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Abbr v1.1 Now Available on OpenNTF.org

02/24/2011 09:55 PM by Chris Toohey

Tonight I updated Project Abbr and released Version 1.1 of my TinyURL-like utility for IBM Lotus Notes Domino. Using Traditional Design Elements, you can download and deploy this NotesDatabase app in your Domino 6.5 or greater/later release environments.

Playing around this evening while waiting for Camtasia to render a few project videos I'm working on, I thought that I'd make a few changes to my version of Abbr [located at abbr.dominoGuru.com]. In v1.0, I gave you the ability to fully-customize the index/error/default landing page for the app, but only customize the loading message for an actual link.

This release, v1.1, now gives you complete control -- via configuration -- of the index/error/default as well as the link pages, as well as the ability to use <<url>> in your markup with MailMerge-like results.

Let's take a look at a rather simple JavaScript function I've added to the link pages:


<script>

function writePreview(url) {

 if (url.indexOf(".zip") == -1) {

  document.write('<h2>URL Preview</h2>');

  document.write('<iframe id="preview" src="<<url>>"></iframe>');

  document.write('<p><a 
href="<<url>>" 
target="_blank">Click here to View URL in a new Window/Tab</a></p>');

} else {

   document.write('<h2>Asset/Download URL</h2>');

  document.write('<iframe id="download" src="<<url>>"></iframe>');

  document.write('<p><a 
href="<<url>>" 
target="_blank">Click here to launch Asset/Download URL in a new 
Window/Tab</a></p>');

}

}

</script>

Where v1.0 relied on a META Refresh Header to redirect you to a URL, the MailMerge-like method allows me to completely control the user experience and content delivery.

For example, let's take a look at my new URL Preview:

dominoGuru.com Abbr URL Preview

And for any Asset/File Downloads:

dominoGuru.com Abbr Asset/File Download

More flexibility and control, with what amounted to nothing more than a 5 minute tweak of an NSF.

God, I love Lotus Notes Domino!

I hope to revisit my other OpenNTF Projects -- Showtime, Time Tracker, and even my Lotus Notes CMS Client Utility project -- with similar tweaks/updates schedule-permitting... so if you have anything on your wishlist for these projects please let me know!

About the author: Chris Toohey

Thought Leadership, Web & Mobile Application Development, Solutions Integration, Technical Writing & Mentoring

A published developer and webmaster of dominoGuru.com, Chris Toohey specializes in platform application development, solutions integration, and evangelism of platform capabilities and best practices.