For external links such as websites, we use the absolute URL. For links
within our own domains, we encode the base filename as the href and then
use a series of "mapping" codes in our stylesheets to expand the
filename into a full URL. This can be a real time saver if you need to
quickly update a URL or temporarily redirect links to another server,
etc. Recently, we moved from DLXS to XTF on a different server and
different URL structure. I was able to update the <archref> links that
mapped to the old URL by changing one line in the stylesheet. Of
course, as you say, if you need to share your XML, you'll need to have a
stylesheet that can expand the relative URL into an absolute one. This
is what happens when we send our finding aids to our consortium.
On 6/21/2011 6:27 AM, Nathan Tallman wrote:
> Greetings list,
>
> I'm trying to get a handle on whether institutions are using relative or
> absolute links for linking digital content. Relative is probably the
> preferred for coding standards, but what if your are sending your EADs
> off to a consortium or central finding aid repository, in addition to
> your own website? Won't all the links be broken? Perhaps one can work
> some find/replace magic to make them all absolute.
>
> Just curious how others are handling this, especially since finding aid
> repositories are on the rise.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Nathan Tallman
> Associate Archivist
> American Jewish Archives
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