Tip #5: How to Generate a Resource Dependency Report

One neat feature of MCMS is the ability to replace resources. Once replaced, all postings that point to the resource immediately reference the most recent version of the file. It’s a total self-help module where resource managers have total ownership over their files. They no longer have to ask developers about getting documents updated.

Or do they? Resource managers still call but are now asking different questions. Before replacing a resource, they want to know the pages on the site that are linked to it. Is the resource being used? If not, can it be deleted? Otherwise, where will it be seen? Will anything bad happen if they replace or delete the file? These are valid questions. In the previous section, we have seen the possible issues caused by deleted resources.

Earlier, we tackled the problem by removing links to deleted resources when the page is saved. Some authors may wince at the idea of having the application “correct” their work...