Passing Parameters to the Public Resource Directory (version 1.0)

Passing Parameters to the Public Resource Directory (version 1.0)

Passing Parameters to the Public Resource Directory 

Passing parameters from your website to your Public Resource Directory (PRD) is a great and easy way to help guide your users to helpful resources. 
 
Guided/suggested searches can save time, help your users find what they need, and if you use the 211 Taxonomy can help improve your statistics by encouraging exact Taxonomy searches. Using the information in this help article and assistance from the iCarol Support Team, a resource editor at your organization can build the URLs. Then they can work with your webmaster to update your public website to include hyperlinks with the URLs created to conduct guided searches.
 
A current example of a client who does this is California 211 Orange County.  Here is their website: http://www.211oc.org/.
 
They put suggested searches, for example soup kitchens under Food category on their search database page, which was developed by their webmaster.  When a search is conducted by a PRD user, they generate a URL for the resulting page.  Not only can search terms be passed to the Public Resource Directory (PRD), but other search filters such as location can be passed to the initial search.

Simple PRD URL vs. PRD URL Passing Parameters:

  1. Simple PRD URL: will open the PRD in a new tab/window, with empty search criteria.  A user will then have to enter a search term, choose geographic filter to refine their search, and initiate the search by clicking search (or choosing from the drop down list).
    1. Example: http://www.icarol.info/Search.aspx?org=2287
  2. PRD URL Passing Parameters: This link will open the PRD in a new tab/window but will include populated specific search criteria.  iCarol will also complete the query before the page loads for the user, removing the extra step of clicking "search". The public user can change any of the filters or search terms to further refine sequential searches.
    1. Example: https://www.icarol.info/AdvancedSearch.aspx?org=2287&Count=10&Search=Soup+Kitchens& NameOnly=False&pst=All&sort=Proximity&PostalCode=90210
Use the above PRD URL Passing Parameters example, the table below, and the following information to build your URL:
  1. If you wish to use the default for any parameter, omit the string from your URL; default values are listed in the ‘Value Def’ column below
  2. Each ‘String’ in the URL must begin with an ‘&’ symbol and equal a ‘Value’ (ex. &Sort=Proximity)

Steps to build URL:

  1. From your PRD 1 Settings, under the Publishing your iCarol resources on your public website section, click the ‘1. Simple link on your web page’ link and copy the link that appears
  2. Replace the ‘PublicResourceDirectoryFrm’ string in the URL with ‘AdvancedSearch'
  3. After the ‘org=####’ string, add the ‘Strings’ and ‘Values’ for any parameters you wish to include, using the following table:
StringValuesString DefValue Def
org= Your iCarol organization number; this number will never change 
count=1-20How many resources appear per page in the search resultsThe default is 10
search=Word, phrase, taxonomy codeThe word or phrase being searched forIf your search includes more than one word (ex. food pantry), replace the space with a + (ex. food+pantry)
NameOnly=True, FalseWhich fields are included in the search;; the default is set from the PRD Settings pageTrue = Resource Names and Categories/Taxonomy Terms
False = All fields
The default is set from the PRD Settings page
Pst=Coverage, Physical, AllGeographic filter usedCoverage = resources based on coverage area (“Resources serving”); Physical = physical location (“Resources within”), All = no filtering
 
The default is set from the PRD Settings page
Sort=Alphabetical, ProximitySort order the results will display inAlphabetical = alphabetically by resource name
 
Proximity = The default is set from the PRD Settings page
Country=CountryThe Country selected in the location filterThe default is set from the PRD Settings page
StateProvince=State/ProvinceThe State or Province selected in the location filterThe default is set from the PRD Settings page
County=County; a value must also be entered for the ‘StateProvince=’ stringThe County selected in the location filterThe default is set from the PRD Settings page
City=City; a value must also be entered for the ‘StateProvince=’ stringThe City selected in the location filterThe default is set from the PRD Settings page
PostalCode=Zip/Postal CodeThe Zip/Postal Code selected in the location filterThe default is nothing and can’t be set from the PRD Settings page
RIF1=A custom field valueFilter search results to only include resources with a specific custom field selectedRead this help article for more information

This feature is included with PRD 1; this feature has been upgraded in PRD 2 to the ‘Guided Search’ tool.

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