Metacat

Using a plain URL, one cannot access datasets that require authentication. Alternatively, a link of the form http://knb.ecoinformatics.org/knb/metacat?action=read&qformat=knb&docid=judithk.594 will function properly when authenticated, although this form is not actually presented in metacat. However, attempting to view the metadata for any of the included data tables will insert a &sessionid= with no value, which causes an error as I think this overrides the (correctly authenticated) value that would otherwise have been passed.

Perversely enough, at the top of any data package is a printed URL of the form http://knb.ecoinformatics.org/knb/metacat/judithk.594.26/knb, even though the actual link is http://knb.ecoinformatics.org/knb/metacat?action=read&qformat=knb&sessionid=________________________________&docid=judithk.594.26 with the actual sessionid embedded in the URL. I think it would be safer and more robust if that sessionid were not explicitly inserted anywhere. From what I recall and have been told, everything should function as intended by simply removing the sessionid from the various URLs.