Deleting via a workflow

For the purpose of deleting elements in SiteArchitect and ContentCreator, a project-specific workflow can be created and linked directly to the existing controls (buttons on the menu bar, context menu entry) for deleting elements. Instead of simply deleting an object, such as a page, the workflow can be used to perform more complex delete functions, e.g. to delete objects that are dependent on the page at the same time.

Deletion via a workflow is only available if the project administrator has specifically configured the project to allow this. This means that the relevant workflow must be selected from the project by going to the project properties in ServerManager and selecting it in the “Options” area under Workflow for deleting elements.

Within the clients, the selected workflow is then started via the familiar control elements. The individual workflow tasks appear, as usual, in the task list.

If deletion via a workflow is configured within a project, the permissions configuration for the workflow has to be adapted. The conventional editorial permissions that are defined for a user or a group to allow deletion only apply if the permissions configuration is adapted accordingly in the workflow.

See Chapter Tutorials/Workflows/Deletion via workflows for some examples of how to delete elements via workflows.

Deleting via a workflow in SiteArchitect

If the deletion of elements in the project has been linked to a workflow, then the workflow can be started and advanced in SiteArchitect by using the conventional control elements for delete operations. The following control elements are available for this purpose:

• select element and click the Del button
• select element and select “Delete” from the context menu
• select element and click on the icon in the tool bar

As with the multiple selection of workflows, deletion via a workflow can be run on a set of objects at once.

The workflow can only be started if no workflow has ever been started on any of the highlighted objects and the user has the corresponding permissions to run the workflow. Otherwise, the corresponding control elements are deactivated.

The “Delete” permission is also evaluated if elements are deleted via a workflow. If a user has permission to switch the workflow but NOT to delete elements, the workflow can be started (“Delete” context menu entry is enabled), but it is not possible to delete the element. The transition that deletes the element is not shown to such users.

Deleting via a workflow in ContentCreator

If the deletion of elements in the project has been linked to a workflow, then the workflow can be started in ContentCreator using the “Contents/Delete” menu or via the State menu. The State menu can also be used to advance a workflow for deleting an element once this workflow has been started.

Please note that a workflow in ContentCreator is always run in relation to a page reference. This means that the page reference constitutes the context for the workflow. If the corresponding page is also to be deleted, this has to be controlled via the script used by the workflow. It is important to pay attention to the order of the elements that are to be deleted.

The workflow can only be started if no workflows have ever been started on any of the highlighted objects and the user has the corresponding permissions to run the workflow.