OpenURL

From: Subject: OpenURL Date: Mon, 5 Nov 2001 09:37:42 -0800 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0005_01C165DD.849EC520"; type="text/html" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4807.1700 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0005_01C165DD.849EC520 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://www.sfxit.com/openurl/openurl.html OpenURL OpenURL = Generator | OpenURL syntax description | CookiePusher = document=20 | Feedback

[Draft = version, open=20 for public comment. Please mail=20 feedback]

Authors: Herbert Van de = Sompel -=20 Cornell University ; Patrick=20 Hochstenbach - Ghent University ; Oren Beit-Arie - Ex Libris = (USA),=20 Inc.

This version: OpenURL/1.0f - 2000-05-16

INTRODUCTION

In order to allow for = the=20 delivery of context-sensitive services via an SFX-inspired=20 framework, information resources must achieve the = following:

Implementation of a = technique=20 to make the resource understand the difference between a user that has = access=20 to a service component that can deliver context-sensitive services; = and a user=20 that does not. A pragmatic approach to this problem is described in = the CookiePusher = document.=20
For users with = access to a=20 service component, provide an OpenURL for each metadata-object. This = document=20 describes the OpenURL.=20

In order to enable the = delivery of=20 context-sensitive services for -- initially bibliographic -- metadata,=20 information providers are invited to add an OpenURL to the metadata, = when it is=20 being displayed as a result of a search/browse in their information = systems. The=20 OpenURL is designed to enable the transfer of the metadata from the = information=20 service to a service component that can provide context-sensitive = services for=20 the transferred metadata.

In order to avoid the = display of=20 the OpenURL for users working from an environment that does not have = such a=20 service component, information providers can use several techniques. The = use of=20 the CookiePusher -- that is available as a freeware tool (see = CookiePusher=20 document) -- will most probably be the easiest way for information = providers to=20 achieve this. The CookiePusher informs the information provider about = the fact=20 that a user has access to a service component. It also tells the = information=20 provider where the service component is located (see BASE-URL, below). = But there=20 are many alternative ways in which an information provider can address = this=20 problem, and the decission on how to tackle the issue will be = his.

This document describes = the syntax=20 of the OpenURL for bibliographic metadata. This document is open to the = public.=20 As such, all interested parties can implement the OpenURL as part of the = output=20 of their information systems. In the same way, interested parties can = create=20 service components that can take OpenURLs as input.

0. Preliminary = remarks

HTTP POST and GET

The OpenURL = syntax=20 description that is provided from item (1) onwards, uses an HTTP GET = request=20 format. However, the same syntax can also be used in an HTTP POST = format. Some=20 comments that relate to this:

It must be = understood=20 that an OpenURL using the HTTP GET request format of a length that is = higher=20 than 255 characters may not function successfully in all = circumstances. With=20 this regard, RFC2616=20 mentions: "Servers ought to be cautious about depending on URI lengths = above=20 255 bytes, because some older client or proxy implementations might = not=20 properly support these lengths." There are no such limits for a HTTP = POST=20 request format.
While it may = not be a=20 fundamental problem for companies in the information industry to use a = HTTP=20 POST in stead of an HTTP GET format for the OpenURL, it must be = understood=20 that the usage of a GET request format may be easier to use for an = individual=20 who wants to include an OpenURL in an HTML page he is = authoring.=20

Character set

The OpenURL = follows the URI=20 specs (see http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2= 396.txt).=20 The syntax rules for URIs restrict a few characters to special roles in = certain=20 contexts and require that if these characters are used in any other way = that=20 they be Escape encoded as a percent sign followed by the character code = in=20 hexadecimal (see http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2= 279.txt).=20

The = BASE-URL=20 mentioned under (1) corresponds with the = <authority><path>=20 component of the URI specification and must comply with the rules = regarding=20 their reserved characters.
The=20 QUERY=20 part = mentioned=20 under (1) corresponds to the query component of the URI = specification.=20 The = declarations shown=20 below will be used in the OpenURL syntax description, to describe the = validity=20 of characters in the different components of the query part of = the=20 OpenURL.

VCHAR ::=3D = ALPHANUM | MARK=20 | ESCAPED

ALPHANUM = ::=3D ALPHA |=20 DIGIT

ALPHA ::=3D = LOWALPHA |=20 UPALPHA

LOWALPHA = ::=3D 'a' | 'b' |=20 'c' | 'd' | 'e' | 'f' | 'g' | 'h' | 'i' | 'j' | 'k' | 'l' | 'm' | 'n' | = 'o' |=20 'p' | 'q' | 'r' | 's' | 't' | 'u' | 'v' | 'w' | 'x' | 'y' | 'z' =

UPALPHA ::=3D = 'A' | 'B' |=20 'C' | 'D' | 'E' | 'F' | 'G' | 'H' | 'I' | 'J' | 'K' | 'L' | 'M' | 'N' | = 'O' |=20 'P' | 'Q' | 'R' | 'S' | 'T' | 'U' | 'V' | 'W' | 'X' | 'Y' | 'Z' =

DIGIT ::=3D = '0' | '1' | '2'=20 | '3' | '4' | '5' | '6' | '7' | '8' | '9'

MARK ::=3D = '-' | '_' | '.'=20 | '!' | '~' | '*' | ''' | '(' | ')'

ESCAPED ::=3D = '%' HEX=20 HEX

HEX ::=3D = digit | 'A' | 'B'=20 | 'C' | 'D' | 'E' | 'F' | 'a' | 'b' | 'c' | 'd' | 'e' | 'f' =

1. OpenURL=20

The OpenURL syntax is = described=20 here as an HTTP GET request of the form:

OpenURL ::=3D BASE-URL = '?'=20 QUERY

QUERY ::=3D DESCRIPTION ( = '&&' DESCRIPTION )

BASE-URL is the=20 URL of a service-component that can take an OpenURL as input. =
DESCRIPTION=20 describes the origin of the transported=20 metadata-object as well as the metadata-object = itself.
If = multiple objects=20 are transported over the OpenURL, their DESCRIPTION must be delimited by = two=20 ampersands.

Example: =

A = BASE-URL = could be = http://sfxserver.uni.edu/sfxmenu=20
The = BASE-URL will=20 depend on the user (or its institution) and can -- for instance -- = become=20 known to the information provider via the CookiePusher = mechanism.=20

2.=20 DESCRIPTION

DESCRIPTION ::=3D (=20 ORIGIN-DESCRIPTION '&' )? OBJECT-DESCRIPTION | OBJECT-DESCRIPTION ( = '&'=20 ORIGIN-DESCRIPTION )?

OBJECT-DESCRIPTION contains=20 information about the metadata-object transported in the OpenURL.=20
ORIGIN-DESCRIPTION contains = information about=20 the information system where the transported metadata-object = originates. It=20 describes the system that inserts the OpenURL.
The = OpenURL must=20 transport at least one object. As such the OpenURL must contain at = least one=20 OBJECT-DESCRIPTION.
The order = in which=20 OBJECT-DESCRIPTION and = ORIGIN-DESCRIPTION are provided is = not=20 significant.

3.=20 ORIGIN-DESCRIPTION

ORIGIN-DESCRIPTION ::=3D sid=20 '=3D' VendorID ':' DatabaseID

VendorID ::=3D ( ALPHANUM = )+

DatabaseID ::=3D = ( ALPHANUM | ESCAPED )+

The=20 ORIGIN-DESCRIPTION consists of the=20 sid tag-name = (service=20 identifier) and a corresponding tag-value. This=20 tag-value=20 consists of two parts that are separated by a colon. The part = before the=20 colon is the identifier of the vendor of the information service where = the=20 metadata originates. The part of the tag-value following the colon is = the=20 identifier of the database within the vendor's information service = where the=20 metadata originates. The colon is provided 'as is', meaning in a non = Escape=20 encoded form.=20
It is = highly=20 recommended to provide an ORIGIN-DESCRIPTION. If the = OBJECT-DESCRIPTION contains a = LOCAL-IDENTIFIER-ZONE (see 7.) then = the=20 provision of ORIGIN-DESCRIPTION=20 is mandatory.

Examples of = ORIGIN-DESCRIPTION = are:

sid=3DOvid:Medline
sid=3DERL:BX4=20
sid=3DEBSCO:MFA=20

4. OBJECT-DESCRIPTION =

OBJECT-DESCRIPTION ::=3D = ZONE (=20 '&' ZONE) *

ZONE ::=3D = (GLOBAL-IDENTIFIER-ZONE |=20 OBJECT-METADATA-ZONE | LOCAL-IDENTIFIER-ZONE)

The tag-names = and=20 corresponding tag-values that can be provided in = OBJECT-DESCRIPTION=20 resort under one of three ZONE(s):=20

The = GLOBAL-IDENTIFIER-ZONE;=20
The = OBJECT-METADATA-ZONE;=20
The = LOCAL-IDENTIFIER-ZONE.=20

All = ZONE(s)are optional, but at least one of the three must be = provided.=20
Each = zone can only=20 occur once in an OBJECT-DESCRIPTION for a = transported=20 metadata-object.
The = choice regarding=20 which ZONE(s) to provide will depend on = the=20 information system for which the OpenURL is = implemented.=20
The = order in which=20 the ZONE(s) occur is not=20 significant.

5. = GLOBAL-IDENTIFIER-ZONE=20

GLOBAL-IDENTIFIER-ZONE ::=3D=20 'id' '=3D'=20 GLOBAL-NAMESPACE=20 ':'=20 GLOBAL-IDENTIFIER (=20 '&'=20 'id' = '=3D' = GLOBAL-NAMESPACE = ':' = GLOBAL-IDENTIFIER)*

GLOBAL-NAMESPACE ::=3D ( = 'doi' |=20 'pmid' | 'bibcode' | 'oai' )

GLOBAL-IDENTIFIER ::=3D=20 VCHAR+

The GLOBAL-IDENTIFIER-ZONE=20 contains identifiers of global = namespaces and the=20 corresponding identifiers of the transported object within these global=20 namespaces. Identifiers that only have significance in local = namespaces=20 -- such as the identifier of a record in an institutional implementation = of an=20 A&I database -- do not fit into this zone. They belong in the=20 LOCAL-IDENTIFIER-ZONE.

The = GLOBAL-IDENTIFIER-ZONE=20 consists of the id tag-name (identifier) = and a=20 corresponding tag-value. This tag-value consists of = two parts=20 that are separated by a colon. The part before the colon is the = identifier=20 of the global namespace. The part of the tag-value following = the=20 colon is the identifier of the object within the global namespace.=20
The = colon is=20 provided 'as is', meaning in a non Escape encoded form. =

More than one = global=20 identifier can be provided in the OpenURL.=20

Currently defined = global=20 namespace-identifiers are:

Example: =

A=20 GLOBAL-IDENTIFIER-ZONE can be: id=3Ddoi:123/345678&id=3Dpmid:202123
A valid = OpenURL -- before=20 the mandatory Escape encoding -- is: http://sfxserver.uni.edu/sfxmenu?id=3Ddoi:123/345678&id=3Dpm= id:202123
This OpenURL = transports two=20 global identifiers that uniquely define the same metadata-object. =
The = corresponding Escape=20 encoded OpenURL is: http://sfxserver.uni.edu/sfxmenu?id=3Ddoi:123%2F345678&id=3D= pmid:202123=20
A valid = OpenURL -- before=20 the mandatory Escape encoding -- for a preprint that resides in an = archive=20 that complies with the Santa Fe Convention of the Open Archives = initiative is:=20 http://sfxserver.uni.edu/sfxmenu?id=3Doai:arXiv:physics/0003005<= /FONT>=20
The = corresponding Escape=20 encoded OpenURL is
http://sfxserver.uni.edu/sfxmenu?id=3Doai%3AarXiv%3Aphysics%2F00= 03005=20

6.=20 OBJECT-METADATA-ZONE

The OBJECT-METADATA-ZONE=20 is used for the provision of metadata elements = of the=20 transported metadata-object in a format that is shared by all OpenURLs. = If for=20 some reason metadata elements can not be described in this common = format, they=20 can still be included in the PRIVATE-IDENTIFIER-ZONE.

Table = 1 shows=20 a list of currently supported META-TAGs and a = description of=20 their meaning.=20
Table = 2 shows=20 the usage of META-TAGs in relation to the = genre of the transported = object.=20

Example: =

An=20 OBJECT-METADATA-ZONE can be :
issn=3D1234-5678&date=3D1998&volume=3D12&issue=3D2&a= mp;spage=3D134=20
A valid = OpenURL can be :=20 http://sfxserver.uni.edu/sfxmenu?issn=3D1234-5678&date=3D199= 8&volume=3D12&issue=3D2&spage=3D134=20 . Note that the "-" in the = issn tag-value is part of the VCHAR set and as such does = not=20 need to be Escape=20 encoded.

7.=20 LOCAL-IDENTIFIER-ZONE

LOCAL-IDENTIFIER-ZONE = ::=3D 'pid' '=3D'=20 VCHAR+

The LOCAL-IDENTIFIER-ZONE=20 is introduced in order to allow for the = transportation=20 of metadata in formats that are specific to the originating information = system,=20 and that can not be expressed in the standardized syntax proposed for = the=20 OBJECT-METADATA-ZONE.

The = LOCAL-IDENTIFIER-ZONE=20 consits of a pid (private = identifier)=20 tag-name and a corresponding tag-value. The syntax of the tag-value = is=20 completely defined by the information provider.
If a = LOCAL-IDENTIFIER-ZONE=20 is used, then the provision of=20 ORIGIN-DESCRIPTION (see 3.)=20 is mandatory.
The = LOCAL-IDENTIFIER-ZONE=20 must be Escape encoded as a whole, = meaning=20 that -- for instance -- also parameter-names defined by the = information=20 providers must be Escape encoded. =

Example:

A LOCAL-IDENTIFIER-ZONE = can be: = pid=3D<author>Smith,=20 Paul ; Klein, Calvin</author>&<yr>98</yr> =
An OpenURL = containing the=20 above LOCAL-IDENTIFIER-ZONE -- before the mandatory Escape = encoding --=20 would be :
http://sfxserver.uni.edu/sfxmenu?sid=3DEBSCO:MFA&id=3Dpmid:2= 03456&pid<author>Smith,=20 Paul ; Klein, Calvin</author>&<yr>98</yr> =
The = corresponding encoded=20 OpenURL is:
http://sfxserver.uni.edu/sfxmenu?sid=3DEBSCO:MFA& id=3Dpm= id:203456&pid=3D%3Cauthor%3ESmith%2C%20Paul%20%3B%20Klein%2C%20Calvin= %3C%2Fauthor%3E&%3Cyr%3E98%2F1%3C%2Fyr%3E.
As can be seen, = the=20 pid value is encoded as a whole.=20
Because the = following=20 OpenURL -- shown before the mandatory Escape encoding -- = contains a=20 pid without a sid, it is invalid:
http://sfxserver.uni.edu/sfxmenu?id=3Dpmid:203456&pid<aut= hor>Smith,=20 Paul ; Klein, Calvin</author>&<yr>98</yr>=20.

META-TAG	value	description
genre	bundles:
	journal	a journal, volume of a journal, issue of a journal =
	book	a book
	conference	a publication bundling proceedings of a conference =
	individual items:
	article	a journal article
	preprint	a preprint
	proceeding	a conference proceeding
	bookitem	an item that is part of a book
aulast		A string with the first author's last name =
aufirst		A string with the first author's first name =
auinit		A string with the first author's first and middle = initials=20
auinit1		A string with the first author's first initial =
auinitm		A string with the first author's middle initials=20

issn		An ISSN number
eissn		An electronic ISSN number
coden		A CODEN
isbn		An ISBN number
sici		A SICI of a journal article, volume or issue. Compliant with = ANSI/NISO=20 Z39.56-1996 Version 2 (see http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/SICI/)=20
bici		A BICI for a section of a book, to which an ISBN has been = assigned.=20 Compliant with http://www.niso.org/bici.html
title		The title of a bundle (journal, book, conference) =
stitle		The abbreviated title of a bundle
atitle		The title of an individual item (article, preprint, conference=20 proceeding, part of a book )

volume		The volume of a bundle
part		The part of a bundle
issue		The issue of a bundle
spage		The start page of an individual item in a bundle =
epage		The end page of an individual item in a bundle =
pages		Pages covered by an individual item in a bundle. = The=20 format of this field is ' spage-epage'
artnum		The number of an individual item, in cases where there are no = pages=20 available.
date	YYYY-MM-DD YYYY-MM YYYY	The publication date of the item or bundle encoded in the = "Complete=20 date" variant of ISO8601 (see http://www.w3.org/TR/NOTE-datetime). = This=20 format is YYYY-MM-DD where YYYY is the four-digit year, MM is the = month of=20 the year between 01 (January) and 12 (December), and DD is the day = of the=20 month between 01 and 28 or 29 or 30 or 31, depending on length of = the=20 month and whether it is a leap year.
ssn	winter \| spring \| summer \| fall	The season of publication
quarter	1 \| 2 \| 3 \| 4	The quarter of publication =

Table 1 :=20 META-TAGs and description of their meaning

	genre
	individual items	bundles
	article	preprint	proceeding	bookitem	book	journal	conference
aulast	X	X	X	X	X	-	X
aufirst	X	X	X	X	X	-	X
auinit	X	X	X	X	X	-	X
auinit1	X	X	X	X	X	-	X
auinitm	X	X	X	X	X	-	X
issn	X	-	X	-	-	X	X
eissn	X	-	X	-	-	X	X
coden	X	-	X	-	-	X	X
isbn	-	-	X	X	X	-	X
sici	X	-	X	-	-	X	X
bici	-	-	X	X	-	-	-
title	X	-	X	X	X	X	X
stitle	X	-	X	X	X	X	X
atitle	X	X	X	X	-	-	-
volume	X	-	X	X	X	X	X
part	X	-	X	X	X	X	X
issue	X	-	X	-	-	X	X
spage	X	X	X	X	-	-	-
epage	X	X	X	X	-	-	-
pages	X	X	X	X	-	-	-
artnum	X	X	X	X	-	-	-
date	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
ssn	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
quarter	X	X	X	X	X	X	X

Table=20 2 : META-TAGs and how they relate to genres

History

2000-05-16 :=20 Made changes to address ambiguity regarding Escape encoding of the = different=20 components of the OpenURL.

2000-05-12 :=20 Added a section with regard to HTTP GET and POST. Added the names of the = authors=20 of the OpenURL document.

2000-05-02 :=20 Selective release of OpenURL specs to a community of experts in = reference=20 linking

Currently under=20 discussion

Addition of a date-type tag to accomodate for difference in = publication date=20 of print and electronic versions. Such a tag is used in the CrossRef = DTD.

Addition of OpenURL version number in the syntax.

Meaning of the genre tag. In OpenURL, the tag-value of the genre tag=20 corresponds with the type of the object that is described in the = OpenURL. In=20 CrossRef, the genre tag refers to the type of the object itself.

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Tony Hammond at Academic Press for valuable input.

This page last updated on: 2 November, 2001=20

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