Trouble generating administrative URL.

Question

We are using the code samples to generate the URL for access to iTunes.
Here is the URL generated by the C# code we adapted:
https://deimos.apple.com/WebObjects/Core.woa/Browse/mdc.edu.42credentials=Admini strator%40urn%3Amace%3Aitunesu.com%3Asites%3Amdc.edu&time=1162997978&signature=2 CF0C0613CA70B3D342B6D80D42EF3B085EFB3458F1E0961CAD312BB5BCE3E2F
From what we can tell, it is well formed. We are using the example provided in the iTunes U Administrator's Guide, page 21.
https://deimos.apple.com/WebObjects/Core.woa/Browse/Example.edu.42
credentials=Administrator%40urn%3Amace%3Aitunesu.com%3Asites%3Aexamp
le.edu&identity=%22JaneDoe%22+%3Cjanedoe%40example.edu%3E%28jdoe%2
9+%5B42%5D&time=1147136717&signature=597c304e90fb62067c7e3fa57fe824e
77997dd8aa96649366c5fc59104074744
One difference is the "Identity" parameter... what (if anything) would we use in this instance?
Here's the message we're getting:
Not Found
The requested URL /WebObjects/Core.woa/Browse/mdc.edu.42credentials=Administrator%40urn%3Amace%3A itunesu.com%3Asites%3Amdc.edu&time=1162997978&signature=2CF0C0613CA70B3D342B6D80 D42EF3B085EFB3458F1E0961CAD312BB5BCE3E was not found on this server.
Any ideas on where we should start troubleshooting?
Thanks.
  Windows 2000  

Answer 1

A couple of things:
1. Try appedning the debug string that Apple sent you with your site admin credentials. It is of the form "abc123". Just have your code stick it in right after the site URL ... that is just after "...Core.woa/Brwose/mdc.edu" (so you'd have "...Core.woa/Browse/mdc.edu/abc123?credentials..."). Last time I read Apple's iTunes U documentation, it didn't say explicitly how to use the string, but that's what you need to do. When you send a URL like that, Apple will show you a page that says how it is interpreting your iTunes U URL. This page is very helpful in determining what's wrong with your URL.
2. When I was working on our site, I would compare what my code generated with what Apple's code generated (credentials that are generated within a ninety second time frame are usually the same). I got so frustrated doin this that I decided to create an app that would make it simpler. If you would like to try out my code, it is here:
http://itunes.uic.edu/itunesuaccess.html
This code generates a URL using the C code Apple provided (so it produces the same URL as Apple's shell script does ... because the shell script requires that you compile the C code in Apple's examples).
Hope this helps.
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