LinkScan for Unix. Reference Manual.

Section 5

Basic Scanning with the Command Line Interface

This section describes how to create, configure and scan a LinkScan Project using the command line interface.

Before executing the LinkScan programs you must set the current working directory:

web:/> cd /usr/www/htdocs/linkscan/
web:/usr/www/htdocs/linkscan>

Creating a New Project

To create a new Project, simply execute the main LinkScan program (linkscan.pl) with the -newproject command line option:

web:/usr/www/htdocs/linkscan> perl linkscan.pl -newproject newproj

[...]

This Will Create the New LinkScan Project: newproj

The answers to the following questions are accepted verbatim without
validation. Please type carefully. <Control-C> to abort and start again.


Enter Homedir: 
Enter Home URL: http://www.example.com/index.html
Enter Organization: My Department
Enter Project Description: My First Test
** Status: Project newproj Created Successfully
web:/usr/www/htdocs/linkscan>

Configuring a Project

To configure a Project, simply edit the appropriate Project configuration file using your editor of choice:

web:/usr/www/htdocs/linkscan> vi ./newproj/linkscan.cfg

Note that lines starting with a pound sign (#) are comments.

In the simple case of scanning a website using the normal Network (HTTP) Scanning Method, you would only need to configure Homeurl with the URL to the root of the website, and Homefile with the filename (relative to server root) of the starting page. Be sure to leave Homedir blank since this will force LinkScan to use Network (HTTP) Scanning.

[...]
Homedir = 
Homeurl = http://www.example.com/
Mirrorurl = 
Homefile = index.html
Projectdesc = My First Test
Organization = My Department
[...]

This will scan the entire site www.example.com from it's starting page, index.html. The Homeurl parameter should always be the "root" URL of the site being scanned. To specify scans for sub-level areas, add information the Homefile parameter. For example, using the same Homeurl as above, and setting:

Homefile = recommendations/external/index.html

would start the scan at:

http://www.example.com/recommendations/external/index.html

Scanning a Project

To scan a Project, simple execute the main LinkScan program. You may specify the Project on the command line as shown below. Otherwise LinkScan will prompt you to select from the available list of valid Projects.

web:/usr/www/htdocs/linkscan> perl linkscan.pl -project newproj

LinkScan Enterprise Version 12.1 Unix.

[...]

** Status: LinkScan is Starting Processes...
** Status: Started 3 Processes...
** Status: LinkScan is Scanning Internal Links...
Processing  URL: 
Processing  URL: about.html
Processing  URL: linkscan/
Processing  URL: linkscan/dleval.cgi
Processing  URL: linkscan/order.cgi
Processing  URL: linkscan/support.html
[...]

You have now completed a scan of the website and LinkScan has created a Database for that Project. Next you will want to examine the findings by following the steps described in Viewing the Results.

Command Line Options

Run the main LinkScan program with the -help option to see a short listing of the available command line switches:

web:/usr/www/htdocs/linkscan> perl linkscan.pl -help
LinkScan Version 12.1 Unix
Copyright 1997-2010 Electronic Software Publishing Corporation

USAGE: linkscan.pl  {-help} {-alllinks} {-fast} {-home pathname} {-http}
       {-newproject name} {-noexternal} {-noorphans} {-project name}
       {-quiet} {-remote URL} {-retest}

-help            Displays this message
-alllinks        Check all external links [Override: Maxgoodhours etc]
-fast            Use larger number of processes to speed testing
-home pathname   Specify starting page [Override: Homefile in linkscan.cfg]
-http            Use HTTP navigation [Equiv: Execute .* and -noorphans]
-newproject name Create a new LinkScan Project
-noexternal      Test internal links only [Default: Internal and External]
-noorphans       Disable checking for orphaned files
-project name    Select a LinkScan Project
-quiet           Reduce verbosity of progress/status messages
-remote URL      Specify Remote Site [Equiv: -http; Override: Homeurl/Homefile]
-retest          Repeat last test, rechecking only those links that failed
Detailed Help [Y/N]:n

LinkScan for Unix. Reference Manual. Section 5. Basic Scanning
LinkScan Version 12.1
© Copyright 1997-2010 Electronic Software Publishing Corporation (Elsop)
LinkScan™ and Elsop™ are Trademarks of Electronic Software Publishing Corporation