Not able to delete a Component of a test Schema

Question

I am not able to delete a Component with a custom Schema which I made for testing purposes. The Component is appearing as a light colored icon and the delete option as disabled.

What could be the reason for this (I know probably related to a bad schema..) and is there a way I can delete it?

Update 1: Created a bundle and added that component, but still the stuck at given page

Answer 1

There are a number of reasons why you can't delete a Component, for example: it could be used by some other items, it is published, checked-out, the deletion is not attempted from the owning publication etc.

But... the grayed out appearance leads me to believe that the Component has entered a Worflow. Did you attach a Workflow to the Schema?

UPDATE 1

You need to finish the Workflow at which point the Component will be "released" and you will be able to delete it.

You can either finish the Workflow by completing all the steps or you can Force Finish it. This can be done via code using the CoreService or in the CME. In Tridion 2013 the option is available under Administration -> Workflow Management.

UPDATE 2

From "Administration" menu ,first select "Active Processes" and then either click on "Force Finish Process" or "Revert Process"(as Sayantan has suggested in the comments).

Answer 2

There's a bit Tridion does behind-the-scenes with versions, "ownership," and workflow. It's seamless without workflow, makes sense with workflow, but may seem complicated when you have both in an implementation.

Versioning

When you first create a Component it will have a 0.1 version number and be greyed out until you save. There will be nothing in the Comments in History until you check-in, typically by clicking on Save & Close.

To "cancel" a new item, I (think) if you close the Component's form view without saving, the Component isn't saved.

Clicking on Save & Close will create a major version if workflow isn't required (as set in the Component's Schema) or if an item was explicitly checked out.*

Minor Versions ("Save My Work")

Saves without closing the Component will increment the minor version to 0.2, then 0.3, and so on until the item is checked in.

You will check in automatically by using Save & Close, explicitly checking in, or completing workflow if required. These minor versions are Tridion's way of saving work-in-progress and each minor update replaces the previous. There's only the current minor version for an item (otherwise it's a major version).

Experience Manager updates will also save "in-progress" changes to Components as minor versions, visible in item history.

Workflow

If the Component's Schema requires ("single-item" or Direct Process Association) workflow, then you won't be able to save it as a major (x.0) version until workflow completes (what @Atila refers to as "release").

Each time workflow completes, an item might go through updates over a few minor versions, but will end up at a major approved version (e.g. 2.0).

Ownership

If an item requires (Bundle or Indirect Process Association) workflow it means it needs to be put into a Bundle and have workflow completed in order to update to a major version. If it's not required, it could be put into a Bundle for workflow.

Before workflow starts, there's an additional reserved state where different users can work on an item in turns, but they must take "ownership" of the item. This lets users updates to a Component while still being able to revert to the last minor version.

So... What Happened If it wasn't for the timestamps in your screenshots, I would have guessed you just created an item but didn't close the tab. My second bet is that you created the item, still "owned" it, but it wasn't yet a major version (by not Saving & Closing or completing the workflow, if required).

Versioning and Workflow have lots of details but most of this makes sense if you have three requirements:

• Workflow can be mandatory or optional
• We need a way to save temporary work
• We need a concept of official versions of items (for publishing, to be read by others, etc.)

*However I've seen confusion with explicit check-outs, which prevents Save & Close from automatically checking-in an item. I suspect it's because the GUI doesn't clarify that someone checked out an item intentionally and the majority of the time Save & Close will check in an item. Or perhaps editors don't typically check out items.

Answer 3

You cannot delete an item if:

• The item is localized in a Child Publication
• The item is published
• The item is in Workflow
• The item is checked out
• The item is not a local item (that is, the item is a local copy or a shared item)