I'd asked this a couple years ago but thought to try again. Is there any way to link directly to an entity, as in an .mp4, .jpg, and so on?
Have made extensive use of CMS applications but not being able to link directly to an object to play it or display it, well...
... is there a way I am not aware of? Or just not possible?
tx, drh
Can you clarify?
Are you talking about being able to get direct links (or, at least, more friendly looking links) to files you've uploaded into Omeka? That's what the other thread you posted on is mostly talking about.
I think, judging by this post and your other recent one, that you're talking more about going the other way, i.e., being able to just give Omeka a YouTube URL or something similar and having it embed that external content without having to upload it.
Am I reading you right?
Thank you for responding John.
That is backwards... my fault for not being clear.
The ability to UPLOAD into Omeka, items. Like .mp4, .avi, .jpg, .tiff, media types like that. Then being able to link directly TO these files that have been uploaded into Omeka.
I completely understand not wanting or needing to integrate a CMS like Joomla or Wordpress etc etc etc with Omeka. But the one aspect that would at least permit the two to interoperate is to be able to upload to Omeka so it works as an asset manager/object manager, and then able to reach down and link to the original objects. Have run into this time after time where one needs to upload objects twice, once in Omeka for its great features, but if one is crafting articles, then need to upload them a second time. That definitely breaks the consistency of the artifacts because having two versions of the same thing, version control goes bye bye.
Anyway, hopefully that is a bit clearer.
tx. Really do give major kudos for the new version of Omeka. Huge leap forward. Wunderbar...
I've been gathering items in Omeka from many digital collections, and I want to have them link back directly to their original digital sites -- for example, if I use a picture of a house that I got from Calisphere, I want any user seeing this item in my Omeka site to be taken directly back to Calisphere when they click. Is there any way to do this, or do I have to just add the original source's URL in as the description for the item? That seems kind of clunky ... Thanks!!
Noted your post here. I understand exactly your conundrum on this. One day I will probably fund such a solution but the short answer is... I find this need, this functionality, rather huge. The one thing that would provide a sliver of integration is being able to link to either an original or a resized version of an object. This way it could be included inside other content managet systems like Drupal, Joomla, Wordpress, etc etc etc. I frankly am amazed this is not a pursuit because it continues this separation of models. As time presses on, being able to integrate objects is going to become such a big deal but that it is not even being talked about or considered is a bit jaw dropping to me.
As indicated, suppose will fund something somewhere someday.... but how entities (not stipulating Omeka but wrapping all content engines and asset managers in this group) continue to build their model without establishing this kind of integration is, well, jaw dropping. Just a simple link back to an original and/or sized digital version of an object would go a long, long way. My $0.01.
Hi drhiii,
Thank you so much for your response to my question, and I agree--I think it's really a problem not to be able to link back to an original, and find it hard to believe that Omeka may not even be working on it.
Like you say, this just results in separation, when we really need to be integrating items from all over, while at the same time making it clear where they're coming from (and giving other institutions more traffic while we're at it, if people click into their sites from our Omeka sites).
Please, Omeka developers, it would be great if you could work on this. Thank you!
I am with you 100% on what is needed is more integration and not separation. An excellent way to put it.
I have witnessed over the years this very thing... what happens when there is separation. It is so fundamental why one would want to aspire towards integration. Those who do not plan for this early on increase their half life of their apps exponentially. The road is littered with... etc etc etc.
I honestly do not get it. Not saying go so far as to join say, user bases, menu systems, etc. Thought the first person who does this will find a HUGE framework with which to grow their platforms. Am talking about just asset managers. All that I am, and have prompted in the past is just the simple 'link back' to either an original or a resized representation. How about even just a menu item that provides a link back to the artifact. I know, just go to the Public side view and copy the URL. But I would make this function alone far more convenient than having to do this.
I know I am beating this horse, but it is so beyond fundamental and have never been able to get anyone's ear on this from any of the open source asset managers. I do not get it...
Integration not separation. A no brainer...
I see in part the two directions being mixed here. To styson's question about linking back to another system, Calisphere, there isn't really much we can do if that system doesn't provide a nice link. We have plugins for using the OAI-PMH standard, but again that depends on the adoption of standards drhii mentions. So for that example, including the link in the description (or better yet, in its own metadata field, like 'relation'), is the best option.
As for links and data within Omeka, version 2.1, anticipated late July, will include a RESTful API for getting data out of Omeka, including files, all metadata, user information, and any additional data handled by plugins if they implement the API. Version 2.2 will include methods for PUTting and POSTing data into Omeka.
Possibly related to this thread, we will soon be releasing an Embed Codes plugin that will provide a code for embedding an item on another site. It will include links back to the original.
Hi Patrick,
I really appreciate your replying so quickly to my question. Just to be sure I understand: If I want an image I've taken from Calisphere for an exhibit in Omeka to link back to Calisphere, I can't make the image in Omeka a hyperlink? For example, I wanted to use an image from Calisphere w/ the link:
http://content.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/kt1p3025pc/?order=1
-- rather than simply being able to click on the image in Omeka to see it in its Calisphere context, I would need to put the link in the description or relation field in Omeka, for users to find and paste into their browsers to get back to Calisphere?
This -- and the other question I posted, about not being able to invite users -- is important for what I'm trying to do with Omeka, which is see if it could be easily used in a classroom setting, so that students could each create their own exhibits. For that, an instructor would need to be able to invite them to participate (as researchers) and would want to be able to easily link back to the original sources of material (such as Calisphere or any other digital resource; at least, that's what I'd like).
So, it's crucial for me to be able to have the ability to invite other users to contribute -- but, I've invited one user twice, and he has yet to get my email, and Omeka wouldn't allow me to invite myself using an alternate email, either -- can you help?
That's great news re: the developments of version 2.1!
Thanks again so much, Patrick!
To have the image itself be a link, you'd need to do some custom theming for how the image is displayed, and also have the URL in some other metadata field that you would use to store the info, then have the them pull from that data to make the link.
Will reply in the other thread about users
Update -- I saw that the other thread is talking about Omeka.net. If that's the case for this question, then the theming option won't be available, and you'd have to just use the link in the metadata field.