Here is the Export Code:

            using (new Sitecore.SecurityModel.SecurityDisabler())
            {
                Sitecore.Data.Database db = Sitecore.Configuration.Factory.GetDatabase("master");
                Sitecore.Install.PackageProject document = new Sitecore.Install.PackageProject();

                document.Metadata.PackageName = "INSERT PACKAGE NAME";
                document.Metadata.Author = "INSERT AUTHOR NAME";

                Sitecore.Install.Items.ExplicitItemSource source = new Sitecore.Install.Items.ExplicitItemSource(); //Create source – source should be based on BaseSource
                source.Name = "INSERT SOURCE NAME";
                Sitecore.Data.Items.Item[] items = db.Items.Database.SelectItems("SPECIFY THE SITECORE ITEM PATH TO EXPORT FROM");

                foreach (Sitecore.Data.Items.Item item in items)
                {
                    source.Entries.Add(new Sitecore.Install.Items.ItemReference(item.Uri, false).ToString());
                }

                document.Sources.Add(source);
                document.SaveProject = true;

                //path where the zip file package is saved
                using (Sitecore.Install.Zip.PackageWriter writer = new Sitecore.Install.Zip.PackageWriter("/data/packages/"  + " INSERT ZIP FILE NAME " + DateTime.Now.Ticks.ToString() + ".zip"))
                {
                    Sitecore.Context.SetActiveSite("shell");

                    writer.Initialize(Sitecore.Install.Installer.CreateInstallationContext());

                    Sitecore.Install.PackageGenerator.GeneratePackage(document, writer);

                    Sitecore.Context.SetActiveSite("website");
                }

            }

Here is the Import Code:

                using (new SecurityDisabler())
                {
                    using (new ProxyDisabler())
                    {
                        using (new SyncOperationContext())
                        {
                            IProcessingContext context = new SimpleProcessingContext();
                            IItemInstallerEvents events = new DefaultItemInstallerEvents(new BehaviourOptions(InstallMode.Overwrite, MergeMode.Undefined));
                            context.AddAspect(events);
                            IFileInstallerEvents events1 = new DefaultFileInstallerEvents(true);
                            context.AddAspect(events1);

                            Sitecore.Install.Installer installer = new Sitecore.Install.Installer();
                            installer.InstallPackage(MainUtil.MapPath("INSERT PACKAGE PATH INCLUDING THE FILE NAME"), context);
                        }
                    }
                }

Starting in Sitecore 6.4, they introduced a new Search namespace – Sitecore.Search, this uses the Sitecore -> Search -> Configuration -> Indexes section in Web.Config.

From what I know, Sitecore recommends using the new namespace and the old namespace is going to be deprecated starting Sitecore 6.5. The following is a blurb from Sitecore 6.5 Release notes from SDN:
“The Sitecore.Data.Indexing namespace has been deprecated and will be removed in a future version of the CMS in favor of the more powerful and flexible Sitecore.Search classes and corresponding index definitions. “

Since there is only one document on this new namespace, it’s difficult to get more information when you find yourself in a bind. I had to google search to find bits and pieces and so I am writing this post.

Here is the link to the PDF on this site. Click Here (NO SDN access needed)

The basic configuration is given below:

      <configuration type="Sitecore.Search.SearchConfiguration, Sitecore.Kernel" singleInstance="true">
        <indexes hint="list:AddIndex">
          ... ... ...
          <index id="IndexNAME" type="Sitecore.Search.Index, Sitecore.Kernel">
            <param desc="name">$(id)</param>
            <param desc="folder">im_index</param>
            <Analyzer ref="search/analyzer"/>
            <locations hint="list:AddCrawler">
              <master type="Sitecore.Search.Crawlers.DatabaseCrawler, Sitecore.Kernel">
                <Database>master</Database>
                <Tags>master content</Tags>
                <Root>/sitecore/content</Root>
                <IndexAllFields>true</IndexAllFields>
                <include hint="list:IncludeTemplate">
                  <template comment="Template1">{8917CADF-2148-4328-B595-217C5A9CCA7D}</template>
                  <template comment="Template2">{2A18027D-CA51-4E5D-A7C1-51096E09C16C}</template>
                </include>
                <include hint="list:ExcludeTemplate">
                  <template>{8C18027D-CA51-4E5D-A7C1-510965555C}</template>
                </include>
                <!--<include hint="list:IncludeField">
                  <fieldId>{GUID}</fieldId>
                </include>-->
              </master>
            </locations>
          </index>
        </indexes>
      </configuration>

Here is a piece of sample code to query the index:

    Sitecore.Search.Index searchIndex = Sitecore.Search.SearchManager.GetIndex("Search Index Name"); //replace string with the name of the search index
    using (IndexSearchContext context = searchIndex.CreateSearchContext())
    {
        SearchHits hits = context.Search("search string");  //replace string with the actual search string
        SomeRepeater.DataSource = hits.FetchResults(0, 25); //first param is the start item, second is the count
        SomeRepeater.DataBind();
        ResultsCount = hits.FetchResults(0, hits.Length).Count();
    }

Here are some useful links:

Search Index Troubleshooting by Alex Shyba

Index Viewer in Sitecore Shared Source

I hope this is useful. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch!

<!--  UPLOAD AS FILES
Determines if media should be uploaded as files or as database blobs.
Default: false
-->

<setting name="Media.UploadAsFiles" value="false" />

<!--  MEDIA - USE ITEM PATHS FOR URLS
This setting controls if item paths are used for constructing media URLs.
If false, short ids will be used.
Default value: true
-->

<setting name="Media.UseItemPaths" value="true" />

Each time, it would import only a few files and it would stop. I tried killing all processes, lower the CPU and Memory usage but that didn’t make any difference.

According to the friendly and helpful Sitecore Customer Service Rep, Upload folder is managed by Sitecore.Resources.Media.UploadWatcher. Each time a file is added to the upload folder, UploadWatcher creates similar structure in media library. It is not a separate task or webservice, just simple uploading job started by “Created” event on filesystem.

The reason for this issue is that Sitecore uses System.IO.FileSystemWatcher object for file uploading (Sitecore use it to watch changes); when a lot of files are added at once, the FileSystemWatcher’s internalBuffer fills up and starts skipping files.

Checkout this article http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.io.filesystemwatcher.aspx

As a result of my Ticket, they created a workaround which is available at http://sdn.sitecore.net/scrapbook/sitecore%20doesn%E2%80%99t%20upload%20files%20from%20upload%20folder.aspx. You would need a Sitecore developer account to login.

As a workaround you need to use Sitecore.Support.322918.dll file. The workaround increases the InternalBuffer to avoid the unexpected skipping of files.

1. Add the string <add type=”Sitecore.Support.UploadWatcher,Sitecore.Support.322918″ name=”SitecoreUploadWatcher”/> before each occurrence of the string <add type=”Sitecore.Resources.Media.UploadWatcher, Sitecore.Kernel” name=”SitecoreUploadWatcher”/>

(see <system.webServer>/<modules> section and <system.web>/<httpModules> section)

2. Comment out all such lines: <add type=”Sitecore.Resources.Media.UploadWatcher, Sitecore.Kernel” name=”SitecoreUploadWatcher”/>

3. Put the Sitecore.Support.322918.dll file into the /bin folder of your web site

4. In the web.config file, add the following string under the <settings> section

<setting name=”FileSystemWatcherBufferSize” value=”4096000″/>

Such value seems to be enough for 5000 files, but you can increase it further to be sure that even files with very long names are uploaded.

For example:

If the full file path contains 100 symbols, it takes 200 bytes, 32000 files will take 6400000 bytes (6250 kb), so the setting value should be:

<setting name=”FileSystemWatcherBufferSize” value=”6400000 “/>

As always, please backup before making any significant changes.

P.S.: UploadWatcher calls MediaManager.Creator.FileCreated(filePath); – you can try to fire the same method with path to the missing folder as parameter. There is another methos for FolderCreated as well.

Hope this helps. Credit goes to Sitecore and its Customer Service Reps.

We find that Sitecore offers flexibility, power, ease of use and constant innovation that serves our clients well.

In the fast-changing and evolving world of web content, it can be difficult to know if a particular WCM product is keeping up with the changes and spearheading innovative solutions.

However, a Gartner’s MarketScope analysis has again confirmed that Sitecore is not only a solid performer in the world of WCM, but is in fact a visionary and a leader in the market.

Gartner’s analysis examines factors such as the core services and products offered in a content management system, including the features and feature groupings, the quality of the offerings, and whether or not the features are native or offered through agreements with third party vendors.

They also consider the overall business stability of the organization, their financial vision and strategy and likelihood of continued support for their WCM product.

Other factors taken into consideration in the equation are market responsiveness, the product’s track record in the past, the quality and execution of the product’s marketing program, actual customer experiences with the product, and the functionality of the business organization itself.

In a comparison to 17 other content management systems, no other system beats Sitecore for its completeness of vision or its ability to execute it’s vision and make it happen in the real world.

Take a look at Gartners evaluation, and see if you’d like to put the Sitecore system to work for your online business. If so, our Sitecore specialists at WebDatamation can make it happen for you.

We’ve been using Sitecore for our own website and for client’s websites because of its incredible power and functionality. Now Sitecore has also been recognized by independent research firm Forrester Research as a top CMS.

Forrester Research points out what the experts at Webdatamation could tell you — the flexibility and power of Sitecore make it strong in areas where competitors are weak.

The system is excellent for ease in creating content and integrating the content into a site, managing the workflow, and integrating content.

Sitecore also gets high marks for its ability to effectively target sites and content, having a global approach, integrating numerous sites, and for its community controls.

Sitecore leads out in multilingual content and in providing the means for making a separation between content and the presentation. This creates a dynamic environment for delivering the message and for using graphics and text in other contexts for different purposes.

Webdatamation chose Sitecore in part because it is a powerful solution for both simple websites as well as complex, fully powered sites.

The features of Sitecore allow for a highly flexible website that can integrate all of the Web 2.0 features.  Marketing departments can add website content or sales information to a company site easily without a great deal of technical knowledge, and still maintain a professional and responsive site.

It’s simple to integrate any analytic tools  and other business software into the Sitecore system, and it’s compatible with ecommerce products so that customers and site visitors have a seamless and enjoyable experience on your site.

We also like Sitecore because of their constant updates, research and trend forecasting. We know that our customers will have all the latest tools at their fingertips as soon as they are available.

If you haven’t yet seen what Sitecore can do for you, contact us at Webdatamation and let us give you a glimpse.

Follow the steps below:

1. Download the NorthwindDataProvider source from HERE.
2. Create a template for the external SQL data you are trying to use.
3. Modify the NortwindDataProvider, by commenting ModifyBase(); in the constructor as shown below:

         #region ctor
   
         public NorthwindDataProvider(
          string connection,  // Connection string
          string table,       // Table name
          string fieldsNames,  // Fields name divided by pipe separator
          string idField,     // ID Field name (primary key)
          string nameField,   // Name field name (name for content editor)
          string filter,      // "Where" clause
          string templateID,// Template name
          string parentItemID, //Parent item ID
          string hostDatabase // Database into which we integrate
          )
         {
            prefix = this.ToString();
   
            this.connectionString = connection;
            this.table = table;
            this.fieldsNames = fieldsNames;
            this.idField = idField;
            this.nameField = nameField;
            this.filter = filter;
            this.templateID = templateID;
            this.parentItemID = parentItemID;
            this.fieldNames = StringUtil.Split(string.Concat(this.idField, ",", this.fieldsNames), ',', true);
            this.hostDatabase = hostDatabase;
            //ModifyBase();
            CacheOptions.DisableAll = true;
            countRecords = 0;
         }
   
         #endregion

4. Add the following to the DataProviders section of the Web.Config:

    <dataProviders>
   ...
   <northwindDataProvider type="Sitecore.Data.DataProviders.NorthwindDataProvider, Sitecore.NorthwindDataProvider">
    <param desc="connection">server=SERVERNAME\SQLEXPRESS;User=abc123;password=1234;database=TestingDB</param>
    <param desc="table">ENTERTABLENAMEHERE</param>
    <param desc="fieldsNames">id,description,col3</param>
   <!-- list the columns corresponding with the template -->
    <param desc="idField">id</param>
    <!-- the name of the primary key field -->
    <param desc="nameField">description</param>
    <!-- the name of the field which will be used as the name of the node in Sitecore -->
    <param desc="filter"></param>
    <param desc="templateID">{3353B4C9-CD55-41DA-9A2E-140522E6185B}</param>
    <!-- the id of the template which was created to mimic the query/table -->
    <param desc="parentItemID">{AB466059-A6DE-4D3A-87CF-8FBB09680997}</param>
    <!-- the id of the folder/parent item where the data will be loaded -->
    <param desc="hostDatabase">master</param>
    </northwindDataProvider>
   ...
    </dataProviders>

5. Add the DataProvider to the Database section:

   <database id="master" singleInstance="true" type="Sitecore.Data.Database, Sitecore.Kernel">
    <param desc="name">$(id)</param>
    <icon>People/16x16/cubes_blue.png</icon>
    <dataProviders hint="list:AddDataProvider">
    <dataProvider ref="dataProviders/northwindDataProvider"/>
    <dataProvider ref="dataProviders/main" param1="$(id)">
    <prefetch hint="raw:AddPrefetch">
    <sc.include file="/App_Config/Prefetch/Common.config" />
    <sc.include file="/App_Config/Prefetch/Master.config" />
    </prefetch>
    </dataProvider>
    </dataProviders>

Once all of this is done, you can restart the Sitecore server and client. Open the content editor and you will see the data loaded under the parent item. If you have any questions please feel free to get in touch with me at asura @ webdatamation . com

Sitecore support was helpful in guiding me. Here are a couple of useful links:

http://sdn.sitecore.net/Resources/Shared%20Source/Shared%20Source%205,-d-,3/Data%20Providers/SQL%20Data%20Provider/Downloads.aspx

http://sdn.sitecore.net/Developer/Integrating%20External%20Data%20Sources/Examples/Hello%20World.aspx

http://sdn5.sitecore.net/Articles/API/Creating%20a%20Composite%20Custom%20Field/Adding%20a%20Custom%20Field%20to%20Sitecore%20Client.aspx

http://sdn5.sitecore.net/faq/api/populate%20lookup%20field%20with%20field%20values.aspx

Some of the source in the above links might not work as intended or cause minor compiler errors.

For businesses that consider their website and their customers who contact them online to be an integral part of their business, using a content management system is only logical. It will allow those businesses to provide a seamless, high quality online experience that open source or low-end solutions simply can’t provide.

For many of our customers, their website is a strategic part of their business. The added security and performance features of a CMS allow these businesses to focus the website and the usability features that make the customer experience truly superior.

By giving developers and content providers a simple to use and intuitive system, a CMS allows the marketing department or the sales department to create website content and design elements of the site. These professionals understand the customers and their needs better than developers or IT departments. With a CMS, the control goes to the people with the ideas, not only to the people with the programming expertise

The easy integration with business applications also provides a great opportunity for businesses to provide a better integration of Customer Relationship Management software and Enterprise Resource Planning software, as well as any analytics tools.

Because you, the company, are in control of the content and the programs and tools that you use on your site, you are able to better tailor your customers’ experience on your website, offer them seamless integration of eCommerce products and Web 2.0 feature, and fully optimize your site for search engines, so current and new customers can find you easily.

With so many advantages for developers and for the end customers, its easy to see why Content Management Systems are increasingly popular.

We think we offer you the best possible CMS with Sitecore. While there are still features they can improve, as we’ve mentioned here before, overall they provide a powerful program that is fully scalable so it can grow with your company. It’s also easy to use and forward thinking, constantly updating the product and forecasting the next trend, then responding to it.

Their “Gold” partner status with Microsoft ensures continuing support for all its best features.

If you haven’t utilized the power of a great CMS to provide your customer with the best possible experience online, I’d suggest giving it a try today.

Sitecore recently identified the three key web content management trends for 2009 – do any of these sound like goals for your company this year? If so, let us help you implement them using the seamless integration tools Sitecore provides.

The first trend is the growth of ecommerce elements. Companies want to integrate more and more ecommerce tools into their websites. One of the most popular tools for businesses to implement is InSite Commerce, a program that integrates ecommerce solutions. It allows a business to manage multiple websites and allows a great deal of flexibility for customers.

The other top ecommerce solution used by businesses is Microsoft Commerce Server, which offers intuitive tools for integrating ecommerce solutions including an out of the box shopping solution.

The second major trend for web content management is integrating portals into public websites. Microsoft’s SharePoint was the most frequently used type of portal. Using portals on a public website allows a company to provide the customers with quick, easy access to important information. These portals can be customized according to the needs of your customers and your business.

The final trend for 2009 in web content management is increased implementation of Web 2.0 functionalities. Sitecore’s content management system is uniquely situated to effortlessly add applications like wikis, blogs, forums, and surveys to a website. While Web 2.0 is an ongoing topic of conversation, Sitecore found that companies have increased integration of Web 2.0 functionalities at a rate that is 250 percent higher than last year, so the pace of Web 2.0 integration is growing rapidly.

Other trends that are continuing from 2008 are continuing compatibility with the .NET network and making websites compatible with mobile computing.

With Sitecore, Webdatamation can keep your website ahead of the curve in implementing and integrating any elements you’d like into your company website.

1. Sitecore Admin needs to load faster
2. Need an easier way to assign renderings to place holders
3. Need an easier way to Assign roles & users to folders and content items
4. Right now it is a pain to get it setup on Windows 2008 with SQL Server 2008, it would be nice to get an installer which does this for you (Sitecore posted a note saying that this is in the works).

I don’t know if I say it enough, I love Sitecore.