The document provides an overview of automating variations in SharePoint 2013, discussing topics such as language packs, the limited boundaries of variation sites, and the hierarchy of variations. It details specific tasks like enabling the variation label menu, configuring variations, and using timer jobs, while also mentioning the differences in variation label support between on-premises and Office 365. Additionally, the document includes links to tools and resources for further automation using PowerShell and C#.

1. AUTOMATE VARIATIONS
In SharePoint 2013

2. WHO AM I

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Language pack
Elements of variation
Limited boundaries
Enable VariationLabelMenu control
Configure Variations
Timer Jobs
Automate variation in PowerShell
Automate variation in C#
Automate variations Timer Jobs
Convert C# to PowerShell
Tools
Code Plex
Summary
AGENDA

4. LANGUAGE PACK
• http://www.microsoft.com/en-eg/download/details.aspx?id=3411
• there is support for creating up to 209 Variation labels on-premises,
• to Office 365 users, now supports up to 50 Variation labels.

5. ELEMENTS OF VARIATION
• Variation root site
• Variation label
• Variation sites
• Source variation site
• Target variation site
• Variations hierarchy
• Variations lists
• Variations pages

6. LIMITED BOUNDARIES
• Variations feature is a single-tier hierarchy.
• The source and target variation sites exist at the same level within the site
hierarchy.
• Content syncing is unidirectional.
• The variations feature syncs content from a source variation site to one or more
target variation sites.
• You cannot use the variations feature to sync content from a target variation site
back to a source variation site.
• Also, target variation sites cannot sync content to other target variation sites.

7. NOTE
SharePoint Server 2013 supports up to 209 variation labels.
SharePoint Online supports up to 50 variation labels.

8. ENABLE VARIATIONLABELMENU
• This control enables users to navigate to the related/equivalent pages in
other language sites.
Go to the location Program FilesCommon FilesMicrosoft SharedWeb Server
Extensions14TEMPLATECONTROLTEMPLATES
• Find the file "VariationsLabelMenu.ascx" and edit it.
• Add the below line to the contents of the file.
<cms:VariationsLabelEcbMenu id ="varlabelmenu1" DataSourceID="LabelMe
nuDataSource" DisplayText="Links" IsCallbackMode="true" runat="server" />

9. CONFIGURE VARIATIONS
• Install language pack
• Configure variation settings
• Create variation labels
• Create hierarchies
• Check variation log

10. TIMER JOBS
• Variations Create Hierarchies Job Definition
• Variations Propagate List Items Job Definition
• Variations Propagate Page Job Definition
• Variations Propagate Sites and Lists Timer Job

11. By default, content approval is enabled on target lists.
NOTE
When a new item is synced to a target list, it must be
approved before it will appear in a Content Query Web Part
on the target variation site.
Individual pages can be synced to specific target labels,
but individual list items can not.
You can only specify a complete list to sync to specific
target labels.

12. AUTOMATE VARIATIONS - PS
DEMO

13. AUTOMATE VARIATIONS – C#
DEMO

14. AUTOMATE VARIATIONS TIMER JOBS
DEMO

15. CONVERT C# TO PS
• .NET Reflector has an array of add-ons on CodePlex,
One of these is the PowerShell add-on that allows you to disassemble code
directly into PowerShell.
https://reflectoraddins.codeplex.com
PowerShellLanguage [.NET Reflector Add-Ins]
https://reflectoraddins.codeplex.com/wikipage?title=PowerShellLanguage

16. TOOLS
• .Net Reflector 8
• http://www.red-gate.com/products/dotnet-development/reflector/
• PowerGUI
• a graphical user interface and script editor for Microsoft Windows PowerShell.
• http://powergui.org

17. CodePlex
• Automate Variations using PowerShell
• https://powershellspvariations.codeplex.com/
• Automate Variations using C#
• https://csharpspvariations.codeplex.com/

18. SUMMARY
• Language pack
• Configure Variations
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Configure variation settings
Create variation labels
Create hierarchies
Check variation log
• Timer Jobs
• Automate variation in PowerShell
• Automate variation in C#
• Convert C# to PowerShell

19. QUESTIONS

21. THANK YOU
• Keep up to date
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• Dubai SharePoint User Group blog: http://dubaispug.wordpress.com
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