String Writer

One of the most-wanted requirement from all customers is that notifying users through email. When they have some level of approvers to approve the content before they get published, the current user or next level approvers can be notified via mail.

I’ve earlier done this same implementation in ASP.Net & MOSS but Tridion is bit different. Sending mail is no different than traditional C# way. C# is to write mail related code and VB Script is to invoke it. Thats it…

Tridion allows this implementation in 3 simple steps. This simple example is just to understand its process… other business logics can be included later according to our requirements.

Implementation

1) Create custom dll using C#

2) Create workflows using Visio

3) Define workflow actions using VB Script

1) Create Custom dll using C#

Assuming that you now have fair idea about developing custom assemblies in Tridion. I’m starting directly with a code snippet.

Let’s create a custom class to define a C# method which has mailing piece of code.

namespace WorkFlow
{

  [System.Runtime.InteropServices.ComVisible(true)]
  [System.Runtime.InteropServices.ProgId("WCMReq.WorkflowSamples")]
  public class MailUtility
  {

     public bool NotifyUser(object workItem)
     {

        try
        {
           If(workItem is Component)
           {
               Component comp = (Component)workItem;
               String message = “Current approval level of “ + comp.Title + “ is “ + comp.ApprovalStatus.Position;
               return SendMail(message);
           }
           return false;
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
           WriteLog(ex.Message);
        }
     }

     private bool SendMail(string message)
     {
       …
     }
  }
}

2) Create workflows using Visio

Assuming that you are already defined workflows using Visio Tridion extention.

3) Define workflow actions using VB Script

Open any workflow automatic action and include the following VB Script code.

Dim workobj
Set workobj= CreateObject("WCMReq.WorkflowSamples")
workobj.NotifyUser(CurrentWorkItem.GetItem())
Set workobj= Nothing