[OAI-implementers] Improved OAI Viewer

[Young,Jeff]

The OAI Viewer service is starting to look more usable. The frames are gone
and the layout is easier on the eye. 

Access to supported repositories is available from
http://alcme.oclc.org/errol/.

If you have trouble finding a repository in the list that responds in a
timely way, try these:

http://alcme.oclc.org/errol/ERRoLResolver/xtcat.oclc.org.html
http://alcme.oclc.org/errol/ERRoLResolver/ndltd.oclc.org.html
http://alcme.oclc.org/errol/ERRoLResolver/xmlregistry.oclc.org.html

Or use an Extended ERRoL for any other repository in the UIUC registry with
a repository identifier assigned:

"http://alcme.oclc.org/errol/ERRoLResolver/" + <repositoryIdentifier> +
".html"

In theory, OAI Viewer should work with any OAI repository in the UIUC
registry, but there are various limitations that I'm working to resolve.
Here is the current list of known problems:

*	It only works for OAI-PMH v2.0 repositories
*	Many of the repositories in the list are either slow as molasses or
don't respond at all.
*	Only repositories on port 80 can be accessed.
*	OAI Viewer only works properly with Internet Explorer.
*	I need to add caching because right now every request back to the
OAI Viewer server issues a complete set of OAI requests to the home
repository, which is very wasteful.

Here are some tips:
*	Include an oai-branding description element in your repository's
Identify respond to have it appear in the display next to the repository
name (http://www.openarchives.org/OAI/2.0/guidelines-branding.htm).
*	Don't include an <xml-stylesheet> reference in your OAI responds.
This is contrary to my earlier suggestions, but now that OAI Viewer is
freely available to navigate an OAI repository, it is no longer necessary.
In fact, it is a disadvantage because there are hotlinks in the OAI Viewer
screen back to the home repository for each of the OAI verbs and it's
helpful for debugging purposes to see the raw OAI XML when you click on
these links.

There is a long list of future enhancements on my To-Do list. In particular,
I want to make it easy for repositories and users to customize the display
and list of available services in various ways. If you have ideas of your
own, let me know.

Jeff

---
Jeffrey A. Young
Software Architect
Office of Research, Mail Code 710
OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc.
6565 Frantz Road
Dublin, OH   43017-3395
www.oclc.org

Voice:	614-764-4342
Voice:	800-848-5878, ext. 4342
Fax:	614-718-7477
Email:	jyoung@oclc.org