Support putting variables in the path of a URL for external tools

[craig-willis]

Overview of the Feature Request

Adding Binder support has highlighted a limitation in the external tools implementation. As discussed in https://github.com/IQSS/dataverse/issues/4714#issuecomment-510745579, https://github.com/IQSS/dataverse/issues/6807#issuecomment-611751185, and most recently in https://github.com/IQSS/dataverse/issues/6807#issuecomment-1406815233, Binder has a specific URL format requires path-based variable replacement on the toolUrl field.

The feature request is to update the external tools integration to allow path-based variable replacement in the toolUrl field to enable creation of a Binder-complatible URL:

https://mybinder.org/v2/dataverse/{datasetPid}

Something like:

{
  "displayName": "Binder",
  "description": "Run on Binder",
  "scope": "dataset",
  "type": "explore",
  "toolUrl": "https://mybinder.org/v2/dataverse/{datasetPid}",
  "toolParameters": {
    "pathParameters": [
      {   
        "datasetPid": "{datasetPid}"
      }
    ]   
  }
}

Current integration depends on an external service that does translation and will be a potential point of failure for anyone that uses. it.

What inspired the request? https://github.com/IQSS/dataverse/issues/6807#issuecomment-1406815233

What existing behavior do you want changed?

External tools to support Binder URLs without relying on an external service.

Any related open or closed issues to this feature request?

• https://github.com/IQSS/dataverse/issues/4714
• https://github.com/IQSS/dataverse/issues/6807

[pdurbin]

Thanks, @craig-willis for opening this issue.

We absolutely still want this feature, the ability to put variables in the path of a URL for an external tool.

Meanwhile, for Binder, yesterday we set up a static page with some Javascript that inserts the DOI in the path:

• https://github.com/IQSS/dataverse-binder-redirect
• https://github.com/IQSS/dataverse/pull/10361
• https://groups.google.com/g/dataverse-community/c/5kQhpKTOVvw/m/xUbPNEmMAQAJ

[cmbz]

2025/03/03

• Closing as not planned because it's nice to have but there is a working alternative
• If you are interested in this functionality, please chime in in this issue @craig-willis

[pdurbin]

I'm still leaving my 👍 in place as being interested in this functionality. 😄