Simple document management system and API

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+2 Q:

Simple document management system and API

In my software I need to be able to interface to a very simple document management system.

I need to be able to:

Check in/out documents
Add documents
delete documents
maybe version documents. (The domain expert says no, I suspect he is wrong.)

At this time we have no need to search the documents.

I need to be able to do this from a C# program so there must be a .net API.

I need to have more than one client be able to do this at a time.

I will eventually need to be able to do this from a web connection as well. But only later.

This is part of a larger application that, so I must be able to keep costs low. I don't think I need anything as complex as Documentum or the higher-end DM products.

The customer will be selling the application, so there must be a friendly re-seller agreement.

Is there anything out there like this?

+3 A:

In regards to the need to version documents: your domain expert is definitely wrong. Not only will users eventually ask for this or need to merge something, but once you establish the other requirements, versioning is pretty simple to add as well so you might as well go for it.

Perhaps you could just put a C# front end on a subversion repository.

Joel Coehoorn 2009-03-04 22:01:24

Likely you are right - but you've worked with clients before, eh? :) I expect to need it - what's more, I doubt I'd find a DM that had the others and not that.

Khadaji 2009-03-04 22:08:44

+4 A:

Why not use WSS (Windows SharePoint Services) it's free with Windows Server and provides all the functionality and API's that you're looking for to manage documents, Check In/Out version control, work flows and much more. It also already has built in admin interfaces.

James 2009-03-04 22:10:40

Thank you, that is interesting. I looked at Sharepoint, but found a Sharepoint server to be too costly for this product's pricepoint to bare. But if I'm following correctly, Sharepoint services are part of the Windows Server. I will investigate.

Khadaji 2009-03-04 23:01:22

MOSS is what you have to pay extra for, WSS is free with Windows Server 2003. WSS is all you need for what you're after.

James 2009-03-05 00:05:37

Share point based solutions are the most cost effective out there right now. If you're looking to sell a product, you're probably too late. There are A LOT of document management systems that have veered away from the Documentum platform. Check out NextDocs for a pretty good SharePoint based solution.

Joey 2009-03-04 22:55:49

LOL. No, document management is a small requirement of an overall product. Not the end-goal.

Khadaji 2009-03-04 23:00:18

Why don't you try out Alfresco. They provide quite a nice set of API capabilities as well (includes web services which can be used in .NET).

Regarding the reseller agreement - not sure of this one.

gnlogic 2009-08-10 03:15:45

ansaurus

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Simple document management system and API

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