Alfresco API and Web Services

[tonizz]

Which is the difference between using native alfresco api and web services api ???

I am developing a web portal with servlets that fetchs data and contents from alfresco. Right now, I get them from CIFS but I think that using an API is a most clever solution.

What do you think about it??

Do you know where can I found documentation about these API's??

Thanks in advance.

[jonas]

Hi,

There are possible solutions:

1) using foundation services plus your own UI;

2) using web services plus your own UI;

For the first, here is an example

http://docs.cignex.com/
(admin/admin by default)

For the second one, you can check Liferay alfresco content.

Here are sample codes

Alfresco Content
UI: Add content: Alfresco Content
Link: com.liferay.portlet.alfrescocontent.util.AlfrescoContentUtil
org.alfresco.webservice.* at alfresco_client.jar
URL: PropsUtil.ALFRESCO_CONTENT_SERVER_URL;
Page: portal/portal-web/html/portlet/alfresco_content/init.jsp
Portlet Type: Struts portlet at portal/portal-ejb/src
com.liferay.portlet.alfrescocontent.action
com.liferay.portlet.alfrescocontent.util

[llin]

Hi jonas,

For the example http://docs.cignex.com/, do you know if "Helpful Link" is an custom type with properties "Link Name" and "Link URL" in Alfresco? How is it set up?

Thanks for your help.

Ally

[jonas]

Hi

Yes, you can. Here is an example

<!– Helpful Link Type –>
    <type name="cd:helpfullink">
      <title>Helpful Link</title>
      <parent>cm:content</parent>
      <properties>
         <property name="cd:linkName">
            <title>Link Name</title>
            <type>d:text</type>
            <mandatory>true</mandatory>
         </property>
         <property name="cd:linkURL">
            <title>Link URL</title>
            <type>d:text</type>
            <mandatory>true</mandatory>
         </property>
      </properties>
</type>

Finally, in your web client config, tell UI how to use it.

[llin]

Hello jonas,

Thank you for your reply. I still got a question about cm:content.

Since cm:content is the parent of cd:helpfullink, I got the impression that cm:content always has a "content" pointing to actual content (a file). That is, in Alfresco when creating/adding content, either create a file in-line or upload a file. For URL, how should I deal with the "content" in my application?

Could you help me with this question? Thanks a lot.

Ally

[jonas]

Hi

cd:helpfullink is a special content type - no real content, only has some special properties. When we handle helpfullink content type, only proterties are in need.

If you use Alfresco web client UI, you need to re-configure content type and related beans - to make sure that the beans only handle properties, no content file.

Good luck.