If you've ever developed anything for OpenText Content Suite then you will know how manual and time-intensive tasks such as testing, exporting, importing, re-linking and updating can be. Workflow, Forms and WebReports applications all rely on multiple inter-connected objects, and moving them between different Content Suite environments often adds a burden on developers who would rather channel their time into more productive tasks. As Jeff Lang, our CTO
explained in a recent webinar, this is exactly why we developed GCI PowerTools for Deployments. Designed exclusively for Content Suite, PowerTools for Deployments automates the transfer of objects between different Content Suite environments and eliminates the need for complex and error-prone migration scenarios. If you're not already familiar with PowerTools for Deployments, here are five ways you can use it to simplify your next development project.
1. Powerful Object Export and Import
PowerTools for Deployments enables you to solve your application transport challenges by extracting and packaging selected content structures into a set of self-contained, portable XML files that can be deployed on any Content Suite instance within minutes. These objects can be exported, copied to a new instance, and imported to recreate the entire structure. Additionally, PowerTools for Deployments ensures that objects are imported in the correct order; recreating and maintaining any dependencies. Additionally, PowerTools for Deployments maintains object audit logs and correctly imports permissions between Content Suite instances. For example, if a given category has not been created at the time an object that uses that category is created, the information is cached until the category is imported, then the whole lot is correctly re-linked. Forms and Form Templates can be exported and imported maintaining not only the template links but also the view links. Form data stored within Content Suite as well as that stored in database tables can be transported across systems as well!
2. Migration Between Instances
What's better than being able to quickly and easily transfer basic objects between Content Suite instances? Being able to handle vastly more complex objects such as Forms and their templates! With PowerTools for Deployments, developers can confidently migrate more complex Content Suite objects while maintaining their relationships and any underlying database tables and data. An added benefit is the ability to move workflow maps from one system to another - during the import map, form, category, performer, WebReport, and attachment relationships are updated and maintained.
3. Test & Troubleshoot Problematic Objects
Another excellent use-case for developers is the ability to facilitate testing and troubleshooting of problematic objects within a test Content Suite environment. Any problematic objects can be captured in their entirety and moved to a dedicated test or technical support environment where they can be easily recreated and tested outside of the production instance. As the most robust and comprehensive solution on the market, GCI PowerTools for Deployments has been the product of choice for countless enterprises looking for a way to transfer content between Content Suite instances.
4. Migrating Permissions Between Folders
The migration of permissions from one folder to another is something else we see frequently. The relationships between objects and permissions are quite complex, therefore we designed a simple solution to enable developers to trigger an inheritance update to the contained objects. If you were to export a folder with a specific set of permissions from your source instance and that same folder exists in your target system, but without those permissions, PowerTools for Deployments allows you to select permissions adoption from either instance (Source or Target).
5. Re-mapping Object IDs
PowerTools for Deployments also supports exporting User and Group items created during development and recreates them on the new system, as well as remapping the user IDs (provided the names and domains are the same). No more manual editing of user IDs! The same is also true of other Objects from Content Suite. If you export a Custom View containing URLs or other information that differs between your source and target systems, PowerTools for Deployments will take care of updating that information for you as it goes through the import process. Of course, there are many more content transport scenarios that you can achieve with PowerTools for Deployments. So if you've got other suggestions and fancy sharing your ideas with us, drop us a comment on
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contact us if you don't want give away all your secrets ;-)