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LibraData User Guide

UVa's Local Instance of the Dataverse Software

Preview URL to Review Unpublished Dataset

Creating a Preview URL for your dataset allows you to share your dataset (for viewing and downloading of files) before it is published to a wide group of individuals who may not have a user account on UVa’s Dataverse Repository. Anyone you send the Preview URL to will not have to log into UVa’s Dataverse Repository to view the unpublished dataset. Once a dataset has been published you may create new General Preview URLs for subsequent draft versions, but the Anonymous Preview URL will no longer be available.

  1. Go to your unpublished dataset
  2. Select the “Edit Dataset” button
  3. Select “Preview URL” in the dropdown menu
  4. In the pop-up select “Create General Preview URL” or “Create Anonymous Preview URL”. The latter supports anonymous review by removing author names and other potentially identifying information from citations, version history tables, and some metadata fields
  5. Copy the Preview URL which has been created for this dataset. It can now be shared with anyone you wish to have access to view or download files in your unpublished dataset.

Note:  Once published the Preview URL will no longer work. You must use the published DOI.

To disable a Preview URL and to revoke access, follow the same steps as above until step #3 when you return to the popup, click the “Disable General Preview URL” button. Note that only one Preview URL (normal or with anonymized access) can be configured per dataset at a time.

Note: Before distributing an anonymized Preview URL it is recommended that you view the dataset as a potential user to verify that the metadata available does not reveal authorship, etc.

  1. Create Anonymous Preview URL for your unpublished dataset via the Preview URL popup from Edit Dataset button
  2. Copy the Anonymous Preview URL to your clipboard
  3. Log out of Dataverse application
  4. Open the dataset using the Anonymous Preview URL you plan to distribute to view it as a reviewer would.
  5. It may be necessary for you to further edit your draft dataset’s metadata to remove identifying items before you distribute the Anonymous Preview URL

Only one Preview URL (normal or with anonymized access) can be configured per dataset at a time.