Vufind Search Results Bulk Downloader Service and Front-End Customization

Service, templates, controllers, and forms for customizing VuFind so the search results can be exported in CSV format. An "Export CSV" link is added to the search results page, opening a form where the user can select fields to be exported, inform their email address and provide a captcha-based form validation. The actual CSV file creation is performed by the external service, which is called by VuFind and can, based on a download limit parameter, either return the file for download or send the file download link to the user by email.

Developed by LA Referencia / IBICT

Running the export service

Install

1. Clone/download this repository

2. Build using Maven/Java8

$ ./build.sh

3. Edit config files

• config/application.properties (first make a copy from config/application.properties.model)

• bullk-downloader.conf

Run

• Run from bash

$ ./bulk-downloader.jar

• Run as service

$ sudo ln -s /path/to/bulk-downloader /etc/init.d/bulk-downloader
$ sudo /etc/init.d/bulk-downloader start

• Navigate to http://host:port/

Implementing the customizations in VuFind

In the vufind folder:

1. Configuration file bulkexport.ini

• Copy the export configuration file to <VUFIND_HOME>\config\vufind
• Adjust the entries as needed, especially sections Service and Captcha
• ReCaptcha keys are obtained at http://www.google.com/recaptcha/admin upon domain registration

2. Theme folder ibict

• In case there is no custom theme:

  • Copy the whole folder to <VUFIND_HOME>\themes (the folder name, which is the new theme name, can be changed)
  • In the config.ini file (at <VUFIND_HOME>\config\vufind), change the theme entry to match the new theme name (the theme folder name)

• In case there is a custom theme already in use:

  • If there are no custom templates, copy the whole templates folder to the theme folder
  • If there are already custom templates:
    • Copy the whole bulkexport folder to the templates folder
    • Copy the whole search folder to the templates folder if it still does not exist, or copy only the results.phtml template file (under search) to the existing local search folder otherwise
      • If the results.phtml template is already customized, only the lines 130--133, which include the "Export CSV" link, can be inserted in the existing customized template as desired, as long as the href attribute is not changed

3. Module folder custom

• VuFind must already have a custom module configured, which is created when it is installed

• If the module.config.php file in <VUFIND_HOME>\module\<CUSTOM_MODULE>\config has no configuration (the $config array variable is empty), it can be replaced by the module.config.php file in custom\config. If there are already custom configurations, the entries in the custom\config\module.config.php (which configure the new controller and static routes) must be inserted in the existing module config file. Check the VuFind module configuration file at <VUFIND_HOME>\module\VuFind\config to see where controller and static routes entries must be added. In any case, be sure to replace custom in the file paths with your own custom module name

• Copy the Controller folder in custom\src\custom to <VUFIND_HOME>\module\<CUSTOM_MODULE>\src\<CUSTOM_MODULE> if it still does not exist, or copy only the BulkExportController.php class (under Controller) to the existing local Controller folder otherwise

  • Edit the BulkExportController.php class to replace custom with your own custom module name in the namespace and the path to the BulkExportConfirm class (lines 3 and 5)

• Copy the BulkExportConfirm.php class to <VUFIND_HOME>\module\<CUSTOM_MODULE>\src\<CUSTOM_MODULE>, and edit the file to replace custom with your own custom module name in the namespace (line 3)

• Copy the ExecuteBulkExport.php class to <VUFIND_HOME>\module\<CUSTOM_MODULE>\src\<CUSTOM_MODULE>. This is the class which will be called in background to perform the export, so be sure to inform its full path in the bulkexport.ini file (see above), in the backgroundClass entry

4. Language files in the languages folder

   The entries for the new templates were added in the language files for English, Spanish, and Brazilian Portuguese. At least the English file, en.ini, must be copied to the folder <VUFIND_HOME>\languages. The remaining language files can be copied as desired. For adding the entries for a different language, edit the corresponding language file and add the entries at the end of the file en.ini, from line 1252 on.

VuFind should now include the new template and custom module files. If the new routes are not being found, delete the config cache at <VUFIND_HOME>\local\cache\configs so the new configuration, including the new routes, are correctly loaded. It may also be necessary to delete the language cache, at <VUFIND_HOME>\local\cache\languages.