Desktop Content Explorer

The Desktop Content Explorer provides access to the Rhythmyx Content Explorer without the need to run Java Applets in a web browser.   Designed to be launched as a Web Start application from a Desktop shortcut / launcher.  The DCE has been tested on Microsoft Windows and Apple OSX desktop environment.  

Prerequisites

• The Desktop Content Explorer requires that Java 1.8 or greater JRE be installed on the computer that will run the tool.  Most Rhythmyx users will already have the Java runtime deployed.  
• The Rich Text Editor on Content Types must be switched to the TinyMCE Editor, the Desktop Content Explorer does not support Content Editor controls that are run as Java Applet's such as Edit Live. 

About the Content Explorer Applet

User's of Rhythmyx now have the choice of continuing to use and run the Content Explorer applet in a supported web browser, or to run the Desktop Content Explorer.  

Troubleshooting

• Launching. Launch Rhythmyx Content Explorer in your browser and login. Look for the Desktop Content Explorer link at the top of the screen on the right side next to the help link. Selecting this link will cause contentexplorer.jnlp file to be downloaded to your client machine. Browse to this download and apply a shortcut and place it in someplace convenient like your desktop. Clicking on this shortcut will launch the new Desktop Content Explorer. You can avoid downloading this over and over by reusing the same shortcut as needed.
• Generating desktop shortcut to the DCE:  The DCE shortcut can also be created by running  following commands in a batch file / shell script at user login.  Note that the shortcuts permission must be allowed in the Java Security policy for shortcuts to generate correctly. 
  
  • javaws.exe | javaws -clearcache
  • javaws.exe | javaws -import -silent -shortcut -association -Xnosplash http://<rhythmyx_server:port>/Rhythmyx/dce/dce.jnlp 
• DCE log. In the event something unexpected occurs you may be required to forward the Desktop Content Explorer log to support. This log can be found as follows:
• The log is configured by a log4j.properties file that is automatically created in the user profile directory if it does not already exist. The folder is based upon the hostname (with '.' changed to '-') of the server being connected to allowing for different files and configurations for development and test servers.   
  • Windows

    %userprofile%\.perc_config\{hostname}_{port}\log4j.properties.

  • Mac

    ~/.perc_config/{hostname}_{port}/log4j.properties. 

    Tip: The .perc_config directory is considered a hidden folder on Mac OSX.  To view hidden files in the Mac Finder, press the command-shift-. keys together while viewing the users home directory. 

Note: Older versions of 7.3.2 may have created config in the userprofile directory with the hostname as part of the top level folder e.g. %userprofile%\.perc_config_{hostname} .  These folders can be removed and will not longer be used.  Removing the config folders can be done at any time the default files will be recreated automatically on startup.  

• Client session timeout: The clientSessionTimeout and clientSessionWarning values in rxconfig\Server\server.properties have been deprecated and moved to rxconfig\Server\config.xml file which is managed by the ServerAdministrator application. The Session will close on the server based on <userSessionTimeout> and <userSessionWarning> values in rxconfig\Server\config.xml. If the content editor is used after the session has expired the Desktop Content Explorer will provide an error dialog and will close. The user will need to log in again.
  • Note: When setting <userSessionWarning> please make sure that it is always less than userSessionTimeout.

Known Issues / Limitations 

• Compatibility: DCE is available only from Rhythmyx version 7.3.0 Patch 730_20160916 or above. It's important that the DCE points to its corresponding supported Rhythmyx version. For example, Rhythmyx 7.3.2 DCE(jnlp) should not be used to access 7.3.0 content explorer.
• Self Signed SSL Certificates: The Desktop Content Explorer cannot connect to servers over SSL that use Self Signed Certificates.
• 508 Certification:  The Desktop Content Explorer has not yet been re-validated for 508 compliance.  This will  be performed with any 508 fixes available in a future patch.
• Locale is currently limited to en-US only.