[Web4lib] Help with obfuscated URL

[Cory Dunne]

Couldn't you just build a form, hardcode in the regiments you're interested in as hidden fields, and then make a submit link instead of submit button? It's definitely a pain in the butt, but it would be invisible to the user (and Andy's caveat about it breaking down the road would obviously still apply).

Cory



Cory Dunne, Programmer / Analyst and Web Developer , Oakville Public Library
905-815-2042 | 905-815-2024 | mailto:cdunne at oakville.ca

Oakville Public Library | Central Branch | 120 Navy Street, Oakville, ON, L6J 2Z4


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-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Andy Kohler
Sent: Thursday, December 02, 2010 6:20 PM
To: web4lib at webjunction.org
Subject: Re: [Web4lib] Help with obfuscated URL

They do use Cold Fusion, but their content is difficult to access directly due either to their CMS or their design choices (or both).

A quick look at the source code shows that they use javascript (their goto_regiment function) to submit a form (regiment_form).  This form uses a POST, so you can't just construct a URL with parameters - you'll need to write or copy your own javascript to do what their code does.

Up to you to decide whether it's worth the work.  Keep in mind, if they change how their system works your code almost certainly will break, so factor that risk and the maintenance into your decision.

--Andy

On Wed, Dec 1, 2010 at 1:39 PM, Robert Sullivan <robert.g.sullivan at gmail.com> wrote:
> O wise ones,
>
> I'm working on a project for the upcoming Civil War sesquicentennial
> and I'm trying to collect information about individual New York
> regiments.  I have looked at the National Park Service's Civil War
> Soldiers and Sailors System:
>
> <http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/>
>
> and it will allow me to display a list of soldiers in (for example)
> the 134th NY Infantry regiment, but because of the way they're using
> frames and Javascript I can't figure out a URL for the results.
>
> I wrote to them and the responder agreed that would be a useful
> capability but the system (looks like they use Cold Fusion) doesn't
> offer it.  That may be true, but I thought I would ask if anyone else
> could come up with something.
>
> Thanks for any ideas,
>
> --
> Bob Sullivan
> Schenectady Digital History Archive
> <http://www.schenectadyhistory.org/>
> Schenectady County (NY) Public Library
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Web4lib mailing list
> Web4lib at webjunction.org
> http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/
>
>


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