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We are excited to announce the launch of updated product names, logos, and headers within our user interfaces as part of the CivicPlus® Solution Rebranding initiative. These changes mark the first step toward creating a cohesive and seamless user experience across all solutions in our portfolio. As part of this transition, users may notice minor design updates. While the functionality you rely on remains unchanged, we are in the process of updating screenshots and other resources on our Help Centers to reflect the new branding. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to complete these updates.

Set Up Web Snapshots

  • Updated:

This article goes over all the different options for setting up web snapshots in your archive. 

 

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Checking Your Website Sitemap Compatibility.

  1. We use .XML sitemaps to capture. Please check with your web host or Information Technology (IT) team if you cannot find one for your website.
  2. You must whitelist the three IP addresses we use (all AWS) for Web Snapshots:
    • 52.23.29.34
    • 54.235.88.205
    • 54.84.64.101
      • Should your IT team prefer to whitelist a user agent, they can create a filter that allows user agents which includes the text “ASWebsnapshotsUserAgent“. The other information included in our user agent is dynamic and will change as we upgrade the browser we are using to capture the websites.
  3. The sitemap and URL list must match your website’s domain.
  4. If you use Google Analytics, you must filter out our Web Snapshots traffic.

 

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Adding Your Website Sitemap For Capture.

  1. Log into your archive
  2. Navigate to the Configure tab
    Click Configure Tab.png
  3. To the left choose Web Snapshots
    Web Snapshots Tab.png
  4. If this is your first time setting up Web Snapshots you will need to choose an Account Owner
  5. When the page reloads click on the Add Sitemap button
    Add Sitemap.png
  6. Fill out the Add Sitemap Menu 
    Add Sitemap Menu.png
    Note: If you do not have a sitemap.xml or sitemap_index.xml defined for your website, you may provide the URL for an HTML page that contains links to all the URLs that you want to snapshot. This will allow Web Snapshots to automatically detect new and changed URLs as you keep your sitemap or the sitemap index up to date.
    • Sitemap Name: ArchiveSocial recommends the following naming convention: City of {name} Gov. Site – XML. This will allow the agency to easily identify what sites are connected and the type of sitemap being used.
    • Sitemap Format: Choose the format of the sitemap you are entering (we suggest XML)
    • Sitemap URL: the full URL for the sitemap you are adding. For example: http://example.org/path/sitemap.xml
  7. Click Save Sitemap
    Save Sitemap button.png

 

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Adding Specific URLs

  1. Navigate to the Configure tab
    Click Configure Tab.png
  2. Select the Web Snapshots tab
    Web Snapshots Tab.png
  3. Click Add Site URL
    Add Site URL.png
  4. Enter the full URL address for the page
    insert Site URL.png
  5. Click Save Site URL
    Save Site URL button.png

 

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Dynamic Option

Dynamic content is web content that changes based on the behavior, preference, and general interest of a site visitor. This content can be found on websites and in email content and is generated when a user accesses a page. The content is often personalized and what is displayed is based on the data a site has for a user and the time of access. The primary use of this content is to deliver a more positive experience for the end-user.

 

By default, the Dynamic option for Web Snapshots is turned off. Web Snapshots will detect changes to a page on a site using the XML sitemap and record the change in the archive once a day.

 

However, if Dynamic is enabled for a sitemap or URL, any widgets on the site or page (such as weather updates, a blog on the website, or a calendar of events), will be captured once daily for all pages where the widgets appear. For example, if your website has 100 pages and 12 of these pages have a dynamic widget, Web Snapshots will capture those 12 pages once per day as the widgets update.

 

Note: Note that enabling the Dynamic option could lead to exceeding record limits each month.

 

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Turning Off Specific URLs

  1. Navigate to the Configure tab
    Click Configure Tab.png
  2. Select the Web Snapshots tab
    Web Snapshots Tab.png
  3. For the URL you wish to turn off, click the gear icon under the Action section
    Action Gear Icon sitemap URLS.png
  4. Toggle the Archiving switch to OFF 
    Archiving toggle.png
  5. Click the Save button 
    Click Save sitemap url toggle.png

 

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In Article Glossary

  • .XML: Extensible Markup Language 
  • AWS: Amazon Web Services 
  • XML Sitemap: An XML sitemap is a file that lists a website's essential pages, making sure Google can find and crawl them all. It also helps search engines understand your website structure.
  • Whitelist: A whitelist is a list or register of entities that are being provided a particular privilege, service, mobility, access, or recognition. Entities on the list will be accepted, approved, and/or recognized.

 

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