Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• End User FAQ - Attempts to address the most commonly asked questions regarding DSpace (from a user perspective)
• TechnicalFAQ - Attempts to address the most commonly asked technical or installation questions regarding DSpace
• Additional resources for common questions:
  • Searching the Mailing Lists archives
  • Searching the dspace tag on StackOverflow. Also see our Guide to Posting Technical Questions to StackOverflow

Technical Specifications

• Current technical facts about DSpace are available in a concise format online, or as a downloadable PDF. Overview technical specifications include a basic description, history, a typical product use case, an architectural overview, key features and more.
  • DSpace technical specifications here

Repository Planning

• The following documents are useful in planning a repository. All are written by Mary R.Barton et al copyright 2004-2005 (RM). 
  
  • LEADIRS Creating an Institutional Repository
  • Creating a Service Model
  • Project Planning Matrix
• SUNScholar/Practical Guidelines for Starting an Institutional Repository. Produced by Stellenbosch University Library, this guide provides step-by-step information to help academic institutions in developing countries start an institutional repository.
• Lessons learned building an Institutional Repository with DSpace

Installing DSpace

• Start with the DSpace System Documentation.
• Platform and distribution-specific tips and guides can be found on the DSpace Installation Guides page.
• en español: Instalación de Dspace:  Deploy de un repositorio básico con Dspace 3.0   
  
  

Customizing DSpace

• XMLUI Customization:
  • Advanced DSpace Training: DSpace XMLUI Theming (2015) - Overview of how to create a new theme, presentation of data with XSL, and interactive interfaces with JavaScript
  • XMLUI Primer (2012) - Basic overview of XMLUI, especially relating to the Mirage Theme. Based on DSpace 3.x
  • Making DSpace XMLUI Your Own (2009) - Concentrates on using Maven to build Overlays in the XMLUI (Manakin). Also has very basic examples for JSPUI. Based on DSpace 1.6.x.
  • Learning to Use Manakin (XMLUI) (2009) - Overview of how to use Manakin and how it works. Based on DSpace 1.5, but also valid for 1.6.
  • Introduction Manakin (XMLUI) (2009)
• General Tips:
  
  • Advanced DSpace Training: DSpace Basics and Configuration (2015) - Quick review of DSpace basics as well as an overview of configuring DSpace 4.2 and XMLUI

  • Advanced DSpace Training: DSpace Transmission: Import/Export (2015) - Overview of OAI/PMH harvest/dissemination, reading content with REST, export/import with SIPs, using SWORD to deposit content, import content with the Simple Archive Format (SAF)

  • Advanced DSpace Training: DSpace 5.0 Feature Preview (2015) - Review of new features in 5.0

  • How-To Guides has a list of all wiki pages which provide "how-to" hints for changing/customizing your DSpace install.
  • Build Cookbook has examples of adding your local changes to a DSpace distribution.
  • The DSpace Course has good examples of using and customizing DSpace 1.5.x. As the customizations involve using Maven, this course is also still mostly valid for many current DSpace versions (1.6 and 1.7).
  • DSpace how-to guide: tips and tricks for managing common DSpace chores (DSpace version 1.4.2 and Manakin 1.1) by Tim Donohue, Scott Phillips and Dorothea Salo - This short booklet is intended to introduce the common, non-obvious customization-related tasks for newcomers to DSpace administration. It has been written against the version 1.4.x of DSpace (1.4.2 specifically) and Manakin 1.x (1.1 specifically) . It's meant to be usable across all platforms (Linux, Windows, Mac). This booklet was a handout from the "Making DSpace Your Own" tutorial from JCDL 2007 taught by Tim Donohue and Scott Phillips. Spanish translation by the University of León
  • DSpace 1.4.1 Customization (by Claudia Jürgen) available at Eldorado, the institutional repository of the University of Dortmund. This is the English translation of a customization presentation held at the DSpace Workshop in Kassel (Germany) March 07. The presentation gives an overview to basic customization and configuration techniques and possibilities of DSpace 1.4.1. Thanx to Chris Yates of The University of Wales, Aberystwyth for proofreading it.
  • DSpace how-to guide: tips and tricks for managing common DSpace chores (DSpace version 1.3.2) by Dorothea Salo and Tim Donohue, also available at http://hdl.handle.net/1920/1045 - This short booklet is intended to introduce the common, non-obvious customization-related tasks for newcomers to DSpace administration. It has been written against the current stable version 1.3.2 of DSpace. It's meant to be usable across all platforms (Linux, Windows, Mac). For even more information, the slides from their "Making DSpace Your Own" Tutorial at JCDL 2006 are available at http://hdl.handle.net/1920/1046. Spanish translation by the University of León
  • Advanced DSpace: Plugins from RSP Technical Day Nov 2007 by Richard Jones etal
• DuraSpace webinar archive: Hot Topics Webinars, DuraSpace Solution Webinars, DuraSpace Courses  
• Additional training materials archive: DSpace Training Archives
• Additional training in spanish: Curso de capacitación en repositorios y DSpace   by SeDiCi, Universidad de la Plata, Argentina

Developing with DSpace

• An overall reference for developing code with DSpace (and creating patches) is available on the Developer Guidelines and Tools page.
• Code Contribution Guidelines - How to get your code accepted into DSpace.

Documentation for New DSpace Administrators

• Intro to DSpace (August 19, 2009) - written by Cameron Kainerstorfer and Heather Perkins (both of University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center)
• The DSpace Course (August 2008) - written by Stuart Lewis and Chris Yates, funded by JISC and Repositories Support Project and was funded by JISC  
• Instructions for New Admin - This is a simple guide to print off for people who will start uploading documents to your instance of DSpace, by Shawna Sadler.