Custom Properties

We are using CMS. In our Worksite 8 setup, we have a couple of custom properties: Custom1 = Client Number and Custom2 = Matter Number. Nightly, our SQL guru runs a utility (provided by Interwoven so he tells me) that updates the Custom1 and Custom2 tables with the current list of Client Numbers and Matter Numbers. This works fine.

However, soon I will be integrating our home-grown matter intake system to automatically create a workspace for a matter when it is opened in our system. The workspace is based on the Client/Matter number. In order for this to work, the client number AND the matter number MUST be in the Worksite Custom-property tables. So, my dilemma is that I even though the client/matter exists in our intake system and in CMS, the workspace can't be created until the next day!

QUESTION: Is there a way in .NET to inject the client number and matter number into the custom tables (avoiding duplicates) using your objects? If not, is there a problem with me using SQL to do that directly?

As always, any help is greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,
Glen Wolinsky

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jny

The InsertParentCustomField and InserChildCustomField methods are used to add new (dynamic) CUSTOM1/CUSTOM2 attribute values to the respective tables. These methods are exposed by the IManAdmin.INRTDatabase2 Object. This interface is from the IManAdmin.dll which is distributed with the SDK. Please note that this is a hidden interface thus it cannot be consumed in late-binding.

[VB Example]

Dim dms As New IMANADMIN.NRTDMS
Dim sess As IMANADMIN.NRTSession
Dim db As IMANADMIN.INRTDatabase2

Set sess = dms.Sessions.Add("<servername>")
sess.Login "<NRTAdmin user>", "<password>"

Set db = sess.Databases(1)
db.InsertParentCustomField nrCustom1, "Custom1 name", "Custom1 description", True
db.InsertChildCustomField nrCustom2, "Custom1 name", "Custom2 name", "Custom2 description", True

GlenW

Thanks for the information. That's just what I was looking for.

More questions, though:

- What happens if the data being added is already in the table? Will there be a duplicate? Will the whole thing be ignored and thrown out? Will the code throw an exception?

- If trying to add a duplicate causes a problem, is there a method for checking for the existence of the data prior to add?

- What is the difference between the NRTDatabase object and the INRTDatabase2 object?

I greatly appreciate your help.

Sincerely,
Glen Wolinsky

Edited by GlenW on 09/13/04 06:23 AM (server time).

ScreenShot014.jpg

jny

An attempt to write over an existing value will cause an error.

There isn't a method to search for a custom attribute value through IManAdmin.dll. You may, however, use the IManage.dll to call SearchCustomAttributes to find an existing value. Please see IManCOM.hlp for further clarification.

The INRTDatabase2 is an interface that was later added to include an additional members, and that it inherits the INRTDatabase interface.

Migrateduser

I don't think anyone will support this but as our Account system uses MS SQL as does our Worksite envionment, we use SQL Triggers and Repliaction to import new clients and matters into the custom1 & 2 tabels as they are created in the Accounts system, with no need to go though the API.

I belive this is the ponit where i need to add various disclamers, like use at your own risk etc, but we have been doing this for years.

Hope this helps

This isn't life in the fast lane, it's life in the oncoming traffic.

neilm

I'm doing a simlar thing at the moment. I've reproduced the methods below that I use to check/add clients and matters .

There is a problem however with the SearchCustomAttributes database method in the MatterExists below in that, for example, MATTER1 can exist for both CLIENT1 and CLIENT2. In such a case I'm not sure how you would use SearchCustomAttributes on a custom2 value of "MATTER1" for "CLIENT1" only.

Any ideas anyone?

Neil

PS Also note that you need both an admin and user login method which uses IMANADMIN.dll and IManage.dll respectively.

<SNIP>
public bool ClientExists(string clientCode)
{
bool returnValue;

Debug.WriteLine("ClientExists: " + clientCode);

UserLogin();
IManCustomAttributes customAttributes = m_user_db.SearchCustomAttributes(clientCode,imProfileAttributeID.imProfileCustom1,
imSearchAttributeType.imSearchBoth,imSearchEnabledDisabled.imSearchEnabledOnly,true);
returnValue = ( customAttributes.Count > 0 );
UserLogout();

return returnValue;
}

public void ClientCreate(string clientCode, string clientDescription)
{
Debug.WriteLine("Create Client: " + clientCode + "/" + clientDescription);
AdminLogin();
m_admin_db.InsertParentCustomField(IMANADMIN.AttributeID.nrCustom1, clientCode, clientDescription, true);
AdminLogout();
}

public bool MatterExists(string clientCode, string matterCode)
{
bool returnValue;

Debug.WriteLine("MatterExists: " + clientCode + "/" + matterCode);

UserLogin();
IManCustomAttributes customAttributes = m_user_db.SearchCustomAttributes(clientCode,imProfileAttributeID.imProfileCustom2,
imSearchAttributeType.imSearchBoth,imSearchEnabledDisabled.imSearchEnabledOnly,true);
returnValue = ( customAttributes.Count > 0 );
UserLogout();

return returnValue; }

public void MatterCreate(string clientCode, string matterCode, string matterDescription)
{
Debug.WriteLine("Create Matter: " + clientCode + "/" + matterCode + "/" + matterDescription);

AdminLogin();
m_admin_db.InsertChildCustomField(IMANADMIN.AttributeID.nrCustom1, clientCode, matterCode, matterDescription, true);
AdminLogout();
}
<SNIP>

jny

The SDK just started supporting those methods in 8.0.

Using SQL to make direct transactions to the backend servers is not advisable. Database access is carefully tuned to insure scalability and concurrent access. If you access the database directly, you throw out all of this careful tuning and run a high risk of your system being unavailable. In all, it goes against the core of WorkSite 3-tier architecture design.

Edited by jny on 09/14/04 12:35 PM (server time).

jny

One way to check the Client for the Matter is using IManCustomAttribute.Parent. Or, if you search by Client, you may use IManCustomAttribute.GetChildList to return the specified Matter.

The IManage.dll and IManAdmin.dll are two separate type libraries thus you would indeed need to populate a DMS object for each.

Migrateduser

Hello All--
So, we've all ended up in the same place! That is, if you need to utilize the custom attributes as a mechanism for associating stored documents with common attributes from external business applications--your choices are limited to either an ActiveX/Command/Hijacked event on the client side; an exit point to the clload.exe command line; or the less orthodox method of accessing the database directly. I went the clload.exe route--it seems to work for my application's purposes--and it is orthodox--although I doubt that IWOV is doing anything particularly special regarding the optimization of the tables to which it's clload.exe writes.

The problem with clload.exe is that although there is an overwrite flag, it does not "empty" the table first--and then write. So, if you have something you truly need to delete from the table that may or may not be included in the text file you're creating from the external data source, it won't happen in clload.exe--thus leaving the third option of directly writing to the tables an attractive one.

Are we all positive there isn't a way to cycle through a custom attribute collection? It seems to me there should be some indirect way to tie the AttriID with a collection of what's in Database2.

Any advice from one of the IWOV Product Managers on this topic?

Warm regards,
--p

Paula DiTallo - Middleware Architect/ .NET Developer
plditallo@metro-design-dev.com

neilm

Thanks a lot - just what I needed and now that I look a little deeper in the V8 COM Reference Manual documentation I can spot it Smiley Happy

Just for info in case anyone else wants it this is my modified MatterExists method. Obviously it needs some further work to make it more robust.

public bool MatterExists(string clientCode, string matterCode)
{
bool returnValue;

Debug.WriteLine("MatterExists: " + clientCode + "/" + matterCode);

UserLogin();

IManCustomAttributes customClientAttributes = m_user_db.SearchCustomAttributes(clientCode,imProfileAttributeID.imProfileCustom1,
imSearchAttributeType.imSearchBoth,imSearchEnabledDisabled.imSearchEnabledOnly,true);

IManCustomAttributes customMatterAttributes = customClientAttributes.ItemByIndex(1).GetChildList(matterCode,imSearchAttributeType.imSearchBoth,imSearchEnabledDisabled.imSearchEnabledOnly,true);

returnValue = ( customMatterAttributes.Count > 0 );

UserLogout();

return returnValue;
}

neilm

Addendum:

In the MatterCreate method the line:

m_admin_db.InsertChildCustomField(IMANADMIN.AttributeID.nrCustom1, clientCode, matterCode, matterDescription, true);

refers to IMANADMIN.AttributeID.nrCustom1this should (of course) be IMANADMIN.AttributeID.nrCustom2

Edited by neilm on 09/15/04 03:24 AM (server time).

jny

Here is some code examples that demonstrates how to validate the Client/Matter using SearchCustomAttributes and GetChildList (with exact match):

[VB]

=========================================
' Using pre-8.0 NRT_ Interfaces

Option Explicit

Private Const SERVER_NAME = "<server_name>"

Private Sub Form_Load()
Dim sess As NRTSession
Set sess = TrustedLogin

' Search custom1 for an exact match
Dim cust1Results As NRTCustomAttributes
Dim client As NRTCustomAttribute
Dim cust2Results As NRTCustomAttributes
Dim matter As NRTCustomAttribute
Dim strClient, strMatter As String
Dim over

strClient = "C1A" ' (ex: "C1A")
strMatter = "M2A" ' (ex: "M2A")

On Error GoTo Oops
Set cust1Results = sess.PreferredDatabase.SearchCustomAttributes(strClient, nrCustom1, nrSearchExactMatch, True, over)
' results should only return one item
If cust1Results.Count = 1 Then
Set client = cust1Results.Item(strClient)
' Check it's enabled
If True = client.Enabled Then
' Get an exact match of custom2
Set cust2Results = client.GetChildList(strMatter, nrSearchExactMatch, True, over)
If cust2Results.Count = 1 Then
' results should only return one item
Set matter = cust2Results.Item(strMatter)
End If
End If
End If

GoTo Cleanup

Oops:
MsgBox Err.Description
Err.Clear
GoTo Cleanup

Cleanup:
Logout sess
Set cust1Results = Nothing
Set client = Nothing
Set cust2Results = Nothing
Set matter = Nothing
Set sess = Nothing
End
End Sub

Private Function TrustedLogin() As NRTSession
Dim dms As New NRTDMS
Dim sess As IManSession
Set sess = dms.Sessions.Add(SERVER_NAME)
sess.TrustedLogin
If sess.Connected Then Set TrustedLogin = sess
End Function

Private Sub Logout(sess As NRTSession)
If Not sess Is Nothing And True = sess.Connected Then
sess.Logout
sess.NRTDMS.CloseApplication
End If
End Sub

=========================================

=========================================
' Using 8.0 IMan Interfaces
Option Explicit

Private Const SERVER_NAME = "<server_name"

Private Sub Form_Load()
Dim sess As IManSession
Set sess = TrustedLogin

' Search custom1 for an exact match
Dim cust1Results As IManCustomAttributes
Dim client As IManCustomAttribute
Dim cust2Results As IManCustomAttributes
Dim matter As IManCustomAttribute
Dim strClient, strMatter As String

strClient = "C1A" ' (ex: "C1A")
strMatter = "M2A" ' (ex: "M2A")

On Error GoTo Oops
Set cust1Results = sess.PreferredDatabase.SearchCustomAttributes(strClient, imProfileCustom1, imSearchExactMatch, imSearchEnabledOnly, True)
If False = cust1Results.Empty Then
' results should only return one client
If cust1Results.Count = 1 Then
Set client = cust1Results.ItemByName(strClient)
' Get an exact match of custom2
Set cust2Results = client.GetChildList(strMatter, imSearchExactMatch, imSearchEnabledOnly, True)
If False = cust2Results.Empty Then
' results should only return one matter
If cust2Results.Count = 1 Then
Set matter = cust2Results.ItemByName(strMatter)
End If
End If
End If
End If

GoTo Cleanup

Oops:
MsgBox Err.Description
Err.Clear
GoTo Cleanup

Cleanup:
Logout sess
Set cust1Results = Nothing
Set client = Nothing
Set cust2Results = Nothing
Set matter = Nothing
Set sess = Nothing
End
End Sub

Private Function TrustedLogin() As IManSession
Dim dms As New ManDMS
Dim sess As IManSession
Set sess = dms.Sessions.Add(SERVER_NAME)
sess.TrustedLogin
If sess.Connected Then Set TrustedLogin = sess
End Function

Private Sub Logout(sess As IManSession)
If Not sess Is Nothing And True = sess.Connected Then
sess.Logout
sess.dms.Close
End If
End Sub
=========================================

Migrateduser

This looks like VB6 or classic ASP - are people really still building solutions using these legacy technologies?

jny

The COM Type Libraries distributed with the WorkSite SDK is written in COM so any COM-supporting languages can consume their API's, including VB.

You may also use .NET languages such as VB.NET or C Sharp. The WorkSite COM Type Libraries are not developed and compiled in the .NET environment thus .NET will treat it as unmanaged code. This, however, will not keep you from making calls to their COM API's in using .NET languages.