Develop outputs in a dedicated SaaS deployment

If you want to customize the outputs in a dedicated SaaS deployment of IXIASOFT CCMS, you can request a copy of the output-related code, do your development offline, and ask IXIASOFT to deploy the changes for you to test.

1. Set up your development environment:
   1. Create a test map with topics containing all the edge cases in your content for your exclusive use for testing the IXIASOFT CCMS Output Generator.
      You can then keep a copy of the output from the test map as your 'Approved Output'. When you make a change to the CCMS Output Generator, you can compare the new output to your Approved Output to identify any unwanted changes.
      You need this map on your local machine, on the Test environment, and on the Production environment. You can create the map in the Production or Test environment and export it for use locally.
   2. Ask IXIASOFT for a copy of your current outgen folder to use for testing on your local machine.
      The outgen folder contains all output-related files including renderers, connectors, plugins, and DITA OTs.
   3. Define a DITA command, batch file, or some other technique for triggering output generation in the DITA OT.
      (Although the outgen folder includes the CCMS Output Generator software, you cannot run the software outside of IXIASOFT CCMS.) You must work with the DITA OT within the CCMS Output Generator as if it were a completely standalone DITA OT.
2. Develop and test on your local machine:
   1. Make your changes to a plugin, output type, or some other output-related function.
      See the Administration Guide for IXIASOFT CCMS Output Generator.
   2. Test the changes locally by generating output in the DITA OT.
      This local testing covers most changes you make to renderers, connectors, plugins, and DITA OTs. Local testing cannot, however, test certain files that are unique to CCMS Output Generator including outputtypes.xml, preprocessors.xml and conductor-client.xml (or your company-specific conductor file).
   3. Iterate as required.
3. Test and iterate on the Test environment:
   1. Send the revised outgen folder to IXIASOFT Customer Support and wait for them to deploy the files on the Test environment.
   2. Connect to the Test environment and test the changes by generating an output that should be affected by the changes using the test map.
   3. Iterate as required.
4. Test on the Production environment:
   1. Ask IXIASOFT Customer Support to copy the changes from the Test environment to the Production environment.
   2. Connect to the Test environment and test the changes by generating an output that should be affected by the changes using the test map.