Best Practices

Accessing PDFs, Images, etc. via Alexandria Researcher

Since the ability to link to documents using Explore in the same manner as it was in v5 is not possible in v6, the easiest solution, by far, is to utilize the capability of using URLs that is available both in Explore and as a link in cataloging items.  To accomplish this, you will need to install a web server software application on a computer with a static IP address.  Ideally, this computer should always be turned on.  Many free web server software options are available and a good source for comparing the various web server software options is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_web_server_software. 

In the following scenario, an Apache web server application compatible with windows has been chosen.

• Google search for a web server download compatible with your operating system.  For Windows XP, I have used the following web page http://httpd/apache.org/download.cgi#apache22.

• Download the installer.  When downloading the file, Save rather than run it.

• Run the installer.

• Respond to the Installation Wizard dialog windows, accepting the license conditions and, when asked, enter your domain name (if there is one) or, if there is no domain name, enter the IP address of the computer on which you are installing the web server application.  Fill in other fields.  NOTE:  Alexandria and the web server cannot use the same port.

• Choose Typical installation.

• Go to Program Files and find the Apache folder.  Within this folder is a folder called htdocs.  Put PDFs, image files, etc. within this folder.

• Start the web server software. 

• To test, open an internet browser and type http://your IPaddress (substitute the actual IP address or domain name.  If you have nested folders inside of the root, you can specify the path to them directly:  http://your ip address/the folder   The idea is to specify the path, in URL format, to the file:   http://your ip address/the folder/the file

NOTE:  If you click on an item when you are on this "page" and the item is shown in your browser window, copy the URL and then you can just paste it in either the URL Attachment Definition window (reached from the Link tab of the Item record) or in the window that opens when making buttons for Explore.

In Alexandria

• Go to Items Management window.

• Click on the Action menu icon (gear) at the bottom of the Items List and select New Record (Manually).

• Catalog the item. 

• Click on the Links tab, click on the Add (+) icon, give the link a description and insert the path to this item.

• Save the record.