Remote Patron Authentication Profile Parameters

A Technical Document.

The Remote Patron Authentication Service is capable of authenticating user input from several different data sources: Horizon, Dynix, Geac, Innovative, and from a flat-file database. Connection information for the various data sources is kept in a connection file located in the /config directory under the cgi-bin directory for the web server. This file is edited by means of a program called dbProfile (.exe).

The connection parameters file contains six fields: Server Name, Database Name, Data Source Type (enumerated type), Configuration Type (Same enumeration; however, only flat file currently supported), User Name and Password. These fields will hold different data depending on the data source. The following describes these variations:

Horizon:

Server Name: Holds the Sybase server name from the Sybase interfaces file.
Database Name: Holds the Sybase database name for the desired Horizon database.
Source Type: Horizon uses the CT-Lib Connection (3).
Configuration Type: Only the Flat File Option is currently implemented (4).
User Name: The Sybase user name for the Server.
Password: The Sybase password for the above user name.

Dynix:

Server Name: Holds the connection name from the uvodbc.config file.
Database Name: Holds the Universe schema name for the desired Universe server.
Source Type: Dynix uses the UCI connection (1).
Configuration Type: Only the Flat File Option is currently implemented (4).
User Name: The Universe/OS user name for the Server.
Password: The Universe/OS password for the above user name.

Geac:

Server Name: Holds the ip address for the Geac Z-3950 Server in the form ‘tcp:n.n.n.n’
Database Name: Holds no value.
Source Type: Select the Geac Option (6).
Configuration Type: Only the Flat File Option is currently implemented (4).
User Name: Holds no value.
Password: A value may be input to protect access to the configuration file.

Innovative:

Server Name: Holds the url for the Innovative Web Server in the form ‘pac.pomona.edu’.
Database Name: Holds no value.
Source Type: Select the Innovative Option (5).
Configuration Type: Only the Flat File Option is currently implemented (4).
User Name: Holds no value.
Password: A value may be input to protect access to the configuration file.

Flat File:

Server Name: Holds no value.
Database Name: Holds the Full Path to the data source flat file.
Source Type: Select the Flat File Option (4).
Configuration Type: Only the Flat File Option is currently implemented (4).
User Name: Holds no value.
Password: A value may be input to protect access to the configuration file.

The flat file option also has an indexing program associated with it. The indexing program is called: ffIndex (.exe). It uses a configuration file to map out the records in the ascii text file, defining the record size and position and type of each field. The default name is flatfile.map, and its default location is in the config directory under the web server’s cgi-bin directory. A copy of this file must reside there.

Here is an example flatfile.map:

RECORD_SIZE = [80]
FLDSTART1 = [1]
FLDLENGTH1 = [32]
FLDTYPE1 = [NAME]
FLDSTART2 = [33]
FLDLENGTH2 = [14]
FLDTYPE2 = [BARCODE]
FLDSTART3 = [52]
FLDLENGTH3 = [10]
FLDTYPE3 = [EXPIRE]
FLDSTART4 = [64]
FLDLENGTH4 = [2]
FLDTYPE4 = [PTYPE]
FLDSTART5 = [71]
FLDLENGTH5 = [7]
FLDTYPE5 = [FINES]

 

 Remote Patron Authentication Login Parameters

A Technical Document.

The login.cfg file residing in the sub-directory of the web server’s cgi-bin directory defines the desired authentication login parameters. The following is a brief description of the available fields. All values for the names below must appear surrounded by [].

SUCCESS_TEMPLATE: The html template used for valid patrons.

LOGIN_TEMPLATE: The first login page if not valid ip.

INVALID_PATRON: The subsequent login page for invalid logins.

NO_RESOURCES: The page for valid patrons with no available resources.

SERV_ERROR: The page to display if database server error.

AUTHFIELD1,2,3,4: Choose from BARCODE, PIN, USERNAME, PWD, SSN, USERTYPE

PROMPT1,2,3,4: The prompts to be associated with the above AUTHFIELDS.

MASKED1,2,3,4: Mask the values being inputted in the above AUTHFIELDS?

TIME_OUT: The number of minutes to time-out the cookies (default 20 minutes).

FINE_LIMIT: The max amount of fines in dollars that will still authorize the patron.

HORIZON_FLAVOR : Horizon flavor from which to determine us the login parameters.

QUICK_LENGTH: if length of barcode is <=, then insert following prefix.

BARCODE_PREFIX: suffix to insert in front of barcode when length <= quickLength.

BARCODE_SUFFIX: suffix to add to end of barcode.

SECURE: should the cgi script include "secure" in its cookies (Value = TRUE).