How to update the properties of a aspect on an existing docu

[mightycoco]

Hi,

I can upload a document and add a custom aspect without issues.
Now i try to download the aspect information of a node, update the values and re-apply the aspect to the existing document. This throws an SoapException without further details…

at System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapHttpClientProtocol.ReadResponse(SoapClientMessage message, WebResponse response, Stream responseStream, Boolean asyncCall)\r\n   at System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapHttpClientProtocol.Invoke(String methodName, Objec…
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Here is the code I use to update the the aspect on the existing document. Categories is a internal list i use to store the aspect / attribute informations…

            RepositoryWebService.CML cml = new RepositoryWebService.CML();
            cml.addAspect = new RepositoryWebService.CMLAddAspect[Categories.Count];
…
            foreach (Category category in Categories) {
                RepositoryWebService.CMLAddAspect aspect = new RepositoryWebService.CMLAddAspect();
                RepositoryWebService.NamedValue[] aspectProps = new RepositoryWebService.NamedValue[category.Count];

               foreach (CategoryAttribute attribute in category)
                {
                    aspectProps[attribtCount] = CreateProperty(attribute.InternalKey, attribute.Value.ToString());
                    attribtCount++;
                }

                aspect.aspect = category.InternalName; // like "{http:/…/…}name"
                aspect.property = aspectProps;
                aspect.where = null;
                aspect.where_id = RepositoryID; // the ID of the document, having the category <<<< correct?
                cml.addAspect[aspectCount] = aspect;
                aspectCount++;

                Repository.update(cml); <<<<<<< this throws the exception, of course.
            }
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Did I do anything wrong? Do i need to remove the aspect from the document, before i can add a new one?
I'm using the AddAspect property of the CLM object, which might not be the right one, as i don't want to add it (it's already there) but only want to update it's values with the given attributes.

Thanks in advance for any hints,
coco

[kbonnet]

Hi,

Since i'm not a java developer, just a generic answer.

If the aspect is already present, you cant add it another time. You just have to change the properties that come from the aspect.

Does that help?

Koen

[mightycoco]

Hi Koen,

Thanks for the additional info. At least, I'm on the right track using AddAspect…

The code is a C# snipped - but looks pretty the same, though.

I came as far as i get no more exceptions, when adding the aspect a second time. However, the changed value of the property isn't applied.

The funny thing is, that the versioning aspect is setting the 'modified' property to the time, when i did the web service request - something must had happen - but still: the values in the custom aspect aren't updated… Somehow i'm running out of ideas…

thanks in advance,
-coco

[kbonnet]

I think you should try to:
- check if the aspect is already applied
  - if not, add it
  - if so, do nothing
- change the properties
- save the object

Are you aware of the last point, that if you change properties, you need to save the object? At least that's needed via the ECMA/Javascript API. Probably the same via your API.

Koen

[mightycoco]

Hello Koen,

thanks again.

afaik, there is no specific 'save' precedure for objects in the web services api.

im doing
- fetching the proerties of a node via Repository.get(predicate);
- going through the namedValues of node.properties
- changing the value of a property in my custom aspect
- writing the data back via Repository.update(cml)

the code is pretty straight forward…
Maybe the problem is the id of the aspect - i'm using "1" as if you would add a new aspect. As I understood, this is a internal value and should always be "1" - but I'm not sure…

CMLAddAspect aspect = new RepositoryWebService.CMLAddAspect();
aspect.aspect = "{http://mydomain.com/model/content/1.0}myAspect";
aspect.property = properties; // my changed set of properties
aspect.where = predicate; // points to the document, the aspect is attached to
aspect.where_id = "1";

cml.addAspect = new RepositoryWebService.CMLAddAspect[] { aspect };
Repository.update(cml);‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

[kbonnet]

I never worked with C# and the web service before. May be you're helped with examples? The current Kofax Release script is written in VB (not sure if its VB6 or C#. This release script is also capable of adding aspects and setting properties. You can download it from the Alfresco Forge.

Hope that helps!

Koen

[mightycoco]

Koen, thank you!

the Kofax Release Script is written in C#. It's a bit of a mess, but I found the isssue:
I was using CMLAddAspect - to update an aspect you need to use CMLUpdate of course.  ops:
Sometimes you don't need a developer to help out, but only a second insight ;o)

pepkac…

thanks,
coco