Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

MSDN Blog Postings » SharePoint Content Deployment and the Migration API

MSDN Blog Postings » SharePoint Content Deployment and the Migration API — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 07:40:21 GMT

PingBack from http://msdnrss.thecoderblogs.com/2007/08/31/sharepoint-content-deployment-and-the-migration-api/

SharePoint Content Deployment and the Migration API

Noticias externas — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 07:41:46 GMT

Stefan is back! J Stefan is in Redmond this week, and we had a chance to catch up! In fact, I had dinner

Deep Dive in SharePoint Deployment und Migration API

SharePoint, SharePoint and stuff — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 12:32:51 GMT

Stefan Goßner taucht in einer vierteiligen Serie in die Tiefen der SharePoint Deployment und Migration

Fantastic, incredibly detailed, content on content deployment by Stefan

Andrew Connell [MVP MOSS] — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 04:40:40 GMT

Fantastic, incredibly detailed, content on content deployment by Stefan

Mirrored Blogs — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 05:00:32 GMT

[via Stefan Gossner ] This past week I was in Redmond teaching my WCM401 development class in an open

Content migration API "Deep Dive" by Stefan Goßner

Mirrored Blogs — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 13:03:33 GMT

Body: Great series of posts by Stefan on how to use the Content Migration API. Very timely for me as

SharePoint内容部署与迁移API

Joycode@Ab110.com — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 18:02:20 GMT

今天凌晨加班的时候偶然翻到 Stefan Gossner 的这几篇文章，强烈推荐给大家： Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Purushotam — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 12:46:01 GMT

Hi.. this is an incredible article for demonstrating migration. However I may sound silly but could you advise me whether migration can be done on different environments like production to pre-production and vise a versa.

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 12:56:00 GMT

Hi Purushotam,

I'm not sure if I understand what you mean. Migration is usually moving content from a different system into sharepoint.

Moving content between different SharePoint farms is referred to as deployment.

The API I showed above can do both.

If you need further info, please provide more details about what you are looking for.

Cheers,

Stefan

MOSS / SharePoint Content Deployment

Connecting Systems the Microsoft Way — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 12:49:37 GMT

Great set of articles by Stefan Goßner : Deep Dive Into the SharePoint Content Deployment...

MOSS / SharePoint Content Deployment

Connected Systems Chilled Out Blog — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 09:38:46 GMT

MOSS / SharePoint Content Deployment

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

issou — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 13:43:14 GMT

hello , i want to import a item from a list source to another list of another site with web service ... Can you help me ???

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 14:53:29 GMT

Hi Issou,

you need to create a webservice based on the code parts I presented in Part 2 and Part 3 of this article series.

Cheers,

Stefan

Using the SharePoint Content Deployment Wizard

Mirrored Blogs — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 03:31:43 GMT

So if you've read the earlier posts about the tool ( Introducing the SharePoint Content Deployment

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Raja — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 19:49:40 GMT

Hi,

Thanks for the great posts. I'm able to successfully export and Import a Web. Everything carried over fine except for the listviewwebparts. It doesn't retain the selected View and the toolbar type. Can you please tell me if this is the expected behavior or I'm missing something?

Thanks in advance

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 13:15:40 GMT

Hi Raja,

this is a known problem in MOSS which has been fixed in hotfix 941422.

Be aware that you cannot install this fix on top of SP1.

In case you have SP1 installed you would need to wait a couple of weeks till the Post-SP1-Rollup patch for WSS/MOSS is available which will also contain the fix for this issue.

Cheers,

Stefan

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Raja — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 18:14:16 GMT

Thanks Stefan. I have an environment with out SP1..I'll apply the hotfix and check my luck.

Thanks again!

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Raja — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 20:59:21 GMT

Stefan,

Hotfix 941422 didn't solve my issue.. but this one seems to address the problem:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/931636

strangely, this hotfix is available on requesy only..I requested the hotfix, will test it once I get it.

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:08:15 GMT

Hi Raja,

941422 includes 931636.

Cheers,

Stefan

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Mayur Joshi — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 13:20:38 GMT

Hi Stefan,

I m trying to build a custom tool that would migrate the content from MCMS 2002 system to Moss 2007. Would it be possible for you to help me out with resources. I have already seen your article as well as Content Deployment API but i can't understand as to how can i get the content of MCMS in a desired format as required by content deploymetn API.

Thanks in advance.

Mayur Joshi.

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 18:30:40 GMT

Hi Mayur,

why would you like to do this using a custom tool? MOSS already ships with a conversion tool that does exactly that and migrates the content from MCMS to MOSS using this API.

Can you clarify this?

Cheers,

Stefan

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Mayur Joshi — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 11:29:03 GMT

Hi Stefan,

The reason i want to go for this custom tool is to migrate particular posting / template rather than doing a complete migration. The reason for doing this is to have control over the migration process. Would it be possible for me to build the same.

Regards,

Mayur Joshi.

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 12:00:31 GMT

Hi Mayur,

sure you can do this.

You can use the MCMS API to read the content and then you can build the XML schema description (http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb249989.aspx) to build the package based on the information retrieved from MCMS and import it using the SharePoint deployment and migration API.

Deep Dive Into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API

Mike's Blog — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 22:54:03 GMT

Stefan Goßner posted a great series of posts about the Content Migration API (formerly known as PRIME

Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 6

Stefan Goßner — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 02:37:50 GMT

[ Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 ] Requirements for a successful content deployment

Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

NewtoSP — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 20:42:06 GMT

I get a lot of errors each time we run content deployment tool. Not once did it run the first time successfully. I am new to Sharepoint and read this article but I have no clue as to where I should use this code. Please help.

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:38:21 GMT

This code is something you can use as an alternative for the out of the box content deployment.

If you have actual problems to deploy you should read part 5 and 6 of this article series. If it still does not work you should open a support case with Microsoft.

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Nick Magill — Wed, 14 May 2008 13:54:41 GMT

Hi Stefan,

I've followed your posts and have completed a content deployment of a site collection onto a new application on the same server.

However the following are missing:

Publishing feature is not enabled on any of the sites

Content query web parts - have the following error - "List does not exist" "The page you selected contains a list that does not exist. It may have been deleted by another user."

I can fix the publishing feature activation with a custom feature. And I assume that the CQWP are configured to point at the old site. Is there a way of changing this during the import?

Thanks,

Nick

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Wed, 14 May 2008 14:18:32 GMT

Hi Nick,

features need to be installed but not activated on the destination server before running the import. During import the features should be enabled automatically if preserve object identity is used.

The problem with the CQWP sounds as if you did not use perserve object identity. The CQWP stores the GUID of the list. If the GUID changes on the destination server the GUID stored in the CQWP is no longer valid and has to be manually adjusted.

Cheers,

Stefan

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Nick Magill — Wed, 14 May 2008 15:15:57 GMT

Hi Stefan,

Thanks for the uber quick reply.

Can I use preserve object identity if the import is to a different application on the same farm?

Thanks,

Nick

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Wed, 14 May 2008 15:39:02 GMT

Hi Nick,

yes. But you need a different web application with a different content database.

Cheers,

Stefan

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Thomas — Fri, 16 May 2008 12:55:57 GMT

Hi Stefan,

I am trying to import files from file system into MOSS 2007 obtained by an export from SPS 2001, but randomly some of the imported elements have wrong metadata information.

In the Manifest.xml file all the informations are correct, but in the final imported item the creation date is sometimes set as export date (date of manifest.xml creation) sometime as import date, and sometimes correctly to document creation date.

Even the document title is sometimes set wrong, being set to document name, instead of document title as is in Manifest.xml.

This behavior seems appears to random, in fact the same files have different values repeating the import.

Thanks,

Thomas

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Fri, 16 May 2008 12:59:31 GMT

Hi Thomas,

sorry I don't think I understand the scenario. You cannot do export/import cross version. You can only import items that have been exported from the same version.

Cheers,

Stefan

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Mor — Tue, 20 May 2008 11:12:47 GMT

Hi Stefan,

I also wanted to know if there's a way to import check out data (checked out by, expiration etc..).

If not by API than by manipulating the exported Manifest.xml.

Thanks.

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Tue, 20 May 2008 11:26:32 GMT

Rajee — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:12:34 GMT

Hi Stefan,

I need to Archive a Page in Pages Library to another Site.After Archiving i need to delete the page from that library along with that in need to delete the Page INSETS also.

How i can achieve this.Literally speaking i need to Move a Page from One Site to another SiteCollection.How to do this...

Cheers,

Rajee

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:36:13 GMT

Hi Rajee,

you need to do this in 3 steps:

1) export from old site collection using the content deployment and migration API

2) import into the new site collection using the content deployment and migration API

3) delete the item in the source site collection using regular SharePoint object model.

Cheers,

Stefan

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

rajee — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:29:32 GMT

Hi Stefan,

I did the same thing but problem here is my pages have content editors which have some documents from different libraries.If i am deleting the item from the Pages Library it is deleting the items from the pages library but i want to delete the rest of the contents which are embedded inside the Page.How can i achieve this in single shot like once i delete the page it should delete all the contents along with the documents embedded inside the Page from thier respective libraries.

Regards,

Rajee

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:38:41 GMT

Hi Rajee,

you mean you would like to delete the items stored in other libraries?

You would need write code to parse the content of each field and potentially webpart to find the linked items and then delete them.

Cheers,

Stefan

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:44:55 GMT

Hi Rajee,

this settings actually increases the memory consumption as the callstack has to be gathered during allocation and kept during the whole lifecycle of the request. It also slightly slows down the processing.

So this should only be used during troubleshooting.

Cheers,

Stefan

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Parag — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 03:17:03 GMT

Stefan,

We have a requirement to move a document from a custom library in one site collection to another site collection, while retaining metadata and version history.

Can the export and import methods be used from a workflow? Any other pointers?

Thanks!

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Rajee — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 07:47:08 GMT

hi stefan,

Kent — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 17:11:11 GMT

Hi Stefan

A company has requirements to publish pressreleases immediately (at least a short time) after the user clicks on the publish button.

Authoring farm (domain A) export

(import) on Production farm (domain B)

The solution I’m working on is a feature event receiver that triggers on the ItemUpdated event.

The ListItem gets exported (works fine) on the authoring farm. Since the production farm is on another domain, and the SPImport must execute local, the exported file is transferred to the target/productionfarm via a webservice.

The webservice then executes the import.

Everything works fine if the listitem exists on the target (Pages) list, as a regular update. But if the listitem is NEW the import fails.

So the export/import is successful when it’s a regular update. But it fails when a new item is trying to get imported.

/Kent

EXPORT CODE: from the event receiver

private bool ExportPressReleases(SPItemEventProperties properties)

{

string fileName = GetFileName(properties);

try

{

SPExportObject exportObject = new SPExportObject();

exportObject.Id = properties.ListItem.UniqueId;

exportObject.Type = SPDeploymentObjectType.ListItem;// ListItem;

exportObject.ParentId = properties.ListId;

exportObject.ExcludeChildren = true;

SPExportSettings exportSettings = new SPExportSettings();

exportSettings.ExportObjects.Add(exportObject);

if (_write2Log)

{

exportSettings.LogExportObjectsTable = true;

exportSettings.LogFilePath = ExportDirectory + "exportobject.log";

}

exportSettings.ExcludeDependencies = true;

exportSettings.FileLocation = ExportDirectory;

exportSettings.FileCompression = true;// true;

exportSettings.BaseFileName = fileName;

exportSettings.IncludeSecurity = SPIncludeSecurity.None;

exportSettings.SiteUrl = GetSiteUrl(properties);// properties.ListItem.Web.Site.Url;//"http://localhost:12002";

SPExport export = new SPExport(exportSettings);

export.Error += new EventHandler<SPDeploymentErrorEventArgs>(export_Error);

export.Completed += new EventHandler<SPDeploymentEventArgs>(export_Completed);

export.Started += new EventHandler<SPDeploymentEventArgs>(export_Started);

export.Run();

export.Dispose();

}

catch (Exception exe)

{

return false;

}

return true;

}

IMPORT CODE from the webservice

SPSecurity.RunWithElevatedPrivileges(delegate()

{

LogMessage("Elevated user " + System.Security.Principal.WindowsIdentity.GetCurrent().Name);

SPImportSettings settings = new SPImportSettings();

settings.SiteUrl = “http://vpc-ols:12001”;

settings.WebUrl = “/pressreleases”;

settings.FileLocation = @fileLocation;

settings.BaseFileName = baseFileName;

if (LogMessages)

settings.LogFilePath = ImportDirectory + "importobjects.log";;

settings.IgnoreWebParts = true;

settings.FileCompression = true;

settings.RetainObjectIdentity = true;// retainObjectIdentity;

settings.SuppressAfterEvents = true;

SPImport import = new SPImport(settings);

import.Canceled += new EventHandler<SPDeploymentEventArgs>(import_Canceled);

import.Completed += new EventHandler<SPDeploymentEventArgs>(import_Completed);

import.Error += new EventHandler<SPDeploymentErrorEventArgs>(import_Error);

import.ObjectImported += new EventHandler<SPObjectImportedEventArgs>(import_ObjectImported);

import.Started += new EventHandler<SPDeploymentEventArgs>(import_Started);

import.Uncompressing += new EventHandler<SPDeploymentEventArgs>(import_Uncompressing);

import.ProgressUpdated += new EventHandler<SPDeploymentEventArgs>(import_ProgressUpdated);

import.Run();

import.Dispose();

});

EXPORT LOG

[10/16/2008 3:37:36 PM]: Start Time: 10/16/2008 3:37:36 PM.

[10/16/2008 3:37:36 PM]: Progress: Initializing Export.

[10/16/2008 3:37:36 PM]: Progress: Starting Export.

[10/16/2008 3:37:36 PM]: Progress: Calculating Objects to Export.

[10/16/2008 3:37:37 PM]: Progress: Serializing Objects to Disk.

[10/16/2008 3:37:37 PM]: Progress: Starting to process objects of type Site.

[10/16/2008 3:37:37 PM]: Progress: Finished processing objects of type Site.

[10/16/2008 3:37:37 PM]: Progress: Starting to process objects of type Folder.

[10/16/2008 3:37:37 PM]: Progress: Exporting Folder /pressreleases/Pages/Forms/Press Release Page.

[10/16/2008 3:37:37 PM]: Progress: Finished processing objects of type Folder.

[10/16/2008 3:37:37 PM]: Progress: Starting to process objects of type ContentType.

[10/16/2008 3:37:37 PM]: Progress: Finished processing objects of type ContentType.

[10/16/2008 3:37:37 PM]: Progress: Starting to process objects of type DocLibFile.

[10/16/2008 3:37:37 PM]: Progress: Exporting File pressreleases/Pages/yuk4.aspx.

[10/16/2008 3:37:37 PM]: Progress: Finished processing objects of type DocLibFile.

[10/16/2008 3:37:37 PM]: Progress: Starting to process objects of type ListItem.

[10/16/2008 3:37:37 PM]: Progress: Exporting ListItem pressreleases/Pages?id=28.

[10/16/2008 3:37:37 PM]: Progress: Finished processing objects of type ListItem.

[10/16/2008 3:37:38 PM]: Progress: Creating File(s).

[10/16/2008 3:37:38 PM]: Progress: Compressing File(s).

[10/16/2008 3:37:38 PM]: Progress: Export Completed.

[10/16/2008 3:37:38 PM]: Finish Time: 10/16/2008 3:37:38 PM.

[10/16/2008 3:37:38 PM]: Completed with 0 warnings.

[10/16/2008 3:37:38 PM]: Completed with 0 errors.

IMPORT LOG

[10/16/2008 3:37:38 PM]: Start Time: 10/16/2008 3:37:38 PM.

[10/16/2008 3:37:38 PM]: Progress: Initializing Import.

[10/16/2008 3:37:38 PM]: Progress: Starting content import.

[10/16/2008 3:37:38 PM]: Progress: De-Serializing Objects to Database.

[10/16/2008 3:37:38 PM]: Progress: Importing Folder /pressreleases/Pages/Forms/Press Release Page.

[10/16/2008 3:37:43 PM]: Progress: Importing File Pages/yuk4.aspx.

[10/16/2008 3:37:43 PM]: Progress: Importing ListItem /pressreleases/Pages?id=28.

[10/16/2008 3:37:43 PM]: FatalError: Operation is not valid due to the current state of the object.

at Microsoft.SharePoint.WebControls.SPControl.SPWebEnsureSPControl(HttpContext context)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.WebControls.SPControl.GetContextWeb(HttpContext context)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPContext.get_Current()

at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPListItem.GetValue(SPField fld, Int32 columnNumber, Boolean bRaw)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPListItem.GetValue(String strName, Boolean bThrowException)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPListItem.GetValue(String strName)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPListItem.get_Item(String fieldName)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPListItem.SetValue(String strName, Object value, SPField field, Boolean protectFields)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPListItem.SetValue(String strName, Object value, Boolean protectFields)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPListItem.set_Item(String fieldName, Object value)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPModerationInformation.set_Status(SPModerationStatusType value)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.ListItemSerializer.SetObjectData(Object obj, SerializationInfo info, StreamingContext context, ISurrogateSelector selector)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.XmlFormatter.ParseObject(Type objectType, Boolean isChildObject)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.XmlFormatter.DeserializeObject(Type objectType, Boolean isChildObject, DeploymentObject envelope)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.XmlFormatter.Deserialize(Stream serializationStream)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.ObjectSerializer.Deserialize(Stream serializationStream)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.ImportObjectManager.ProcessObject(XmlReader xmlReader)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.SPImport.DeserializeObjects()

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.SPImport.Run()

[10/16/2008 3:37:43 PM]: Progress: Import Completed.

[10/16/2008 3:37:43 PM]: Finish Time: 10/16/2008 3:37:43 PM.

[10/16/2008 3:37:43 PM]: Completed with 0 warnings.

[10/16/2008 3:37:43 PM]: Completed with 1 errors.

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 17:50:16 GMT

Hi Kent,

do you have the infrastructure update installed on the server?

If yes, please open a support case with Microsoft to get this analyzed.

Cheers,

Stefan

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Kent — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 22:37:41 GMT

Yes, all updates are installed, and I opened a case this afternoon :)

Thanks for the great post...

/Kent

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Kent — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 10:26:06 GMT

FYI.

We added

SPUtility.ValidateFormDigest()

just before

SPSecurity.RunWithElevatedPrivileges

And the import run smooth as silk :)

The security flags wasnt correct for the context of the request since the import was handled by a webservice.

/Kent

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Carin — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 22:24:41 GMT

I'm fairly new to SharePoint but recently launched a Publishing website with content (some 4000 pages) imported from and external source. Now I have been tasked to automate an import procedure for quarterly updates to aforementioned content without overwriting edits done after the initial import and preserving a content web part managed at the page level on each of the 4,000 pages.

Is this API the best way (or even A way at all) to achieve this?

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 23:12:22 GMT

Hi Carin,

this API can be used to import content - but it will not prevent overwrite of updated content. All imported content will overwrite existing content.

So you would need to implement some logic in your code which ensures that no items which should not be imported are in the import package passed into the API.

Cheers,

Stefan

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Saroj — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:47:13 GMT

Hi Stefan,

Really a nice article for content migration.

I had a Question:

Is there anyway to Migrate/Export/BackUp a Site (Not Site Colletion) as Site Colletion in different location.

e.g. suppose i have a site http://<server>/Sites/Test/ABC. Now is there any method to move ABC site as http://<server>:<PortNo>/Sites/ABC.

Any pointers will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Saroj

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:17:42 GMT

Hi Saroj,

unfortunatelly this is not supported in the current version as there are problems with the resulting site. Reason is that in the rootsite you need to have various specific lists and properties which do not exist in a subsite. After migrating a subsite to a root site these items will be missing.

Cheers,

Stefan

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Saroj — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 05:00:28 GMT

Thanks Stefan,

Greatly appreciate your prompt reply.

Yes your concerns are quite valid.

But when I did export/import for Site to SC.

These are the problems I came across,

All the activated feature need to be installed at destination and corresponding DLL in the appropriate location.

When I fixed these still the "Page not Found" error was thrown, except for the Layout pages.

Once I changed the Master Page, the basic features of the Site Collection now seems to be working. i.e. There were no more "page not found" error.

Didn't tested rigorously,yet to come across major issues for a light weight Site with just one workflow and few lists.

Cheers,

Saroj

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Kevin — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 02:42:35 GMT

We are upgrading to from WSS3.0 to MOSS 2007 at GM and the when running an import command on a 4 meg file it is looking one by one through 6400 users and 1600 groups. It appears to be spending 99% of its time finding users possibly in Active Directory from all around the world. Is there a better way to do an import.

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 12:08:21 GMT

Hi Kevin,

did you follow our design guidelines to assign AD groups rather than individual users to SharePoint groups and then assign SharePoint groups to sites and lists?

Or did you not follow this guidance and directly assigned individual users to SharePoint items?

Cheers,

Stefan

Cheers,

Stefan

WSS/MOSS - Common Issue - SQL Deadlocks during STSADM import operations or when

Stefan Goßner — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 12:06:23 GMT

In the last couple of weeks I have seen several cases where STSADM import operations failed with random

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Leon Zandman — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 12:58:27 GMT

Stefan, is it possible to import a document library using a different target name than the original file name? I.e. in site A I have a document library called "foo" and I export it. Then I want to import it into site B, but using the name "bar".

I need this, because site B already contains a document library called "foo", which is totally unrelated to the other "foo", but inconveniently has the exact same (relative) URL.

I was thinking on changing the value of the SPImportObject's TargetName property using the OnImportStarted event, like you described. But according to the MSDN docs this is only valid for objects of type "Web".

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 13:15:38 GMT

Hi Leon,

it would be required to modify the manifest.xml file to achieve this.

Cheers,

Stefan

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

FLPF — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 09:45:48 GMT

Dear Stefan,

Does the import job must run at destination server? For example, i run the export job on server A, so must the import job run at destination server B? Please give adivse. Thank!

Frankie

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 10:49:44 GMT

Hi Frankie,

yes the import has to be executed on a server in target farm.

Cheers,

Stefan

Content Deployment - Best Practices

Stefan Goßner — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 15:42:14 GMT

In the past I have released several blogs about the various problems that can occur with Content Deployment.

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Rishi — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 17:57:52 GMT

Hi Stefan,

This is very good post. However, I have faced one problem during import content. I have one column called Assigned To and it's type is person or group. After import task i found that it doesnot imported assigned to column data.

Also, I have checked in Manifest.xml file and for assigned to column it shows id only with 2;# and no person name.

Please let me know.

Thanks and Regards,

Rishi

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:03:15 GMT

Hi Rishi,

I assume you exported and imported all security information?

If yes, please open a support case to get this analyzed.

Cheers,

Stefan

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Rishi — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:11:34 GMT

Hi Saefan

I have used the following code snippet:

SPExportSettings exportSettings = new SPExportSettings();

exportSettings.SiteUrl = web.Url;

exportSettings.ExportMethod = SPExportMethodType.ExportAll;

exportSettings.FileLocation = @"filepath";

exportSettings.FileCompression = false;

exportSettings.ExcludeDependencies = false;

Also, One more query along with this.

When i try to export content from list name "MyList" on "SiteA" and while import If i try to import on "SiteB" then it won't allow me to do that. So i need to update "SiteA" name with "SiteB" in Manifest.xml file.

Is this correct approch?

Thanks and Regards,

Rishi

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:44:43 GMT

Hi Rishi,

you are not exporting security settings. Please ensure that you add exportSettings.IncludeSecurity.

Only if you export all then the users get exported. That is required to have the user information available on the target.

For the second issue, please check reparenting in my article series.

Cheers,

Stefan

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

vsalik — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 23:58:53 GMT

Hi Stefan,

The comments/questions I am trying to post do not appear here.

Any reason why?

Vlad.

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

vsalik — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 00:01:48 GMT

It seems like it's because of the size. Is there another way to contact you?

Vlad.

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 11:32:26 GMT

Hi Vlad,

on the upper left edge you will find an "email" link where you can contact me by mail.

Cheers,

Stefan

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Rishi — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 15:32:10 GMT

Hi Saefan

I have added

exportSettings.IncludeSecurity = All property in my code but still not able to import users for Assigned to column.

FYI, I have set same property for ImportSettings.

Plesae help me . Sorry to keep pinging you about same problem

Thanks and Regards,

Rishi

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 15:44:19 GMT

Hi Rishi,

nice that you export them. Do you also import them? Because the same setting exists for the import phase.

And you should also set the SPImportUserInfoDateTime option to import all.

To ensure that the user information is exported and imported correctly.

Cheers,

Stefan

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Rishi — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:57:59 GMT

Hi Stefan

Thanks Sir. Now i am able to import all correct data.

Excellent and appreciate your help.

Thanks and Regards,

Rishi

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

FLPF — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 06:29:05 GMT

Dear Stefan,

Currenly, i need to export a source site content and then import to destination server immediately. As you mentioned that import job should be run at destination server, so once the exoprt action completed, if the deploy job setup on exporting server, think we need to ftp the cmp file to destination server and then call web service which located on destination server to run import. is it ok or any my misunderstanding? Please give advise. Btw, could you give advise how to implement the deployment between separate server more efficient?

Best Regards,

Frankie

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 10:59:22 GMT

Hi Frankie,

your understanding is correct. That is exactly how content deployment implements the import. What is does in addition is that it creates and starts a timer job which runs in OWSTIMER.EXE to perform the actual import operation on the target to ensure that application pool recycling does not affect the import operation.

Cheers,

Stefan

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

FLPF — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 04:44:16 GMT

Dear Stefan,

Thanks for your quick answers. I still have some questions need your help. First, if the deployment is a frequence task, we should store the change token so that it could run with incremental update, is it right? Second, how we could implement our import job by using the timer job? Third, does the ftp is the only way to transport cmp file to destination server? Please give advise. Many thanks!

Best Regards,

Frankie

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 10:56:16 GMT

Hi Frankie,

content deployment as in MOSS stores the change token on the source server in a list. You could use a similar approach.

Regarding the timer job: please use the SDK on how to implement a custom timer job.

Regarding upload: you can use different methods: FTP or HTTP upload. copy to fileshare, ...

Cheers,

Stefan

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Shishir — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 04:47:40 GMT

Stefan,

I am facing a unique problem.

----------------

Current Scenario

----------------

1) There are sites built out of OOB MOSS Site definitions.

2) Custom Site templates were created and few sites were based out of them

Today all such site templates have been deleted. Sites based out of it are still working as site templates are connected to the site definition & those site definitions (OOB) are still in place

**To prevent errors, Two New Custom Site Definitions were created. All newly created sites are based out of either of these custom site definitions & have no problem.

NOW CLIENT Wants to move existing sites built out of OOB site definition & the deleted custom site templates to be migrated to the 2 newly created custom site definition.

Q1) is it possible to change a site's association with its site definition through code so that it points to new site definition(Corrected one with extra features)

Q2) same question for site template scenario?

Please suggest

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 10:35:50 GMT

Hi Shishir,

I'm not aware about a possibility to achieve this.

Cheers,

Stefan

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

FLPF — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 10:53:24 GMT

Dear Stefan,

We just test our conent deployment program, run a console application do execute export action, call a web service to execute import action. Unluckly, we met import exception with something like "The underlying connection was closed". My questions is 1. how to solve such exception and how about the root case? 2. It look like even if the import fail, but there are still some contents be imported, is there any approachs to rollback these kind of contents? 3. Is there any good approach to handle import error? could we just cancel it when throws errors. Please give advise. Many thanks!

Frankie

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 11:02:54 GMT

Hi Frankie,

which connection got closed above? The http connection when uploading the data? What is the exact error message?

Regarding rollback: rollback is not possible. When import fails then the already imported data will exist on the target while the not yet imported data will not be available.

Cheers,

Stefan

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

FLPF — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 11:25:28 GMT

Dear Stefan,

The exact error message we met as below:

1. Call Import Service Error: System.Net.WebException: The underlying connection wa

s closed: An unexpected error occurred on a receive. ---> System.IO.IOException:

Unable to read data from the transport connection: An existing connection was f

orcibly closed by the remote host. ---> System.Net.Sockets.SocketException: An e

xisting connection was forcibly closed by the remote host

at System.Net.Sockets.Socket.Receive(Byte[] buffer, Int32 offset, Int32 size,

SocketFlags socketFlags)

at System.Net.Sockets.NetworkStream.Read(Byte[] buffer, Int32 offset, Int32 s

ize)

--- End of inner exception stack trace ---

at System.Net.Sockets.NetworkStream.Read(Byte[] buffer, Int32 offset, Int32 s

ize)

at System.Net.PooledStream.Read(Byte[] buffer, Int32 offset, Int32 size)

at System.Net.Connection.SyncRead(HttpWebRequest request, Boolean userRetriev

edStream, Boolean probeRead)

--- End of inner exception stack trace ---

2. Import failed:Microsoft.SharePoint.SPException: The directory is not a subdirec

ory of the root directory. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070090) ---> System.Run

ime.InteropServices.COMException (0x80070090): The directory is not a subdirect

ry of the root directory. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070090)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Library.SPRequestInternalClass.ThrowError(Int32 dwEr

)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Library.SPRequest.ThrowError(Int32 dwErr)

--- End of inner exception stack trace ---

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Library.SPRequest.ThrowError(Int32 dwErr)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPFieldCollection.AddFieldToWeb(String strXml, Boole

n checkDisplayName)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPFieldCollection.AddFieldAsXmlInternal(String schem

Xml, Boolean addToDefaultView, SPAddFieldOptions op)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.FieldTemplateSerializer.CreateField(SPWeb

web, SerializationInfoHelper infoHelper)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.FieldTemplateSerializer.SetObjectData(Obj

ct obj, SerializationInfo info, StreamingContext context, ISurrogateSelector se

ector)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.XmlFormatter.ParseObject(Type objectType,

Boolean isChildObject)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.XmlFormatter.DeserializeObject(Type objec

Type, Boolean isChildObject, DeploymentObject envelope)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.XmlFormatter.Deserialize(Stream serializa

ionStream)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.ObjectSerializer.Deserialize(Stream seria

izationStream)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.ImportObjectManager.ProcessObject(XmlRead

r xmlReader)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.SPImport.DeserializeObjects()

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.SPImport.Run()

at kaoctdotcommoss.deployment.webservice.KAOCTMOSS_ImportService.RunImport(S

ring _fileLocation, String _baseFileName) in C:\Documents and Settings\zhangde\

esktop\KAOCT.COMMOSS\kaoctdotcommoss.deployment.webservice\Import.asmx.cs:line

***************************************************

Could you help to give advise. Many thanks!

Frankie

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

FLPF — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 12:20:24 GMT

Dear Stefan,

As you mentioned at previous reply, when import fails then the already imported data will exist on the target while the not yet imported data will not be available. So, my question is:

1. Actually, the whole import job is not completed, so when we re-import the same cmp file, does it will overwrite those imported data? Please give advise. Many thanks!

Frankie

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 15:33:24 GMT

Sounds to me as if 2 is a follow up problem from 1.

1 seems to be inside the webservice when the web service talks to the source who sends the export.

Looks like a problem with the IIS configuration.

Here is an article that explains how to change the IIS settings:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?id=826210

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

FLPF — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 04:44:19 GMT

Dear Stefan,

Thanks for your quickly answers. As you mentioned at previous reply, when import fails then the already imported data will exist on the target while the not yet imported data will not be available. So, when we re-import the same cmp file, does it will overwrite those imported data? Please give advise. Many thanks!

Frankie

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

FLPF — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 05:43:37 GMT

Dear Stefan,

Currently, our content deployment for whole site is completed. But it still has error as below.

[2/19/2009 10:35:30 AM]: Progress: Importing File WorkflowTasks/NewForm.aspx.

[2/19/2009 10:35:30 AM]: FatalError: A duplicate name "ISM_x0020_Information" was found.

at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPFieldCollection.AddFieldToWeb(String strXml, Boolean checkDisplayName)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPFieldCollection.AddFieldAsXmlInternal(String schemaXml, Boolean addToDefaultView, SPAddFieldOptions op)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.FieldTemplateSerializer.CreateField(SPWeb web, SerializationInfoHelper infoHelper)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.FieldTemplateSerializer.SetObjectData(Object obj, SerializationInfo info, StreamingContext context, ISurrogateSelector selector)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.XmlFormatter.ParseObject(Type objectType, Boolean isChildObject)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.XmlFormatter.DeserializeObject(Type objectType, Boolean isChildObject, DeploymentObject envelope)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.XmlFormatter.Deserialize(Stream serializationStream)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.ObjectSerializer.Deserialize(Stream serializationStream)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.ImportObjectManager.ProcessObject(XmlReader xmlReader)

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.SPImport.DeserializeObjects()

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.SPImport.Run()

[2/19/2009 10:35:30 AM]: Progress: Import Completed.

[2/19/2009 10:35:30 AM]: Finish Time: 2/19/2009 10:35:30 AM.

[2/19/2009 10:35:30 AM]: Completed with 7 warnings.

[2/19/2009 10:35:30 AM]: Completed with 1 errors.

Could you please advise, is there any setting we missed? Since we create an empty side with stsadm command and think there should not have duplicated content. Many thanks!

Frankie

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 10:27:44 GMT

Hi Frankie,

it will overwrite the data if you used RetainObjectIdentity = true.

The latest error indicates that you have duplicate columns on the source system.

E.g. you created the column on a subweb and later created a column with the same name in the rootweb.

That cannot be handled by content deployment.

To resolve this, please rename the column in the rootweb to ensure that no duplicates exist.

Cheers,

Stefan

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Elhadi — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 23:59:29 GMT

Hi Stefan,

When running SPImport.import from a web page deployed on the 12 hive (as a feature), I have the error : "The security validation for this page is invalid. Click Back in your Web browser, refresh the page, and try your operation again. ---> The security validation for this page is invalid. Click Back in your Web browser, refresh the page, and try your operation again."

Everybody recommand that the solution is to set SPSite.AllowUnsafeUpdate = True. But in content deployment scenarios we have no SPSite or SPWeb object, we have just the SPImport object !

So what can be the solution in this case (The administrator refuse to deactivate the validation in the centrale administration) ? and can you explain un please what's the meaning of this security page validation ?

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:15:52 GMT

Hi Elhadi,

you need to ensure that the deployment code is initiated through a http POST request. Not a GET request.

That will solve the issue.

Cheers,

Stefan

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

piece of sharepoint — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 21:05:05 GMT

i'm also getting the "AllowUnsafeUpdates" error but i have to use a GET request because i dont know any other way to make this page do what i need it to do (long story). are you sure there's no other way to get around this mostly fun piece of sharepoint?

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

piece of sharepoint — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 21:11:00 GMT

why are there so many security restrictions. wtf. just break the user's arms and legs and they wont be able to hurt you...

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

piece of sharepoint — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 22:51:13 GMT

when i run OnImported, eventArgs.SourceUrl is .../Word Document. the file is not called "Word Document". there is no such file. any tips for how to not make it point to something that doesnt exist and then error out?

sorry if i sound upset, but sharepoint has been kicking me in the nuts since christmas. i appreciate how much detail was put into this page. i just wish it was enough

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 10:53:35 GMT

Hi,

sorry this is hard coded. If the code is executed inside a web application you need to use the POST request. What you could do is to do do a GET to one page that then does a POST to the page that executes the API.

Alternatively you can use a console application.

Cheers,

Stefan

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 10:55:04 GMT

Regarding the security restrictions: if a GET request could init this then any hit of a search engine or random visitor to the site could start export or import by just following a link to this page. That is not something you would like, right?

Cheers,

Stefan

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 10:56:45 GMT

Regarding your OnImported problem: sorry I did not get this. Can you please rephrase?

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

piece of sharepoint — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 23:14:16 GMT

i managed to get around those unsafeupdates and security validation errors for now

about the OnUpdate thing - i'm trying to export and import a .docx file. OnImport runs 3 times. the first time the SourceUrl points to ".../Word Document", then ".../Word Document/template.docx", then finally to the actual file. i guess it's exporting more than just a single docx file. i probably have to take a closer look at how to control what gets exported/imported

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Chris Cottrell — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 16:39:09 GMT

Great article.. Thanks for posting that. It helped so much with something I needed to do. I had to copy lists as part of a data migration for a couple thousand mysites.

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Chris Davey — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:21:45 GMT

Hi Stefan,

Great article and very useful for fresh deployments. The issue I have is that lists and document libs are updated on our live environment, our other environments are used for proving web parts etc and building new sites. Is there any clean way of importing a site or page but only importing the functional objects and structure and not the data or is it best practice to release the updated web parts/controls.

Cheers Chris

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:40:21 GMT

Hi Chris,

the answer is no. Content Deployment was designed with the focus on environments where changes all happen on the source system and populate down the route to the production system.

Changes on staging or production can cause content deployment to fail or content deployment can overwrite changes done on the target.

Cheers,

Stefan

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

BN — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 01:44:36 GMT

Hi Stefan,

Can we use the Content Deployment API in a scenario whereby we want to just export the items in the Reusable Content list of our development server to UAT server?

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 09:56:20 GMT

Hi BN,

I haven't tried but I cannot see a reason why this would not work.

Give it a try!

Cheers,

Stefan

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Larry — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 19:55:02 GMT

Is it possible to retain list item identity at the same time re-parenting? I know it does not make sense if you are moving list item in the same content database. But I am copying data between two web applications each having their own content database.

When RetainObjectIdentity is true, the RootObjects collection is empty. Therefore, I can't reparent object's parent.

I need to do this because I need to import multiple times. I use this API to ship update to other sites periodically.

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 23:20:11 GMT

Hi Larry,

no this is not possible.

Cheers,

Stefan

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Isai — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 23:54:36 GMT

Hello Stefan,

I am very glad that I found this article that has helped me a lot in what I am trying to do. I am fairly new to Sharepoint and now I am developing a page that contains a button that will move one website from a site collection to another as a part of a business workflow.

I want to move from http://therootsite/proposals/thewebsite to http://therootsite/projects/thewebsite. As you can see everything remains the same just the site collection is different. I was able to export and it worked fine, no problems. Now I am filled with doubts about how to do the import. I exported it with the exclude dependencies false and include descendants to Content.

The silly question that is eating my brain is the following: Should I create first a blank website in the site collection projects and then import the website to that one or in the importSettings.SiteUrl property I just put the desired URL and it will be created automatically (I just want to point out that I am extremely new to this again).

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much.

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 04:15:07 GMT

Hi Isai,

please create the target site collection using STSADM -o createsite and do not specify a template.

The import will do the rest.

Cheers,

Stefan

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Isai — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:01:37 GMT

Hello Stefan,

thank you for the quick response.

I think that you are suggesting that I should use the command to create it and then import it. Because I am programming all this in the page with the button I mentioned before, is there a way to do the creation of the website you mentioned using the deployment API or any other API in Sharepoint and the programatically do the import as well?

Thanks in advance for your comments and suggestions.

Regards

Isai

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:38:34 GMT

Hi Isai,

yes the SharePoint object model allows to do it.

Cheers,

Stefan

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Isai — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:07:26 GMT

Hello Stefan,

thank you for your information. I was able to create the website and now I am doing the part of the import. Every time that I run my code I get the following SPException:

"The security validation for this page is invalid. Click Back in your Web browser, refresh the page, and try your operation again."

The code I have to import the site to the newly created site is:

private void ImportSite(string newlyCreatedSiteURL)

{

SPSecurity.RunWithElevatedPrivileges(delegate()

{

//Import from the Export File

SPImportSettings importSettings = new SPImportSettings();

importSettings.SiteUrl = "http://phl-sptdev1";

importSettings.WebUrl = "http://phl-sptdev1/Projects/Isai-Import-Test";

importSettings.FileLocation = @"c:\export";

importSettings.FileCompression = false;

importSettings.RetainObjectIdentity = false;

SPImport import = new SPImport(importSettings);

import.Run();

});

As usual I would appreciate any light why I am getting this exception or where to head for information about this.

Thanks and have a good day

Isai

re: Deep Dive into the SharePoint Content Deployment and Migration API - Part 3

Stefan_Gossner — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 01:08:08 GMT

Hi Isai,

sounds as if you are doing this using a web application.

If this is a web application you need to ensure that the import is done with a POST request and not a GET request.

Also ensure that the user account used is a site collection administrator.

Cheers,

Stefan