How to add binary property for Node in CQ

Motivation: Recently I was trying to add some binary property to a node through file system (As part of code deployment). Had hard time figuring out how we can do that.

Use Case: You need to add some Binary property to a node through file system. (One use case is adding SAML cert as property idp_cert under /etc/key/saml)

Solution:

Option 1:

You can use following curl command to do that (Look at \< )

curl -u UID:PWD -F property_name=\<File location -F property_name@TypeHint=Binary http://HOST:PORT/PATH_WHERE_YOU_WANT_TO_ADD_THIS_PROP

If you are trying to upload a file instead of property, You can use something like, (This is even true for if you want to install a bundle using repo path in that case repo path would be something like /apps/your_app/install if this is Adobe bundle then something like /libs/adobe_modules/install and if this is system bundle (Like Authentication bundles) then it would be something like /libs/system/install

curl -u UID:PWD -T File_Location HOST:PORT/PATH

Option 2: 

You can use .content.xml to create property like this

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<jcr:root xmlns:sling="http://sling.apache.org/jcr/sling/1.0" xmlns:jcr="http://www.jcp.org/jcr/1.0" xmlns:rep="internal"

    your_property-name="{Binary}"

    jcr:primaryType="sling:Folder"/>

And then create a file called  your_property-name.binary at same level and dump your binary content there. When you use maven-content-plugin to build package now, vlt knows how to transform this to a binary property.

----- /somepath

-------- .content.xml

-------- your_property_name.binary

Note that there are various way to create actual binary content in CQ using curl and some of them you can check here 

http://sling.apache.org/documentation/bundles/manipulating-content-the-slingpostservlet-servlets-post.html