In case someone is working with the Handle System (migrating from DSpace to EPrints, for instance), version 7 brings template handles which make it much easier to provide an EPrints repository with persistent URLs.

 

While previous versions required a new record to be created in the local Handle server database for every persistent URL like http://hdl.handle.net/<prefix>/<item_id> to be resolved, we are now able to simply define a template that will map any

 

http://hdl.handle.net/<your_prefix>/xyz

to

http://your.repo.url/xyz

 

Assuming the following scenario:

- 7.x Handle server set up and running

- A prefix (institutional id registered in the Handle System) homed on that server. We’ll use 123456 for this example

- Your EPrints repository is located at http://your.repo.url

 

Here is how:

1. For handle 123456: create a Simple URL with the value http://your.repo.url

2. For handle 0.NA/123456: add an HS_NAMESPACE entry with the following UTF8 Text value:

 

    <namespace>

      <template delimiter="/">

        <foreach>

          <if value="type" test="equals" _expression_="URL">

              <value data= "" />

          </if>

          <else>

              <value />

          </else>

        </foreach>

      </template>

    </namespace>

   

And we’re done! Any URL with the format http://hdl.handle.net/123456/* will be resolved as http://your.repo.url/*. Even non-valid handles, but you get a lightweight local handle server that does the job.

 

Especially dedicated to Ian and John, after our handles conversation at OR2012   :)

 

Cheers,

 

                Jose

----

Jose Martin

Digital Repositories Specialist

Research Technologies Group

University of London Computer Centre

Senate House  |  Malet Street  |  London  |  WC1E 7HU

 

t: +44 (0)20 7863 1342

e: J.Martin@ulcc.ac.uk

w: http://www.ulcc.ac.uk/

b: http://dablog.ulcc.ac.uk/

 

To ensure you receive the full benefits of the repositories service please remember to cc repositories@ulcc.ac.uk

 

The University of London is an exempt charity in England and Wales and a charity registered in Scotland (reg. no. SC041194)

----