generic target parsers and dedicated target parsers.

Generic Target Parsers
Generic parsers are designed to accommodate a wide variety of linking forms and can fit various collections from different providers. These types of parsers are not able to generate deep links due to the inconsistency of the linking syntaxes between the different providers.
These parsers are part of the bulk target parsers listed below.
The Bulk family of target parsers creates target URLs in the following format:
{BaseURL}/{Parameter}

{BaseURL} is the value of the statement in the target serviceʹs parser parameter (such as: url, url2, etc.)
{Parameter} is based on the specific parser used. It takes the information from the portfolio parser parameter (such as jkey,bkey, linkurl, etc.)

The only bulk parser that does not work in that format is the Bulk::BULK target parser. This parser creates target URL by taking the jkey/bkey/linkurl statement from the portfolio parser parameter that includes the full URL from the providers title list.

Target Parser	Format
Bulk::JKEY	{url}/{jkey}
Bulk::JKEYdoi	{ url}/{jkey} +

DOI based article level linking when the OpenURL contains DOI
Bulk::BKEY| { url}/{bkey}
Bulk::BKEYdoi| { url}/{bkey} +
DOI based book chapter level linking when the OpenURL contains DOI
Bulk::BULK| jkey/bkey/linkurl in the portfolio parser parameters
Bulk::BULKdoi| jkey/bkey/linkurl in the portfolio parser parameters + DOI based book chapter level linking
when the OpenURL contains DOI

Dedicated Target Parsers
Dedicated parsers are created in collaboration with the providers. The providers supply us with various linking syntax formats for their content (journal, book chapter, article, etc.). The target parser creates the most accurate and deep link possible based on the metadata and instructions we get from the providers.
Deep linking target URL syntax can be generated in different formats:

Based on metadata – volume, issue, pages, author etc.
Based on the provider-specific ID for the content
Based on DOI
Article title/book chapter search query
For more information, see OpenURL linking via metadata, DOI and specific provider IDs

Parser Parameters
Each getFullTxt collection has two levels: Service level and Portfolio level.
To create journal or book level links, the target parser program uses information stored in the collections service and portfolio levels in the parser parameter fields.

Service Parser Parameters
In most cases, the target parser uses the parameters defined in the service parser parameters.
The parameters that are defined in the service level can be used for the various linking levels that the parser generates and can affect all the portfolios in that collection.
The standard parameters that can be found in the service parser parameter are:

db_host / dbase defines the DB code of the collection according to the provider. This code is included in the target URLs when needed.
url / url2/ host defines the URLs that are used for generating the different target URLs.
The URL is usually the base URL of the platform, while the other parameters are used to create deep links or support different authentication methods.
Linking parameter defines the parameters that can be included in the target URL for access and authentication purposes. See more information in the linking parameters section below.

Portfolio Parser Parameter
This parameter is defined at the portfolio level and is used only for the linking-level related to the portfolio. The parameter can be included in the target URL for the specific portfolio or in the deep links that are related to the portfolio.
The different parameters that can be found in the portfolio parser parameter are:

jkey – the journal provider code for this specific title, mostly for serials.
bkey – the book provider code for this specific title, mostly for monographs.
linkurl – complete url of the title. jkey and bkey can also include a complete URL of the title, in some cases.
Exception – exceptions are usually appended to the previous parameters to improve the article-level linking. For each target parser, different exceptions are defined and can be used when a particular form of linking does not work for a specific title. For example, the noDOI exception can be used in the portfolio when the DOI-based linking is not working or is redirecting to another platform.

Introduction to Linking Parameters

This document describes what linking parser parameters are and how they are used in SFX and Alma to create links to journal information.
SFX/Alma builds the target URL using the collection parser program. The collection’s parser program creates a URL that leads to the publisher’s platform or the abstract of a particular journal article.
The Linking Parser Parameters contains variables for items such as the username, password, customer ID, or authentication details that may differ between institutes. These parameters are set by entering their values in the linking parameter fields (L/P) from the Linking tab of the Electronic Service Editor.
Updating the linking parameter values at the service level allows links for all underlying portfolios to have the same parameter applied.

Shared Parameters
Different collections and providers share the same parameters. These parameters are listed in the following table with the explanation of how to activate the parameters correctly:

Linking Parameter	Description
$$U_SHIBBOLETH	These are parameters for shibboleth / OpenAthens / WAYFless

authentication.
Enter yes for the $$shibboleth parameter to activate the function and enter the institution entity ID/ IDP for $$u_shibboleth.
$$SHIBBOLETH
$$USERNAME| The username and password for the relevant platform. These parameters are added to the
portfolio URLs.
$$PASSWORD
$$CUST_ID| This is a different version of the institutionspecific code that should be added to the URL
to provide direct access to the relevant platform.
$$CLIENTID
$$CUSTOMER_ID
$$USER_ID

Unique Parameters
Other Parameters are specific for different providers. These parameters are listed in the following table with the explanation of how to use the parameters correctly:

Provider	Parser	Linking Parameter	Description

AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL
ASSOCIATION| APA_PSYCARTICLES::
APA_PSYCARTICLES| $$PROXY| The collection service parser parameter defines two
different URLs: url and proxyurl. If the proxy linking
parameter is filled with the value yes, the base URL of the collection portfolios is built with the proxyurl; otherwise, it is built with the url.
BOOKS24X7| BOOKS24::BOOKS24| $$SSO| Enter yes in this linking parameter to activate the SSO
authentication methods for this collection. The linking
changes accordingly.
Provider| Parser| Linking Parameter| Description
---|---|---|---
| BOOKS24::BOOKS24| $$PROXYUR L| This linking parameter is for Skillport SSO access. Enter the value as follows: https://xxxxxx.skillinkingparameterort.com with XXX being unique for each institution.

CHADWYCK

CQVIP

|

CQVIP::CQVIP

|

$$VERSION

| Enter v7 in this linking parameter to build the target URL with the URL defined as url2 in the collection target parser parameter.

EAST VIEW

|

EAST_VIEW::CHINA

|

$$LANGUA GE

| Enter Taiwan or chi in the language linking parameter according to your geographic region. The linking is changed accordingly. An empty linking parameter uses the default URL syntax.

TAEBDC EBOOKS

| EBL::EBL| $$URL_DOM AIN| Enter http://www.$libid.$url_domain/EBLWeb/patron in these linking parameters to build the portfolio’s target URLs with this syntax.

EBL::EBL

|

$$LIBID

EBSCOHOST

| EBSCO_HOST::Journals / EBSCO_HOST::netlibrar y / EBSCO_HOST::newspap ers|

$$SHIBBOLE TH

| Enter yes in the $$SHIBBOLETH linking parameter to include authtype=shib in the target URL.
EBSCO_HOST::Journals / EBSCO_HOST::netlibrar y / EBSCO_HOST::newspap ers|

$$OPID

| Enter the relevant value in the $$OPID linking parameter to add it to the URLs in order to provide access to the Ebsco platform. Note that this affects only article-level linking.
| EBSCO_HOST::Journals

/ EBSCO_HOST::netlibrar y / EBSCO_HOST::newspap ers

| $$SSO| Enter yes in the $$SSO linking parameter to include authtype=sso in the target URL.
---|---|---|---
EBSCO_HOST::Journals

/ EBSCO_HOST::netlibrar y / EBSCO_HOST::newspap ers

|

$$CUSTOME R_ID

| Enter the institution customer ID in the $$CUSTOMER_ID linking parameter to include custid={the customer ID} in the target URL.
EBSCO_HOST::Journals / EBSCO_HOST::netlibrar y / EBSCO_HOST::newspap ers| $$IPAUTH| Enter yes in the $$IPAUTH linking parameter to include authtype=ip in the target URL.
EBSCO_HOST::Journals / EBSCO_HOST::netlibrar y / EBSCO_HOST::newspap ers| $$ATHENS_I D| Enter yes in the $$ATHENS_ID linking parameter to include authtype=cookie,athens in the target URL.
FACTIVA| FACTIVA::FACTIVA| $$USER| Factiva platform has two options for authentication:
1. A combination of userid, userpassword, and namespace
2. XSID (the SID linking parameter)
Enter the appropriate linking parameters according to the chosen authentication form of your institution.
FACTIVA::FACTIVA| $$PASS
FACTIVA::FACTIVA| $$NAMESPA CE
FACTIVA::FACTIVA| $$SID
FACTIVA::FACTIVA| $$MODE| This linking parameter is for the article title search query. The default search is by headline. For a general search, enter headline in this linking parameter.
GALE| Gale::Books / Gale::DB / Gale::ECONOMIST /Gale::Generic / Gale::HISTORICAL / Gale::Lit / Gale::Modern / Gale::MOM / Gale::Netgeo / Gale::OpenURL / Gale::TWAYNES| $$LOC_ID| The Gale Location ID can be associated with a user name and is used by Gale to identify your account. Add the location ID to the target URL; otherwise, the URLs lead only to the general platform.
---|---|---|---
Gale::ecco| $$GROUP_I D| Enter your institution customer code for the platform to add the value userGroupName=group_ID } to the target URL to provide better access to the platform.
SPRINGER| Springer::BOOKS / Springer::SPRINGER| $$CODE| Enter rd to the code linking parameter to build the target URL based on the URL: https://rd.springer.com
HISTORICAL JEWISH PRESS FREE| Historic::JEWISH_PRES S| $$LANGUA GE_CODE| Enter Hebrew or French to this linking parameter. If empty, the default is English.

LEXISNEXIS

| LEXIS::Advance / LEXIS::QUICKLAW| $$CUSTOME R_ID| Enter your institution customer code for the platform to add &identityprofileid={cus tomer code} to the target URL to provide better access to the platform.
LEXIS::Advance / LEXIS::QUICKLAW / LEXIS::PlusUK / NEXIS::UK / NEXIS::UNI| $$SSO| Enter your institution customer code for the platform to add &federationidp={custome r code} to the target URL to provide better access to the platform.
| LEXIS::PlusUK / NEXIS::UNI/ NEXIS::UK|

$$PROFILE

| Enter your institution customer code for the platform to add &identityprofileid={cus tomer code} to the target URL to provide better access to the platform.
---|---|---|---

LOCKSS

| LOCKSS::LOCKSS| $$HOST| The URLs for Lockss collection are built in a unique form for each institution using these linking parameter in the following format: http://$host:$port/ServeContent.
LOCKSS::LOCKSS| $$PORT
LONGWOODS PUBLISHING| LONG::WOOD| $$IPAUTH| Enter yes in this linking parameter for IP access.

LYNDA

| LYNDA::Lynda| $$SSO| For the Lynda platform, enter the authentication method of your institution (SSO or a unique customer ID) in the linking parameter.
LYNDA::Lynda| $$CUS_ID

PROJECT MUSE

|

MUSE::MUSE

| $$CHOOSE_ HOST| For muse collections, enter a 1 or a 2 in the choose host linking parameter to determine the base URL:
1 – https://muse.jhu.edu
2 – https://muse.uq.edu.au
UNPAYWALL| OADOI::oadoi| $$EMAIL| Enter email information in the linking parameter.
OVIDA| OVID::books / OVID::Journals| $$ATHENS_I D| Enter yes in this linking parameter to add /athens to the URL.
OVID::books / OVID::cochrane / OVID::Journals| $$IPAUTH| Add yes to this linking parameter for IP access.
OVID::cochrane / OVID::Journals| $$LOGOUT| Enter the URL to which to send users when they log out of Ovid.
OREILLY MEDIA INC| PROQUEST::Oreilly| $$SSO| Enter yes in this linking parameter for SSO access.
---|---|---|---
PROQUEST::safari| $$SSO
RICHARD K MILLER AND ASSOCIATES| RKMA::RKMA| $$LOC_ID| Enter the location ID to be added to the URL, which allows the platform to recognize the user and provide access.

SKILLSOFT BOOKS

| SKILLSOFT::SKILLSOF T| $$PROXYUR L| Enter a proxy URL to this linking parameter for the Skillsoft platform.
SKILLSOFT BOOKS| SKILLSOFT::SKILLSOF T| $$SHIBURL| This linking parameter is for Skillport SSO access. Enter the following value: https://xxxxxx.skillinking parameterort.com where XXX is unique for each institution.

STATREF

| STAT::Ref| $$UN| Enter the username for the statref platform.
STAT::Ref| $$PW| Enter the password for the statref platform.
| STAT::Ref| $$GRPALIAS| Enter your institution customer code for the platform to add grpalias={custoemr code} } to the target URL to provide better access to the platform. Do not enter it if you already have a username and password
VLEBOOKS| VLEBOOKS::VLEBOOK S| $$SSO| Enter yes in this linking parameter for SSO access.

CHINA_ONLINE_JO URNALS

|

WANFANGDATA::wan fangdata

| $$SERVER_L OC| Enter your geographic location in this linking parameter. It determines the URL syntax for linking:
chi – http://wanfangdat a.com.cn
hk – http://d.g.wanfang data.com.hk
If no value is entered, the URL is:
http://c.g.wanfangdata.com.hk
---|---|---|---

For more information about how to update a linking parser parameter, see
https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/Alma/Knowledge_Articles/How_to_Update_a_Linking_Parser_Parameter