Review Date Update
Author: Steven Pease
1. Introduction
The purpose of this review date update code is to be able to automatically have all the assets in a folder set to be reviewed in a defined timeframe (e.g. six months from when the script is executed).
This guide will quickly walk you through installing and configuring a PHP script that allows you to automatically update each asset's review-date metadata contained within a specified system folder. It assumes that you have a recent version of PHP (5 or greater) installed on your web server and that you are comfortable with Cascade. Knowledge of PHP is also useful, but not necessary to use this guide.
2. Components
There are three components to the script including the script itself, a configuration page, and a data definition to render the configuration page. The script will read its configuration from a configuration file that you will publish with the use of a data definition. Then from the information provided from the configuration page will inform the PHP script which system folder in the CMS needs its assets' review date updated.
3. The Configuration Page
Create a page called "review-date-update-config.xml", and give it a .php publish extension. Then give it the "review-date-update-config-data-definition.xml" data definition. Supply a valid server URL, username, password, valid system-folder path that needs its assets updated, and the difference in months you want the review-date for each asset to be changed to - use a negative number to move the review-date back or a positive number to move the review-date forward. Publish this page and "review-date-update.php" in the same folder, and your script will be ready for use.
4. Usage
To use the script, upload the script to your CMS, and publish it. Fill in all fields in the configuration page, and then publish it as well. Once both of these are published, run the script from your server. All assets directly under the system folder specified in your configuration page will have their review-date updated.
Example Files
- review-date-update-php.txt
This is the main PHP script that performs the web service calls to update the review date. - review-date-update-config-xml-php.txt
This is an example XML config file for the review date update. - review-date-update-config-data-definition.xml
This is a data definition to visually update the review date XML config file. - review-date-update.zip
This is a zip file with all the necessary scripts and XML for the review date update.