topic Re: Adding metadata to default file type or setting custom type of document as default in Alfresco Archive

Adding metadata to default file type or setting custom type of document as default

tomekszy — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 09:21:47 GMT

Hi,I want to add a custom values (metadata fields) to standard type in Alfresco. I tried to add custom types in model, with all metadata that I need, but still after adding file, I have to manually change type so Alfresco will show me my custom fileds of metadata. This is how it looks now:I have som

Re: Adding metadata to default file type or setting custom type of document as default

mrks_js1 — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 10:56:44 GMT

To do that, you need a folder-rule with "Specialise the type of an item" action

Change content type after upload

Re: Adding metadata to default file type or setting custom type of document as default

tomekszy — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 13:09:39 GMT

I think it's not I wanted to do, because I wanted all files that came into repository get specific type type, not only ones in specific folder. I don't want to set all new folders created by users with rules. I'm thinking about more "global" approach, maybe editing some xml file in alfresco server, but i don't know which file, and what to edit

Re: Adding metadata to default file type or setting custom type of document as default

douglascrp — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 23:25:37 GMT

Tomasz, you folder rule can be applied in a lower level, like, for the documentLibrary folder for a site.

But you have to make sure you don't deal with ALL objects being created, because there are OOTB objects created by alfresco that can not be specialized for custom types.

So, the ideal approach is to use a filter, like, for all documents created, AND with mime type of doc, docx, pdf, txt, whatever, then specialize it.

Re: Adding metadata to default file type or setting custom type of document as default

tomekszy — Fri, 14 Oct 2016 07:13:38 GMT

Ok, I tried to do that, but I have 3 questions:

1. How can I use that rule to all folders in all users and sites?

2. When I try to use that rule, I can't find my set of metadata (called Metadane), there is only Inteligent Folder Template, and Place to transfer files

Is it something I do wrong?

3. Maybe there is an option to add my custom metadata to all base metadata included in default type? (there are some metadata present in all types like e.g. Name, can I add some of my custom metadata there?)

Re: Adding metadata to default file type or setting custom type of document as default

mrks_js1 — Fri, 14 Oct 2016 08:16:57 GMT

1. you might need to create 2 rules on 'User Homes' and your 'Sites' and check the 'apply to subfolders'

2. you need to make your type visible in share: Share configuration for custom types and properties | Alfresco Documentation

3. you can do that, but as Douglas C. R. Paes already pointed out, thats probably not what you want. it can lead to problems.

1 thing to know about specializing an item is => you can not 'unspecialize' it once its in the repo. and your users can potentially upload anything.

do you want 1000 jpeg's of somebodies cat with your special type? i don't think so.

create a strict rule that only applies your type to the files that really need it.

Re: Adding metadata to default file type or setting custom type of document as default

tomekszy — Fri, 14 Oct 2016 12:58:04 GMT

I tried to do that, and I get the error "unable to change file type" when I want to change it in single file, and it didn't appeard in rules for directories. But leave it for now.

I have another idea. All I want to do is just add some of my metadata fields in common metadata (by common metadata I mean Name, Title, Description, Author - I just want to add there some other fields), so all files independently of type, will get few extra metadata fields. Can I do that? File types will be the same, just want to add some custom fileds in file properties.

Thank you all for all your previous replies.

Re: Adding metadata to default file type or setting custom type of document as default

mrks_js1 — Fri, 14 Oct 2016 13:28:24 GMT

is there an error message in your log file when you tried to specialize?

you can edit the default model but it is not recommended to do that. and that change will not work retroactively.

Re: Adding metadata to default file type or setting custom type of document as default

tomekszy — Fri, 14 Oct 2016 13:54:21 GMT

I will send my log in monday, but I want to ask, how to edit alfresco's default model?

Re: Adding metadata to default file type or setting custom type of document as default

mrks_js1 — Fri, 14 Oct 2016 14:02:01 GMT

see https://community.alfresco.com/docs/DOC-4735-data-dictionary-guide#w_modifyinganalfrescocontentmodel

Re: Adding metadata to default file type or setting custom type of document as default

douglascrp — Fri, 14 Oct 2016 14:40:02 GMT

Instead of adding new by specializing the object's type, you could create new aspects with the required fields and then attach the aspect to new nodes using the same folder rule idea.

Re: Adding metadata to default file type or setting custom type of document as default

zhihailiu — Fri, 14 Oct 2016 16:09:10 GMT

Have you thought of using Behaviors? There are hooks for beforeCreateNode, onCreateNode etc.

Behaviours / Policies | Alfresco Documentation

Jeff also has an excellent turorial.

Implementing Custom Behaviors in Alfresco | ECMArchitect | Alfresco Developer Tutorials

Re: Adding metadata to default file type or setting custom type of document as default

tomekszy — Mon, 17 Oct 2016 12:07:00 GMT

I don't have XML setting files, which are mentioned there (projects\repository\config\alfresco\model\contentModel.xml). Is there some step-by-step guide? Where to go, what file edit, what to do in repository? I know how to edit file, but I can't find the file to edit, and I don't know how to start

Re: Adding metadata to default file type or setting custom type of document as default

douglascrp — Mon, 17 Oct 2016 13:31:57 GMT

Hey Tomasz Szymański

Have you created a project following the tutorial instructions?

You will find that path inside the default project's folder structure when you create it using the Alfresco SDK.

Re: Adding metadata to default file type or setting custom type of document as default

douglascrp — Mon, 17 Oct 2016 13:33:37 GMT

Tomasz Szymański Sorry, I forgot to post the tutorial's link Working With Custom Content Types in Alfresco | ECMArchitect | Alfresco Developer Tutorials

Re: Adding metadata to default file type or setting custom type of document as default

tomekszy — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 06:50:48 GMT

Thank you all for your help - it cleared out a lot. I decided to use rule to add an aspect to file - not change type. Right now i"m testing this solution.

Re: Adding metadata to default file type or setting custom type of document as default

tomekszy — Wed, 26 Oct 2016 09:39:02 GMT

I used the Markus Joos solution, and used aspects and rules in folders. It works very good, the only problem i've got is unability to edit an acive model, but I posted separate subject about that. Thaks once again for help!