Not being able to launch links

[angela]

We're using PWB as our cataloging browser. We have IE 6. I noticed that we have a link on the bottom of our page which does take the patron away from the catalog. We just want to allow them to search our catalog,
not go elsewhere on the Internet. Is there anyway to disable links within PWB?? I was able to disable the mailto via the regedit. Would I have to
do this for this situation also?? If so, where??

We use Windows 2000, PWB version 1, and the MMC to lockdown the PC.

Thanks

[Scott]

You can use the no access list to prevent the link from being browsed to.

--Scott

[angela]

I just tried the recommendation to block the URL in NOAccess, with no
luck, and even added the URL for the catalog in the OnlyAccess hoping
this would help. nope.

[Scott]

You need to enable the no access filter.

[Security]
...
NoAccess=True
...

Make sure the full path is used in the INI file to the no access file, and add the URL to the no access file you do not want accessed.

[Files]
...
NoAccessFile=C:\Your Path to\NoAccess.txt
...


The no access file is a clear text file of strings separated by CR/LF not allowed in the Address box. Uses pattern matching (if in string), not case sensitive.

You could also use the only access filter, but this is much more difficult to use. The only access filter works in a similar fashion to the no access filter but only allows access to the strings in the only access file.

--Scott

[angela]

Scott,
currently the NoAccess filter looks like this
C:\
C:/
games.com
mail
http://www<the website to block>.com

It should look like this?
[Security]
NoAccess=True
NoAccessFile=C:\Internet Explorer\IExplore.exe\http://www<blocked website>.com\NoAccess.txt

Or would it be via Public Web Browser instead of IE?? As you can see
I'm not good at creating strings. It doesn't look right to me.
I'm assuming I don't need the ... between each line.

Angela

[Scott]

You can take the "games.com" and "mail" out of the file if you wish, they were only there for examples, otherwise the no access file should be sufficient.

In the PWB INI file there are sections, "[Files]" for example. In order to activate the filter there are a few keys in the sections you need to change. In order for PWB to be able to find you no access filter file you need to set the path to the file in the files ("[Files]") section of the INI file.

[Files]
...
NoAccessFile=C:\Program File\PublicBrowser\NoAccess.txt
...

Now that PWB knows where the file is, you need to tell PWB to look in the file for web sites that should not be accessed. This is done by enabling the filter in the security ("[Security]") section of the INI file.

[Security]
...
NoAccess=True
...

Now that PWB knows to check the no access file and knows where the no access file is, the web sites listed in the no access file should be blocked.

--Scott

[angela]

I forgot all about the settings in files and Security for no access. A brick had to hit me. Now I got it. Thanks.

[Jim]

I've got the opposite problem that Angela had. I've set up our public OPACs with PWB v1. The home page is set to go to our OPAC. Our network just added a feature that, when you search for an item and the network doesn't have it, will ask you if you want to explore the "Virtual Catalog", which reflects the holdings of multiple Massachusetts libraries. When you click on this link {the URL is: (javascript:open_win('http://www.ocln.org/virtcat') } PWB closes. Is there any way to allow patrons to go to this particular URL?

Jim

[Scott]

Do you have javascript in your allowed URLs?

--Scott

[Jim]

Scott,

I'm not sure where you allow the javascript. Which section(s) would I need to edit to make this happen? Sounds like a pretty easy thing to do. Thanks.

Jim

[Scott]

If you are using the only access filter:

[Security]
...
OnlyAccess=True
...

You should have JavaScript in your only access filter file.

If you are using the no access filter:

[Security]
...
NoAccess=True
...

You should not have JavaScript in your no access filter file.

--Scott

[Jim]

Scott,

I tried both options without result. First I set up

[Security]
Only Access=True

and in the OnlyAccess file I put the following strings (three different times):

JavaScript
javascript
javascript:open_win('http://www.ocln.org/virtcat')

This configuration wouldn't allow PWB to open at all (I got the NoAccess Message). I set the configs back to default and . . .

then tried:

[Security]
NoAccess=True

with

nothing in the NoAccess file.

In this case I could get to the OPAC but when I attempted to click on the Virtual Catalog option (the javascript link) it kicked me out of PWB and back to the desktop as before.

Am I forgetting the obvious somewhere? Thanks for your help.

Jim

[Scott]

Try turning off the filters.

[Security]
...
NoAccess=False
...
OnlyAccess=False
...

Is the JavaScript opening pop-up windows? Make sure you do not have po-up windows disabled.

--Scott

[Guest]

Scott,

I've tried turning off both filters:

[Security]
NoAccess=False
OnlyAccess=False

I've also made sure that

[Browser]
DisableNewBrowser=False

so that I do not have pop up windows disabled.

Is there anywhere else where I have to make sure that pop up are disabled?

I've tried

[Second Window]
CloseOnDenyAccess=True and False

and

[Security]
OnDenyAccess=Home and Back

All to no avail.

Essentially it seems like its just a matter of setting the configurations to allow a second browser to (stay) open. If my OPAC doesn't have any links to javascript or {e.g. javascript: open_win('http://www.ocln.org/virtcat')} then everything is fine. But when I attempt to go there it closes the browser.

I notice that in PWBv2 there is a URL.txt file that appears to allow you to specify which URLs you want to allow or deny access to. This apparently works with the CheckURLAccess=True line. As far as I can tell this feature doesn't appear in PWBv1.

I'll keep trying if you've got any suggestions.

Thanks.

Jim

[Scott]

Start with a clean (new) INI file from the distribution and see if that works. Then work from there.

We are no longer developing PWB v1, maybe it is time to give PWB v2 a test drive.

You can get a 30 day temporary license be emailing Michelle@TeamSoftwareSolutions.com and requesting one.

--Scott