Re: [IUG] Amazon BIBIMAGE and WEBADDRESS

["Robert F. Rapp" <rfrapp at mf dot lib dot wi dot us>]

Leo -

Actually, that is in fact the message you get when you click on a 
cd/dvd/video through the "more information" button, so I think it is not 
a message displayed for not in inventory, but one for "I don;t know what 
you mean", that is, an error (or perceived error) in syntax.

I find it quite frustrating that. for example

Powers Tim 1952

works fine with the "books" index, but returns a "nothing matches your 
search" result with the "amazon" index.

At least it does not give you that annoying "not a functioning page" 
message.  But, it does not really make me want to change to the "amazon" 
index.

Rob


Leo Papa wrote:
> Thanks Robert
>
> This is the type of information I was hoping to receive.
>
> There is aonother, disagreeable aspect of the Amazon passthrough search,
> which appears to occur when they do not have an item in their inventory. 
> The following message is displayed:
>
> Looking for something?
> We're sorry. The Web address you entered is not a functioning page on our
> site. Go to Amazon.com's Home Page
>
> I don't like the implication that the patrson entered a non-functioning
> page, since it was actually the system that generated it.  I also don't
> see why the Amazon home (search) page should not simply be presented to
> the user.  I'm not sure whether using another index will resolve this and
> will experiment.
>
> Leo
>
> Robert F. Rapp wrote:
>   
> > Very interesting.  If we ever get Syndetics, I'll try this!
> >
> > As for using a broader index, replacing index=books with index=amazon
> > will return hits for cds, videos, etc.  However, it has a couple of
> > major problems:
> >
> > 1)  If the search data has extra stuff, like dates (the most common),
> > which work fine with the books index, it will find nothing in the amazon
> > index.
> >
> > 2)  This does not solve the problem, for us, that no image is displayed
> > for most non-book materials.  I am not sure the reason, except that cds
> > (for example) do not have a true isbn number in the bib record as a rule.
> >
> > 2a)  As a result, the more information link also fails with non-books,
> > even with the amazon index.
> >
> > I agree; if anyone has figured out how to get images for non-books and
> > have the search link work throughout, I'd love to know the syntax!
> >
> > Rob
> >
> >
> > Leo Papa wrote:
> >     
> > > We are on Rel 2006. And you can see the setup on out testpac
> > > http://catalog.cantonpl.org:2082
> > >
> > > Here is the syntax for Syndetics' compound image:
> > >
> > > BIBIMAGE=http://syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=%s/SC.GIF&client=CODE&ShowCaptionBelow=t|I|http://syndetics.com/index.aspx?isbn=%s/index.html&client=CODE&rw12&popup=yes
> > >
> > > You will need to replace "CODE" with you library's access code.
> > >
> > > You can contact Syndetics tecnical support for a setup document that
> > > allows customization.  Meanwhile, I'll write to them and ask if they
> > > would
> > > allow me to post it to the IUG Clearinghouse.
> > >
> > > What I am seeking help with is the WEBADDRESS wwwoption for Amazon.
> > > This one works, but I'm not sure whether or not the second set of
> > > parameters (after the |i| delineator) is redundant.
> > >
> > > http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index=books&field-keywords=%s&bq=1/|i|http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/%s|<img
> > > src="/screens/resourcelink.gif" border="0" alt="Purchase at Amazon"
> > > />|<img src="/screens/resourcelink.gif" border="0" alt="Purchase at
> > > Amazon" />|20
> > >
> > > I've also noted that one can change the "index" parameter from, say,
> > > "book" to "amazon" and get a broader set of indexes.  Using the book
> > > index, for example, returns a null set at Amazon if a patron searches
> > > our
> > > catalog for a video, even though Amazon may have that item in stock.  If
> > > someone knows a syntax for the index parameter, that searches all amazon
> > > resources I would like to know about it.
> > >
> > > I had been using the following syntax to link to Syndetics reviews, and
> > > to
> > > pass the search through to Amazon if we did not have any items
> > > associated
> > > with a search:
> > >
> > > http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index=books&field-keywords=%s&bq=1/cybersong|I|http://lib.syndetics.com/rw12.pl?isbn=%s/index.html&client=CODE|<IMG
> > > SRC="/screens/resourcelink.gif" BORDER=0>|<IMG
> > > SRC="/screens/reviews.gif"
> > > BORDER=0>
> > >
> > > Again, "CODE" resresents our Syndetics access code.  The term
> > > "cybersong"
> > > is an affiliate ID we might use for test purposes, before setting up a
> > > library affiliation.
> > >
> > > Leo
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Janice  Painter wrote:
> > >
> > >       
> > > >  Hello Leo,
> > > > I'm definitely interested in finding out how you set this up.
> > > > We have an amazon affiliation, but no catalog links at all (we do a
> > > > "buy
> > > > a book for the library" with wishlist content for in-demand titles as a
> > > > kind of pro-active gift arrangement off of our main website.
> > > > Your setup really sounds like it might be an option.
> > > > So, yes, please send me any information you can.
> > > > I'm also interested in the Syndetics compound image and how that's set
> > > > up.
> > > >
> > > > Can you send me some links on your testpac?
> > > >
> > > > Also, are you on Pro or just doing this with release 2006 wwwoptions?
> > > >
> > > > Thanks,
> > > > Janice Painter
> > > >
> > > > ---------------------------------
> > > > Janice Painter
> > > > Manager, Access Services
> > > > Princeton Public Library
> > > > 65 Witherspoon St.
> > > > Princeton, NJ  08542
> > > >
> > > > email: jpainter at princetonlibrary dot org
> > > >
> > > > Date: Thu, 4 Jan 2007 19:59:40 -0500 (EST)
> > > > From: "Leo Papa" <papal at cantonpl dot org>
> > > > Subject: [IUG] Amazon cover art on 2006 and WebPac Pro
> > > > To: "IUG INNOPAC List" <innopac at innopacusers dot org>
> > > > Message-ID: <3023 dot 69 dot 246 dot 46 dot 13 dot 1167958780 dot squirrel at mail dot cantonpl dot org>
> > > > Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1
> > > >
> > > > On a slightly different tangent...
> > > >
> > > > I was playing around with settings for Amazon and Syndetics in the
> > > > BIBIMAGE  and WEBADDRESS wwwoptions, and was able to configure
> > > > WEBADRESS
> > > > so that it would link to Syndetic review if we had an item, and pass
> > > > the
> > > > search on to Amazon if we didn't.  If anyone is interested in the
> > > > syntax
> > > > I'll be glad to provide it.
> > > >
> > > > Syndetics has come out with a "compound" image, that provides links to
> > > > reviews out of the BIBIMAGE wwwoption, expressed in a link below the
> > > > cover art.  So, we will probably not use this 'hybrid' WEBADDRESS
> > > > syntax, and just use that wwwoption for Amazon, should we decide to
> > > > affiliate with them.
> > > >
> > > > I'm have added an (personal) affiliate ID to WEBADDRESS and it didn't
> > > > break the wwwoption functioning, but we'll have to go live before we
> > > > can
> > > > test if it is really working.  No one is going to buy books off of our
> > > > staging port.  If it works our library is considering becomming an
> > > > affiliate. If anyone else is already testing or has an Amazon
> > > > affiliation working, I'd like to connect with them.
> > > >
> > > > Leo Papa
> > > > Canton Public Library
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >         
> > >
> > >       
> > --
> > Dort, wo man Bücher verbrennt,
> > verbrennt man am Ende auch Menschen.
> > -Heinrich Heine
> >
> > Robert F. Rapp
> > Information Technology Librarian
> > Menomonee Falls Public Library
> > rfrapp at mf dot lib dot wi dot us
> >
> > --
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> >
> >     
>
>
>   


--
Dort, wo man Bücher verbrennt, 
verbrennt man am Ende auch Menschen.
-Heinrich Heine

Robert F. Rapp
Information Technology Librarian
Menomonee Falls Public Library
rfrapp at mf dot lib dot wi dot us