Mobile PAC Basics

Polaris Mobile PAC provides a simple interface that has been optimized for mobile devices. Basic functions are available directly from the home page.

Users can click Preferences to set which links appear on the home page, and other preferences such as connection organization, language, and display options. These settings persist from session to session for one year, so that common selections are already made when the user connects to Mobile PAC.

See also:

Installation

You select Mobile PAC for installation when you install Polaris Web Server software. (By default, Mobile PAC is not selected for installation.)

Secure Socket Layer (SSL)

Mobile PAC works without using SSL protocols (https:) to encrypt data, but personal data sent over the Internet is exposed to potential interception. If you have the appropriate site certificate, you can encrypt the entire Mobile PAC site to protect your patrons’ logon and library account information when they log on to request holds, renew items, or review their accounts. To enable data encryption, set the SSL: Enable: Mobile PAC parameter for the Web server to Yes. For more information about SSL and Polaris, see Setting Web Server Parameters.. (You can set SSL for Polaris PowerPAC with a separate parameter.)

Note:
Some older mobile phones do not support SSL.

Updating Page Caches

When you change Polaris Mobile PAC settings, you may need to update page caches to see the effects of your changes. Most cached information is stored at the application level on the Web server. You can update that information with the Reload tool in Polaris WebAdmin (Language Editor). For more information, see the WebAdmin online help.

Note:
The Reload function reloads settings only for those organizations whose settings have already been cached. You may have to do an IIS reset to see changes applied to other organizations. Polaris Hosted customers should contact Polaris Customer Support to perform an IIS reset.

Analyzing Polaris Mobile PAC Use

Google™ Analytics is a free tool from Google that allows Web site administrators to record and analyze traffic on their sites. Like Polaris PowerPAC, Mobile PAC includes the JavaScript code for Google Analytics in the page footer. To use this feature, open the Polaris Administration Mobile PAC profile Mobile PAC Analytics. The profile is available at the system, library, and branch levels. On the Google tabbed page, check Enable and supply your Google Analytics tracking code.

For more information about Google Analytics, and to obtain a tracking code, go to: http://www.google.com/analytics

Note:
If you have already enabled Google Analytics for Polaris PowerPAC, you can use the same tracking code for Mobile PAC.

Alternatively, you can supply your own JavaScript for site analysis. Open the MobilePAC Analytics profile, Custom tabbed page, check Enable, and type your JavaScript code in the field provided.

Note:
Cell phones that do not support JavaScript ignore the JavaScript code, so these connections are not calculated in your site analysis.

Customizing Mobile PAC

Mobile Device Detection

In Polaris version 5.2 and earlier, checks in Polaris code help to ensure that mobile device users were automatically redirected to the Mobile PAC site if they connected to the Polaris PowerPAC site.

Beginning with Polaris 5.5, mobile device users are not automatically redirected to the Mobile PAC site, since PowerPAC features responsive web design that adapts to the user's device. However, the Polaris PowerPAC page footer still displays a Classic Mobile Site link if the link has been set up and conditions are met as described in Set the Mobile PAC Connection URL.

Mobile PAC Device Compatibility

To ensure compatibility with most mobile devices, Mobile PAC does not use any HTML syntax, such as HTML 5 or CSS3, that requires a more modern browser. Also, unlike PowerPAC, Mobile PAC's core functionality (searching, accessing the patron account, etc.) does not rely on JavaScript. Therefore, if a mobile device has JavaScript disabled, the user should be able to perform the majority of Mobile PAC functions, with the exception of some third-party products that require JavaScript, specifically NoveList and Google Maps. In some cases, the mobile device and/or browser may be too old to support Mobile PAC.

Trouble-Shooting

You can get a quick idea of whether Mobile PAC is installed and running properly by viewing a status page. Go to:

http://[Your PAC site]/mobile/plsstatus

The Mobile PAC status page lists five status items, each with a Success or Failure rating:

If you see a Failure status for any of these five items, check for details in the Mobile PAC logs in C:\ProgramData. For assistance, contact your Polaris Site Manager.