What can you do with the Kentico API? With over 200 ready to use web parts and a detailed API at your disposal the possibilities are endless. Event handlers, custom providers, customized data structures; programmatically create documents – to name a few. In this session we will explore ways that you can use this API to extend your CMS applications. The co-speaker for this session is Bryan Soltis, Senior Software Engineer from Bit-Wizards Custom Software Solutions, Inc.

1. Using the Kentico CMS API
Thom Robbins (thomasr@kentico.com
Bryan Soltis (bryan@bitwizards.com)

2. Agenda
• Overview (Architecture/Objects) (Thom)
• CMS Context (Bryan)
• Document Management (Thom)
• Global Events (Thom)
• Modules (Bryan)

3. Looking at Kentico CMS
Logical three tier architecture…

4. Architecture breakdown
Data layer
(+metadata)
Business layer
Controls libraries
UI components
Web project pages Live site pages +
admin UI pages
Web parts + User
controls
CMSControls
Helpers
SettingsProvider
Enumerations Infos & Providers
Data engine
GeneralConnection
Abstract info
Metadata infos
(Class, Query,
SettingsKey)
Interfaces
Third party code
Module web parts
+ Module user
controls
Module controls
Module Infos &
Providers
Module definitions
Presentationlayer
Best Practice Tip
• Kentico CMS web site project provides examples of all sorts of code!

5. OO Basics - Object Creation Examples
// Create UserInfo
CMS.SiteProvider.UserInfo user = new CMS.SiteProvider.UserInfo();
// Set properties
user.UserName = "Alice";
user.FirstName = "Alice";
user.LastName = "Cooper";
user.FullName = "Alice Cooper";
user.Email = "alice.cooper@domain.com";
user.IsEditor = true;
user.IsGlobalAdministrator = true;
user.PreferredCultureCode = "en-us";
user.Enabled = true;
// Create new user
CMS.SiteProvider.UserInfoProvider.SetUserInfo(user);
// Prepare the TreeProvider (it must be initialized with user information when editing
document structure)
UserInfo ui = UserInfoProvider.GetUserInfo("administrator");
CMS.TreeEngine.TreeProvider tree = new CMS.TreeEngine.TreeProvider(ui);
// Get the document (current culture)
CMS.TreeEngine.TreeNode node =
tree.SelectSingleNode(CMS.CMSHelper.CMSContext.CurrentSiteName,
"/News/TestingWorkflow",
CMS.CMSHelper.CMSContext.CurrentUser.PreferredCultureCode, false, null, false);
if (node != null)
{
// Always delete the document with DocumentHelper, it handles all the
dependencies
CMS.WorkflowEngine.DocumentHelper.DeleteDocument(node, tree, true,
true,true);
}
Example - Creating
new user
Example – Delete
Document

6. API Everywhere!
• Class View is your Friend
CMS.SettingsProvider
.SettingsHelper
.SQLHelperClass
.TranslationHelp
er
CMS.GlobalHelper
.DataHelper
.ContextHelper
.AJAXHelper
Library Specific
CMS.Controls.CM
SControlsHelper
CMS.WorkflowEn
gine.DocumentHe
lper
CMS.Blogs.BlogHe
lper
Some Examples…
Best practice Tip:
Class view is customizable to allow
personalized organization and viewing

7. Helpers and general libraries
SettingsProvider
(metadata helpers)
SettingsHelper
(web.config)
SettingsKeyHelper
(web site settings)
SqlHelperClass
(low level DB connection, used
only from SettingsProvider)
DataHelper
(basic data manipulation)
TranslationHelper
(conversion of IDs based on
code names or GUIDs)
GlobalHelper
(general helpers)
/Context
(HTTP context related data)
/Data
(advanced data manipulation and
validation)
/Globalization
(resource strings and cultures)
/Markup
(macros, HTML, XML, text, script)
/Media
(images and media manipulation
and information)
Library specific
(module helpers)
ControlsHelper
CMSControlsHelper
DocumentHelper
WebFarmSyncHelperClass
Etc.
App_Code
(helper functions)
Functions.cs
InstallerFunctions.cs
BlogFunctions.cs
EcommerceFunctions.cs
Etc.
Best Practice Tip
• For general code locate the appropriate helper and use it
• If the helper contains similar methods override and extend
• Implement new behavior in helpers

8. CMS Context
• CMS.CMSHelper.CMSContext class provides static
methods to access common information
Method
CurrentAliasPath
CurrentDocument
CurrentPageInfo
CurrentSite
CurrentSiteName
CurrentUser
ViewMode
ResolveCurrentPath
Need a code snippet?

9. Document Management – How documents are stored
• Documents stored in SQL joined tables
– CMS_Tree – Table with basic document data shared between different
language versions. Contains one record for all culture version of the
document
– CMS_Document – Table with document data of specified language
version of the document. Contains one record representing one
language version of the document
– Coupled table – table that contains custom document type fields
CMS_Tree
CMS_Document Coupled table
CMS_Document Coupled table
CMS_Document Coupled table
Best Practice Tip:
Every document is stored in up to three (3) tables. Use the
API to access documents

10. Document Management – Versioning Internals
• Document versions and its history are stored in separate
tables
– CMS_VersionHistory – Table containing the document versions. Each
version of the document is represented by one record that contains
the complete document data in XML.
– CMS_AttachmentHistory – Table containing the attachment version
records. Each attachment version is bound to one or more document
versions. Every record contains binary data of the attachment.
– CMS_VersionAttachment – Table containing the bindings of the
attachment versions to the document versions.
CMS_VersionHistory
CMS_VersionAttachment
CMS_AttachmentHistory
Version of attachments
CMS_VersionAttachment
CMS_AttachmentHistory
Version of attachments

11. Document Management Techniques
CMS.TreeEngine.TreeNode
• Not aware of
versioning/workflow/attachments
• Only works with published records
CMS.WorkflowEngine.DocumentHelper
• Versioning/workflow/attachment aware
• Use for all document deletes
Best Practice Tip:
CMS.WorkflowEngine.DocumentHelper is recommended to access
document information
CMS.CMSHelper.TreeHelper allows
access to documents directly
Best Practice Tip:
TreeHelper.GetDocuments checks the view mode and then
calls either TreeProvider or DocumentHelper

12. Global Events
• Provide a way to execute custom events within the CMS
system
• Managed as a separate projects
• Web Config Key
Best Practice Tip:
Developer documentation contains step by step instructions for
implementing Global Events

13. Global Event Classes
• The events are applied to all data items that are stored to the database. It
includes documents, user information or any other settings
• Receives DataClass
CustomDataHandler.cs
• Event applied to all exceptions that occur
• Receives System.exception
CustomExceptionHandler.cs
• Allows the integration of external databases and modify the authentication
and authorization processCustomSecurityHandler.cs
• Execute custom actions when a document is created, updated or deletedCustomTreeNodeHandler.cs
• Event applied to workflow documents (same as CustomTreeNodeHandler)
• Same as CustomtreeNodeHandler
CustomWorkflowHandler.cs
Best Practice Tip:
For Document events always use either the CustomTreeNodeHandler (no workflow) or
CustomWorkFlowHandler (workflow) not the CustomDataHandler

14. Modules
• Extend the CMS system to include your custom code

15. Additional Information
• Best samples are in your project!
• Get your poster
• Documentation -
http://devnet.kentico.com/Documentation.aspx
• Code Snippet Library -
http://devnet.kentico.com/Blogs/Thomas-Robbins.aspx
• Marketplace -
http://devnet.kentico.com/Marketplace.aspx