SharePoint 2013: Changed JavaScript file not being downloaded

Problem

You've made some changes to a JavaScript file used in the master page of a farm web application. Using SharePoint Designer, you checked it out, edited it, and then checked it back in.  When you then open a browser and navigate to the home page of the web application, you can see the affect of your JavaScript modifications.  However, when you then browse to the page from your workstation using your standard account, no change is seen.  You try different browsers and ask different users, and the response is the same: no changes.  Flushing the browser cache has no affect.  You also try flushing page, output and blob caches, but no affect.  You have activated the Publishing feature for the site collection containing the target master page.

 

Resolution of this issue involves the consequences of activating the Publishing feature, which implements content management, including content approval.

Solution

1. Using an administrator account, connect to the root of the site collection employing the JavaScript file.
2. Go: Settings > Site Settings > Site Administration > Content and structure.
3. From the View menu, select Pending Approval.
4. Select the modified JavaScript file.
5. From the Actions menu, select Approve.

References

• Plan document versioning, content approval, and check-out controls in SharePoint 2013
• Using SharePoint Content Approval