Friday, December 5, 2014

Sitecore Custom Validation Example

Following example is used to create an Even number validator using sitecore

Step 1: Create a new class inherited from StandardValidator class

using Sitecore.Data.Validators;
using System.Runtime.Serialization;
namespace Demo.Validators
{
    [Serializable]
    public class EvenNumberValidator : Sitecore.Data.Validators.StandardValidator 
    {
        public EvenNumberValidator() { }
        public EvenNumberValidator( SerializationInfo info,StreamingContext context):base(info,context)
        {
        }
    }
}

Step 2: Override Name property and Evaluate & GetMaxValidatorResult methods.

using Sitecore.Data.Validators;
using System.Runtime.Serialization;
namespace Demo.Validators
{
    [Serializable]
    public class EvenNumberValidator : Sitecore.Data.Validators.StandardValidator 
    {
        public EvenNumberValidator() { }
        public EvenNumberValidator( SerializationInfo info,StreamingContext context):base(info,context)
        {

        }
        public override string Name
        {
            get {
                    return (this.ToString()); // returns validator name to be displayed in error message
                }
        }

        protected override ValidatorResult Evaluate() //executes on validation

        {
            string val = GetControlValidationValue(); //fetches value of a control. GetItem() can be used to fetch complete item
            int n;
            bool isEven = false;
            bool isNumeric = int.TryParse(val, out n);
            if(isNumeric)
            {
                isEven = n % 2 == 0 ? true : false;
            }
            if(isEven)
            {
                return (ValidatorResult.Valid); // validation success
            }
            else
            {
                //validation failed
                Text = String.Format("{0} is not an even number!!",val); //Error message to be displayed
                return (GetFailedResult(ValidatorResult.Error)); //error level
            }
        }
        protected override ValidatorResult GetMaxValidatorResult()//blocks operations if we return FatalError or CriticalError
        {
            return (GetFailedResult(ValidatorResult.Error));
        }
       
    }
}

If the result of the GetMaxValidatorResult() method is FatalError or CriticalError, then Sitecore will block operations such as save or workflow commands in the user interface until validation completes.
Validation Bar and Quick Action Bar validators never block user interface operations.

Step 3: Create a new validator (here Even Number Validation)  at /sitecore/system/Settings/Validation Rules/Field Rules section using /sitecore/templates/System/Validation/Validation Rule template. Set Title, Description and Type properties.





























Step 4:  Assign the validator to any field in a template. Here I have assigned it to “Validate Button” type of validation.














Step 5: Perform validation using “Validation” button under “Review” tab.

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Sitecore Validation Examples

For each item, Sitecore invokes the item validation rules defined in the item or the standard values item associated with its data template, as well as global validation rules.

For each data template field, Sitecore invokes the validation rules defined in the data template field definition item, as well as the validation rules defined in the data template field type validation rules definition item.

After you stop editing a field value, Sitecore automatically invokes validation rules asynchronously, and then updates the user interface after validation completes.

Validators.UpdateDelay property in web.config controls the length of time between editing activity and the invocation of validators.

Validators.AutomaticUpdate property when set to false would disable automatic validation feature.

Validation Levels

Field Level: We can configure validators to be used for validation at the individual field level. For example, required field validator for a single line text field.  All field level validators are present at /sitecore/system/Settings/Validation Rules/Field Rules.

Field Type Level: We can configure validators to be used for validation of all occurrences of a particular field type. For example, all occurrences of DropList field type in sitecore tree. All field type level validators are present at /sitecore/system/Settings/Validation Rules/Field Types

Item Level: We can configure validators for individual items in its presentation details. All item level validators are present at /sitecore/system/Settings/Validation Rules/Item Rules

Standard Values Level: Configure validation for all items based on a data template by configuring validation rules in the standard values of that data template.

Global Level: Configure validation that applies to all items.

Sitecore Validation can be done in four different ways
  1. Quick Action Bar.
  2. Validator Bar.
  3. User chooses Validate command in the Proofing group on the Review tab.
  4. User chooses a specific workflow command.

     1. Quick Action Bar

     Steps to display field validation error messages on Quick Action Bar

     Step 1: Add validator for individual field in template in Quick Action Bar Section.
     Step 2: Right click on Quick Action Bar and enable “Validation Rules”

       



































      Step 3: Creating new page would display validation error on Quick Action Bar if “Page Title” value is empty.




       Note: We can save and publish the page even with validation errors.

     2. User chooses Validate command in the Proofing group on the Review tab.

    Step 1: Add validator for individual field in template in Validate Button Section.













    Step 2: Click on “Validation” button under “Review” tab without entering “Page Title” value.

























     3. Validation Bar
     Steps to display error message on Validation Bar

    Step 1: Add validator for individual field in template in Validator Bar Section.












   Step 2: Select the page and click on "Save" button without entering "Page Title" value.




















    4. Workflow

    Step 1: Create a workflow definition item “PageReview” in “/system/Workflows” section using “/sitecore/templates/System/Workflow/Workflow” template.






















   Step 2: Create three workflow states “Draft”, “AwaitingApproval” & “Approved” using “System/Workflow/State” template under “PageReview” workflow definition item.






















  
     Step 3:  Select workflow definition item and set the Initial State field to Draft.






















    Step 4: Create “Submit” command under “Draft” state using template “/System/Workflow/Command”






    Step 5: Create “Approve” and “Reject” commands under “AwaitingApproval” state using template “/System/Workflow/Command”.























    Step 6: Set “Next State” of “Approve” command to “Approved” state and “Reject” command to “Draft” state and “Submit” command to “AwaitingApproval”.





















  Step 7: Add “Validation Action” to the “Approve” command using “System/Workflow/Validation Action” template.




















    Step 8: In the type field, enter the following
   Sitecore.Workflows.Simple.ValidatorsAction, Sitecore.kernel
   In Max Result Allowed field enter “Warning”
   Fill Error result fields with message “You cannot approve an item with validation errors




























   Step 9: Define the Final state to “Approved” state.


















   Step 10: Assign the workflow to page template. Select “_Standard Values”, click on “View” tab in main menu and select “Standard Fields”



























   Assign “Default workflow” to the “PageReview” workflow item.


   


   Step 11: Assign “Required” validator to “Page Title” field













   Step 12: Create a new page based on the template. New page would show a workflow warning at the top.
















  Step 13: Click on “Submit” action under “Review” tab.

















   Step 14: Click on “Approve” button to trigger work flow validation modal.



Monday, September 29, 2014

Sitecore Proxies And Clones

A)  Proxies:

Proxy items duplicate’s an item (or sub tree) from one part of the content tree to another. Any Update to proxy item will update the source item and vice versa.


Proxies are generally used when we need an item appear as a child item to multiple parent items. Following example demonstrates a book item appearing under multiple genre items.























Step 1: Set proxiesEnabled element to true in web.config at /configuration/sitecore/databases for master and web databases.

<databases> 
<database id="master" singleInstance="true" type="Sitecore.Data.Database, Sitecore.Kernel">    
<proxiesEnabled>true</proxiesEnabled>   
</database>
</databases>

Step 2: Create two new templates “BookCategory” & “Book” with “Title” & “Description” fields.


















Step 3: Create book items from book template in a common folder.


















Step 4: Create “Comedy”, “Fiction” & “Romance” categories from “BookCategory” template.





























Step 5: Create proxy items at /Sitecore/System/Proxies location using /System/Proxy data template.


Step 6: Set the source item and target item of proxy. Here, “Book1” is the source item and “Comedy” is the target item.






















Step 7: Create other proxies as required.





















Step 8: Editing any proxy item would affect source item and vice versa

Publishing a proxy
<publishVirtualItems> setting in web.config indicates whether Sitecore should publish virtual items as if they were normal items.
If this setting is set to true, virtual item becomes a real item and the relationship between virtual item and parent item no longer exist.
If this setting is set to false (preferred), relationship between virtual item and parent item exist even on web database if proxies are enabled on the web database.

B)  CLONES

Cloning creates a dynamic duplicate of an item or branch in the content tree to another different location within the same content tree. A clone inherits field values from the parent item instead of standard values and provides notification to clone item whenever parent item is modified.

If all fields of parent item and cloned item are same, then any change to parent item would apply changes to all cloned items immediately without any prompt.

If the value in the cloned item is different to parent item, Sitecore creates a notification, which the user must accept in order to apply the change to the cloned item.

Cloned items when published, become real items and the relationship between cloned item and parent item no loner exist.

Following steps show an example of creating a clone

Step 1: Select the parent item to be duplicated and click on “Clone” button in the “Configure” section.




















Step 2: Select the destination for the cloned item and click on “Clone” button.




















Step 3: Changing field value in the cloned item will not affect the parent item.










































Step 4: Change parent item field value. Since content of parent and cloned item are different, sitecore creates a notification which user must accept.























UNCLONE: A clone can be converted to a normal item, severing any ties it has to the original and become completely independent by uncloning.