Deep links are a URL convention for directly accessing common areas of the Acquia DAM (Widen), like search results for a category, global collection, or a spotlight search.

When you click a deep link URL while logged in to the DAM, you'll be automatically taken to the appropriate page on the site and not be required to log in again. If you're not logged in, you'll be required to enter your username and password when you click a deep link, and then you'll be taken to the specified page.

When a deep link is used in conjunction with single sign-on (SSO), you'll be authenticated through the SSO and not prompted to enter your username and password. Make sure the deep link has the same base URL as your SSO login. For example, if your SSO login uses a vanity URL, the deep link must also include the vanity URL. 

If you are using the redesigned search experience, you don't have to construct deep links for category and search results. Simply, copy and paste the URL for your search results. The URL will include the search terms, sort, pagination, and filters applied.

Note that deep links are not supported in the mobile app.

 

Construct deep links¶

Deep links can be constructed from unique IDs or UUIDs, names, search shortcuts, or display keys. A best practice is to use the unique ID or display key because that ensures the link will work even if the name or metadata field name is altered. 

 

Deep links with IDs or UUIDs¶

Use these formats to construct deep link URLs to categories, personal and global collections, or spotlight searches with an ID or UUID:

• DAM URL/category/id/categoryID
• DAM URL/collection/UUID/collectionUUID
• DAM URL/spotlightsearch/spotlightsearchID

An example category deep link URL is:

• The URL is cloud.widencollective.com
• The category ID is 1110
• The deep link URL is http://cloud.widencollective.com/category/id/1110

Find category IDs next to each category in Search Settings under Asset categories in the left navigation of the Admin app.

An example collection deep link URL is:

• The URL is marketing.widencollective.com
• The collection UUID is 208099b0-ab53-49f9-8d03-6c203da30c57
• The deep link URL is http://marketing.widencollective.com/collection/uuid/208099b0-ab53-49f9-8d03-6c203da30c57

Collection UUIDs can be found at the end of the URL when you're on the Collection Details page for personal and global collections.

• The URL is eudaimonia.widencollective.com
• The spotlight search ID is 69de9aab-554a-4f95-b183-3c7d88d633be
• The deep link URL is http://eudaimonia.widencollective.com/spotlightsearch/69de9aab-554a-4f95-b183-3c7d88d633be

Spotlight search IDs can be found at the end of the URL when editing the spotlight.

Deep links with names¶

Use these formats to construct deep links with asset, collection, or spotlight search names:

• DAM URL/asset/name/AssetName
• DAM URL/collection/title/CollectionName
• DAM URL/spotlightsearch/SpotlightSearchName

An example asset name deep link URL is:

• The URL is cloud.widencollective.com
• The asset name is beautiful tulips
• The deep link URL is http://cloud.widencollective.com/asset/name/beautifultulips

Note that, when using the name of the asset, collection, or spotlight search, the deep link will break if the name is changed.
 

Deep links to advanced searches¶

To create a deep link for an advanced search in DAM, first create a search shortcut. 

For searches including categories, asset groups, and filenames:

1. Perform an advanced search in the DAM.
2. On the search results page, you'll see your advanced search query in the quick search box. For example, ag: Photo Menagerie Asset Group vac: Cape Cod.
3. Copy the query. 

For searches of metadata fields:

1. Expose the metadata field’s display key (which never changes) via the API, or use the full field name (which can change if the field display name is edited) found in the DAM interface. 
2. To find the full field name, go to the dashboard page and click More by the search bar and Search help. 
3. Under the Quick search key section, look for the field you need and copy the text you see in the Field name column. For example, copy “Region” and not “reg” and add a colon and a value. Your shortcut might look like “Region: Europe.” 

Next, create the deep link using the search shortcut. 

1. Because special characters and spaces do not always work in URLs, encode your search shortcut using a tool like https://meyerweb.com/eric/tools/dencoder/. The result will look like this: ag%3A%20Photo%20Menagerie%20Asset%20Group%20vac%3A%20Cape%20Cod
2. Copy your DAM URL and then:
   • Add search/. The URL should look like this: https://eudaimonia.widencollective.com/search/
   • Add the encoded search shortcut to your URL after search/. The final URL should look like this: https://eudaimonia.widencollective.com/search/ag%3A%20Photo%20Menagerie%20Asset%20Group%20vac%3A%20Cape%20Cod

Relative links¶

For deep links, you can make them a relative link – also called a local URL – instead of an absolute URL.

An absolute URL typically includes the protocol (e.g., http / https) and the website domain. A local URL does not include the protocol or domain and looks like this: 

/search/ag%3A%20Photo%20Menagerie%20Asset%20Group%20vac%3A%20Cape%20Co

We recommend using a local URL so that when your users click the deep link, they won’t get redirected to a login page. Using local URLs will future-proof deep links for any site. If you change your DAM site domain, deep links using local URLs will still work.