Endeca we(b)log

URL Optimization API for RAD ToolKit for .NET

kkumar@iotap.com — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:56:12 GMT

Most Content Management and Search Solutions dynamically generate URLs that are comprised of meaningless strings and no keywords. These negatively impact search engine ranking as well as user experience (try bookmarking or sharing them). A few advanced Search Solutions such as Endeca have built solutions for this problem. We’ll discuss Endeca’s URL Optimization in this blog.

The Endeca URL Optimization API enables users to create site links using directory-style URLs that include keywords and store the dynamic information in the base URL rather than in the query string. The resulting URLs do not contain any URL query parameters. Instead, all of the necessary Endeca values are stored in the URL path resulting in search engine-friendly URLs.

For example: A traditional Endeca application currently includes endeca queries in the URL http://www.iotap.comhttp://www.iotap.com/SearchResults.aspx?N=40005552+4654664&Ntt=CRM&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial

In the above query, 40005552 and 4654664 are really 2 dimension IDs and Ntt=CRM is the search term. Instead of showing a URL this way, there an efficient way to translate it into something more friendly to user,

http://www.iotap.comhttp://www.iotap.com/SearchResults.aspx/Services-Industry-Value-Chain-Strategies-Service/Services-Customer-Management/_/Ntt-puppies/N-1z140pxZ1z140pi?Ntk=All&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial

This blog further explains how to implement the RAD Tool KIT – URL Optimization API within your existing application.

The product can be downloaded from-
Go to: https://support.endeca.com/ > "Product Downloads" > "Endeca Discovery Suite" > "URL Optimization API for ASP.NET" for the ASP.NET distribution.
Overview:
As Endeca explains - The URL Optimization API is designed to help increase your natural search engine rankings by enabling the creation of search engine-friendly URLs.

Integration of keywords into the URL string

Many search engines take URL strings in as part of their relevancy ranking strategy. Generating URLs that include keywords can increase your natural search engine ranking as well as create visitor-friendly URLs those are easier for front-end users to understand. Using the URL Optimization API, you can configure the following strings to display in the URL:

• Dimension names

• Dimension value names

• Ancestor names

• Record property string

· Text search strings

Pre-requisites:

The Endeca URL Optimization API for the RAD Toolkit for ASP.NET version 2.0.0 requires the following Endeca packages:

• Endeca IAP 5.1.x or Endeca IAP 6 with Platform Services 6.0.1

• Endeca RAD Toolkit for ASP.NET version 1.1.4

NOTE: URL Optimization API requires RAD Toolkit for ASP.NET 1.1.4.You must upgrade your version of the RAD Toolkit for ASP.NET to use the URL Optimization API.

INSTALLATION (2.0.0)

The Endeca URL Optimization API for the Endeca RAD Toolkit for ASP.NET is distributed as a Zip file named UrlOptimizationAPIRADNET-2.0.0.zip.
1. In your local environment, locate the Zip file that you downloaded from the Endeca Developer's Network (EDeN).

2. Extract the Zip file to a local drive. E.g.: C:\Endeca\SEM\URLOptimizationAPIs\RAD Toolkit for ASP.NET\2.0.0.

3. Open your project in Visual Studio and add a reference to Endeca.Web.Url.Seo.dll. The specifics of this step vary depending on your version of Visual Studio and on the .NET language your application is written in. In general, you use the Visual Studio "Add Reference" dialog box to browse to \Endeca\SEM\URLOptimizationAPIs\RAD Toolkit for ASP.NET\2.0.0\bin\Endeca.Web.Url.Seo.dll.

4. Add references to the following Endeca RAD Toolkit for ASP.NET files:
* Endeca.Data.dll

* Endeca.Web.dll

* Endeca.Web.UI.WebControls.dll (this is optional if you are not using the RAD Toolkit Server Controls)
These assemblies are included as part of the Endeca RAD Toolkit for ASP.NET installation.

5. Add references to the following Endeca Presentation API for .NET files:

* Endeca.Navigation.dll

* Endeca.Logging.dll

* Endeca.Navigation.AccessControl.dll

To Start with the URL Optimization in your site you can use the sample UrlProvider which comes with the default API installation

Modify the DimensionValuePathFormattersFactory, StringFormatterFactory, RecordDetailsCommandFormatterFactory, PathParameterFactory e.t.c., as per the dimension and properties of our application.
SeoUrlProvider class is completely customizable and we can modify them according to the requirements Customized Provider class can be used instead of default Url provider to generate SEO Optimized Urls in our web application.

For an example on how to set up the code with dimension names from your application – please email us at info@iotap.com
IOTAP has faced lots of challenges based on the requirements we got and have overcome them by customizing the SeoUrlProvider class. I really feel that URL Optimization API for RAD ToolKit for .NET is the easiest and optimal solution for Url Optimization apart from other methods.

For any clarifications you can read the documentation comes along with the Installation or email me at info@iotap.com

Endeca RAD Toolkit NavigationDataSource and GuidedNavigation control

kkumar@iotap.com — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 11:13:00 GMT

Endeca RAD Toolkit NavigationDataSource and GuidedNavigation controls

The Endeca’s Rapid Application Development (RAD) Toolkit for ASP.NET provides a set of Web server controls for querying and displaying data from Endeca. This Blog Focusses on NavigationDataSource and GuidedNavigation controls of the Endeca RAD Toolkit.

In order to use the Endeca RAD controls from ASP.Net project references to Endeca.Web.dll and Endeca.Web.UI.WebControls.dll has to be added.

NavigationDataSource control provides navigation query information, including dimension refinements, record results, aggregated record results and Guided Navigation displays dimension groups, dimensions, and dimension value names on a Web page.

Once a NavigationDataSource control is added to an asp.net page, a markup resembling the below would be created

MdexCertificatePath='<%$ EndecaConfig:Servers.Servers["Melbourne "].CertificatePath %>'

MdexHostName='<%$ EndecaConfig:Servers.Servers["Melbourne"].HostName

%>'

MdexPort='<%$ EndecaConfig:Servers.Servers["Melbourne "].Port %>'>

Where Melbourne is the Name of the Machine.

After setting the properties of a NavigationDataSource Control, GuidedNavigation Control has to be added to the .aspx Page for displaying navigation. The Markup generated on the Source Page for GuidedNavigation will look like below HTML.

DataSourceID="NavigationDataSource1" ShowRefinements="True">

The DataSourceID of Endeca RAD GuidedNavigation should be set to NavigationDataSource’s ID. Also there is an option called Preview Endeca Data for NavigationDataSource. If the Option is checked, it displays the Endeca Dimension and Dimension Value Names in design mode.

Guided Navigation control properties

DataMember - DataMember Value is set to DimensionStatesResult and is not Available for Modification.

UrlManagerID - UrlManagerID is Optional. Name of the UrlManager that builds URLs for the control is specified.

ExcludedDimensionIds - This property usage is Optional. RAD Excludes the dimension values specified by ID and displays all other dimension values. Both ExcludedDimensionids and IncludedDimensionids should not be used at the same time.

IncludedDimensionIds - This property usage is Optional. Displays only the dimension values specified by ID and no other dimension values. Both ExcludedDimensionids and IncludedDimensionids should not be used at the same time.

ShowRefinements - Property is Optional. Specifies whether any dimension values display in the control. If the Control should not display any dimension values ,Set ShowRefinements to false.Default Value is True.

ShowSelectedDimensionValues - Optional Property. Specifies whether Selected dimension Value is displayed in the Control. If True is Chosen, Selected Dimension Values are displayed with a [X] next to the value and closes the parent dimension. Click on [X] removes the Dimension value from the Query.

RAD Toolkit for Endeca

kkumar@iotap.com — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 07:26:00 GMT

This blog explains the Endeca RAD toolkit for ASP.NET.

The Endeca Rapid Application Development (RAD) Toolkit for ASP.NET provides a set of Web server controls for Endeca applications. The RAD toolkit and also provides the RAD API for accessing the Endeca MDEX Engine. Endeca MDEX Engine is the query engine that is the core of the Endeca Information Access Platform (IAP).

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