I am following in the path of many - and attempting to change the OOTB alerts.
I have created a copy of the alerttemplates.xml, and made changes to the SPAlertTemplateType.DiscussionBoard AlertTemplate (both Digest and Immediate). I added a new link, and some static text.
I copied the new file to the server and ran STSADM -o updatealerttemplates -url url -filename name_of_working_copy then ran IISReset and restarted the SharePoint Timer service.
The changes I have made do not show up in the discussion board alerts.
After reading several other threads, I even manually removed all my alert subscriptions and re-subscribed. Still no change in the alert.
NOTE - I am not creating a new custom alert, but modifying the existing one.
Code:
<AlertTemplate Type="List" Name="SPAlertTemplateType.DiscussionBoard">
<EventTypes IsVisible="True"/>
<Format>
<Digest>
<Header>
<HTML>
<![CDATA[
<html dir = $Resources:core,PageDirection;>
<head>
<base href="]]></HTML><GetVar Name="SiteUrl" URLEncodeAsURL="TRUE" /><HTML><![CDATA[">
<style>
</style>
</head>
<body>
<table class="headertop1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tr>
<td class="headercontent">
<table class="breadcrumb" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"><tr><td><a href="]]></HTML>
<GetVar Name="SiteUrl" URLEncodeAsURL="TRUE" />
<HTML><![CDATA[">]]></HTML><GetVar Name="SiteName"/>
<HTML><![CDATA[</a></td><tr></table>]]></HTML>
<GetVar Name="ListName" HTMLEncode="True" />
<Switch>
<Expr><GetVar Name="AlertFrequency"/></Expr>
<Case Value="1"><HTML><![CDATA[$Resources:Alerts_dailysummary;]]></HTML></Case>
<Case Value="2"><HTML><![CDATA[$Resources:Alerts_weeklysummary;]]></HTML></Case>
</Switch>
<HTML><![CDATA[
</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="content" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tr>
<td colspan="5">
<table class="toolbar" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tr><td>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tr>
<td class="toolbarbutton">]]></HTML>
<HTML><![CDATA[<a href="]]></HTML> <GetVar Name="MySubsUrl" URLEncodeAsURL="TRUE"/>
<HTML><![CDATA[">$Resources:Alerts_link_modify;</a>]]></HTML>
<HTML><![CDATA[<a href="siteSettings"></a></td>
<td class="toolbarsep">|</td>
<td class="toolbarbutton"><a href="]]></HTML>
<GetVar Name="ListUrl" URLEncodeAsURL="TRUE"/>
<HTML><![CDATA[">$Resources:Alerts_link_view; ]]></HTML>
<GetVar Name="ListName" HTMLEncode="TRUE"/>
<HTML><![CDATA[</a></td><td class="toolbarsep">|</td>
<td class="toolbarbutton"><a href="]]></HTML><GetVar Name="ListUrl" URLEncodeAsURL="TRUE"/>
<HTML><![CDATA[/Threaded.aspx?RootFolder=]]></HTML><GetVar Name="FolderUrl" URLEncodeAsURL="FALSE"/>
<HTML><![CDATA[">View Discussion Thread</a></td>]]></HTML>
<Switch>
<Expr><GetVar Name="MobileUrl"/></Expr>
<Case Value = "NULL"/>
<Default>
<HTML><![CDATA[
<td class="toolbarsep">|</td>
<td class="toolbarbutton"><a href="]]></HTML><GetVar Name="MobileUrl" />
<HTML><![CDATA[">$Resources:Alerts_mobile_view;</a></td>]]></HTML>
</Default>
</Switch>
<HTML><![CDATA[
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="vh" colspan="2">$Resources:Alerts_event_title;</td>
<td class="vh">$Resources:Alerts_event_modified;</td>
<td class="vh">$Resources:Alerts_event_modifiedby;</td>
<td class="vh"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="5" class="rulerow"> </td>
</tr>
]]>
</HTML>
</Header>
<HeaderFieldsHeader>
<HTML><![CDATA[]]></HTML>
</HeaderFieldsHeader>
<HeaderFields>
<HTML><![CDATA[]]></HTML>
</HeaderFields>
<HeaderFieldsFooter>
<HTML><![CDATA[]]></HTML>
</HeaderFieldsFooter>
<RowHeader>
<Switch>
<Expr><GetVar Name="AltRow"/></Expr>
<Case Value="alt"><SetVar Name="AltRow" Scope = "Request"></SetVar></Case>
<Default><SetVar Name="AltRow" Scope = "Request">alt</SetVar></Default>
</Switch>
<HTML><![CDATA[
<tr>
]]></HTML>
<Switch>
<Expr><GetVar Name="EventType"/></Expr>
<Case Value="1">
<SetVar Name="LabelClass" Scope = "Request">digestlabel</SetVar>
<SetVar Name="TdClass" Scope = "Request">vb</SetVar>
</Case>
<Case Value="4">
<SetVar Name="LabelClass" Scope = "Request">deletedlabel</SetVar>
<SetVar Name="TdClass" Scope = "Request">deleted</SetVar>
</Case>
<Default>
<SetVar Name="LabelClass" Scope = "Request">digestlabel</SetVar>
<SetVar Name="TdClass" Scope = "Request">vb</SetVar>
</Default>
</Switch>
<SetVar Name="LabelClass" Scope = "Request"><GetVar Name="AltRow"/><GetVar Name="LabelClass"/></SetVar>
<SetVar Name="TdClass" Scope = "Request"><GetVar Name="AltRow"/><GetVar Name="TdClass"/></SetVar>
<SetVar Name="ItemNamePart" Scope="Request">
<IfEqual>
<Expr1><GetVar Name="EventType"/></Expr1>
<Expr2><HTML>4</HTML></Expr2>
<Then><GetVar Name="ItemName" HTMLEncode="TRUE"/></Then>
<Else>
<HTML><![CDATA[<A href="]]></HTML>
<GetVar Name="ItemUrl" URLEncodeAsURL="TRUE"/>
<HTML><![CDATA[">]]></HTML>
<GetVar Name="ItemName" HTMLEncode="TRUE"/>
<HTML><![CDATA[</A>]]></HTML>
</Else>
</IfEqual>
</SetVar>
<HTML><![CDATA[
<td class="]]></HTML><GetVar Name="LabelClass"/><HTML><![CDATA[" colspan="2" >]]></HTML>
<GetVar Name="ItemNamePart" />
<HTML><![CDATA[</td>
<td class="]]></HTML><GetVar Name="TdClass"/><HTML><![CDATA[">]]></HTML>
<GetVar Name="TimeLastModified" HTMLEncode="TRUE" />
<HTML><![CDATA[</td>
<td class="]]></HTML><GetVar Name="TdClass"/><HTML><![CDATA[">]]></HTML>
<GetVar Name="ModifiedBy" HTMLEncode="TRUE" />
<HTML><![CDATA[ </td>
<td nowrap class="]]></HTML><GetVar Name="TdClass"/><HTML><![CDATA[">]]></HTML>
<Switch>
<Expr><GetVar Name="EventType"/></Expr>
<Case Value="1">
<HTML><![CDATA[<span class="newicon">$Resources:Alerts_event_new;</span>]]></HTML>
</Case>
<Case Value="4">
<HTML><![CDATA[<span class="deletedicon">$Resources:Alerts_event_deleted;</span>]]></HTML>
</Case>
<Default>
<HTML><![CDATA[<span class="editedicon">$Resources:Alerts_event_edited;</span>]]></HTML>
</Default>
</Switch>
<HTML><![CDATA[</td></tr>]]></HTML>
</RowHeader>
<RowFields>
<Switch>
<Expr><GetVar Name="EventType"/></Expr>
<Case Value="2">
<IfEqual>
<Expr1><GetVar Name="OldValue#{Field}"/></Expr1>
<Expr2><GetVar Name="NewValue#{Field}"/></Expr2>
<Then>
</Then>
<Else>
<HTML><![CDATA[
<tr>
<td class="]]></HTML><GetVar Name="LabelClass"/><HTML><![CDATA["> <div class="nobr">]]></HTML>
<GetVar Name="DisplayName#{Field}" HTMLEncode="TRUE" />
<HTML><![CDATA[</div></td>
<td class="]]></HTML><GetVar Name="TdClass"/><HTML><![CDATA["><span class="digesttext">]]></HTML>
<HTML><![CDATA[<span class="edited"> ]]></HTML>
<Limit Len="255" AutoHyperLinkNoEncoding="TRUE" MoreText="..."><GetVar Name="OldValue#{Field}" /></Limit>
<HTML><![CDATA[</span> ]]></HTML>
<GetVar Name="NewValue#{Field}"/>
<HTML><![CDATA[ </span></td>
<td class="]]></HTML><GetVar Name="TdClass"/><HTML><![CDATA["> </td>
<td class="]]></HTML><GetVar Name="TdClass"/><HTML><![CDATA["> </td>
<td class="]]></HTML><GetVar Name="TdClass"/><HTML><![CDATA["> </td>
</tr>]]></HTML>
</Else>
</IfEqual>
</Case>
<Case Value="4">
<HTML><![CDATA[
<tr>
<td class="]]></HTML><GetVar Name="TdClass"/><HTML><![CDATA["> <div class="nobr">]]></HTML>
<GetVar Name="DisplayName#{Field}" HTMLEncode="TRUE" />
<HTML><![CDATA[</div></td>
<td class="]]></HTML><GetVar Name="TdClass"/><HTML><![CDATA[">]]></HTML>
<GetVar Name="NewValue#{Field}" />
<HTML><![CDATA[</td>
<td class="]]></HTML><GetVar Name="AltRow"/><HTML><![CDATA[vb"> </td>
<td class="]]></HTML><GetVar Name="AltRow"/><HTML><![CDATA[vb"> </td>
<td class="]]></HTML><GetVar Name="AltRow"/><HTML><![CDATA[vb"> </td>
</tr>]]></HTML>
</Case>
<Default>
<HTML><![CDATA[
<tr>
<td class="]]></HTML><GetVar Name="TdClass"/><HTML><![CDATA["> <div class="nobr">]]></HTML>
<GetVar Name="DisplayName#{Field}" HTMLEncode="TRUE" />
<HTML><![CDATA[</div></td>
<td class="]]></HTML><GetVar Name="TdClass"/><HTML><![CDATA["><span class="digesttext">]]></HTML>
<GetVar Name="NewValue#{Field}" />
<HTML><![CDATA[</span></td>
<td class="]]></HTML><GetVar Name="TdClass"/><HTML><![CDATA["> </td>
<td class="]]></HTML><GetVar Name="TdClass"/><HTML><![CDATA["> </td>
<td class="]]></HTML><GetVar Name="TdClass"/><HTML><![CDATA["> </td>
</tr>]]></HTML>
</Default>
</Switch>
</RowFields>
<RowFooter>
<HTML><![CDATA[]]></HTML>
</RowFooter>
<Footer><HTML><![CDATA[
</table>
</body>
</html>]]></HTML>
</Footer>
</Digest>
<Immediate>
<Subject>
<GetVar Name="AlertTitle" />
<HTML><![CDATA[ - ]]></HTML>
<GetVar Name="ItemName" />
</Subject>
<Header>
<HTML><![CDATA[
<html dir = $Resources:core,PageDirection;>
<head>
<base href="]]></HTML><GetVar Name="SiteUrl" URLEncodeAsURL="TRUE" /><HTML><![CDATA[">
<style>
</style>
</head>
<body>
<table class="headertop1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tr><td class="headercontent">
<table class="breadcrumb" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"><tr><td><a href="]]></HTML>
<GetVar Name="SiteUrl" URLEncodeAsURL="TRUE" />
<HTML><![CDATA[">]]></HTML><GetVar Name="SiteName"/>
<HTML><![CDATA[</a></td></tr></table>]]></HTML>
<Switch>
<Expr><GetVar Name="EventType"/></Expr>
<Default>
<IfSubString>
<Expr1>0x0107</Expr1>
<Expr2><GetVar Name="RawValue#ContentTypeId" /></Expr2>
<Then>
<HTML><![CDATA[ $Resources:Alerts_discussion_change1_BEGIN;]]></HTML>
</Then>
<Else>
<HTML><![CDATA[ $Resources:Alerts_change1_BEGIN;]]></HTML>
</Else>
</IfSubString>
</Default>
<Case Value = "1">
<IfSubString>
<Expr1>0x0107</Expr1>
<Expr2><GetVar Name="RawValue#ContentTypeId" /></Expr2>
<Then>
<HTML><![CDATA[ $Resources:Alerts_discussion_change0_BEGIN;]]></HTML>
</Then>
<Else>
<HTML><![CDATA[ $Resources:Alerts_change0_BEGIN;]]></HTML>
</Else>
</IfSubString>
</Case>
<Case Value = "4">
<IfSubString>
<Expr1>0x0107</Expr1>
<Expr2><GetVar Name="RawValue#ContentTypeId" /></Expr2>
<Then>
<HTML><![CDATA[ $Resources:Alerts_discussion_change4_BEGIN;]]></HTML>
</Then>
<Else>
<HTML><![CDATA[ $Resources:Alerts_change4_BEGIN;]]></HTML>
</Else>
</IfSubString>
</Case>
<Case Value = "9"><HTML><![CDATA[ $Resources:Alerts_change5_BEGIN;]]></HTML></Case>
<Case Value = "16"><HTML><![CDATA[ $Resources:Alerts_change6_BEGIN;]]></HTML></Case>
<Case Value = "32"><HTML><![CDATA[ $Resources:Alerts_change7_BEGIN;]]></HTML></Case>
<Case Value = "64"><HTML><![CDATA[ $Resources:Alerts_change8_BEGIN;]]></HTML></Case>
<Case Value = "128"><HTML><![CDATA[ $Resources:Alerts_change9_BEGIN;]]></HTML></Case>
<Case Value = "256"><HTML><![CDATA[ $Resources:Alerts_change10_BEGIN;]]></HTML></Case>
</Switch>
<HTML><![CDATA[<em>]]></HTML>
<GetVar Name="ItemName" HTMLEncode="TRUE"/>
<HTML><![CDATA[</em>]]></HTML>
<Switch>
<Expr><GetVar Name="EventType"/></Expr>
<Default>
<IfSubString>
<Expr1>0x0107</Expr1>
<Expr2><GetVar Name="RawValue#ContentTypeId" /></Expr2>
<Then>
<HTML><![CDATA[ $Resources:Alerts_discussion_change1_END;]]></HTML>
</Then>
<Else>
<HTML><![CDATA[ $Resources:Alerts_change1_END;]]></HTML>
</Else>
</IfSubString>
</Default>
<Case Value = "1">
<IfSubString>
<Expr1>0x0107</Expr1>
<Expr2><GetVar Name="RawValue#ContentTypeId" /></Expr2>
<Then>
<HTML><![CDATA[ $Resources:Alerts_discussion_change0_END;]]></HTML>
</Then>
<Else>
<HTML><![CDATA[ $Resources:Alerts_change0_END;]]></HTML>
</Else>
</IfSubString>
</Case>
<Case Value = "4">
<IfSubString>
<Expr1>0x0107</Expr1>
<Expr2><GetVar Name="RawValue#ContentTypeId" /></Expr2>
<Then>
<HTML><![CDATA[ $Resources:Alerts_discussion_change4_END;]]></HTML>
</Then>
<Else>
<HTML><![CDATA[ $Resources:Alerts_change4_END;]]></HTML>
</Else>
</IfSubString>
</Case>
<Case Value = "9"><HTML><![CDATA[ $Resources:Alerts_change5_END;]]></HTML></Case>
<Case Value = "16"><HTML><![CDATA[ $Resources:Alerts_change6_END;]]></HTML></Case>
<Case Value = "32"><HTML><![CDATA[ $Resources:Alerts_change7_END;]]></HTML></Case>
<Case Value = "64"><HTML><![CDATA[ $Resources:Alerts_change8_END;]]></HTML></Case>
<Case Value = "128"><HTML><![CDATA[ $Resources:Alerts_change9_END;]]></HTML></Case>
<Case Value = "256"><HTML><![CDATA[ $Resources:Alerts_change10_END;]]></HTML></Case>
</Switch>
<HTML><![CDATA[
</td>
</tr></table>
<table class="content" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">]]></HTML>
<HTML><![CDATA[
<tr>
<td colspan="3">
<table class="toolbar" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"><tr><td>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0">
<tr>
<td class="toolbarbutton"><a href="]]></HTML>
<GetVar Name="MySubsUrl" URLEncodeAsURL="TRUE"/>
<HTML><![CDATA[">$Resources:Alerts_link_modify;</a></td>
<td class="toolbarsep">|</td>]]></HTML>
<Switch>
<Expr><GetVar Name="EventType"/></Expr>
<Default>
<HTML><![CDATA[
<td class="toolbarbutton"><a href="]]></HTML><GetVar Name="ItemUrl" URLEncodeAsURL="TRUE" />
<HTML><![CDATA[">$Resources:Alerts_link_view; ]]></HTML><GetVar Name="ItemName" HTMLEncode="TRUE" /> <HTML><![CDATA[</a></td>
<td class="toolbarsep">|</td>
<td class="toolbarbutton"><a href="]]></HTML><GetVar Name="ListUrl" URLEncodeAsURL="TRUE"/>
<HTML><![CDATA[/Flat.aspx?RootFolder=]]></HTML><GetVar Name="FolderUrl" URLEncodeAsURL="TRUE"/>
<HTML><![CDATA[">View Discussion Thread</a></td>
<td class="toolbarsep">|</td>]]></HTML>
</Default>
<Case Value = "4"><HTML><![CDATA[]]></HTML></Case>
</Switch>
<HTML><![CDATA[
<td class="toolbarbutton"><a href="]]></HTML><GetVar Name="ListUrl" URLEncodeAsURL="TRUE" />
<HTML><![CDATA[">$Resources:Alerts_link_view; ]]></HTML><GetVar Name="ListName" HTMLEncode="TRUE" /> <HTML><![CDATA[</a></td>]]></HTML>
<Switch>
<Expr><GetVar Name="MobileUrl"/></Expr>
<Case Value = "NULL"/>
<Default>
<HTML><![CDATA[
<td class="toolbarsep">|</td>
<td class="toolbarbutton"><a href="]]></HTML><GetVar Name="MobileUrl" />
<HTML><![CDATA[">$Resources:Alerts_mobile_view;</a></td>]]></HTML>
</Default>
</Switch>
<HTML><![CDATA[
</tr>
</table>
</td></tr></table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr><td colspan="3"class="spacer"> </td></tr>]]></HTML>
</Header>
<HTML><![CDATA[
<tr><td colspan="3" class="rulerow"> </td></tr>
]]></HTML>
<Fields>
<Switch>
<Expr><GetVar Name="EventType"/></Expr>
<Case Value="2">
<HTML><![CDATA[
<tr>
<td class="formlabel">]]></HTML>
<IfEqual>
<Expr1><GetVar Name="OldValue#{Field}"/></Expr1>
<Expr2><GetVar Name="NewValue#{Field}"/></Expr2>
<Then>
<GetVar Name="DisplayName#{Field}" HTMLEncode="TRUE" />
<HTML><![CDATA[:</td><td class="formbody"> ]]></HTML>
<GetVar Name="NewValue#{Field}" />
<HTML><![CDATA[</td><td class="altvb"> </td>]]></HTML>
</Then>
<Else>
<GetVar Name="DisplayName#{Field}" HTMLEncode="TRUE" />
<HTML><![CDATA[:</td><td class="formbody"><span class="edited">]]></HTML>
<Limit Len="255" AutoHyperLinkNoEncoding="TRUE" MoreText="..."><GetVar Name="OldValue#{Field}" /></Limit>
<HTML><![CDATA[</span> ]]></HTML><GetVar Name="NewValue#{Field}" />
<HTML><![CDATA[</td><td class="altvb"><span class="editedicon">$Resources:Alerts_event_edited;</span></td>]]></HTML>
</Else>
</IfEqual>
</Case>
<Default>
<HTML><![CDATA[
<tr>
<td class="formlabel">]]></HTML>
<GetVar Name="DisplayName#{Field}" HTMLEncode="TRUE" />
<HTML><![CDATA[:</td>
<td class="formbody"> ]]></HTML>
<GetVar Name="NewValue#{Field}" />
<HTML><![CDATA[ </td>
<td class="altvb"> </td>
</tr>]]></HTML>
</Default>
</Switch>
</Fields>
<Footer>
<HTML><![CDATA[
<tr>
<td colspan=3 class="descriptiontext">]]></HTML>$ResourcesNoEncode:Alerts_event_lastmodified;<HTML><![CDATA[</td>
</tr>
</table>
</body>
</html>]]></HTML>
</Footer>
</Immediate>
</Format>
<Properties>
<ImmediateNotificationExcludedFields>ID;Author;Editor;Modified_x0020_By;Created_x0020_By;_UIVersionString;ContentType;TaskGroup;IsCurrent;Attachments;NumComments;</ImmediateNotificationExcludedFields>
<DigestNotificationExcludedFields>ID;Author;Editor;Modified_x0020_By;Created_x0020_By;_UIVersionString;ContentType;TaskGroup;IsCurrent;Attachments;NumComments;</DigestNotificationExcludedFields>
</Properties>
<Filters IsVisible="True">
<FilterDefinition>
<FriendlyName>$Resources:Alerts_anything_filter_begin;$Resources:Alerts_post;$Resources:core,Alerts_anything_filter_end</FriendlyName>
<ShortName>$Resources:Alerts_anything_filter_shortname;</ShortName>
<Query>
<Neq>
<Value type="integer"><UserID /></Value><FieldRef name="Editor/New"/>
</Neq>
</Query>
</FilterDefinition>
<FilterDefinition>
<FriendlyName>$Resources:Alerts_1_filter_begin;$Resources:Alerts_post;$Resources:Alerts_1_filter_end;</FriendlyName>
<ShortName>$Resources:Alerts_1_filter_shortname;</ShortName>
<Query>
<And>
<Or>
<Eq>
<Value type="integer"><UserID /></Value><FieldRef name="Author/New"/>
</Eq>
<Eq>
<Value type="integer"><UserID /></Value><FieldRef name="Author/Old"/>
</Eq>
</Or>
<Neq>
<Value type="integer"><UserID /></Value><FieldRef name="Editor/New"/>
</Neq>
</And>
</Query>
</FilterDefinition>
<FilterDefinition>
<FriendlyName>$Resources:Alerts_2_filter_begin;$Resources:Alerts_post;$Resources:Alerts_2_filter_end;</FriendlyName>
<ShortName>$Resources:Alerts_2_filter_shortname;</ShortName>
<Query>
<And>
<Eq>
<Value type="integer"><UserID /></Value><FieldRef name="Editor/Old"/>
</Eq>
<Neq>
<Value type="integer"><UserID /></Value><FieldRef name="Editor/New"/>
</Neq>
</And>
</Query>
</FilterDefinition>
</Filters>
</AlertTemplate>
UPDATE
After this code - I made an attempt at changing the color on ALL of the alerts in alerttemplates.xml and updating. IISReset, and timer service restart | Fresh alert subscription - no modified alert.
UPDATE 2
Rebooted the physical server to no change as well.
UPDATE 3
It just came to my awareness that we have 2 different URL's set-up to access our SharePoint installation "http://companyweb/" and "http://sharepoint2010/" - Is this possibly related to the issue I am experiencing?