/Alias ODB tree

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Purpose

The ODB /Alias tree provides the user with a way to access other webpages via buttons placed on the mhttpd Status Page. It can provide links to external webpages, or symbolic links (short-cuts) to ODB sub-trees.

Creating the /Alias tree

The /Alias tree is optional, and is not present until created by the user.

Notes

1. All examples in this page are shown using odbedit for simplicity. Alternatively, the mhttpd ODB page editor can be used.
2. The /Alias tree is used by mhttpd, and ignored by odbedit.

Contents of the /Alias tree

Any key created under /Alias will appear as a button (i.e. alias-button) on the Status Page, with the same name as the key (except as noted below).

By default, the clicking of an alias-button in the web interface will spawn a new frame. To force the display of the alias page in the same frame, an "&" has to be appended to the name of the alias key. The "&" is stripped off the alias name when it appears as an alias-button (see example).

External links

The following odbedit commands demonstrate how to make a link to an external webpage:

[local:t2kgas:S] cd /Alias
[local:t2kgas:S]create string triumf
String length [32]:
[local:t2kgas:S] set triumf "http://triumf.ca"

This will cause a button triumf on the status page, Clicking on the alias-button triumf will show the contents of the link in a new page.

Symbolic Links

The /Alias tree may also contain a list of symbolic links to any desired ODB location.

The following odbedit commands demonstrate creating alias-buttons linking to ODB keys :

[local:t2kgas:S] cd /Alias
[local:t2kgas:S] ln /Equipment/TpcGasPlc/Common/ "TPC Common"       *** New frame, no &
[local:t2kgas:S] ln /Equipment/TpcGasPlc/Settings/ "TPC Settings&"  *** Same frame, with &
    (comments are preceded by ***)

This would create two alias-buttons TPC Common and TPC Settings. Clicking on TPC Common would open the page in a new frame. Clicking on TPC Settings would open the page in the same frame (see above).