Re: [IUG] Amazon BIBIMAGE and WEBADDRESS

["Leo Papa" <papal at cantonpl dot org>]

Well, Robert, I'm making the switch to index=Amazon because it retrieves
materials in various categories (DVD's, music, etc).

The error message is less toxic and you are also brought to the Amazon
home page, instead of a referring URL, if Amazon  does'nt handle the
search term(s) well.

Thanks,

Leo


Robert F. Rapp wrote:
> 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
>
> --
> This message was distributed through the Innovative Users Group INNOPAC
> list
> Public replies:  INNOPAC at innopacusers dot org
> Update your subscription options:
> http://innopacusers.org/mailman/listinfo/innopac
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