Content Tools

Overview

These functions extend Appian content and offer document/folder search, directory listing, and the ability to get/set the searchable attribute of a folder.

Functions are designed for and only work on Appian content, not the local filesystem. All search functions assume the root folder and all subfolders are searchable. Search functions will not return results contained within non-searchable objects.

All functions use the serviceContext of the user account executing the expression at runtime.

Key Features & Functionality

Data Types

  • contentSecurityRoleMap: CDT that backs the returnContentRoleMap function

Smart Services

  • Copy Document (Change Extension)
  • Delete Document Version
  • Delete Folder Contents
  • Delete Files Older Than
  • Delete Files Created Before
  • Delete Multiple Documents
  • Remove Member From Folder Security
  • Inherit Security From Parent for Folder
  • Inherit Security from Parent for Document
  • Remove Member From KC Security
  • Delete Rule/Constant Versions
  • Set Folder Security
  • Create Document Version
  • Create expression rule
  • Update expression rule expression
  • Update expression rule parameters

Functions

  • getfoldersrequiringchangesapproval
  • getsubfoldersfromfolder
  • getdocumentsfromfolder
  • getdocumentinternalidsfromfolder
  • getfilesolderthandate: Get files older than a particular date
  • getfileslargerthansize: Get files larger than a particular size
  • finddocumentsbyname
  • getconstantorruleuuidbyname
  • findcontentbyattribute
  • getcontentdetailsbyuuid
  • getcontentdetailsbyinternalname
  • getcontentobjectdetailsbyid
  • getcontentobjectswithnumofversions: function to find rules or constants with a given number of versions. Useful to find out objects that can increase memory usage in the collaboration engine. See https://forum.appian.com/suite/help/16.3/kb/kb-1226.html
  • getcontentobjectrevisionhistorydetails: Retrieves the revision history of a content object formatted as "[version id, date created, date updated, size, author]"
  • getconstantsfromfolder
  • getconstantsbyname
  • setfoldersearchability
  • getfoldersearchability
  • getdownloadersfromgroup
  • returncontentrolemap
  • getprocessmodeldetailsbyuuid
  • getrulereferencebyname
  • generateuuid
Anonymous
  • KB-1226 Content (collaboration) engine consumes high memory

    Symptoms

    The Content (Collaboration) engine's database process occupies high memory on RAM when compared to the size of the .kdb file on disk. The general rule of thumb is that the .kdb files should consume roughly 2.5 times the amount of RAM as they do disk space, in gigabytes.

    Cause

    This issue is usually caused by a large number of versions of a single constant, which increases the memory footprint of the Content engine and can also cause slowness.

    Action
    1. Download and install the latest version of Content Tools.
    2. Run the following command to identify all objects with 100+ versions getContentObjectsWithNumOfVersions(100,all,true).
      1. Note: Only run this off-hours on production systems to avoid potential user impact.
    3. Export, delete, and re-import all objects in the list to clear out excessive versions.
    4. Restart Appian to reclaim memory.
    5. For each constant identified with too many versions, update the application to stop creating new versions:
      1. Search the constant's dependents in Appian Designer to find the process model where the constant is updated. 
      2. Update the Update Constant Smart Service to not create versions by setting input Create New Version: false.
      3. Alternatively, if the constant is just used as an incrementing counter, use the Increment Constant Smart Service instead, which does not create versions.
  • bump ... same issue as above, constants are not showing any objects with greater than one version

  • Hi everyone,

    I have installed version 1.11.1, and it seems that getconstantsbyname() function is not available anymore. Anyone facing the same issue?

    It's possible to have a function similar with getrulereferencebyname() but to retrieve a constant reference by name (something like getconstantreferencebyname())?

  • Is there any update on the issue?

  •  I am having the same issue, is there any other way around.

  • Hello all, I'm having an issue with the function getcontentobjectswithnumofversions. At the moment it returns that there are no objects with more then one version which is just not true. Is there anyone else having this issue or anyone who has some insight on how I might resolve this? I'm using version 1.11.1 and using the most recent appian version. Is this a version incompatibility issue?

  • Hi all, we have a use case where we need to expose the frequency/intervals at which a process model runs in the system (we have several such models). Does this plug in allow reading the timer values from process model and present it in a UI? Thanks in advance.

  • Hi Team , 

    Please Provide Insights on How to Use these Smart Services 

    • Update expression rule expression
    • Update expression rule parameters

    As I need to Dynamically Change the Expression Rule(aka Object) Name which is used anywhere In the App.

    Ex:  APP_nameOne to APP_NameOne