Sites that use proxy servers to protect licensed materials may configure Ares to automatically identify proxy-protected links. When enabled, Ares will automatically identify and separate the value of the ProxyPrefix key from the remainder of the submitted URL.
This feature will affect all items with a DocumentType of WebLink.
Setting the WebProxy Prefix
To use this feature, set the following keys in the Customization Manager:
| UseProxy |
If set to Yes, the UseProxy key will automatically identify proxy-protected URLs and separate the value of the ProxyPrefix key from the remainder of the URL. |
|---|---|
| ProxyPrefix |
The value of your proxy server prefix (e.g., yourproxyprefix/login?url=). Ares will use this value when determining if URLs are already proxy-prefixed. |
| ProxyDefault |
If set to Yes, the ProxyDefault key will prepend the value of the ProxyPrefix key to any URL not already identified as beginning with the proxy prefix. |
Setting the ProxyDefault key to Yes will add a proxy prefix to ALL URLs, including those that might not require proxy authentication. For example, a site with a ProxyDefault key set to Yes and a ProxyPrefix key set to http://your.proxy.prefix/login?url= item would automatically update a WebLink URL from http://google.com to http://yourproxyprefix/login?url=http://google.com.
To prevent invalid links from immediately becoming available, you may wish to enable the Force Review option for WebLinks in the DocumentTypes table.
The Web Proxy Checkbox
The Web Proxy checkbox is located on item forms in the Ares Staff Client. When the UseProxy Customization Manager key is set to Yes, the Web Proxy checkbox may be checked or unchecked to add or remove a proxy prefix from URLs when the DocumentType is set to WebLink.
When the UseProxy Customization Manager key is set to Yes, Ares will search all new weblinks for the proxy prefix. If the proxy prefix is found, the Web Proxy checkbox will be automatically checked and the URL in the Location field will be adjusted to only display the portion of the URL found after the proxy prefix.
If the ProxyDefault key is set to Yes, the Web Proxy checkbox will be checked for all items with a DocumentType of WebLink, even if the proxy prefix is not included in the submitted URL.
Items Created using the Ares Staff Client
- If UseProxy is set to Yes and ProxyDefault is set to No, item records with an Item Format of Web Link and a proxy-prefixed URL in the Location field will have the proxy prefix automatically removed and the Web Proxy box checked.
- If ProxyDefault is set to Yes, the same behavior will occur, sans the checking of the Web Proxy box, since setting the ProxyDefault key to Yes will automatically be checked.
Adding a proxy to a non-proxy-prefixed URL
If a staff member wants to prepend a non-proxy-prefixed URL, they should enter the base URL into the Location field and check the Web Proxy box. Ares will combine the proxy prefix and the value from the Location field, and then direct users to the proxy-protected version of the original URL. To bypass the automatic addition of the proxy prefix, uncheck the Web Proxy check box in the Item form.