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Generate a page from a block via workflow definition

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James

08 Feb, 2011 08:37 PM

I've been researching how to generate a page from a block via workflow definition. I am not finding a clear way to do it. What I would like to do is take the block id and generate a page with the id as the name of the page. Is this possible?

1. 1 Posted by Ross on 08 Feb, 2011 09:25 PM

   

   There is no workflow trigger geared to do something this specific. Can you describe the usage scenario you have in mind, and I might be able to suggest some other ways to accomplish the task?

   • Edit

2. 2 Posted by Jamie johnson on 08 Feb, 2011 09:44 PM

   

   I created an index block that indexes specific blocks in a folder.
   Within the XML of the index block, each block that is indexed has a
   unique system-generated id. I would like to somehow generate a page
   with the id as the name that also contains the block that is identified
   by that ID.

   For example, I have various blocks. I use an Index Block to index them
   and generate the following XML:

   <system-index-block name="Article Index" type="folder"
   current-time="1297200948385">
   <system-block id="01faa2a0867e488e01664cde0ca4fdd1">
   <name>Test Article</name>
   <path>/newsblocks/Test Article</path>
   <site>Highlighted News</site>
   <system-data-structure definition-path="Highlighted News">
   <highlighted_article>
   <article_title>Test Article</article_title>
   <visibility_level>Gateway</visibility_level>
   <start_date>1297058400000</start_date>
   <end_date>1322719200000</end_date>
   <article_summary>test article summary</article_summary>
   <article_content>test article content</article_content>
   </highlighted_article>
   </system-data-structure>
   </system-block>
   </system-index-block>

   Is there a way to automatically generate a page named
   01faa2a0867e488e01664cde0ca4fdd1.html from the system-block id that
   contains the article_content?

   James "Jamie <http://people.jmu.edu/johns2ja>" Johnson, BBA, MA, A+
   <http://certification.comptia.org/a/>, ACHDS
   <http://train.apple.com/certification/achds.html>, HDA
   <http://www.thinkhdi.com/certification/individualCertification/HDABootcamp.aspx>,
   HDM
   <http://www.thinkhdi.com/certification/individualCertification/hdm.aspx>, MOS
   <http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/officespecialist/default.mspx>,
   W3S/HTML <http://www.w3schools.com/cert/cert_html.asp>
   JMU Information Technology Web Developer
   Browser Detection and Test
   <http://isapps.jmu.edu/tutorials/browser/BrowserDetection.asp>

   /"Test everything. Hold on to the good."/
   1 Thessalonians 5:21
   <http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Thessalonians%205:21&version=NIV>

   • Edit

3. 3 Posted by Ross on 09 Feb, 2011 12:52 AM

   

   Jamie,

   There is not a way to auto-generate a page when that block is created.
   Why not just store the content of the block as a Page? Page assets are
   reusable in many of the same ways as blocks, and their data are
   separate from their rendered view. That means you'll be able to reuse
   the article content in multiple templates. Is that the motivation for
   using blocks?

   • Edit

4. 4 Posted by Jamie johnson on 09 Feb, 2011 01:15 PM

   

   Yes, that's the motivation. I'll use pages instead.

   James "Jamie <http://people.jmu.edu/johns2ja>" Johnson, BBA, MA, A+
   <http://certification.comptia.org/a/>, ACHDS
   <http://train.apple.com/certification/achds.html>, HDA
   <http://www.thinkhdi.com/certification/individualCertification/HDABootcamp.aspx>,
   HDM
   <http://www.thinkhdi.com/certification/individualCertification/hdm.aspx>, MOS
   <http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/officespecialist/default.mspx>,
   W3S/HTML <http://www.w3schools.com/cert/cert_html.asp>
   JMU Information Technology Web Developer
   Browser Detection and Test
   <http://isapps.jmu.edu/tutorials/browser/BrowserDetection.asp>

   /"Test everything. Hold on to the good."/
   1 Thessalonians 5:21
   <http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Thessalonians%205:21&version=NIV>

   • Edit

5. 5 Posted by Ross on 09 Feb, 2011 02:39 PM

   

   Jamie,

   Just let me know if I can provide any help with retooling your idea to use
   Pages!

   • Edit

6. 6 Posted by Jamie johnson on 09 Feb, 2011 02:53 PM

   

   Thanks, Ross!

   I just implemented a page solution and it works much better than my
   prior attempt.

   James "Jamie <http://people.jmu.edu/johns2ja>" Johnson, BBA, MA, A+
   <http://certification.comptia.org/a/>, ACHDS
   <http://train.apple.com/certification/achds.html>, HDA
   <http://www.thinkhdi.com/certification/individualCertification/HDABootcamp.aspx>,
   HDM
   <http://www.thinkhdi.com/certification/individualCertification/hdm.aspx>, MOS
   <http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/officespecialist/default.mspx>,
   W3S/HTML <http://www.w3schools.com/cert/cert_html.asp>
   JMU Information Technology Web Developer
   Browser Detection and Test
   <http://isapps.jmu.edu/tutorials/browser/BrowserDetection.asp>

   /"Test everything. Hold on to the good."/
   1 Thessalonians 5:21
   <http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Thessalonians%205:21&version=NIV>

   • Edit

7. Ross closed this discussion on 09 Feb, 2011 03:28 PM.