nav[aria-label="Primary Navigation"] { padding: 0; & ul { list-style: none; width: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: start; align-items: start; gap: 30px; padding: 0; & li { margin: 0; } & ul li { list-style: none; } } }

Managing DCTs in multiple branches

adam1

Hey all.

We have a problem with managing our branches. We have many branches (one for each client) all of which start off with a common collection of Data Capture Templates. A number of the branches have their own set of templates or have changed one or two small bits of the common collection.

Once consequence of this is that when we want to make a change to the way we do something, it can sometimes be a nightmare to update all the files on all the branches.

Is there a way that we could simplify these things? For example, lets say that we have "linked header" which is always the same three fields (Text, URL, Color). Is there any way that we could extend for instance the tags that are used we can create a single definition for "linked header" and have that used where ever we need it. If we want to change the definition, we just have to do it in one place and as long as the change doesn't hose the DCR it should "just work" everywhere.

Or what about with TPLs? Should I create Perl modules to capture the standard rendering of my "Linked Header"?

Any advice on the how to organize these things would be greatly appreciated.

Adam

Find more posts tagged with

Comments

gzevin

Any advice on the how to organize these things would be greatly appreciated.

Adam

my advice, based on what I am reading, is:

1. complete a comprehensive training. I am saying this because during training one would learn about inline callouts and also about component presentation templates. Also, the docs are available in PDF and on the server itself (/iw/help/tst/pt)

2. Search the forums, as this questions is an FAQ, and had been answered many times.

In summary - yes, you could use inline callouts and component presentation templates to achieve what you want

gzevin

Any advice on the how to organize these things would be greatly appreciated.

Adam

my advice, based on what I am reading, is:

1. complete a comprehensive training. I am saying this because during training one would learn about inline callouts and also about component presentation templates. Also, the docs are available in PDF and on the server itself (server/iw/help/tst/pt)

2. Search the forums, as this questions is an FAQ, and had been answered many times.

In summary - yes, you could use inline callouts and component presentation templates to achieve what you want

gzevin

my advice, based on what I am reading, is:

1. complete a comprehensive training. I am saying this because during training one would learn about inline callouts and also about component presentation templates. Also, the docs are available in PDF and on the server itself (server/iw/help/tst/pt)

2. Search the forums, as this questions is an FAQ, and had been answered many times.

In summary - yes, you could use inline callouts and component presentation templates to achieve what you want

gzevin

sorry, posted multiple times, in Firefox the page would stop in the middle and would not render....

could the moderator please clean this thread? thanks

patrickm

We've some 300 branched workareas on our production server and faced this exact problem. Our solution is to have both datacapture and presentation.tpl files do nothing but call an include. This include is a central IPL file which pulls in the correct XML/code based on the workarea calling it. All inner XML/code is stored in an admin style workarea. So when we need make a new release, we simply update our central workarea, and volia, all 300+ branches update.

Using the hander IPL file, we can provide slight variants for the include depending on the workarea etc.

Rob76

We've some 300 branched workareas on our production server and faced this exact problem. Our solution is to have both datacapture and presentation.tpl files do nothing but call an include. This include is a central IPL file which pulls in the correct XML/code based on the workarea calling it. All inner XML/code is stored in an admin style workarea. So when we need make a new release, we simply update our central workarea, and volia, all 300+ branches update.

Using the hander IPL file, we can provide slight variants for the include depending on the workarea etc.

We're also using this solution for DCTs, FormAPI, and TPLs at 3 of my clients. Performance of the inline calls seems to be nominal even when they a being built dynamically. Just make sure the area in TeamSite that you're storing the DCTs, FormAPI, and TPLs has READ access to Everyone