topic Alresco functionality questions. Does it exist? in Alfresco Archive

Alresco functionality questions. Does it exist?

grantgochnauer — Mon, 10 Oct 2005 14:41:55 GMT

First off let me say that I have been a big integrator of Documentum versions 4 and 5 on large enterprise projects. I am currently evaluating using Alfresco for smaller clients with less enterprise level requirements that Documentum offers. However, there are some basic capabilities that a CMS or WC

Re: Alresco functionality questions. Does it exist?

gavinc — Tue, 11 Oct 2005 07:32:00 GMT

Hi Grant,

I can comment on point 4…

You can do this with RC1, if you have a look at http://www.alfresco.org/mediawiki/index.php/Data_Dictionary_Guide, this shows how to add custom meta-data and configure the client to show it.

Also, not mentioned in the wiki (it needs updating to reflect some recent changes) you can also configure what sub-types of content you can create through the UI. In web-client-config.xml there is a section at the bottom that looks like:

<config evaluator="string-compare" condition="Custom Content Types">
   <content-types>
      <!– <type id="my:content-type"/> –>
   </content-types>
</config>

If you uncomment the line and reference your custom content type in the properties screen of the add content and create content wizards you will get a drop down list of the object types. You should see your custom ones in there.

Unfortunately, at the moment you won't get prompted for the custom meta-data during the creation process, but you can go the details screen for the content to enter it. This is a feature we will be added in the near future (http://www.alfresco.org/jira/browse/AWC-188).

Re: Alresco functionality questions. Does it exist?

grantgochnauer — Tue, 11 Oct 2005 14:21:03 GMT

That is great about the meta-data. I will have to check it out. Will this meta-data then be accessible via a database lookup or some method I can access on the client side?

Re: Alresco functionality questions. Does it exist?

gavinc — Wed, 12 Oct 2005 07:45:42 GMT

You can always get hold of the metadata for any node you have in the repository via the NodeService, you can either get a single property with the getProperty() method or all properties via the getProperties() method.

Have a look at org.alfresco.web.bean.wizard.NewSpaceWizard, which has some examples of using the node service. It also shows the use of the client side representation of a node (the Node) object, this helps reduce the number of calls you need to make to the NodeService.

Is this what you were meaning?

Re: Alresco functionality questions. Does it exist?

kevinr — Wed, 12 Oct 2005 14:11:42 GMT

Hello,

I can comment on point 3:

>3) Templating. From what I understand about the new template feature introduced in 1.0RC1 is that it is more of a transformation layer and less of a user input template. When I think of template, I think of creating some concrete input form with various elements which guide the user in creating a new type of content. For example, I could have templates for home pages, modules, footers. Each template would have only the relevant questions inside like Ã¢â‚¬Å“titleÃ¢â‚¬? or Ã¢â‚¬Å“header imageÃ¢â‚¬? and so forth. The template system in Alfresco now seems to be more like take this HTML and make it into another HTML or other file format.

Yes you are correct, at the moment templating is more of a transformation layer. However, we have created a JSF component that outputs the result of any template and therefore could be used to display the results in-line on any JSP page, such as the Spaces browse screen or customized document details screen.

Please see this forum article for more info:

http://www.alfresco.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=268

Thanks,

Kevin

Re: Alresco functionality questions. Does it exist?

davidc — Thu, 13 Oct 2005 11:01:30 GMT

I'll comment on point 1:

Yes, you're correct, the lifecycle state is not intrinsicly part of the content itself. We'll be adding explicit support after v1.0 - the likely route is to use the categorisation support already in Alfresco i.e. we'll create a lifecycle classification (with WIP/Staging/Active etc categories) which can be applied to any content. The current 'Link Item to Category' will be extended to allow the setting of a category for a specific classification.

That way, all sorts of other behaviour can be attached to the content lifecycle state using rules and actions.

Re: Alresco functionality questions. Does it exist?

grantgochnauer — Thu, 13 Oct 2005 12:55:22 GMT

Thank you for your responses everyone. This has been very helpful.

I still have one outstanding question with regards to how to access to repository (both metadata and content) from outside Alfresco. This relates to my question #2 about publishing and my last question about repository access.

I want to make sure there is a clear separation between our application and the CMS. From what I can understand currently, the CMS would need to be running in order for the public site to be accessible if all the pages are being created dynamically, correct? In other words, there is no way to publish meta-data and content at the moment.

In any case, what do you recommend as the best approach for accessing data within Alfresco from another self-contained web application (which is using Spring). I want to be able to run these on two separate physical machines. The access also needs to be very quick as we are thinking of using this to hold the pieces to create the content on every single page for our sites.

Thanks again for your responses! I look forward to a great product.

–Grant

Re: Alresco functionality questions. Does it exist?

ctanis — Fri, 14 Oct 2005 17:40:39 GMT

<config evaluator="string-compare" condition="Custom Content Types">
   <content-types>
      <!– <type id="my:content-type"/> –>
   </content-types>
</config>

apologies for polluting your thread with a tangent, but I just tried this, using type id="my:sop" from the exampleModel.xml

The properties page for the create new content consistently throws the following error:


javax.faces.el.EvaluationException: Cannot get value for expression '#{AddContentWizard.objectTypes}' at org.apache.myfaces.el.ValueBindingImpl.getValue(ValueBindingImpl.java:399) at javax.faces.component.UISelectItems.getValue(UISelectItems.java:55) at org.apache.myfaces.util.SelectItemsIterator.hasNext(SelectItemsIterator.java:103) at org.apache.myfaces.renderkit.RendererUtils.internalGetSelectItemList(RendererUtils.java:485) at org.apache.myfaces.renderkit.RendererUtils.getSelectItemList(RendererUtils.java:461) at org.apache.myfaces.renderkit.html.HtmlRendererUtils.internalRenderSelect(HtmlRendererUtils.java:277) at org.apache.myfaces.renderkit.html.HtmlRendererUtils.renderMenu(HtmlRendererUtils.java:251) at org.apache.myfaces.renderkit.html.HtmlMenuRendererBase.encodeEnd(HtmlMenuRendererBase.java:54) at javax.faces.component.UIComponentBase.encodeEnd(UIComponentBase.java:331) at javax.faces.webapp.UIComponentTag.encodeEnd(UIComponentTag.java:349) at javax.faces.webapp.UIComponentTag.doEndTag(UIComponentTag.java:253) at _jsp._jsp._wizard._create_22dcontent._properties__jsp._jspService(_properties__jsp.java:664) at com.caucho.jsp.JavaPage.service(JavaPage.java:63) at com.caucho.jsp.Page.pageservice(Page.java:570) at com.caucho.server.dispatch.PageFilterChain.doFilter(PageFilterChain.java:159) at com.caucho.server.webapp.DispatchFilterChain.doFilter(DispatchFilterChain.java:115) at com.caucho.server.dispatch.ServletInvocation.service(ServletInvocation.java:208) at com.caucho.server.webapp.RequestDispatcherImpl.forward(RequestDispatcherImpl.java:268) at com.caucho.server.webapp.RequestDispatcherImpl.forward(RequestDispatcherImpl.java:106) at org.apache.myfaces.context.servlet.ServletExternalContextImpl.dispatch(ServletExternalContextImpl.java:415) at org.apache.myfaces.application.jsp.JspViewHandlerImpl.renderView(JspViewHandlerImpl.java:234) at org.apache.myfaces.lifecycle.LifecycleImpl.render(LifecycleImpl.java:300) at javax.faces.webapp.FacesServlet.service(FacesServlet.java:95) at org.alfresco.web.app.servlet.AlfrescoFacesServlet.service(AlfrescoFacesServlet.java:49) at com.caucho.server.dispatch.ServletFilterChain.doFilter(ServletFilterChain.java:99) at org.alfresco.web.app.servlet.ModeDetectionFilter.doFilter(ModeDetectionFilter.java:59) at com.caucho.server.dispatch.FilterFilterChain.doFilter(FilterFilterChain.java:70) at org.alfresco.web.app.servlet.AuthenticationFilter.doFilter(AuthenticationFilter.java:68) at com.caucho.server.dispatch.FilterFilterChain.doFilter(FilterFilterChain.java:70) at com.caucho.server.cache.CacheFilterChain.doFilter(CacheFilterChain.java:189) at com.caucho.server.webapp.WebAppFilterChain.doFilter(WebAppFilterChain.java:163) at com.caucho.server.dispatch.ServletInvocation.service(ServletInvocation.java:208) at com.caucho.server.http.HttpRequest.handleRequest(HttpRequest.java:259) at com.caucho.server.port.TcpConnection.run(TcpConnection.java:341) at com.caucho.util.ThreadPool.runTasks(ThreadPool.java:490) at com.caucho.util.ThreadPool.run(ThreadPool.java:423) at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:595) Caused by: javax.faces.el.EvaluationException: org.alfresco.web.bean.wizard.AddContentWizard at org.apache.myfaces.el.PropertyResolverImpl.getValue(PropertyResolverImpl.java:78) at org.apache.myfaces.el.ELParserHelper$MyPropertySuffix.evaluate(ELParserHelper.java:532) at org.apache.commons.el.ComplexValue.evaluate(ComplexValue.java:145) at org.apache.myfaces.el.ValueBindingImpl.getValue(ValueBindingImpl.java:380) … 36 more Caused by: javax.faces.el.EvaluationException: Bean: org.alfresco.web.bean.wizard.AddContentWizard, property: objectTypes at org.apache.myfaces.el.PropertyResolverImpl.getProperty(PropertyResolverImpl.java:404) at org.apache.myfaces.el.PropertyResolverImpl.getValue(PropertyResolverImpl.java:71) … 39 more Caused by: java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method) at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39) at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25) at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:585) at org.apache.myfaces.el.PropertyResolverImpl.getProperty(PropertyResolverImpl.java:400) … 40 more Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException at org.alfresco.web.bean.wizard.BaseContentWizard.getObjectTypes(BaseContentWizard.java:497) … 45 more‍‍

any ideas? feel free to move this post.

Thanks,
-craig

Re: Alresco functionality questions. Does it exist?

paulhh — Mon, 17 Oct 2005 14:15:30 GMT

Grant

On #2, again it's all planned and will get implemented at some stage (may be someone out there will help). We prefer taking general purpose approaches to providing functionality, so publishing out from the repository to an external "site" is just part of a general systems integration set of capabilities we'd like to have. Approaches that we've been talking about include having an FTP rule action that could be triggered by a data event (e.g. life-cycle when implemented) for pushing out the content and a database export (of some kind - probably as XML) that gives the metadata in a simple schema.

We probably aren't far off giving people the basic elements that would allow them to do the final mapping to their live site.

Cheers
Paul.

Re: Alresco functionality questions. Does it exist?

grantgochnauer — Mon, 17 Oct 2005 14:17:51 GMT

Grant

On #2, again it's all planned and will get implemented at some stage (may be someone out there will help). We prefer taking general purpose approaches to providing functionality, so publishing out from the repository to an external "site" is just part of a general systems integration set of capabilities we'd like to have. Approaches that we've been talking about include having an FTP rule action that could be triggered by a data event (e.g. life-cycle when implemented) for pushing out the content and a database export (of some kind - probably as XML) that gives the metadata in a simple schema.

We probably aren't far off giving people the basic elements that would allow them to do the final mapping to their live site.

Cheers
Paul.

Paul, thanks for the response. I look forward to all the new functionality planned.

In the mean time, how would you suggest pulling content and meta-data out of the respository if the website was running on a different JVM than the repository?

Thanks again,
Grant

Re: Alresco functionality questions. Does it exist?

rdanner — Mon, 17 Oct 2005 14:35:39 GMT

Grant

On #2, again it's all planned and will get implemented at some stage (may be someone out there will help). We prefer taking general purpose approaches to providing functionality, so publishing out from the repository to an external "site" is just part of a general systems integration set of capabilities we'd like to have. Approaches that we've been talking about include having an FTP rule action that could be triggered by a data event (e.g. life-cycle when implemented) for pushing out the content and a database export (of some kind - probably as XML) that gives the metadata in a simple schema.

We probably aren't far off giving people the basic elements that would allow them to do the final mapping to their live site.

Cheers
Paul.

We have built a Secure FTP action that we can apply with a rule. I'd be happy to donate this code. I used some library (I canÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t recall at the moment), but I can donate this, as long as the license is compatible.

Anyway FTP actions and the like are probably the most basic of basic approaches. Push models are needed. Some places will cut editions or want to push individual files.

I put the SFTP publishing in place as a hold out for complex workflow. I like to think of alfresco as something that will sit behind an enterprise content service interface in our organization.

In my opinion the push model is to be avoided. Site editions are good for relatively static and immature websites. When I say immature, I donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t mean that in a derogatory sense. I mean that they are mostly content (rather then behavior), and are still Doc Root centric.

We are looking to do a pull and cache, push only when necessary.

Anyone interested in the ftp code can email or AIM me.

ItÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s basic: you set up destinations as managed beans and the action maps a bunch of destinations. If you want an event (like arrives in folder) to publish to many destinations you just make several rules. The goal was to keep it brain dead since this is not the approach we want to take in the end.

Re: Alresco functionality questions. Does it exist?

gavinc — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 08:12:18 GMT

Hi Craig,

In response to your post a few messages ago….Someone else experienced a problem with configuring the object types drop down, there is some configuration missing, take a look at this thread for more details: http://www.alfresco.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=284&highlight=.

Re: Alresco functionality questions. Does it exist?

ctanis — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 14:17:32 GMT

thank you gavin!

-craig

Re: Alresco functionality questions. Does it exist?

rwetherall — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 14:59:06 GMT

Hi Russ,

We'd be really keen to have a look at the custom actions you've produced. I appreciate that they may not be a perfect solution, but the simple approach you've taken may be something that other people will find useful.

If you're happy to contribute then could you send the source directly to me or to info at alfresco dot org.

Many thanks for you efforts on this,

Roy

Re: Alresco functionality questions. Does it exist?

rdanner — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 16:36:15 GMT

Hi Russ,

We'd be really keen to have a look at the custom actions you've produced. I appreciate that they may not be a perfect solution, but the simple approach you've taken may be something that other people will find useful.

If you're happy to contribute then could you send the source directly to me or to info at alfresco dot org.

Many thanks for you efforts on this,

Roy

It's in the mail.

Re: Alresco functionality questions. Does it exist?

cellonet — Mon, 28 Nov 2005 15:32:45 GMT

Grant

On #2, again it's all planned and will get implemented at some stage (may be someone out there will help). We prefer taking general purpose approaches to providing functionality, so publishing out from the repository to an external "site" is just part of a general systems integration set of capabilities we'd like to have. Approaches that we've been talking about include having an FTP rule action that could be triggered by a data event (e.g. life-cycle when implemented) for pushing out the content and a database export (of some kind - probably as XML) that gives the metadata in a simple schema.

We probably aren't far off giving people the basic elements that would allow them to do the final mapping to their live site.

Cheers
Paul.

We have built a Secure FTP action that we can apply with a rule. I'd be happy to donate this code. I used some library (I canÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t recall at the moment), but I can donate this, as long as the license is compatible.

Anyway FTP actions and the like are probably the most basic of basic approaches. Push models are needed. Some places will cut editions or want to push individual files.

I put the SFTP publishing in place as a hold out for complex workflow. I like to think of alfresco as something that will sit behind an enterprise content service interface in our organization.

In my opinion the push model is to be avoided. Site editions are good for relatively static and immature websites. When I say immature, I donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t mean that in a derogatory sense. I mean that they are mostly content (rather then behavior), and are still Doc Root centric.

We are looking to do a pull and cache, push only when necessary.

Anyone interested in the ftp code can email or AIM me.

ItÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s basic: you set up destinations as managed beans and the action maps a bunch of destinations. If you want an event (like arrives in folder) to publish to many destinations you just make several rules. The goal was to keep it brain dead since this is not the approach we want to take in the end.

Hi,

everyone expienced something similar?

I was looking for a solution that allow to export (as site caching target for Documentum) Alfresco data in a sql server (with filesystem)

Re: Alresco functionality questions. Does it exist?

dancri77 — Thu, 15 Dec 2005 16:47:49 GMT

This is a feature I consider it a must if I want to use alfresco in production - which I plan to. Can you give me the sftp code so I can test it? My e mail is dancri77 at yah…com

Many thanks!

Re: Alresco functionality questions. Does it exist?

rdanner — Thu, 15 Dec 2005 17:48:42 GMT

This is a feature I consider it a must if I want to use alfresco in production - which I plan to. Can you give me the sftp code so I can test it? My e mail is dancri77 at yah…com

Many thanks!

Roy

did this ever make it in to a build?

Re: Alresco functionality questions. Does it exist?

dancri77 — Thu, 15 Dec 2005 18:13:03 GMT

Managed to find an ugly workaround for publishing in internal LAN, see http://www.alfresco.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=2236#2236.