topic Re: How to retrieve content details without the API in Alfresco Archive

How to retrieve content details without the API

titusnachbauer — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 15:31:44 GMT

Yes, I know, do not touch the database. I won't. Let me explain :-)I am a migration consultant and a client asked us to migrate data from an old Alfresco system. It is version Enterprise - v3.1.1 (229) from 2009. Now normally we would either crawl the frontend or use an API to access data like this,

Re: How to retrieve content details without the API

mlagneaux — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 08:47:52 GMT

Hi,

As you said, Auditable aspect properties (creation date, creator, modified date, modifier, …) are not manage like other properties. Other properties are stored in alf_node_properties table but auditable aspect properties are stored directly in alf_node table.

I don't why it is made like this but I confirm that if you want to get the auditable properties values of a node, you have to go in alf_node table.

I hope someone in Alfresco will let us know why auditable properties are stored in alf_node table.

Re: How to retrieve content details without the API

titusnachbauer — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 09:03:27 GMT

AH, ok, that is a good one. So I guess that because you can configure your content model in the node table, you also store certain node properties there. My problem is mainly that I do see 900,000+ nodes, while there are 130,000 assets, but I cannot seem to find a connection between the nodes, other than what is in ALF_CHILD_ASSOC and ALF_NODE_ASSOC. So how are the properties related to nodes?

Re: How to retrieve content details without the API

mrogers — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 10:32:59 GMT

The auditable aspect is a bit special since its tied into versioning.   In fact there's a bit of a debate whether it should be an aspect at all.    Anyway auditable values are either on the node table or properties.   Depending on whether someone has directly fiddled with what should be a system maintained property.

Can you run the application?   Or is your system turned off?

If you can run the app then use an API. Or export. Or something like the ftp server.   You should never try to second guess the database if you need help from the forums to do it.    Job done.

Re: How to retrieve content details without the API

titusnachbauer — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 13:18:00 GMT

The application is running, we have access to the user interface (frontend). I am not sure why the client did not give us access to the API yet.

Do you have a hint to how I can access the node browser or any API when I have the frontend URL? This is probably all basic Alfresco stuff, so forgive me for asking. It is a tough job to keep up with all the different CMS/DMS systems 😉 I did of course try to find it in the documentation, but I do not have a link to the administration console anywhere and also couldn't find any standard URL's that I could try.

Re: How to retrieve content details without the API

mrogers — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 13:40:22 GMT

In 3.1 the node browser is part of "Alfresco Explorer" the "user interface". Its only available to "admin"