Managing custom pages can become very daunting when you start getting several customizations on your system and then PowerSchool releases a new revision. However, I have found some things that make managing them and checking for page updates very quick and easy.
| 1. Never use the "Synchronize Cusotm web_root" option: |
| When you enable customization you need to go to System > System Settings > Customization. This page also has a link to synchronize custom web_root which sounds like a good idea. What this does is copy all of the folders that are on the live side (every single one) to the custom area. The problem with this is now you can't tell where you have customizations. If you make the custom folders yourself as you work then you will know which folders have pages you have changed. Any other folders don't have any customizations so you don't have to worry about them. |
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| 2. Always use the Page Change document before updating: |
PowerSchool always has a page change document with each version. This document is very useful for going through all of your pages and looking to see if they have been customized. What I do is I look at the path of the page change and see if I even have a custom folder built for that path. If not I can cross out that line in the document and all other lines that have that path.
ex. In every page change document they update some Help pages. The path is normally something like /admin/help/... So I go to my custom folder, check the admin folder for a Help folder. Since I don't have one I can cross out every page change that starts with /admin/help. Makes the list much faster to go through. |
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| 3. Use a tool to compare the changed page to the original: |
| This becomes a little more complicated if you don't have a test server but I can show you both ways. |
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With a test server:
- Update the test server with the newest version of PowerSchool while leaving the live server on the current version of PowerSchool.
- Use a file compare utility to compare the /system/server/resources/web_root/[path to updated page] from your live server to the same file on your test server.
- The compare utility points out what has changed from a uncustomized version of the previous version to the uncustomized version of the new version.
- If the changes are something you would like to add to your custom page, open your custom version of the page and make the same changes that are highlighted. If not proceed to the next changed page.
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Without a test server:
- Copy the entire /system/server/resources/web_root to a location of your choosing on your server. COPY, do not remove!
- Update the server with the new version of PowerSchool. The /system/server/resources/web_root/ will be replaced with all of the new files from the new version.
- Use a file compare utility to compare the /system/server/resources/web_root/[path to updated page] from your updated server to the same file in your copied location.
- The compare utility points out what has changed from a uncustomized version of the previous version to the uncustomized version of the new version.
- If the changes are something you would like to add to your custom page, open your custom version of the page and make the same changes that are highlighted. If not proceed to the next changed page.
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| 4. File comparison tools: |
| Several tools exist to help you compare two files. The following is a list of some of them, though there certainly are more. If you have any to add to the list feel free to suggest it in the comments below. |
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| Utility Name |
Win |
Mac |
$$ |
Description |
| TextWrangler |
N |
Y |
$0 |
This is a very nice, free tool that will compare any two files you want. However, it's not only a file comparison tool, its actually a text editor. One nice feature is that you can easily move any changes from one page to the other when you are comparing them. In addition, it will compare entire folders so you can start with the web_root folder and let it loose from there. Did I mention it was free? |
| PSPad |
Y |
N |
$0 |
From the people who brought you BBEdit, this is a FREE tool that will compare two files and look for the differences. It also is a simple text editor so you could actually make your customizations right here if you wanted. The newest version is for 10.4 and above but they do provide a older version for 10.3.5 and above. |
| SourceGear DiffMerge |
Y |
Y |
$0 |
This product was developed to help with 2 other products that the company made and was made available for free for everyone else to use as well. It will compare two files, compare entire folders, and will allow you to add the page changes from one page to the other within the application. What's more, it's cross platform so you can use it on your Windows at work and your Mac at home if you want. |
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| Something Missing? |
| If you notice something missing or know of a good resource not listed please make a comment below and we'll do our best to add it to the page. |
Comments
Thank you!
Just wanted to say thank you for sharing all of your hard work with the PowerSchool user community. I can say without a doubt that your reports/customizations (and the others here at powerdatasolutions) have made a difference at Trenton Community Charter School.
Great list of suggestions...
This is a great list of suggestions. I would just like to add a couple things... The first thing about never use the customize web root can't be stressed enough. I accidentally clicked it once when I was updating a wild card. Not fun. That was cause for me to modify that page to remove the link.
Also, I use SourceGear DiffMerge it will compare the two files, edit your file and add PowerSchools updates to your pages. Did I mention that it is free as well?
Descriptions reversed & more on TextWrangler
It looks like the descriptions of PSPad and TextWrangler are reversed.
Also, I would add to the TextWrangler description that it will compare entire folders of files. In other words, you can tell it to compare the new web_root with the new and it displays all the files w. differences, so you can easily step through to see what has changed. It also has the advantage of showing you when new files have been added that weren't there before. It makes a cumbersome process slightly less cumbersome.
Thanks
Jason, thanks for this. I inherited the PS admin job and have been struggling to get a good handle on what was custom before I added additional customizations to it.
This is a very nice tip. Really written well. Useful.
Jacqueline J. M. Brzezinski