Blog posts by Martin Söderlund

Localize Property Name Based on Content Language

Tue, 12 May 2015 00:13:00 GMT

We recently had a client request that a page property have a different display name for each language branch. The function of the property was as an identifier and would always be used the same in the back end but the editors in each country had a different name for the property.

This isn't a particularly inspired solution, but I'm hoping to save someone else the time it took to stumble upon this.

It is possible to localize EPi property names using the built in Display attribute and keeping the translations in resources files (see this stackoverflow post here), but this is only based on the UI language in Edit/Admin mode and not on content language.

I created an EditorDescriptor that will take the string entered in the Name field and try to translate it using the registered LocalizationService (whatever that may be). An important thing to note is the EditorDescriptorBehavior. We have to have it as EditorDescriptorBehavior.PlaceLast to ensure that any other logic to get the Display Name (built in translation, etc) does not interfere with what we want displayed.

Code

[EditorDescriptorRegistration(TargetType = typeof(String), UIHint = SiteUIHints.LocalizedDisplay, EditorDescriptorBehavior = EditorDescriptorBehavior.PlaceLast)]
public class LocalizableDisplayEditorDescriptor : EditorDescriptor
{
   public override void ModifyMetadata(ExtendedMetadata metadata, IEnumerable<Attribute> attributes)
   {
      base.ModifyMetadata(metadata, attributes);

      Attribute attr = attributes.FirstOrDefault(a => a.GetType() == typeof(DisplayAttribute));
      if (attr != null)
      {
         string translated =

ServiceLocator.Current.GetInstance<LocalizationService().GetStringByCulture(metadata.DisplayName,
FallbackBehaviors.None, ContentLanguage.PreferredCulture);


         if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(translated))
            metadata.DisplayName = translated;
      }
   }
}

Usage

 [UIHint(SiteUIHints.LocalizedDisplay)]
 [Display(Name = "/properties/InternalId/displayname", Order = 200)]
 public virtual string InternalId { get; set; }

EPi Initialization Modules: A Practical Guide

Tue, 31 Mar 2015 04:16:00 GMT

If you've been working with EPi 7 or 7.5 (or even 8 for you early adopters), you've most likely created an initialization module. For a thorough introduction, this link is a good resource. While they are really extensible, I've run into a few hiccups during development and would like to share some (hopefully) time saving tips.

Debugging

Debugging has proven to be quite a headache for me whenever I create an initialization module since I don't do it very often and always forget how I was able to do it the last time. Since you need to be attached to the debugger while the site is initializing, many common forms of debugging don't work very well (if you are using traditional IIS and not IIS Express). I've seen a couple blog posts on this topic, but none have worked for me (because it's for an older version of EPi or because it recycles the whole app pool).

Here is the easiest way I've found to quickly and easily debug my initialization modules:

1. In your Initialization module, add this line where you would like the debugger to break

System.Diagnostics.Debugger.Break();

2. Using Visual Studio's Debug > Attach to Process menu, attach to all of the w3wp processes. This makes sure that you are still attached to the process running the initialization even when you restart the site in the next step.

3. In IIS, restart the website you'd like to initialize

You should see your break point hit and be able to debug your initialization module now. If you know a better way to accomplish this, please let me know in the comments! This has been the simplest solution I've found.

InitComplete

In EPi's documentation, they mention that the InitComplete event's "typical use case (also featured in EPiServer Community) is to attach event handlers to an instance property that may be overridden by third-party code."

Another use case for InitComplete is if you need to access the Start page of your site or any other site specific properties. These are only available after the site has been initialized.

One "gotcha" to keep in mind, is that you must have the wild card site binding in order for the initialization module to properly find your Start Page. Otherwise, ContentReference.StartPage returns an empty content reference.

Do you know of any other tips when developing initialization modules? Let me know in the comments!

How agile is reviving the marketing industry

Mon, 30 Mar 2015 11:29:00 GMT

"Best practice" has been a mantra that many in the marketing industry have depended on over the last few years. On first glance it makes sense: sticking to what has - in the past - been proven to yield the most effective results seems like a guaranteed strategy for future success.

But “past” is the key word. Progress requires that we make new discoveries - and if we always do what we have done in the past, the future will look very similar.

For outstanding success going forward, we need to find new ways of doing things; we need to forge solutions, not follow them.

This is not going to be achieved by following best practice.

EPiServer explains here why agile marketing is the wake-up call that all marketers have been waiting for:

Why Best Practice is Killing Marketing Rant | EPiServer from EPiServer

New ownership at EPiServer - how will it affect your organisation?

Tue, 09 Dec 2014 11:45:00 GMT

EPiServer today officially announces new ownership. The US private equity firm Accel-KKR will be taking over the formerly Swedish owned company.

With the change of ownership, EPiServer will inherit a new portfolio of similar technology companies. Most notably, EPiServer’s former competitor Ektron CMS has also been taken over by Accel-KKR. So what does this new ownership mean for EPiServer clients?

Initially, very little will change. First of all, clients' concerns about the deal will be addressed and reconciled through several user studies.

It will also take some time before the new American or European sales offering gets to a serious stage, and it’s unlikely that the new owners will try to push the new products onto existing customers. There are earlier product options for the critical evaluation platform, and the owners will acknowledge this.

But on paper the deal makes great business sense for everyone. Ektron is affordable with a strong American base (around 3,000 active customers), while EPiServer is high on innovation and has a strong market in Europe. There are no direct technical collisions, so there is nothing to suggest that there will be problems or clashes ahead. Both systems are based on the Microsoft .NET environment and are similar in terms of cloud connectors and architecture.

As a client however, you might notice this change of ownership in other ways.

Investment by EPiServer over the last few years in e-commerce (Media Chase), search technology (SiteSeeker, Trufflr), and collaborations in marketing automation (Silverpop), and DAM (Celum, QBank); has helped create an innovative profile. Compared with the new corporate partner, EPiServer offers a solid digital marketing package with full control of the customer experience. With a new owner, EPiServer products are expected to rank higher than Ektron’s, and EPiServer 7.5 / 8 is expected to be the one on top.

Ektron also offers services in Persona Management, Marketing Optimization, and Digital Experience; but EPiServer's portfolio of digital marketing, analysis, testing, and personalization with the associated e-commerce is considered more sophisticated, well-integrated, and technologically advanced.

EPiServer clients can now take advantage of the clear benefits, with doubled R & D, and marketing and sales support partially controlled by the fast-moving US market. This will also be reflected in Europe, where it will be easy to quickly modify according to new trends and findings.

So, sit back, relax, and look forward to an even better, more innovative product content management, marketing support, and e-commerce in 2015. If you have any further concerns about the "new EPiServer”, get in touch with Nansen and we’ll be happy to answer any questions.

Hela organisationen måste förändras inför en fungerande upplevelsewebb

Wed, 17 Sep 2014 10:09:00 GMT

De flesta kunder vi träffar har lätt att ta till sig de teoretiska fördelarna med att logga, skapa och bearbeta en framtida upplevelsebaserad, ”experience” berikad webb.

Och det visar sig även någorlunda i försäljningsstatistiken världen över. Så pass att försäljningen faktiskt ska gå rätt bra av olika portfolioprodukter från bjässar som EPiServer, SDL, Sitecore, Adobe och Oracle. Inte minst då, liksom med kombinerade e-handelsprodukter för några år, CXM-produkterna och modulerna ofta köps in ”för säkerhets skull”. De kostar betydligt mindre när andra CMS-licenser ändå ska förvärvas och många större kunder är säkra på att de kommer att användas så fort ansvariga har utsetts och implementationsprojekten dragit igång.

Men det händer inte.

Kundföretagen har förtvivlat svårt att utse nya ansvariga roller och hitta tid att starta upp den här typen av projekt i sin befintliga organisation. Nu agerar flera av CMS-företagen på detta. Vi märker att kunderna är tacksamma då vi på Nansen tar en ledande roll för att utreda, definiera och planera för kundresan. Samt ge förslag på en framtida organisation redo att löpande jobba efter nya arbetssätt.

Och EPiServers kollega Sitecore har i år storsatsat på nya Sitecore’s Sitecore Business Optimization Services (SBOS). En enhet som fokuserar på att hjälpa kunder att anpassa sin hela organisation efter de nyinköpta CXM-produkterna. De bygger mycket av sina råd på best practice från kunder som faktiskt förändrat sina marknads- IT- online marketing och supportenheter för att arbeta på ett modernare sätt. Det finns även ett ”Customer Experience Board Game”, en instruktionsbok och en ”Maturity Model”.

Det hela är en typ av tillbakagång till CMS-företagens idag sällan marknadsförda ”Expert services”, mer efterfrågade då produkterna var råare och mer komplexa att finjustera 5-7 år sedan.

Adobe var inte helt fel ute då de redan förra hösten sade ”We only speak to top management” i ett uppdrag för TeliaSonera där Nansen var iblandade. Adobe syftade till att AEM-produkten inte gör någon skillnad i sig. Hela företaget måste förändras från grunden om något ska hända.

Absolut Art Award - a new release from Nansen Stockholm

Wed, 18 Jun 2014 14:13:00 GMT

Yay!
Today we released a small sub-site on the Absolut.com site called Absolut Art Award.
At the moment site is rather thin, there are only two pages, but more content is being added during the next couple of days.

"The Absolut Art Award offers an artist and an art writer a unique opportunity to realise a 'dream project', demonstrating our continued commitment to collaborating on transformative projects with the worlds’ most interesting creative talent."

This release is built in tight collaboration with Great Works, who did the design and frontend part. Tobias from team Cyclops did all the back end EPiServer magic. Thanks for a great job Tobbe, I know the time schedule was a bit tight, but you handled it perfectly, just as usual!

Visit the site at this address: http://www.absolut.com/se/Absolut-Art-Award/

A day at a Government Agency

Mon, 07 Apr 2014 08:30:00 GMT

For the past few months, Nansen has been working with a government agency in Washington DC, which is a new experience for me and the team. The team consists of myself, Markus Bereflod, Chris Sharp and Morgan Robertson. I've been focusing most of my time assessing their current setup and managing the project while Chris and Morgan have been working with site architecture and development.

This project differs a little bit from Nansen’s other projects. First and foremost, we conduct the work at the client’s location instead of own offices, which is normally the case.

For me, not being an American citizen, a day at the government agency starts at the security desk in the lobby. Going through a bag scan, signing in, then waiting for a person to escort me to the team room.

We didn't start the project with the mindset of changing many processes and ways of doing things, but people were really open to new ideas, and they really listened to our expertise and we saw room for improvements in multiple areas. In particular, we improved the deployment process from being a very time consuming task that involved manually created spreadsheets containing all the file paths for updated files to a very quick operation, simply by relying on the TFS (Team Foundation Server) and always making complete deploy packages containing all the files needed for the particular site and server. The next step was to start using Team Foundation Build (TFBuild) to automate deploys to the QA environment.

The team has also introduced an agile, sprint-based approach to the client and the development project. We are doing 3 week sprints that start with sessions where sprint tasks are being planned based on the client’s priorities as well as recommendations from the development team. Before things are deployed, the sprint items are tested in an QA (Quality Assurance) environment and approved by a board. We then collaborate with the IT department who manages the servers to deploy the package to production.

We have introduced “Tech-meetings” that aim to bring all departments up to speed on the different projects that are being worked on and how they may affect others. The web team gets many urgent requests and has to work at a high pace so the tech meetings have been very important in order to keep people informed.

Working in the corridors of power really makes you put in some extra effort – even more so these days when the Health.gov project has put IT on top of everyone’s agenda. It's fascinating to picture how many Americans and users will be affected by the services we will construct in the near future.