Reordering Dynamic Module Items with Action Menu

We usually need to have our dynamic module items sorted in a particular sequence, regardless of their creation and publication date. The normal approach to do this is to add a numeric field to the module and enter values manually. This could prove to be really hard to manage ordinals when there are a lot of items.

To manage ordinal easily through UI, we will perform some steps with following points in mind.

• Assign the correct ordinal to newly created items.
• Create an ordinal service which will manage reordering items.
• Same functionality should work for all dynamic modules.
• Add action menu items (move up, move down).

Global.asax.cs

First off, we will create a logic to assign the correct sort order number to newly created items. Please note that this will require a field named SortOrder defined in your module as numeric field, hidden.

protected void Application_Start(object sender, EventArgs e) 
{ 
    Bootstrapper.Initialized += new EventHandler<ExecutedEventArgs>(Bootstrapper_Initialized);
}

private void Bootstrapper_Initialized(object sender, Telerik.Sitefinity.Data.ExecutedEventArgs e)
{
    if (e.CommandName == "Bootstrapped")
    { 
        EventHub.Subscribe<IDynamicContentCreatedEvent>(evt => IDynamicContentCreatedEvent(evt)); 
    } 
}

private void IDynamicContentCreatedEvent(IDynamicContentCreatedEvent eventInfo)
{
    var userId = eventInfo.UserId;
    var creationDate = eventInfo.CreationDate;
    var item = eventInfo.Item;
    var visible = eventInfo.Visible;

    if (item.ApprovalWorkflowState != "Published" && item.DoesFieldExist("SortOrder"))
    {
        DynamicModuleManager manager = new DynamicModuleManager();
        var items = manager.GetDataItems(item.GetType()).Where(i => i.ApprovalWorkflowState == "Published" && i.Status == ContentLifecycleStatus.Live);
        var num = items.Count() + 1;
        
        item.SetValue("SortOrder", num);
        PublishDynamicItem(item);
    }
}

private bool PublishDynamicItem(DynamicContent item)
{
    try
    {
        var manager = DynamicModuleManager.GetManager();
        item = manager.Lifecycle.GetMaster(item) as DynamicContent;
        item.SetWorkflowStatus(manager.Provider.ApplicationName, "Draft");
        ILifecycleDataItem publishedDealerItem = manager.Lifecycle.Publish(item);
        
        item.SetWorkflowStatus(manager.Provider.ApplicationName, "Published");
        manager.SaveChanges();
        return true;
    }
    catch (DataStoreException dse) { return false; }
    catch (Exception ex) { return false; }
}

This will assign next possible sort order value to the item so that sequence doesn’t break.

Ordinal Service

Copy this folder to /Sitefinity/Services folder. This contains following files:

• IOrdinalService.cs
• OrdinalScript.js
• OrdinalService.cs
• OrdinalService.svc

The service will swap the position of the moved item with the item above or below it when moved up or below respectively. This of course requires a field named SortOrder in your dynamic module.

Add Widget to Action Menu

Go to /Sitefinity/Administration/Settings/Advanced and drill down to nodes DynamicModules > Controls > [Your Dynamic Module] > Views > BackendList > Scripts > Create New.

• Script location: ~/Sitefinity/Services/Ordinal/OrdinalScript.js
• Name of the load method: itemsListLoaded

Then go to DynamicModules > Controls > [Your Dynamic Module] > Views > BackendList > View Modes > Grid > Columns > Actions > MenuItems > Create New > LiteralWidgetElement.

• Name: Separator1
• CssClass: sfSeparator
• WrapperTagName: Li
• Type: Telerik.Sitefinity.Web.UI.Backend.Elements.Widgets.LiteralWidget, Telerik.Sitefinity
• Type checkbox: Check it

Go back to MenuItems and add CommandWidgetElement.

• Command name: moveup
• Name: MoveUp
• CssClass: sfMoveUp
• CommandText: Move up
• WrapperTagName: Li
• Type: Telerik.Sitefinity.Web.UI.Backend.Elements.Widgets.CommandWidget, Telerik.Sitefinity

Again, go back to MenuItems and add another CommandWidgetElement.

• Command name: movedown
• Name: MoveDown
• CssClass: sfMoveDown
• CommandText: Move down
• WrapperTagName: Li
• Type: Telerik.Sitefinity.Web.UI.Backend.Elements.Widgets.CommandWidget, Telerik.Sitefinity

Finally, update grid sort expression so that you would see the changes right away in the list. Go to DynamicModules > Controls > [Your Dynamic Module] > Views > BackendList.

• Sort expression: SortOrder ASC

And you’re done, Happy Coding!

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