Content Model Manager is a new admin component that allows you to easily create new types, aspects and forms. In addition you can deploy these directly on the server, without any restarts. Mike Farman will walk us through the new feature and give some deeper insights on how this feature works

1. Model Management
Tech Talk Live
Ole Hejlskov, Mike Farman
16/12/2015

2. Content Models - Background
Background
• Metadata is key to providing context around content…
Capture the business data around your content to drive your content
workflows and discovery
• Alfresco already offers an extremely rich and flexible metadata modelling
capability (based around Types & Aspects)
• Models are key differentiator between content management applications and
file sharing type apps
however…

3. But don’t we have Dynamic Models already?
• Dynamic Models is an existing capability where XML model definitions can be
stored in the repository Data Dictionary/Models folder (as opposed to the
filesystem)
• Limited changes can be made at runtime
– Typically Additive i.e. add new property to existing model
• XML based - no tool to edit/verify
• Share XML form definitions are *still* required to support the model also need
manual deployment and server restarts
DynamicModels

4. Solution Description
• Allow Business Analyst level of user
to define and manage models via
Share UI
• Hide the technical details & protect
the user from errors
– UI constrains the user to what is
possible
– Users cannot make changes that
will break the server
• Remove the need for IT involvement
– No file system based deployment
required
– Deployment Lifecycle managed
via the property groups feature
set
• Designed to address most common
modelling use cases
– Targeted at business analyst –
not Java developer
– Does not expose 100% of the
modelling capabilities
• Includes Types and Aspects
• Builds on the existing Dynamic
Modelling capability
– Primarily UI on top of existing
capabilities
– Does not require major re-
architecture/refactor of modelling
capabilities
SolutionDescription

5. Model Management
Items Value
Support Types and Aspects Flexible options for defining hierarchal (Type) and cross-cutting (Aspect)
content models
Define different property datatypes Capture different content types such as text, dates, booleans and more
Property Value Constraints Restrict the values users can enter to ensure metadata is applicable for
intended usage
Search Indexing Controls Allow users to search and find content effectively and ensuring efficient
storage
Model Lifecycles Allow business analyst to ensure models are only available to users as
appropriate
Valid Models Ensure that a model is well specified before making the model live
Property Form Designer Control the UX for end users by allowing design of forms via simple, drag n’
drop style design
Export/Import Model Easily move models between dev/test/production environments
ValueBundle
UI Driven model creation, management and deployment tools
Which allows customers to define application specific content models via simple UI without hand coding or configuration

6. Modelling Lifecycle
Create Model
Create
Type/Aspect
Add
Properties
Layout Form Activate
Change
Type/Manage
Aspects
Lifecycle
Namespace
Prefix
Name
Status: Inactive
Name
Parent Type
Name
Type
Automatic
or
Manual
Status: Active
Business Analyst End User

7. DEMO

8. Indexing Options - Non-Text Fields
int, long, float, double, date, datetime
Indexing Option Searchable Wildcard Facetable Model XML
None No <index enabled="false"> </index>
Basic Yes Yes No <index enabled="true"> <tokenised>TRUE</tokenised> </index>
Enhanced Search Yes Yes Yes <index enabled="true"> <tokenised>TRUE</tokenised>
<facetable>true</facetable> </index>
IndexingOptions

9. Indexing Options – Text Fields
text, mltext, content
IndexingOptions
Indexing Option Searchable Wildcard Facetable Model XML
None No n/a n/a <index enabled="false"> </index>
Free Text Yes Yes No <index enabled="true"> <tokenised>TRUE</tokenised> </index>
List of Values – Whole Match
e.g. Country Code
Yes No Yes <index enabled="true"> <tokenised>FALSE</tokenised>
<facetable>true</facetable> </index>
List of Values – Partial Match
e.g. Locale, Keywords
Yes Yes Yes <index enabled="true"> <tokenised>BOTH</tokenised>
<facetable>true</facetable> </index>
Pattern – Unique Matches
e.g. Social Security Number,
ISBN
Yes No No <index enabled="true"> <tokenised>FALSE</tokenised>
<facetable>false</facetable> </index>
Pattern – Many Matches
e.g. Filename, zip/post code
Yes Yes No <index enabled="true"> <tokenised>BOTH</tokenised>
<facetable>false</facetable> </index>

10. Changing Active Models
• Restrictions on changing properties for active models
ActiveModels
Properties Changeable
Name 
Display Label 
Description 
Data Type 
Requirement 
Multiple 
Default Value 
Constraint 
Indexing 
Types/Aspects Changeable
Name 
Parent Type/Aspect 
Display Label 
Description 
Form Layout can be
changed at any time

11. Troubleshooting
Symptom Cause Resolution
Model Manager tool is missing from Share
Admin Console
User is not a member of the
ALFRESCO_MODEL_ADMINISTRATORS
group
Add user to
ALFRESCO_MODEL_ADMINISTRATORS
Cannot deactivate an Active model Model in use Use “Find Where Used” action to locate
nodes using model. Remove Aspects or for
Types, delete nodes including purge from
Trashcan
Custom Type/Aspect not visible to Share
end users
Model is inactive Activate model via Model Manager
Model has no layout form Models only available to end users if they
have a form. Add layout using Layout
Designer
Share extension module for model not
deployed
Deploy using Module Deployment page
/share/page/modules/deploy
Form for Type is missing standard
properties (e.g. name, title, description,
created…)
Standard properties have not been included
in Share Form
Add missing properties to form using Layout
Designer

12. Questions?