Sitecore Content Serialization Module Editor test-run

This blog is a long-pending note about my Sitecore Module Explorer / rule Editor. Without much ado, let's get into details. 

My source folder is a copy of the MVP-Site and it looks like this. This is where we will test the application. The folder for reference:

To the new MVP site Visual Studio solution, I add the SCS Module explorer project and set this project as startup project:

Before I do anything, I clear the following artifacts from my new c:\mvp-site-test folder structure (since these were part of my original mvp-site folder):

1. .config folder

2. .sitecore folder

3. sitecore.json

4. *.module.json (from sub-folders)

Next, in the web.config of the SCSModuleEditor project, I configure the following values:

No more gimmicks, just action: Start the application like any asp.net web application from visual studio and this is how the page looks:

Page load drops the following file in the source code path, c:\projects\mvp-site-test configured in the web.config:

scs.ps1 looks like this:

Now, click the button  "1. Perform Initial Serialization" and with a patience time of about 10 seconds, Sitecore identity server will be launched, give permission to generate the secret key:

With this action, the following file/folders will be created in the file system:

1. .config folder

2. .sitecore folder

3. sitecore.json

Nothing great so far, right? All these will be done by Docker / up.ps1 combo? True, let us move to the next level then!

Back in the SCSModuleRuleEditor page, on reloading the page, you must see the  "Setup Module JSON Files" button:

On clicking the button, you should see a set of module.json files automatically generated in the file system:

Now, the page must look like this:

Your module json files are accessible in the drop down:

if you click each file in the list, the json file content will be displayed in the right pane;

Include section for each json accessible:

Rules can be applied on the fly for an include section:

Note: the rule description gets populated automatically based on your selection!

Check if the generated or copied-over json is valid with a button click:

Save the file and check in the file system:

Now, I cross-check what is generated with what exists in the original mvp-site source code. Picked Forms.Module.json and this is how it compares:

The one on left is the generated code. 

Sitecore instance doesn't have any forms related templates:

In the above content tree. create a folder under templates feature named forms and adjust the module.json in the application to match just that node (for clarity) as follows and save to file system:

Now, click serialize button in the page and a serialization folder automatically gets created in the file system under feature\forms and that is our much desired yml file:

I now copy over the files from the original mvp-site to the serialisation folder under forms:

And, we should be able to see new items as a result of the sync:

I have some fine-tuning to do in the following areas:

- Rule Editor

- user.json - cm host name population (currently it appends an additional https!

- sitecore.json must reflect the correct path of module.json (currently it still shows TODO)

I'm going to do some more testing before I make the code public!

Note: If not using Docker, Sitecore Management Services must be manually installed (as of now) in the Sitecore instance to overcome "Make sure the GraphQL service is installed and available." error