Custom IContent in AvailableContentTypes list on pages is removed

Don't miss out Virtual Happy Hour this Friday (April 26).

Try our conversational search powered by Generative AI!

AI OnAI Off

Home / Forums / Developers (Main Products) Forum / Problems and bugs /

Custom IContent in AvailableContentTypes list on pages is removed on admin changes

Jonas Carlbaum

Vote:

Consider:

[AvailableContentTypes(Availability.Specific, Include = new[] { typeof(ReactionLike), typeof(ReactionComment), typeof(NewsListPage.NewsListPage) })]
public class NewsPage : PageData

When someone do changes in for the PageType in admin, the ReactionLike and ReactionComment that is IContent implementations is no longer possible to create programmatically under NewsPage.

In our case they changed Sort Index and set the Stop Publish Date to 90 days.

What happens when we are trying to save an ReactionLike on a NewsPage:

EPiServer.Core.EPiServerException: Content type "ReactionLike" is not allowed to be created under parent of content type "NewsPage"
   at EPiServer.Core.Internal.DefaultContentRepository.ValidateContentTypeAvailability(IContent content)
   at EPiServer.Core.Internal.DefaultContentRepository.Save(IContent content, SaveAction action, AccessLevel access)

It's probably because that these isn't listed in admin and therefore isn't posted as selections when pressing save-button and update the settings for the PageType.

Possible solutions:

list the special types too
add special types as hidden inputs or something and include in post, so they aren't removed without possibility to add them again.

We could consider setting sensible defaults in code and re-deploy, but that isn't a solid solution for this problem.

The only sensible fix is that EPiServer UI won't mess up what is defined in code and still allow these changes when the customer feels they want to do changes themselves.

This happens a couple of times a year, probably because we "fix" it by resetting to defaults, and they go and re-add their changes again, so it is really an annoying and a very nasty bug...

#253135

Edited, Apr 13, 2021 8:53

Jonas Carlbaum

Vote:

I would also accept a way to make some of them forced.

Consider adding:

[ForcedContentTypes(Include = new[] { typeof(ReactionLike), typeof(ReactionComment) })]

Then they save event could iterate these and ensure they are present.

#253136

Apr 13, 2021 9:01

Jonas Carlbaum

Vote:

Or just extending the current attribute with a new property.

[AvailableContentTypes(Availability.Specific, Include = new[] { typeof(NewsListPage.NewsListPage) }, Forced = new[] { typeof(ReactionLike), typeof(ReactionComment) })]

#253138

Apr 13, 2021 9:06

Scott Reed

Vote:

Could you not change the types to inherit PageData and then hide the property with overrides so they appear in the admin. You'd end up with similar results without the issues. Usually when you want Container items in the tree you create them from PageData without any MVC rendering.

#253156

Apr 13, 2021 14:17

Jonas Carlbaum

Vote:

You mean use AvailableInEditMode=false?

Wouldn't these pages be visible in page tree too then? We don't want that.

I understand that this is a possible solution, but still, this seems like a Admin/UI bug anyway, since it's possible to code like this, and in some cases this is a viable solution, but the "save"-button messes things up. So ideally hidden inputs instead of checkboxes for IContent that is not PageData — and ensure these remains as available — seems like the simplest fix.

#253169

Apr 13, 2021 17:45

Scott Reed

Vote:

The pages would only be availiable in edit mode in places you've said they are allowed. All page types should be restricted, so if you don't allow them they won't be in edit mode but will still appear in the admin. It's just a idea for your immediate problem

#253174

Apr 13, 2021 20:46

Jonas Carlbaum

Vote:

So you mean if I have 10 instances of the PageData under a NewsPage it won't show in the Page Tree if it has AvailableInEditMode=false? Good to know. I mostly used that on local blocks, so that part (on PageData) is not tested by me...

#253177

Apr 13, 2021 21:18

Jonas Carlbaum

Vote:

BTW, our current "fix" is setting "allow all", so they can have archive settings and functionality at the same time, and awaiting fix in EPiServer... Noticing them that we have "opened up" those restrictions for the moment.

#253210

Apr 14, 2021 6:01

Scott Reed

Vote:

I think maybe we're talking at cross purposes. When you said availible in the page tree I thought you meant for the creation dialogue not in the actual page tree view. It sounds like you've got it handled with a fix so hopefully Episerver will come up with a solution. I'm not aware of anything being hidden if it's AvailibleInEditMode=false

#253222

Apr 14, 2021 9:29

Jonas Carlbaum

Vote:

Ok.

Changed that part I think you misunderstood.

—

When someone do changes in for the PageType in admin, the ReactionLike and ReactionComment that is IContent implementations is no longer possible to create programmatically under NewsPage.

#253236

Apr 14, 2021 17:52

Please login to post a reply