Published Summary | Alchemy Plugin for SDL Web (Tridion)

The “Published Summary” alchemy plug-in is currently in the process of review for publish to Alchemy Webstore and so will soon be made available to the general public via the webstore.

If you are inclined to use it before it would appear on the Webstore, you can download it from the git hub repository and drag/drop to your alchemy interface in the CME.

This plugin will help to get the details of published Items like Components, Pages, Templates and Categories.

Once the user installed the plugin, then he will get the option in Context menu and Toolbar in CME to open the published summary window like below.

It's having a below feature to get the published items details.

·         Sorting based on Title, Published Date, Published By, Targets, and TCM URIs

·         Searching items by name on entire grid.

·         Summary of published building blocks across all publishing target types.

·         Re-published, Un-Published single or multiple items.

·         Get others publication items changed in Publication dropdown.

·         Get numbers of published items in the Summary panel against the Publication.

·         Export Grid items in CSV file.

·         Filtered item based on between date ranges. 

Business Use Cases

The Published Summary Alchemy plug-in can help in the following scenario. 

·         The users can export all the published items in CSV format based on needs.

·         The users can be managed published item by re-published and un-published the items.

·         The users can quickly get all the list items based on Publication, Folder and Structure group.

·         The users can do a single search to enter the value in the search textbox and get the item details based on search text.

·         The users need to know about “delta” of published items across publishing target types of a CMS instance

·         The users  need to sync your non-live websites with the live websites regarding content managed from Tridion

Documentation: https://github.com/pankaj-gaur/PublishedSummary/wiki

Compatibility (Tested):

·         SDL Web 8.1 and 8.5

·         Chrome (latest), FireFox (latest), MS Edge (latest)

Demo: https://1drv.ms/v/s!AoVTHS2sh_vMnltkh1GgyIgK6rjR

The Team:

The team – “CB ke Cheete” – having meanings as “Cheetahs of Content Bloom”, comprises of three young and dynamic Content Bloom professionals. The team have following members:

·         Pankaj Gaur – Director, Content Bloom | SDL Certified Dev and BA | SDL Tridion/Web MVP

·         Hem Kant – Consultant, Content Bloom | SDL Certified Dev and BA | SDL Web MVP

·         Priyank Gupta – Consultant, Content Bloom | SDL Certified Dev

Open All | Alchemy Plugin for SDL Web (Tridion)

In my current project, I was creating some demo components and page for editors to understand the content architecture of one of my project. I relegalised that we do not have any option to open the multiple items in one click like components, page and so forth. Editors have to open multiple selected components one by one, and that is the very problematic situation for editors.

For resolving this situation, I got an idea to create an Alchemy Plugin for open all selected items in one click. I developed Alchemy Plugin named as “Open All”, and which is now available on Alchemy Web Store.

This plugin will help to the User open multiple Components, Pages, Schema, Component Template, and Page Template in one click.

It’s straightforward steps, to install “Open All” Alchemy plugin from Alchemy Web Store in SDL Web (Tridion) CMS.  After the installation of “Open All” plugin, if the user selected multiple items like Components then “Open All” button will enable on the tool bar and context menu (right click). After clicking on this option, all selected items will be open in new windows. 

The Alchemy Plugin “Open All” code is available at Github links here.

Feel free to contact me about your query and suggestion regarding this plugin. 

SDL Web 8 : Configure Topology Manager and Business Process Type

Topology Manager is configured only by PowerShell cmdlets. We have to set the following variable

1. CD Topology Type/Purpose Type
2. CD Topology Environment
3. CD Topology
4. Create Topology Website app with website URL.
5. WebSite mapping  with publication and root path of Webapp

I have followed all command from Configure Topology docs and setting the topology variable for same

1. CD Topology Type

This is the Step 1 and here have to define the environment purpose variable. By the below command,  currently setting environment purpose for “Staging” only, if you need to add this id variable for multiple purpose like : Live and Staging, then have to pass the all purposes name in comma separated in one line (e.g. Staging, Live) or later on you can add by the SET-TtmcdTopologyType.

Note: Just for update, you can set 1 Topology Type for multiple purpose (means Live and Staging),  If you do like this way then only can set the same publication for publishing the data to two or three  different environment.

2. CD Topology Environment

After setting the Topology type we have to map the defined purpose to discovery service URL like below

In the above command, have set environmentpurpose as “Staging” with staging server of discovery URL.  Like the same, can set environmentpurpose as Live with Live server discovery URL.

3. CD Topology

Now need to add the topology variable mapping between the Topology Type variable and Topology environment variable by below command

4. Create Topology Website app with website URL.

In this step, need to define the topology webapp variable which will map with the base URL of the web site.

5. Website mapping  with publication and root path of Webapp variable

Before mapping on this step, need to define the Business Process Type in CMS and have to set with the publication. In my case.

In the above image Topology type name is coming from Step -1 and Purpose name is also display from Step-1. I have set the Business Process Type name as Staging only.

After defining the Business Process Type need to set this to Publication property window like below.

After setting the Business Process type with Publication copy the publication URI which will set with the webapp. For this go back to PowerShell window and run like below

After follow the above steps, once you publish any page or component then you will get the below screen

Creating Smart Target Promotions using DWT template

Here are the steps to create promotion in Smart Target.

1.       Create Page Template for page

 Here is the below step to create Page Template  

1.1. Add Extract Components from Page TBB.

1.2. Create DWT (Named as ST Region DWT) having content as

1.3. Default Finish Actions

1.4. Open Template Building Block to create Page Template for page (Named as Smart Target PT)

1.5. Drag DWT “ST Region DWT” to PT “Smart Target PT”

1.6. Add Default TBB like below (below are default TBB which will show after installing the Smart target)

1.6.1.   Add SmartTarget Query TBB

1.6.2.   Add Promotions TBB

1.6.3.   Add Show SmartTarget Navigation TBB

1.6.4.   Add Search SmartTarget TBB

1.6.5.   Add Show SmartTarget Items TBB

1.6.6.   Add Apply SmartTarget Settings TBB

1.6.7.   Configure parameter values of above TBB

1.7. Run PT with page and check if it is working fine

1.8. Save and close Page Template.

2.       Create dynamic Component Template for promotion component

Create a dynamic Component Template (named as SendContentToFredhopper) in Template    Builder which uses the “Add to SmartTarget” Template Building Block to send content to Fredhopper.

2.1. Add Default DreamWeaver Component Design DWT

2.2. Add “Add to SmartTarget” TBB

2.3. Add Default finish action TBB

2.4. Save and close CT.

2.5. Add your promotion component schema(Suppose Promotion) as a linked schema

3.       Create promotion component

 Create a component (Suppose “ST Promotion”) with schema “Promotion”.

4.       Create Promotion

 Create a promotion by going to Targeting Tab of CME. Use Trigger as current date.

5.       Create page

 Create a page using PT “Smart Target PT” having component “ST Promotion” and CT “SendContentToFredhopper”.

About Me

Hi All

My self Priyank Gupta. I am working in Contnet Bloom since April 2016. Earlier i had worked with Espire Infolabs Pvt. ltd. New Delhi from May 2007 to Mar 2016 and Mindmill Software Ltd (Sep 2004 - Apr 2007). 

·         Approximately 12+ years of experience in IT industry with experience on application development using Dot Net Technologies and 5+ year in CMS experience on SDL Tridion.

·         Having core knowledge in SDL Tridion, Microsoft .NET technologies, MSBI, SQL Server complex web applications, web services & windows application.

·         Hands on experience in application development using SDL Tridion, MSBI, ASP.Net, C#, PL/SQL, Visual Basic.Net, Visual Basic 6.0, IIS, .Net Framework 1.1, 2.0, 3.0 & 3.5, SQL Server 2008 & Oracle 8i.

·         Well versed with design patterns, MVC and MVVM patterns.

·         Worked on extensively with Data Adapter, Dataset, Data reader as a part of ADO.NET to access and update database.

·         Having good experience in SQL Server Database design, developing SQL queries, stored procedures, and functions using SQL SERVER 2012/2008.

·         Has been involved in the various phases of software development life cycle those including analysis, coding and implementation.

·         Experienced in Software development, Data Modeling, Client/Server technology, and other custom-built application on Windows.

·         Having good knowledge of OOPS Concept.

·         Analyzing, development and modification in various Front-end and backend processes.

·         Strong interpersonal and communication skills and ability to work with agile team to resolve issues. 

·         2 year 3 Months on-site work experience in UK and Singapore.