The default serialization format
When you serialize items, Sitecore creates a separate text file for each item it processes. The files are stored under the root folder that the serialization setting specifies, for example: C:\inetpub\wwwroot\sc92\App_Data\serialization\master\sitecore\content\Home.item
.
Each text file contains the following information:
Item definition: version, ID, path, and so on
Shared fields
Item versions:
Version definition, including language version, numbered version, and revision number
Non-shared fields
A serialized item looks like this:
----item---- version: 1 id: {110D559F-DEA5-42EA-9C1C-8A5DF7E70EF9} database: master path: /sitecore/content/Home parent: {0DE95AE4-41AB-4D01-9EB0-67441B7C2450} name: Home master: {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000} template: {76036F5E-CBCE-46D1-AF0A-4143F9B557AA} templatekey: Sample Item created: 20190425T171954Z ----field---- field: {A0CB3965-8884-4C7A-8815-B6B2E5CED162} name: __Editors key: __editors content-length: 0 ... ----field---- field: {A4F985D9-98B3-4B52-AAAF-4344F6E747C6} name: __Workflow key: __workflow content-length: 38 {A5BC37E7-ED96-4C1E-8590-A26E64DB55EA} ----field---- field: {CA9B9F52-4FB0-4F87-A79F-24DEA62CDA65} name: __Default workflow key: __default workflow content-length: 0 ----version---- language: en version: 1 revision: 38ea58d9-bd7f-4a73-b431-27ecce83b8f7 ----field---- field: {75577384-3C97-45DA-A847-81B00500E250} name: Title key: title content-length: 28 Sitecore Experience Platform ----field---- field: {A60ACD61-A6DB-4182-8329-C957982CEC74} name: Text key: text content-length: 788 <p style="line-height: 22px;">From a single connected platform that also integrates with other customer-facing platforms, to a single view of the customer in a big data marketing repository, to completely eliminating much of the complexity that has previously held marketers back, the latest version of Sitecore makes customer experience highly achievable. Learn how the latest version of Sitecore gives marketers the complete data, integrated tools, and automation capabilities to engage customers throughout an iterative lifecycle – the technology foundation absolutely necessary to win customers for life.</p> <p>For further information, please go to the <a href="https://doc.sitecore.net/" target="_blank" title="Sitecore Documentation site">Sitecore Documentation site</a></p> ----field---- field: {B5E02AD9-D56F-4C41-A065-A133DB87BDEB} name: __Display name key: __display name content-length: 0 ----field---- field: {577F1689-7DE4-4AD2-A15F-7FDC1759285F} name: __Long description key: __long description content-length: 58 ... sitecore\Admin ----field---- field: {25BED78C-4957-4165-998A-CA1B52F67497} name: __Created key: __created content-length: 16 20080407T105900Z ----field---- field: {5DD74568-4D4B-44C1-B513-0AF5F4CDA34F} name: __Created by key: __created by content-length: 14 sitecore\Admin ----field---- field: {8CDC337E-A112-42FB-BBB4-4143751E123F} name: __Revision key: __revision content-length: 36 38ea58d9-bd7f-4a73-b431-27ecce83b8f7 ----field---- field: {D9CF14B1-FA16-4BA6-9288-E8A174D4D522} name: __Updated key: __updated content-length: 16 20151109T083058Z ----field---- field: {BADD9CF9-53E0-4D0C-BCC0-2D784C282F6A} name: __Updated by key: __updated by content-length: 14 sitecore\Admin
Each ----field----
section in the text file has a content-length
parameter that specifies the length of the corresponding item field value.
Deeply nested items
In Windows, the length of a single path to a file cannot be more than 255 characters. For content trees with multiple nested levels, this limitation can cause items in nested folders to be omitted during the serialization process.
To work around this limitation and serialize all of the requested items, Sitecore sometimes shortens the paths when items are deeply nested. Sitecore stores the serialization output text files for these items in auxiliary file folders with random names under the $dataFolder\serialization
folder.
Note
To be able to revert to the full content tree in another Sitecore environment, you must copy both the database folders and the auxiliary folders to the new destination.