Updating SharePoint Content Search Web Part (CSWP) properties after Deployment

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In SharePoint Custom solutions, the Content Search Web Parts (CSWP) might require minor property updates after the deployment, which is not feasible through UI. The typical example could be enabling/disabling of Cache. This could be cumbersome in case of updating multiple web parts across pages/sites.

Sometime there might be needs to asses the property values associated with web part's to validate the faulty behaviors. During such scenarios a script might be handy for a quick validation of the CSWPs.

I came across such situations during an engagement which forced me to write a PowerShell script which can help me to make the task much simpler.

Share the same for someone who may need this sometime.

This PowerShell script can be run on 2 modes (Read Only or Update) by setting the input parameter $saveChanges.

When executed on readOnly mode ($saveChanges = $false) the script will only find the pages and web parts where the changes are required and will NOT update any web parts.

Where as the Update Mode ($saveChanges = $true) will find the $strToFind and UPDATE the matches with the $stringToReplace.

$stringToFind = @('"Local SharePoint Search Results"') # $stringToFind = @('"TryCache":true','\"TryCache\":true')$stringToReplace = @('"Custom SharePoint Search Results"') # $stringToReplace = @('"TryCache":false','\"TryCache\":false')$siteUrl = "https://contoso.com:9996/test"$saveChanges = $false;

function UpdateSearchWebParts([Microsoft.SharePoint.SPSite] $site){    Write-Host "Updating Content search Webpart source string:"$stringToFind " with Target string " $stringToReplace    foreach($web in $site.AllWebs)    {            Write-Host "Validating web "$web.Url            $pagesList = $web.Lists.TryGetList("pages")            if ($pagesList -ne $null)            {                foreach($pageItem in $pagesList.Items)                {                    #Make sure you specify which page needs changes                    $page = $web.GetFile($pageItem.Url)                    Write-Host "Validating page "$page.Title "with Url"$pageItem.Url                                if ($page.CheckOutStatus -ne "None")                    {                        #Check to ensure the page is checked out by same user, and if so, check it in                        if ($page.CheckedOutBy.UserLogin -eq $web.CurrentUser.UserLogin)                        {

                            $page.CheckIn("Page checked in automatically by PowerShell script")

                            Write-Output $page.Title"("$page.Name") has been checked in"

                        }

                    }

                    if ($page.CheckOutStatus -eq "None")                    {                        $page.CheckOut()                        $wpm = $web.GetLimitedWebPartManager($page.Url, [System.Web.UI.WebControls.WebParts.PersonalizationScope]::Shared)                          foreach($wp in $wpm.WebParts)                        {                                     if ($wp.GetType().ToString().Contains("ContentBySearchWebPart") -eq $true)                            {                                write-host "Validating webpart "$wp.Title" on zone "$wp.ZoneID                                $json = $wp.DataProviderJSON;                                $newJson = $json;                                #write-host $json;                                $index = 0;

                                foreach($stf in $stringToFind)                                {                                    if ($newJson.Contains($stf) -eq $true)                                    {                                        $newJson = $newJson.Replace($stf, $stringToReplace[$index]);                                    }                                    $index++;                                }

                                #write-host $newJson;                                if ($json.Equals($newJson) -eq $false)                                {                                    write-host "Webpart "$wp.Title" on zone "$wp.ZoneID" requires update.." -ForegroundColor Yellow                                    if ($saveChanges -eq $true)                                    {                                        write-host "Updating webpart "$wp.Title" on zone "$wp.ZoneID                                        $wp.DataProviderJSON = $newJson;                                        $wpm.SaveChanges($wp)                                        write-host "Webpart "$wp.Title" on zone "$wp.ZoneID " updated successfully" -ForegroundColor Green                                    }                                }                                else                                {                                    write-host "No change required on Webpart" -ForegroundColor Green                                }                            }                        }                        $page.CheckIn(“Update via PowerShell”,[Microsoft.SharePoint.SPCheckinType]::MajorCheckIn)                        $page.Publish("Search webparts Updated by powershell")                    }                }            }        }}

$site = new-object Microsoft.SharePoint.SPSite($siteUrl)UpdateSearchWebParts -site $site

$web = $null;$site = $null;

UpdateContentWebpartProps.ps1