topic Re: Unable to update html template file in Alfresco Forum

Unable to update html template file

baki1983 — Fri, 16 Feb 2018 14:52:11 GMT

Hi,I'm trying to update my-tasks.get.html.ftl file on one of my Tomcat, but I when I log in I cannot see any changes. I'm simply trying to add another button (<span> element) in this file, and I have uploaded the modified version inside :d:\alfresco-community\tomcat\webapps\share\WEB-INF\class

Re: Unable to update html template file

douglascrp — Fri, 16 Feb 2018 23:27:40 GMT

After you start the service, if you navigate into that folder, do you still see your changed file in there?

I am asking you this because you are changing a file directly inside the share app (share expanded folder or share.war), and that is not a good practice, as when Tomcat starts, it can redeploy the application, and have your file removed.

The right thing to do is to extend the ftl file using the extension method.

A quick test is to move your changed file into the following path:

d:\alfresco-community\tomcat\shared\classes\alfresco\web-extension\alfresco\site-webscripts\org\alfresco\components\dashlets\

Do this, restart the service and try again.

Re: Unable to update html template file

baki1983 — Sat, 17 Feb 2018 11:55:25 GMT

Hi Douglas,

Yup, still there...hasn't been overwritten. Share.war is always present and since the war file is already exploded, Tomcat will persist my changes in files across restarts.

I've tried to move the file as you suggested (created all the missing directories) and still the same - new content simply won't load. Tried to restart, refresh web scripts - no luck. Interestingly, when I run my demo project over maven (using mvn alfresco:run) I can always see my changes.

Do I need to re-create share.war and re-deploy on the server? What if I enable Tomcat manager and reload the share webapp, would that help?

Thanks

Re: Unable to update html template file

douglascrp — Sun, 18 Feb 2018 00:25:57 GMT

What folders you had to create, exactly?

Re: Unable to update html template file

baki1983 — Sun, 18 Feb 2018 09:08:10 GMT

web-extension folder didn't have any subfolders inside (it had only one file custom-slingshot-application-context.xml.sample). I had to create the whole path under web-extension alfresco\site-webscripts\org\alfresco\components\dashlets

The whole path now looks like this :

d:\alfresco-community\tomcat\webapps\share\WEB-INF\classes\alfresco\web-extension\alfresco\site-webscripts\org\alfresco\components\dashlets\my-tasks.get.html

Do I need to create a module instead using maven and deploy it to Alfresco?

Re: Unable to update html template file

douglascrp — Mon, 19 Feb 2018 13:20:22 GMT

Sorry. I have just noticed I sent the wrong path to you.

Please, remove the alfresco folder just after web-extension, and try again.

The full path should be

d:\alfresco-community\tomcat\shared\classes\alfresco\web-extension\site-webscripts\org\alfresco\components\dashlets\my-tasks.get.html

But please, pay attention for something. It is not inside the share application folder. It is inside the shared folder, inside toncat, which is the right place to put your extension files.

Re: Unable to update html template file

baki1983 — Tue, 20 Feb 2018 16:50:19 GMT

Yes, You were right, I was copying it under webapps\share. Tried as you suggested but still the same. Tried both with and without alfresco under tomcat\shared and no luck (even after restart).

Any documentation references I could read? I guess we're missing smth.

Thanks

Re: Unable to update html template file

douglascrp — Tue, 20 Feb 2018 17:29:30 GMT

You can rely on the official documentation: Modifying Out-of-the-box Surf Web Scripts | Alfresco Documentation

If you can, please, share your project.

Re: Unable to update html template file

baki1983 — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 17:38:30 GMT

Thanks I'll look at this.

Is there a some sort of template caching mechanism or similar? How can I force templates to reload, do I need to delete some folder maybe?

Btw, I tried to reload the share webapp from Tomcat's manager...and still the same. I'm starting to wonder am I editing the right file...

Thanks

Re: Unable to update html template file

baki1983 — Thu, 22 Feb 2018 13:53:45 GMT

OK, I finally solved this darn thing. I had to delete the share folder under webapps, rebuild the share.war file

and let Tomcat unpack this file during bootup. When I logged in again, everything showed.

Funny thing, reloading webapp didn't work, not sure why.

Closing the issue.

Re: Unable to update html template file

baki1983 — Thu, 22 Feb 2018 18:24:02 GMT

Just realized problem was smth completely else. I tottaly forgot I had an extra share JAR module installed (it's in WEB-INF\lib under share) and it had another copy of this file, clearly unmodified. This version takes presence over anything that's inside share.war (and tomcat\shared as well). This copy didn't show in my file searches because it was inside JAR file (module).

I can now finally close this thread.

Re: Unable to update html template file

Latence132 — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 16:44:38 GMT

Could be useful:

I had the same issue with no problems on the jars. The error was on the alf_data_dev which was no updated and contained an older version of the .ftl. I deleted the folder alf_data_dev and restarted the application to solve the problem

Re: Unable to update html template file

EddieMay — Mon, 24 Feb 2020 09:34:42 GMT

Hi @baki1983 ,

Glad you got it sorted & thanks for updating us on how your resolved it - can be really useful to other users in a similar situation.