Custom rendering datasource syntax without breaking experience editor

Question

I'd like to be able to use a custom datasource syntax for renderings and sublayouts.

In particular I'd like to be able to handle custom prefixes for various different usages. The main one being site-relative paths such as:

site:*[@@templateid="{...guid...}"]

I've had no problem using the custom syntax from codebehind, as it's available as a raw string.

The issue arises in Experience Editor mode. If I use a custom datasource syntax the frame of the rendering breaks.

Is there a pipeline I need to use to tell Sitecore what item or ID it should be using for the rendering?

Answer 1

You can create a custom processor in resolveRenderingDatasource pipeline:

<!--
  Allows developers to override the default logic for resolving the data source for renderings. 
-->
<resolveRenderingDatasource>
    ...
    <processor type="MyCustom.Project.Processors.ResolveRenderingDataSource, MyCustom.Project" />
</resolveRenderingDatasource>

Your processor needs to set the args.Datasource property to either an item path or a guid:

using Sitecore.Pipelines.ResolveRenderingDatasource;

namespace MyCustom.Project.Processors
{
    public class ResolveRenderingDataSource
    {
        public void Process(ResolveRenderingDatasourceArgs args)
        {
            var source = args.Datasource;
            if (source.StartsWith("site:"))
            {
                /* Add your own custom logic to resolve and set the datasource */
                args.Datasource = ResolveCustomDatasource(source);
            }
        }
    }
}

Answer 2

To get Sitecore to resolve datasources using custom logic, you can add a pipeline processor to the resolveRenderingDatasource pipeline in Sitecore.config:

<resolveRenderingDatasource>
  <processor type="Example.DataSourceService, Example"/>
</resolveRenderingDatasource>

The DataSourceService processor can then inject any custom logic it needs for resolving the datasource string to an ID:

public class DataSourceService
{
  public void Process(ResolveRenderingDatasourceArgs args)
  {
    if (!args.Datasource.StartsWith("site:"))
      return;
    if (Context.Database == null || Context.Site == null)
    {
      args.Datasource = "";
      return;
    }

    var item = CustomQuery(args.Datasource);
    args.Datasource = item.ID.ToString();
  }
}

MVC:

If you're in an MVC environment you'll need to also add a processor to the mvc.customizeRendering pipeline in Sitecore.MvcExperienceEditor.config:

<mvc.customizeRendering>
  <processor type="Example.ResolveRenderingDatasource, Example" patch:after="*"/>
</mvc.customizeRendering>

The ResolveRenderingDatasource processor needs to call the resolveRenderingDatasource pipeline.

Also make sure you add reference to Sitecore.Mvc.Analytics.

using Sitecore.Mvc.Analytics.Pipelines.Response.CustomizeRendering;
using Sitecore.Pipelines;
using Sitecore.Pipelines.ResolveRenderingDatasource;

public class ResolveRenderingDatasource : CustomizeRenderingProcessor
{
  public override void Process(CustomizeRenderingArgs args)
  {
    var rendering = args.Rendering;
    var renderingDatasourceArgs = new ResolveRenderingDatasourceArgs(rendering.DataSource);
    CorePipeline.Run("resolveRenderingDatasource", renderingDatasourceArgs);
    rendering.DataSource = renderingDatasourceArgs.Datasource;
  }
}