My terminology might be slightly off as I am new to Sitecore mvc. I am trying to hardcode a view rendering with a hard coded datasource (I have to do it this way for other requirements) This view rendering has placeholders that are dynamically set and then personalized.
How can I trigger the ViewRendering on an item?
I've tried ItemRendering, but it doesn't seem to be picking up the stuff set up in the PageEditor.
* To be clear, the helpful posts below have the rendering working, but we do not seem to be getting the personalized datasources. *
I believe this is what you're after:
Item item = /* think you already have this */;
// Setup
var rendering = new Sitecore.Mvc.Presentation.Rendering {
RenderingType = "Item",
Renderer = new Sitecore.Mvc.Presentation.ItemRenderer.ItemRenderer {
Item = item
}
};
rendering["DataSource"] = item.ID.ToString();
// Execution
var writer = new System.IO.StringWriter();
var args = new Sitecore.Mvc.Pipelines.Response.RenderRendering(rendering, writer);
Sitecore.Mvc.Pipelines.PipelineService.Get().RunPipeline("mvc.renderRendering", args);
// Your result:
var html = writer.ToString();
You can statically bind a View Rendering using the Rendering() method of the Sitecore HTML Helper. This also works for Controller Renderings using the same method.
#Html.Sitecore().Rendering("<rendering item id>")
This method accepts an anonymous object for passing in parameters, such as the Datasource and caching options.
#Html.Sitecore().Rendering("<rendering item id>", new { DataSource = "<datasource item id>", Cacheable = true, Cache_VaryByData = true })
In your view rendering, I am assuming you have a placeholder defined along with the appropriate placeholder settings in Sitecore (If not, feel free to comment with more detail and I will update my answer).
#Html.Sitecore().Placeholder("my-placeholder")
In this case, "my-placeholder" will be handled like any other placeholder, so you will be able to add and personalize components within it from the Page Editor.
Related
I was playing around with dynamic placeholders and was struck by a prefilling concept.Is there a way to select a default rendering for one of my placeholders which would avoid the "select rendering" dialog in experience editor ??
Scenario: I have a rendeing called "PageHead" which has three renderings. One of them is a placeholder "PageTeaserPh" which currently allows two renderings: one is "PageTeaser" and second "PageTeaserWithImage". I want the placeholder "PageTeaserPh" to always have the rendering selected as "PageTeaser" and therefore avoid the dialog "Select rendering" .
I did some homework and was wondering if this is something related to Standard values (we can have it at template level; not sure for renderings though) and also i have heard of command template concept (not in-depth).
Any and all help appreciated.
You can have renderings assigned on standard values of templates, each new item would then have your PageTeaser rendering.
If you wanted to automate this process have a look at the <mvc.getXmlBasedLayoutDefinition> pipeline, we are injected common renderings by extending this pipeline.
Updated
I've found some code samples and blog posts that should help point you in the right direction for manipulating the layout details.
public void AddSublayoutToItem(string itemId, string sublayoutId)
{
using (new Sitecore.SecurityModel.SecurityDisabler())
{
if (Sitecore.Data.ID.IsID(itemId) && Sitecore.Data.ID.IsID(sublayoutId))
{
//Get the master database and get the item on which you want to add sublayout
Database masterDatabase = Database.GetDatabase("master");
Item item = masterDatabase.GetItem(Sitecore.Data.ID.Parse(itemId));
// Or you can also get Sitecore Item from Context Database as per your requirement
// Item item = Sitecore.Context.Database.GetItem(Sitecore.Data.ID.Parse(itemId));
if (item != null)
{
// Get the layout definitions and the device definition
LayoutField layoutField = new LayoutField(item.Fields[Sitecore.FieldIDs.LayoutField]);
LayoutDefinition layoutDefinition = LayoutDefinition.Parse(layoutField.Value);
DeviceDefinition deviceDefinition = layoutDefinition.GetDevice(Sitecore.Context.Device.ID.ToString());
//Create a RenderingDefinition and add the reference of sublayout or rendering
RenderingDefinition renderingDefinition = new RenderingDefinition();
renderingDefinition.ItemID = sublayoutId;
//Set placeholder where the rendering should be displayed
renderingDefinition.Placeholder = "content";
// Set the datasource of sublayout, if any
renderingDefinition.Datasource = "{24240FF2-B4AA-4EB2-B0A4-63E027934C38}";
// you can also set datasource of sublayout using Sitecore Path
// renderingDefinition.Datasource = "/sitecore/content/Home/Books";
//Add the RenderingReference to the DeviceDefinition
deviceDefinition.AddRendering(renderingDefinition);
// Save the layout changes
item.Editing.BeginEdit();
layoutField.Value = layoutDefinition.ToXml(); ;
item.Editing.EndEdit();
}
}
}
}
Taken from here - http://www.bugdebugzone.com/2014/06/how-to-add-sublayout-to-sitecore-item.html
Also a couple of other blogs on the topic
I have a rendering that calls its datasources children. Each child item has a rendering attached in the renderings field.
I am calling
#Html.Sitecore().ItemRendering(item)
Which works.
However I want to pass some parameters to the child's rendering, so I tried the following code;
#Html.Sitecore().ItemRendering(item, new { Parameters = "active=1" })
But the parameters do not get passed to the child rendering when I call #Html.Sitecore().CurrentRendering.Parameters["active"]
So I tried #Html.Sitecore().ItemRendering(item, new { Active = 1 }). I called it again in the child rendering and still no luck.
Is there a way to pass parameters to the child using #Html.Sitecore().ItemRendering()
The ItemRendering method does not seem to handle properties correctly (or as one would expect!).
A work-around is to use #Html.Sitecore().Rendering() instead. You can use this in the same way as the ItemRendering method with the work-around below. Note that you should be setting the "Renderers" field of the datasource item (or its template standard values) rather than the "Renderings" field as you mentioned:
#Html.Sitecore().Rendering(item["__Renderers"], new {Datasource = item.ID, Message = "Hello World"})
In the child rendering, use the Properties property, not Parameters:
#Html.Sitecore().CurrentRendering.Properties["Message"]
var viewData = new ViewDataDictionary();
viewData["active"] = "1";
Html.Sitecore().ItemRendering(ItemToRender, viewData);
In the rendering for the Item, you can access the viewdata like this:
(ViewData["active"] != null && int.Parse(ViewData["active"].ToString()) == 1)
We've been trying to "componentize" our Sitecore solution as we move forward, in prep for transitioning to Page Editor usage (Woot! Finally!), but we're still practically working primarily with Page templates that may be inheritance-based composites of page specific fields, plus 1:many of these componentized templates. An example of how this looks in our solution is below -- Banner Feature Carousel and Featured Cartoon are some of these new components we're creating:
In the interest of trying to move away from using Sitecore.Context.Item (as I was recently reminded by this post) I've started filling in the Datasource template field on the sublayouts for the new components, and it seems like I've got the appropriate connections made between presentation details, the Sitecore sublayout and the .NET code file (as far as I can tell; again, we're newer to working this way).
I've also tried setting up a base class for these components as per this post by Nick Allen, but here's where I'm running into a problem: When I execute my code, this base class is finding the component Sublayout appropriately (the whole "this.Parent as Sublayout" thing) but, when I go to interrogate the Sublayout.Datasource property, it's an empty string. Here's my code (so far) for this base class:
public class ComponentBase : System.Web.UI.UserControl
{
private Sublayout Sublayout { get { return Parent as Sublayout; } }
public Item DataSourceItem
{
get
{
return Sublayout != null && !String.IsNullOrEmpty(Sublayout.DataSource) ?
Sitecore.Context.Database.GetItem(Sublayout.DataSource) : Sitecore.Context.Item;
}
}
}
I'm apparently missing some interplay between the Datasource Template field in the Sitecore sublayout, and how that actually translates to a datasource. Is it because these component templates are being used to compose Page templates? I was thinking that the datasource would just ultimately resolve to the Page template on which the component in question was currently being used, but perhaps that's my misunderstanding.
If anyone could give me any hints of things to check or point me to any resources I might use to get further, I'd appreciate it. I've done quite a bit of asking the Googs, myself, but am just not getting anything that's helping.
Thank you in advance, Sitecore friends!
It looks like you have configured the allowed templates for your sublayout in the steps you describe above. This basically tells Sitecore; 'allow user to select items based on these templates for this sublayout'. This alone does not set up the data source on items using the sublayout. You still need to go into the presentation details for any items using this sublayout, select the sublayout and then set its datasource property (within the content editor go to Presentation > Details > [Sublayout] > Data Source).
My answer to this question gives the source code needed to retrieve the datasource item and to iterate through the sitecore controls on your sublayout setting all of their Item propertys.
Here is the code:
public class SublayoutBase : UserControl
{
private Item _dataSource;
public Item DataSource
{
get
{
if (_dataSource == null)
{
if (Parent is Sublayout)
{
_dataSource =
Sitecore.Context.Database.GetItem(((Sublayout)Parent).DataSource);
}
if (_dataSource == null)
{
_dataSource = Sitecore.Context.Item;
}
}
return _dataSource;
}
}
protected override void OnLoad(EventArgs e)
{
foreach (Control c in Controls)
{
SetFieldRenderers(DataSource, c);
}
base.OnLoad(e);
}
private void SetFieldRenderers(Item item, Control control)
{
if (item != null)
{
var ctrl = control as Sitecore.Web.UI.WebControl;
if (ctrl != null && !string.IsNullOrEmpty(ctrl.DataSource))
{
//don't set the source item if the DataSource has already been set.
return;
}
if (control is FieldRenderer)
{
var fr = (FieldRenderer)control;
fr.Item = item;
}
else if (control is Image)
{
var img = (Image)control;
img.Item = item;
}
else if (control is Link)
{
var link = (Link)control;
link.Item = item;
}
else if (control is Text)
{
var text = (Text)control;
text.Item = item;
}
else
{
foreach (Control childControl in control.Controls)
{
SetFieldRenderers(item, childControl);
}
}
}
}
}
When you start using sublayouts on which you will set your datasource try to use the marketplace "Sublayout Parameter Helper". When you use the class they provide as base class and have set everything up right in your Sitecore Environment you will find yourself having a "this.DatasourceItem" -> which will contain your datasource Item, or the context Item if none is given.
http://marketplace.sitecore.net/en/Modules/Sub_Layout_Parameter_Helper.aspx
To find out more on how datasource works, try searching on http://sdn.sitecore.net. There is alot of documentation available that should get you in the right direction. Generally it will be enough to just add a datasource in the sublayout that you can access in your sublayout.
When you read a datasource from a sublayout all it will do is check if the datasource field on that sublayout is filled and will return you information regarding this datasource. So when you add a new component to a page using the page editor (for example a sublayout for a news article) and you have a datasource template defined and filled in during adding this components, you will see that when you check the presentation details on that page a sublyaout with a datasource has been added. The datasource will point to a folder in which you will find an item based on the datasource template you specified on your sublayout. You should also double check this, cause if no datasource is present on the added sublayout it will be obvious you can't access it from your code.
If you are using Sitecore 7 update 1 you can actually now use the attributes. From the Release Notes:
To make it easier to get the data source for a sublayout from
code-behind, the data source is now transferred to the sublayout
control in a "sc_datasource" attribute. (320768)
To get the data source from code, simply refer to
this.Attributes["sc_datasource"];
Let say I have item which has its presentation details configured.
In that item I have TreelistEx field keeping reference (GUIDs) to 10+ other items (different templates) somewhere in the tree structure each of them has their own presentation details (sublayouts).
How can I present all reference items on the same page ( as current item) based on their own settings?
I would like to see one page and 10+ pieces of content each with its own layout presentation.
I had a similar problem. Here is the code for rendering sublayouts and xsl renderings:
public IEnumerable<Control> GetRenderingControls(Item item)
{
// Loop through all renderings on the item
foreach (RenderingReference rendering in item.Visualization.GetRenderings(Context.Device, false))
{
// Get the path to the Sublayout
string path = rendering.RenderingItem.InnerItem["Path"];
switch(rendering.RenderingItem.InnerItem.TemplateName.ToLower())
{
case "xsl rendering":
// Create an instance of a XSL
XslFile xslFile = new XslFile();
xslFile.Path = path;
xslFile.DataSource = item.Paths.FullPath;
xslFile.Parameters = GetParameters(xslFile);
yield return xslFile;
break;
case "sublayout":
// Create an instance of a sublayout
Sublayout sublayout = new Sublayout();
sublayout.Path = path;
sublayout.DataSource = item.Paths.FullPath;
sublayout.Parameters = GetParameters(sublayout);
yield return sublayout.GetUserControl();
break;
default:
throw new Exception(string.Format("Unknown rendering template - {0}", rendering.RenderingItem.InnerItem.TemplateName));
}
}
}
Once you get the Controls you can add them to a placeholder and they will be rendered to the page.
Each item with its own layout presentation implies you are getting an entire HTML file... each item will have its own <html>, <head>, and <form> tags. Needless to say, that's going to create a problem.
That being said... This is exactly what Server.Execute() is for. Loop through your TreeList items, use LinkManager to get the URL for the item, and then Server.Execute() to get the rendered output.
I am creating a custom item editor, and am using the following blog post as a reference for responding to the "save" event in the Content Editor, so that I do not need to create a second, confusing Save button for my users.
http://www.markvanaalst.com/sitecore/creating-a-item-editor/
I am able to save my values to the item, but the values in the normal Content tab are also being saved, overriding my values. I have confirmed this via Firebug. Is there a way to prevent this, or to ensure my save is always after the default save?
I have this in as a support ticket and on SDN as well, but wondering what the SO community can come up with.
Thanks!
Took a shot at an iframe-based solution, which uses an IFrame field to read and save the values being entered in my item editor. It needs to be cleaned up a bit, and feels like an interface hack, but it seems to be working at the moment.
In my item editor:
jQuery(function () {
var parentScForm = window.parent.scForm;
parentScForm.myItemEditor = window;
});
function myGetValue(field) {
var values = [];
jQuery('#myForm input[#name="' + field + '"]:checked').each(function () {
values.push(jQuery(this).val());
});
var value = values.join('|');
return value;
}
In my Iframe field:
function scGetFrameValue() {
var parentScForm = window.parent.scForm;
if (typeof (parentScForm.myItemEditor) != "undefined") {
if (typeof (parentScForm.myItemEditor.myGetValue) != "undefined") {
return parentScForm.myItemEditor.myGetValue("myLists");
}
}
return null;
}
In theory, I could have multiple fields on the item which are "delegated" to the item editor in this way -- working with the content editor save rather than trying to fight against it. I'm a little uneasy about "hitchhiking" onto the scForm to communicate between my pages -- might consult with our resident Javascript hacker on a better method.
Any comments on the solution?
EDIT: Blogged more about this solution