Re: z39.50r URL

> Date: Tue, 23 Apr 2002 10:59:20 -0400
> From: Ray Denenberg <rden@loc.gov>
> 
> > > How do you specify an attribute architecture search in a z39.50r
> > > URL?
> >
> > In the z39.50r URL as specified in RFC 2056, you can't specify _any_
> > search, AA-compliant or not.  All you can do is specify a record by
> > its unique ID.
> 
> Yes but you've taken the question too literally.
> Rob's asking:
> (a) how do you take the id and turn it to an "AA-compliant" search?
> Meaning, how do you cast the search in tems of attributes from sets
> developed under the Attribute Architecture as oposed to casting it
> as a bib-1 search as specified in the RFC.

Oh, I'm sorry, how stupid of me.

The unique identifier specified in a z39.50r URL should be searched
for using the Local Control Number of Record access point from the
Utility set (@attr util 1=4).

> And a related question,
> 
> (b) how do you indicate in the url that it this is to be done, as
> opposed to the old way.

Now _that_ is a good question.

> Now the answer to (a), though we've never formalized this, is to use
> the utility set access point attribute Local Control Number of
> Record (4) (instead of the bib-1 attribute docid).

Ah -- Shoulda read to the end of your message before leaping in :-)  I
think I remember that we did formalise this somewhere, though.  It's
_not_ under the definition of Local Control Number Of Record in
	http://lcweb.loc.gov/z3950/agency/attrarch/util.html
though, which would have been the obvious place.

> Question (b) is something we've discussed but not thoroughly enough.
> It may be that we don't need to change the url syntax (though at
> minimum we would need to change the procedural section of the
> RFC).

Yup.  The pragmatic answer would be, try the AA-compliant search
first, and if the server doesn't support it, fall back to the BIB-1
version.

> I think that when attribute architecture discussion starts heating
> up again (which may be now) we'll address this concretely.

Also, wasn't there a New And Better Z39.50 URL initiative a year or so
ago?  Where did that go?

 _/|_	 _______________________________________________________________
/o ) \/  Mike Taylor   <mike@miketaylor.org.uk>   www.miketaylor.org.uk
)_v__/\  Orthogonality uber alles!

Received on Wednesday, 24 April 2002 10:20:16 UTC