How to import a nested folder structure containing files

Problem

I have a deeply nested folder structure containing file objects (.doc, .xls, .ppt etc.) and I want to import them into Plone


Approach

By declaring file objects to be IDAVAware, we could use GenericSetup to import them, an idea I got from here:

http://reinout.vanrees.org/weblog/2006/09/13/creating-content-with-genericsetup.html


Steps

1. Mark ATFile as IDAVAware by adding the following in your configure.zcml:

<five:implements
        class="Products.ATContentTypes.content.file.ATFile"
        interface="Products.GenericSetup.interfaces.IDAVAware"
   />

2. Create a structure folder under the default profile of your product and create the desired folder structure there.

3. Recursively create the .objects, .preserve and .properties files under the structure folder. To make this easy, you can use the prepare_content recipe from collective.migrator. Your buildout step should look something like this:

[prepare_content]
recipe = collective.migrator:prepare_content
top_folder = /plone/src/my.product/my/product/profiles/default/structure/My Folder Structure/

4. Reinstall your product using the portal_quickinstaller

How to export a nested folder structure containing Files

Problem

I have a deeply nested folder structure containing file objects (.doc, .xls, .ppt etc.) and I want to export them to the file system


Approach

By declaring file objects to be IDAVAware, we could use GenericSetup to export them, an idea I got from here:

http://reinout.vanrees.org/weblog/2006/09/13/creating-content-with-genericsetup.html


Steps

1. Mark ATFile as IDAVAware by adding the following in your configure.zcml:

  
   <five:implements
      class="Products.ATContentTypes.content.file.ATFile"
      interface="Products.GenericSetup.interfaces.IDAVAware"
   />

2. Go to portal_setup at the root of the site

3. Go to the Export tab, select the step called Content

4. Click on Export Selected Steps at the bottom

Caveat

A small change in GenericSetup which will land in version 1.6.3 made this possible,

https://bugs.launchpad.net/zope-cmf/+bug/722726