Web Services: Revising asset with the same name.

I opened a case (Case-00750395) on it, but Interwoven representative suggested I posted on Dev Net. So here is my issue:

Requirement:

Move asset from one MediaBin container into another MediaBin container where asset with the same name already exist. Metadata should be updated accordingly from new asset.

Issue:

Using moveAsset method
(getMyStub().moveAsset(maApprovedAsset.getMID(),destinationContainer.get
MID(),maApprovedAsset.getMName()) Smiley Wink

will throw error if asset with the same name already exists in the destination directory.

Using reviseAsset is designed for bringing an external asset and will not carry any metadata if asset is already in MediaBin. Our case: both assets are in MediaBin.

Using reviseAssetMetadata will update metadata but not the asset itself.

Current Resolution:

1. Retrieve file (asset in starting container) in MediaBin's temp
directory:
getMyStub().retrieveFile_URL(assetInStartingDir.getMID(),-1,null,rtpPrim
itives,true);
2. CheckIn Asset:
getMyStub().lockAsset(assetInDestiantionDir.getMID(),false);
3. Revise Assset with new Asset (just the file itself, not
metadata):
getMyStub().reviseAsset_URL(jobUrl,assetInDestiantionDir.getMID(),
null, rtpPrimitives, 850, "Checked In By Cat Job", true);
4. Copy Metadata of new asset (which is still in starting
container).
5. ReviseAssetMetadata in destination container with new asset's
metadata.
6. Delete asset from starting container.

Now, you see why we have many issues with our current work around.

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Comments

msrinivas

If I understand you correctly, you are trying to merge metadata of both the assets? Is that correct?

JimD

That is not fully correct. I need to update metadata from one asset with another one (both have the same name) AND I want the asset itself (the actual picture) to be updated also at the same time.

msrinivas

Unless I am missing something here this is what I think you can do:

1. Move old asset to a temp delete folder
2. Move new asset to the same container as the old one
3. Delete old asset from temp delete folder

Does that sound reasonable?

lyman

Well that would lose the old changes. It is true that currently MediaBin does not have a way to create a new revision without physically adding a file from the filesystem (i.e., you cannot make one asset be a new version of another).

I should add, however, that if there is a good staging area, a) retrieving the image from point A as XML, b) obtaining the lock on the second image without retrieving, and c) and inserting as a new revision will have the desired effect if in a few steps.

Cheers,

Lyman Hurd

JimD

Thanks for the reply.
But that is what we doing. (I am referring to the last post). Except in the scenario described above retrieving an asset to a temp directory and then revising an old asset with a temp asset would not transfer metadata. Moreover, it will leave original asset in starting directory.

lyman

The rules for metadata between revisions are the following:

1) If a metadata field is "custom", any metadata attached to an image will be carried forward to the next revision.

2) All other metadata is assumed to be replaced by the new checked in version, as it is assumed that metadata came with the image and when you check it in again, if anything is missing that was on purpose.

That does miss some cases but was the best "general purpose" algorithm we could come up with.

If you do not merely retrieve the asset but retrieve it via the XML encoder, the custom metadata will come along with it and that custom metadata will also be present when you check it back in. the only possibly negative consequence is that you will not have deleted any custom metadata fields present in one version and absent in the checked in version.

The other method that custom metadata can be preserved is via the XMP mapping facility but that is another topic!

Cheers,

Lyman Hurd