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Catalog Item Templates

I’m looking for some guidance on using Catalog Item Templates.

 

I use Catalog Item Templates to successfully copy Catalog Item settings from

-- General -> Global tab (for example the ‘Request options’ get copied)

-- Actions tab

These work really well and save us a lot of time and manual effort.

I now need to create a template to copy an Alert (General -> Alert tab) and also the security tab (to add user to AD group when the Catalog Item is requested)

 

I have tried a number of time – but these settings never seem to be copied to the new Catalog Item. Setting from the General -> Global tab DO get copied so I know the template is being picked up (it’s also listed under Catalog Management – Administration – Catalog Templates) and the ‘is enabled’ is ticked under Global Options.

Adding the Alert and setting up the security setting is not something we want to do manually every time we import new Catalog Items as we have the rest of the process fully automated (right through to setting up the application in SCCM to importing the Application into the App Portal).

 

Am I doing something wrong or is there a limitation on what properties and setting can be copied using Catalog Item Templates ( I really hope there is not a limitation).

Thanks in advance!

(4) Replies

I can't say for sure that these specific properties are limitations, but there definitely are limitations on what new catalog items will inherit from the templates.  Some of the things that aren't inherited are somewhat obvious, like title, descriptions, icons, prices, Flexera ID's, etc.  Basically, anything that would be expected to be unique to the catalog item won't be inherited.  Most other properties that reside in the WD_WebPackages table will be inherited.  Anything stored outside the WD_WebPackages table is hit or miss.  What I can tell you is that there are known issues with some properties that should be inherited from templates not getting inherited if you are using the New Software Catalog Item option or the New General Catalog Item option in the Admin UI.  Instead, you should always use the New Catalog Item Wizard, which will ensure that the intended properties are inherited.  That said, if there are other properties that you feel should be inherited from a template, please submit an enhancement request through Support and provide your reasoning.

Anything expressed here is my own view and not necessarily that of my employer, Flexera. If my reply answers a question you have raised, please click "ACCEPT AS SOLUTION".

Thanks for your reply.

 

I feel submitting an enhancement might be a long process. We are have an application request self service option for our Developers where the packaging, SCCM Import and (most of the) Import to the App Portal is automated. The only parts missing is in the App Portal import (Adding an alert for catalog items and adding the security tab setting to add a user to an AD group). I was hoping the template would work as I already uses templates for copying settings in the Actions tab.

 

Are there any APIs available I could use to achieve either of these requirements?

 

If not, for the Alert – would we simple need to add to the WD_WebPackageAlert table and set the EnableAlert in the WD_WebPackages To 1?

 

I’m not sure how to copy the Security tab settings – it would be the same AD group every time – it would have been handy to do this via a template. Maybe I can use an action instead.

 

Please let me know if you have any ideas.

Yes, enhancements might take a while to implement 🙂 Once again, there are no API calls which would allow you to add an alert or to add to the security groups tab of the catalog item.. I think that both of these would typically be unique from one catalog item to the next, which is likely why they are not inherited from a template... With regards to adding an alert through a DB query, you are correct in your observation that you would need to add to the WD_WebPackageAlert table.. With regards to adding items to the Security groups tab for a catalog item, you would need to add rows to the WD_PackageSecurity table. If
you are using the same security group, then all that would be different between rows is the PackageID_FK column..

Thanks Charles, I'll try to add through a DB update. Thanks for confirming the tables.