First Search Login script

[Scott Salzman]

Dongming,

It looks to me like the host on which OCLC runs the script, which
processes attempts to login via their web interface, has changed.  The
following is the significant part of the HTML code we're using on our
"auto login to FirstSearch" page.  This worked for me, just now (I
changed it yesterday).  Since I don't know how this message will appear
on your end, please note that there should be five lines of HTML code
below: one opening FORM element, three INPUT elements, and a closing
FORM tag.  I believe that each element must be on a single line in your
web document (ie, no hard line breaks within elements).
 
<FORM METHOD=POST ACTION=http://medusa.prod.oclc.org:3050/
FUNC/LOGIN:next=html/fs_dbs.htm:sessionid=0:entityProductName=FirstSearch>
<INPUT TYPE=SUBMIT VALUE="Auto Login to FirstSearch Web">
<INPUT SIZE=12 TYPE=HIDDEN NAME="autho" VALUE="YOUR_AUTHORIZATION_HERE">
<INPUT SIZE=12 TYPE=HIDDEN NAME="password" VALUE="YOUR_PASSWORD_HERE">
</FORM>

Don't forget that anyone who can view the document containing the above
code can also display the source and see your authorization and
password, so you should limit access to the document to the appropriate
user base.

A *big* thanks to Bill Drew for sharing instructions on how to use the
above technique for automating logins to web-based resources.  Thanks
Bill.

-- 
Scott Salzman                                    ssalzman at carleton.edu
Carleton College                                 (507) 646-4265
Technical Support Librarian                      (507) 646-4087 FAX
http://www.library.carleton.edu/staff/scott/


Dongming Zhang wrote:
>
>    Greeting!
>
>    Has anybody lately used first_search login form script (html) to connect
> to first search database (oclc)? I used the script provided by Bill Drew
> and doesn't work now.
>
>    I suspect OCLC has created domain control on their login server.
>
>    Thanks,
>
>    Dongming Zhang
>    Welch Medical Library