Deleting released objects

Question

I know that the whole purpose of releasing objects in the database is to keep them safe and prevent changes. However, we have an issue that requires deleting released publications and maps from the database. 
 Can anyone please provide a method to do this? 
 I have administrative rights, but in this case that is not enough - or so it seems. 
 We are presently on Tridion Docs 15.1.6

Joe Pairman · Answer

Hi Ragnar, I just saw your question and tested it briefly. I created a new object (which created its version 1 and the source language automatically). I then released it. And then I deleted it successfully. 
 This corresponds to my memory of actually using Tridion Docs in production. 
 What definitely prevents you deleting an object is when other objects refer to it. Then you need to delete those first. For example going down the tree, deleting a publication, then its root map, then branch maps, then topics, then conref libraries and images. This is a precaution of course, to prevent deleting something that is used by something else that is still needed. Even if that need is just for an audit trail. 
 (Going down that tree of deletion can be a bit of a job if you have lots to delete, though of course that&rsquo;s automatable via the API!) 
 Could you try creating a new topic, then releasing it, then deleting it? 
 I hope that I understand your question correctly, and also that I am not misleading you! Nevertheless my memory and my quick test do coincide on this point.

Dave De Meyer · Answer

Hi Ragnar, 
 Deleting released objects is possible. However, in a system where referential integrity of links and hyperlinks is a corner stone. 
 The key thing is to see the system as a pyramid of links 
 
 PublicationOutput, released (so baseline frozen) or not, links over root map and resources to content objects. This could be multiple PublicationOutputs reusing the content objects. 
 DITA Maps link to DITA Topics or DITA Library Topics 
 DITA Topics link to Library Topics 
 DITA Topics and/or Library Topics link to the Images 
 
 So to remove, it is easiest to start with the object types that have no incoming links. 
 
 For Content Objects (so DITA Maps, Topics, etc) you need to configure a Released to Draft status transitions under the Settings area. 
 Since 14SP4/14.0.4 there is a privilege to "Unrelease" PublicationOutputs as mentioned on https://docs.rws.com/en-US/tridion-docs-main-documentation-1165616/user-privileges-986494 as VPRIVILEGEUNRELEASEPUBLICATIONOUTPUT that "Unrelease" will implicitly also "Unfreeze" a Baseline. Remember that the Baseline is an internal object that tracks content objects (over LogicalId typically GUIDs, and of course versions). 
 Typically Admins over Administrator user role get all privileges, including "Unrelease Publication Output Privilege". The one thing that does not happen - from the top of my head - is that the user interface will not show an "Unrelease" button next to the "Release" button of Publication Outputs in Organize Space. The functionality is only available over customer extension and the API to enable clean up operations. 
 
 Putting this all together, you need the API, for example over ISHRemote, to resolve the tip of the pyramid. 
 New-IshSession ...
Set-IshPublicationOutput -LogicalId GUID-xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx -Version '1.1.1' -LanguageCombination 'en' -OutputFormat 'PDF (A4 Manual)' -Metadata (Set-IshMetadataField -Level Lng -Name FISHPUBSTATUS -ValueType ELEMENT -Value VPUBSTATUSPUBLISHEDDRAFT) 
 
 When you did an "Unrelease" PublicationOutputs of ALL PublicationOutputs linking to the content objects you can continue. 
 "Unrelease" Maps in Organize Space or over the API 
 "Unrelease" Topics in Organize Space or over the API 
 "Unrelease" Library Topics in Organize Space or over the API 
 "Unrelease" Images in Organize Space or over the API 
 
 I hope the above contains some hints on what you need. If you are still blocked, can you describe the steps and potential errors you see in detail? 
 Best wishes, Dave 
 PS: Wrote this mostly from memory, did not execute it in full. Note to self, anything else required to unfreeze the baseline ;)

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Deleting released objects

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