solved Using the URL redirection module "r" to make a shorter URL

The documentation for this module is here:

https://www.jamroom.net/the-jamroom-network/documentation/modules/3601/url-redirection

I have used this module to make a shorter URL for a page on my site that has a very long URL.

My first attempt did not succeed: I put a short URL into the field for "Match View", in the form of "http://yoursite.com/r/pagename" (i.e. I included the URL syntax). Then I put the existing long (target) URL into the field for "Redirected to URL"

Result: Nothing happened when I put the short URL ("http://yoursite.com/r/pagename") into a web browser URL address, even though the module had been activated in the Global Configuration panel.

In the Documentation, the "Match View" example is simply the words "search_engine" without the apostrophes, and without any URL syntax ( http://).

So I went back and wrote "pagename" in the match view, and then tested "http://yoursite.com/r/pagename" in my internet browser. This worked. Now I have a shorter URL for a page inside my own site.

With this module, we can set up a redirect to any site on the internet I suppose, but in this case, I want redirection to a page on my own site.

Questions:
1. Does this module work for any target site regardless of who owns the site?

2. Is the purpose here to allow a JR site owner to monitor how links to other sites are used, when the redirection ("match view") link is placed in our the JR site? (i.e. not just for hiding the target URL).

3. Is URL shortening a legitimate purpose of the r module?

4. Is there a better way to shorten the URL for any page on a JR site?


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PJ Matthews, Kyoto
Migrated from Ning 2.0. Now at Jamroom 6 beta and using Jamroom Hosting for The Research Cooperative (researchcooperative.org)
updated by @researchcooperative: 08/15/17 07:32:34AM

Perfectly valid use for the redirection module. Well done.

We use it for URL's that might change. So for something like "Recommended Hosting", currently it is company X but if they start to suck and need to be changed to company Y we can update all locations everywhere via one location.

This strategy is particularly useful if you publish things like PDF's. With a PDF, if you put a link in it you can not change the location later on. So if you had a pdf with a link to your recommended hosting company and that destination changed, its still the old destination in all of the PDF's.

1. yes, it receives the incoming link, records the date it was clicked, increments the click count and sends them on to anywhere.

2. yes, purpose is you maintain control of that link and can collect data on its usage.

3. sure.

4. maybe one of the link shortener services could make even shorter links if they were required.
eg: https://is.gd

Thanks.

I guess the disadvantages of the outside shortener services is that we then entrust our link management to an outside company that has its own interests in tracking uses of the links, and the links generated are very anonymous-looking and may arouse suspicion.

Home baked shortbread is best. I'll call this solved.


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PJ Matthews, Kyoto
Migrated from Ning 2.0. Now at Jamroom 6 beta and using Jamroom Hosting for The Research Cooperative (researchcooperative.org)