JS files returning Cached (Old) Versions Despite Update

Question

We are currently in the wild throes of a migration from SP 2007 to SP 2010. I'm attempting to move some custom JavaScript Validation from the current production site to our staging site.

My validations are maintained in a "Validation.html" file which itself accesses several ".JS" files via HTML script tags. The validation file is included in the "add" and "edit" forms for my list. All of these files are maintained in a library on the team site (not that it matters, but "Source").

I can change the validation (.HTML) file and save it and have those changes represented immediately. However changes to the JavaScript (.JS) files never take and the first version uploaded is always delivered.

This is NOT a client-side cache issue. Examination with Fiddler, multiple browsers, tests on machines that had never visited the staging site and even a direct telnet and manual "get" outside a browser show that the server is distributing the old file. I can view the files in the library and see the correct size and update date/time but downloading the file results in the old files (with different sizes and update times).

I've also tried appending nonsense CGI parameters ("file.js?version=bahblah") and deleting then reuploading the files. Things do work, of course, if I change the name of the file - but additional changes require different names.

We're a (very) large enterprise and have severe limitations on Team Site control:

• I cannot access server or admin settings AT ALL.
• There is no capability to access or install Designer.
• I'm limited soley to the out-of-the-box web interface (which is why I'm building elaborate scripts solutions for something easily done in Designer in the first place).
• Although enabled in our current 2007 environment WebDAV is disabled (very annoyingly) in the new environment.

So, my question is two-fold:

1) Is there any method I can use to force the server-side cache(s?) to update when I upload a new version?

2) If there are no options for me from my end, is there a suggestion for our admins? Something to set or implement that would update the cache(s) when files are changed?

Obviously this makes development on the site vary from infuriately tedious to utterly hopeless. (With all the limitations it wasn't all that much fun to begin with...)

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Discovered the answer to my own question. If Script (or CSS) files are kept in normal libraries they will get cached internally to SP and only rarely updated. However if these are files are maintained in the "Style Library" (a built in library created by SP) they will NOT be cached and will update normally.

It's easy enough, once this known, to create your own set of folders within the Style Library and manage your scripts from there.

Answer 2

Most probably it's an issue of the file getting stuck in one of the server's caches.

Is the BLOB caching enabled on the server? If yes, you can try clearing it.

Are Publishing Features enabled on the server? If yes, make sure that you have reset the Page Output Cache and the Object Cache also.

Answer 3

just to give some thoughts

In your .html page, in the js refference section, change from yourscript.js to yourscript.js?2012.11.26 see if that helps.

If it works, then you can try to dynamicly attach a paramater.

Answer 4

I don't think 'Style Library' is exempted from Blob cache. Caching of .js/.css files happens in all libraries.

I think only solution is Flushing Blob cache using Powershell. If publishing, can check if object cache/output cache is enabled.