URL
Key point: The representation of a resource outside PageSeeder.

This object stores the location of a resource that exists outside PageSeeder. It is a first-class citizen in the system and can be the target of a link.

It is a special PSML document that has only the web address of an external page as content, but it can have additional information (metadata) attached that can be managed, and that is not available by linking directly to the website – such as a document title or labels – and they can have comments or tasks.

We use the  icon in the user interface for URLs.

Based on domain, the document viewer invokes a special player for the following sites: 

URLs can be uploaded with metadata as part of the Universal Portable Format. A URL’s title, description and metadata (if specified in the URL template) are automatically extracted from its source the first time it is created or linked to.

Configuration of URL templates or URL types can be done by administrators on the Global template page and is global for the whole server.

The display of reverse xrefs from URLs is a good mechanism for tracking and managing links from documentation to external sites. For example, a document collection with multiple references to a section of legislation, might find that xrefs to a URL are a more reliable expression of a relationship than searching the text for references.

While not syntactically the same as the semantic web, the URL object helps PageSeeder to support some of the semantic web architectural objectives.

Managing URLs

A URL is only stored once per server and is available to all groups when a member adds it. URLs are associated with groups when they are linked to from a document in that group or when they have a URL comment added.

Because of this, the default behavior is that no single group can change the URL.

Instead, a member must archive it from their group and create a new URL. This prevents one group unknowingly changing the URL for another group.

Update a URL

A URL can be updated in the URL property in the Document info and metadata panel.

For a group to manage URLs at the server-level, tick the option “Allow editing server wide properties of all URLs in this group”, under Advanced options on the Group configuration page located at Administration menu >   [Group] >    Administration. Archiving URLs or editing URL properties in a group changes corresponding URLs in ALL projects and groups on the server, so ensure that group members know this and are trusted.

For developers: In the developer documentation, URLs are also known as external URIs.