Staging Database and Live Database

8 posts by 3 authors in: Forums > CMS Builder
Last Post: September 22, 2009   (RSS)

By garyhoffmann - September 19, 2009

Hi - I have a prospect who wants the ability to have a staging database so they can stage a new article, changes to content, etc., then once everyone is happy to be able to "publish" this content to the live database.

This will not just be a site-development-time need, but an ongoing, forever need.

Does anyone have an idea of how to do this in CMS Builder?

Thanks in advance.
Gary.

Re: [garyhoffmann] Staging Database and Live Database

By gkornbluth - September 19, 2009

just a quick idea... There may be others.

You might try

1) "Hiding" the page from view on the live website with a special hidden field check box.

2) Then have the folks that need to make changes do them in the section editor.

3)Only un-hide the page, allowing it to be seen on the web site when it's "approved".

You can restrict the final approval to an administrator if that's helpful.

Best,

Jerry Kornbluth
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Re: [garyhoffmann] Staging Database and Live Database

By Chris - September 19, 2009

Hi Gary,

You can create a second viewer (or set of viewers) which doesn't skip over "hidden" records and keep the URL secret.

For example:

list($blogRecords, $blogMetaData) = getRecords(array(
'tableName' => 'blog',

'ignoreHidden' => true, // don't hide records with hidden flag set
'ignorePublishDate' => true, // don't hide records with publishDate > now
'ignoreRemoveDate' => true, // don't hide records with removeDate < now
));

I'll try to think of a way to stage editing of existing records...
All the best,
Chris

Re: [chris] Staging Database and Live Database

By garyhoffmann - September 21, 2009

Excellent - thank you for the reply. It looks like we have everything necessary for new information.

Any thoughts on existing content? For example, an article is posted, now they want to make changes to that article. Before taking that changed article live, they want to be able to have all "the powers that be" review it.

This has been the one that's got me the most concerned because I just don't see a way of doing it other than copy/paste into a new article.

Thanks,
Gary.

Re: [garyhoffmann] Staging Database and Live Database

By Chris - September 22, 2009

Hi Gary,

Unfortunately, staging edits to records is something that's not really supported by the current software.

One solution might be to have a staging and live website, and use the backup and restore feature to sync them. There'd still be a few steps involved though.

If you come up with a work-flow that works for you, please let us know.

P.S. We could also add a staged record edits feature with some custom programming. Please let us know if you're interested in that.
All the best,
Chris

Re: [chris] Staging Database and Live Database

By garyhoffmann - September 22, 2009

Hi Chris,

Please quote it for me. I'd like to know what to tell the prospect if this is something really important to them.

Thanks,
Gary.

Re: [garyhoffmann] Staging Database and Live Database

By Chris - September 22, 2009

Hi Gary,

I'll write you an email. :)
All the best,
Chris