How do I update my Component (metadata) fields while copy/pasting a Component, using EventSystem?

Question

I am trying to use the Eventsystem to update some (Metadata) Fields when a Component is copied (using copy+paste).

I do NOT get any content (or metadata) saved this way. However, I do get my new Title saved.... Any idea how I can get my Content/Metadata saved?

We do use Tridion 2011 SP1 (no HR!), could it be we need a hotfix here?

subscriptions.Add(EventSystem.Subscribe<Component, CopyEventArgs>(ComponentCopy, EventPhases.Processed)); 

        private void ComponentCopy(Component component, CopyEventArgs args, EventPhases phase)
    {
        Component newComp = (Component) args.CopiedObject;
        ItemFields content = new ItemFields(newComp.Content, newComp.Schema);
        XhtmlField body = (XhtmlField) content["body"];
        body.Value = "Er waren eens een heleboel kamelen " + DateTime.Now.ToLongDateString();
        newComp.Content = content.ToXml();

        ItemFields fields = new ItemFields(newComp.Metadata, newComp.Schema);
        EmbeddedSchemaField embeddedField = (EmbeddedSchemaField)fields["portal"];
        if (embeddedField != null)
        {
            ItemFields embeddedFields = embeddedField.Value;
            if (embeddedFields != null)
            {
                TextField bla = (TextField)embeddedFields["bla"];
                bla.Value = DateTime.Now.ToLongDateString();
                newComp.Metadata = embeddedFields.ToXml();
            }
        }


        // now SAVE the Component, as changes are NOT saved in this phase
        try
        {
            if (!newComp.IsCheckedOut)
            {
                newComp.CheckOut();
            }
            newComp.Title = "TEST-" + DateTime.Now;
            newComp.Save(true);
            if (newComp.IsCheckedOut) newComp.CheckIn();
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            warn(string.Format("Could not save modified Component after Copy/Paste: {0}", ex.Message));
        }

    }

Answer 1

So you set the title after making sure your Component is checked out, but you tried to sync back the changes of the content before ensuring it is checked out:

...
// sync content back to Component
newComp.Content = content.ToXml();
...
// sync metadata back to Component
newComp.Metadata = embeddedFields.ToXml();
...
if (!newComp.IsCheckedOut)
{
    newComp.CheckOut();
}
newComp.Title = "TEST-" + DateTime.Now;
newComp.Save(true);

Now if you would first check if your Component needs to be checked out before syncing back its content, then I think you will get a better result on your save. Because I expect that when you call newComp.CheckOut(); all your previous actions on newComp will be reset.

So change it into something like this:

...
if (!newComp.IsCheckedOut)
{
    newComp.CheckOut();
}
newComp.Title = "TEST-" + DateTime.Now;
newComp.Content = content.ToXml();
newComp.Metadata = embeddedFields.ToXml();
newComp.Save(true);

Note that the line if (newComp.IsCheckedOut) newComp.CheckIn(); after calling newComp.Save(true); might undo a "permanent" lock that was set on the Component. Although that might be intentional of course.

Answer 2

Bart already pointed out the proper order to do this check-out/modify/check-in cycle after the copy operation is performed. Do note that this approach leads to a version 2 on the copy: version 1 is the unmodified copy and your post-processing creates a version 2. This may be exactly what you want, but note that it is also possible to modify the copy without creating an additional version: you can also subscribe to the Initiated phase and modify the state of the subject (without check-out, save, or check-in).