Content Management Interoperability Services (CMIS) is the preferred API for writing code against Alfresco. This presentation explains how to get started using CMIS and covers some of the gotchas and limitations you should be aware of before you commit to CMIS for your project. This presentation was originally delivered at Alfresco Summit 2013 in Barcelona and Boston.

1. First Steps with CMIS &
Alfresco
Jeff Potts
@jeffpotts01
http://ecmarchitect.com
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2. You’ve been handed a project
Your Favorite Language/Framework
What Goes Here?
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3. You’ve been handed a project
Your Favorite Language/Framework
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4. CMIS gives developers a standard
API for working with content
repositories like Alfresco
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5. First Steps with CMIS
1. Choose CMIS as your preferred API
2. Use the OpenCMIS Workbench as a
learning tool
3. Set up your development environment
4. Watch out for gotchas/limitations
5. Take advantage of additional learning
resources
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6. Why CMIS?
Preferred API for working with Alfresco
Open standard, managed by OASIS
Many vendors support it
Plenty of examples
Client libraries for many languages
• Java, Python, .NET, PHP, ObjectiveC, Android
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7. http://chemistry.apache.org
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8. Start with the Workbench
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9. Connect with CMIS Workbench
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10. Explore the Alfresco repo
CRUD objects
Inspect/change properties
Run queries
Run scripts using the Groovy console
See the content model
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11. The Workbench is great for…
Testing queries
Inspecting the data dictionary
• Including whether or not a property is
read/write or queryable
Can I do _____________ with CMIS?
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12. Alfresco CMIS Service URLs by Version
Alfresco
Version
CMIS Service URL
3.2r2 - 3.4
http://localhost:8080/alfresco/service/cmis (ATOM)
http://localhost:8080/alfresco/cmis (SOAP)
4.0
http://localhost:8080/alfresco/cmisatom
http://localhost:8080/alfresco/cmis (SOAP)
4.2.d/4.2
Enterprise
http://localhost:8080/alfresco/api/-default-/cmis/versions/1.0/atom
http://localhost:8080/alfresco/api/-default-/cmis/versions/1.1/atom
http://localhost:8080/alfresco/api/-default-/cmis/versions/1.1/browser
http://localhost:8080/alfresco/cmis (SOAP)
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13. Set Up Your Dev Environment
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14. Let’s set up your environment
Could use curl or any other HTTP client, but
why?
Grab OpenCMIS from Apache Chemistry
Maven makes it easy
Group: org.apache.chemistry.opencmis
Artifact: chemistry-opencmis-client-impl
Version: 0.10.0
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15. File Loader Example
Let’s load some images into Alfresco onpremise
• Get a session
• Create a folder
• Check-in some documents
• Set some properties
https://code.google.com/p/alfresco-api-java-examples/
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16. CMIS Works in the Cloud Too!
Let’s load some images into Alfresco in the
cloud
Same CMIS calls, different authentication
Register for an API key
• http://www.alfresco.com/develop
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17. Watch Out for
Gotchas/Limitations
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18. CMIS object IDs are opaque
Best not to even
look at one!
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19. Queries
CMIS queries are read-only
Do you really need everything?
• select * from cmis:document
Do you really need all rows?
• Use OperationContext to limit
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20. Working with Aspects
CMIS 1.0 doesn’t know what an aspect is
• Must use OpenCMIS Extension
CMIS 1.1 calls aspects secondary types
• Add/remove aspects by setting
cmis:secondaryObjectTypeIds
For queries, use a join
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21. Adding an aspect (CMIS 1.0)
parameter.put(SessionParameter.OBJECT_FACTORY_CLASS,
"org.alfresco.cmis.client.impl.AlfrescoObjectFactoryImpl");
if (!doc.hasAspect("P:cm:geographic")) {
doc.addAspect("P:cm:geographic");
System.out.println("Added aspect");
} else {
System.out.println("Doc already had aspect");
}
HashMap<String, Object> props = new
HashMap<String, Object>();
props.put("cm:latitude", 52.513871);
props.put("cm:longitude", 13.391106);
doc.updateProperties(props);
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22. Adding an aspect (CMIS 1.1)
List<Object> aspects =
doc.getProperty("cmis:secondaryObjectTypeIds").getValues();
if (!aspects.contains("P:cm:geographic")) {
aspects.add("P:cm:geographic");
HashMap<String, Object> props = new
HashMap<String, Object>();
props.put("cmis:secondaryObjectTypeIds", aspects);
doc.updateProperties(props);
System.out.println("Added aspect");
} else {
System.out.println("Doc already had aspect");
}
HashMap<String, Object> props = new
HashMap<String, Object>();
props.put("cm:latitude", 52.513871);
props.put("cm:longitude", 13.391106);
doc.updateProperties(props);
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23. Query for aspect-based props
SELECT D.cmis:name, G.cm:latitude, G.cm:longitude
FROM cmis:document as D
JOIN cm:geographic as G
ON D.cmis:objectId = G.cmis:objectId
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24. Working with Relationships
Peer associations only
Both sides must be instances of cmis:folder
or cmis:document or a descendant type
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25. Working with ACLs
Can manage ACLs
Cannot set or un-set ACL inheritance
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26. Other Limitations
Can only access objects that are
descendants of cm:content or cm:folder
Cannot create users/groups
Cannot create or change types through the
API (yet)
Cannot work with categories or tags
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27. A Word About Interoperability
Pay attention to RepositoryInfo
• Multifiling, search, ACL, etc. may differ
between repository vendors
Inspect getAllowableActions
Look at the type definitions
• Not all repositories name types the same
way
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28. Example Apps & Additional
Learning Resources
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29. Read the Book
Everything you need to know
about CMIS 1.0 & 1.1
Lots of Groovy and Java
examples
Also covers
Python, .NET, PHP, Android, &
iOS
37%-off: 12cmisal
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30. Quick Look at The Blend
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31. Ask questions in the “Alfresco
API” forum!
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32. First Steps with CMIS
1. Choose CMIS as your preferred API
2. Use the OpenCMIS Workbench as a
learning tool
3. Set up your development environment
4. Watch out for gotchas/limitations
5. Take advantage of additional learning
resources
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