Portal Engine Questions on portal engine and web parts.
Version 5.x > Portal Engine > export/modify/import custom web parts. View modes: 
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dkhadley-optonline - 7/11/2011 10:09:09 PM
   
export/modify/import custom web parts.
We have a prospective new client whose web site was developed on the Kentico platform, version 5.0. Their relationship with their former web development company went sour and they have not parted on good terms. Many custom web parts were designed for their web site and we are hoping to be able to modify the custom web parts. But, we don't have access to the Visual Studio solution and as yet, don't have access to the source files.

Kentico is new to us. How could we modify the custom web parts? Can we access them through the portal engine? We noticed that web parts could be exported. Could we possibly export them, modify them and then import them again using the Import Sites or Object link in the Site Manager? It's possible we could get access to the source files on their file system, however, we were hoping we could modify the parts using the Kentico portal.

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kentico_zdenekc - 7/15/2011 8:22:38 AM
   
RE:export/modify/import custom web parts.
Hi,

Webparts are stored within the website filesystem (CMSWebParts folder) as the special User controls (implementing CMSAbstractWebpart interface to meet our lifecycle).
Their definitions are then in the database / managed in Site manager - Development - Webparts, however there you cannot access the source code of the webparts.
Only the transformations (for Repeaters / Datalists) are accessible from the administration interface.

However, as you've correctly mentioned, you can export the web parts together with codefiles and download those exports from the server, so you could import them into existing setup or get the files out of the export zip packages to modify them and upload back (or import back, if you have access to the server filesystem).
More at Import/export documentation in Devguide

Regards,
Zdenek.