Broken Links When Updating PDFs

Since upgrading to Sitefinity 7.1, all of our PDF links break when we update PDFs on our website. Is there a way to fix this so we don't have to go to each page with the new PDF and create a new link? Thanks!

Hi Anessa,

The issue is really strange. Sitefinity should be able to dynamically resolve the links for media items when you select the media items (documents, images) for example in a built-in Content block widget using the Document Manager tool. Can you please provide more details about how do you display the pdf documents on the frontend? Do you use hard-coded links or urls?

You may also refer to the following forum post where a similar issue has been discussed and which I think might be helpful.

Regards,
Sabrie Nedzhip
Telerik

Hi Sabrie,

Yes, Sitefinity used to resolve links for updated PDFs, but the links break now. Our PDFs are displayed as hard-coded links. We display the name of the PDF document and then use the Hyperlink Manager to create the link. So people just click on the PDF name to open the document. I looked at the other forum post that you mentioned, but didn't think that sounded like the same issue. Let me know if you have other thoughts.

Thanks,
Anessa

Hi Anessa,

Since the links are hard-coded on your side, Sitefinity would not be able to update the links when they are changed and this causing the issue. 

Can you please try to add the links to the PDF documents using the Document Manager. Here is a short video for your convenience. This way Sitefinity should dynamically resolve the links. After you have added the link as demonstrated in the video, you can try to update the pdf files and check if the issue will be reproduced and if the links will be broken.

In addition to this, is it possible to record a short video on your side demonstrating the exact issue and the exact steps you are taking on your side? For example, how do you link your documents and then how do you update them and how the exact issue reproduces? This will help us to get better picture of the issue.

Regards,
Sabrie Nedzhip
Telerik

Perhaps  I used the wrong term. I just meant the the links are behind the scenes and people click on the name of the PDF file. The links are created within Sitefinity using the Document Manager. So they used to get dynamically resolved when we updated the links through the Documents & Files utility. We have not been doing anything different since updating Sitefinity versions. 

Here is a video (screencast.com/.../5BKDKOfviH2) that shows how we have always updated PDFs and it has worked in the past. (I'm new to Jing, so let me know if you can't view. It also took me awhile to find the STOP button at the end!) Once the catalog was updated in the video, the link on our website no longer works. The HTML in the old, working link is: <a href="/docs/product-bulletins/t-tl---ceiling-and-cabinet-ventilators---catalog-4600.pdf?Status=Master"> </a><p>T-TL - Ceiling and Cabinet Ventilators - Catalog 4600</p>

and the HTML from the Embed Link to this File function is www.tcf.com/.../t-tl---ceiling-and-cabinet-ventilators---catalog-4600.pdf

Why is the /default-source/ being added to the HTML? The end of the code also changes. I would like to get this resolved as soon as possible, so we can make changes to our site.

Thanks!

Hi Anessa,

Thank you for the video you have recorded demonstrating the issue.

By default the default-source value in the url is added by the urlName property of the provider. If you would like you can remove it so that the other documents you are uploading will not have the default-source part in the url.

You can remove the Provider's urlName property from Administration->Settings->Advanced->Libraries->Providers->OpenAccessDataProvider->Parameters->UrlName from the Value field. After saving this configuration recycle the application pool. Note that documents that already have default-source in the url need to be re-published.

On Publish the provider gets the documents title/urlName and resolves it (the complete image url) based on all additional parts of it like domain, library and provider's urlName property. This is caused by RecompileItemUrl method which is called on Publish.

After removing the default-source value from the url, the updated document's url should be properly resolved. 

Regards,
Sabrie Nedzhip
Telerik

How do I recycle the application pool?

Hello Anessa,

You can restart the application by re-saving the web.config file. Another option is to recycle the application pool from the IIS Manager. Please refer to the attached screenshot.

Regards,
Sabrie Nedzhip
Telerik

Sabrie,

I am the lead software developer at TCF and when I navigate to the UrlName Parameter in SiteFinity, there is not a Value.  See the attached file.  Should we delete the entire UrlName Parameter or just remove the Value?