Create Custom Content Type using Elements.XML in SharePoint 2010

Below are the steps to create a custom Content Type using .Net & deploying the package in the SharePoint 2010 Server.

 

       1.  Open Visual Studio & Select the Empty SharePoint Project.

 

     2.    After giving the Proper Name to the Project, the next screen appears asking to deploy the solution as Sandboxed or Farm level. Select Deploy as Farm Solution

     

          3.    The Default Solution will look as shown below.

         4.     In the given solution we need to add a content type to create a custom content type. Right Click on the Solution to add a new content type as shown below.

       

           5.    Select Content Type & give it a proper name as shown below.

  

           6.    The popup to choose the base content type will appear as shown below

        7.    Select “Item” as base content type from the drop down or any other content type according to the requirements as shown below.

    

        8.    After selecting the base content type click on “Finish” button. Now the solution will appear in which the Elements.XML file is opened in the solution of that particular content type as shown below.

 

      9.    Now in the given Elements.XML file we need to add the columns to bind them with our custom content type. Here we can add the default SharePoint columns by using their ID’s. But now in this case we will first create the custom Site Columns & then bind them with the Custom Content Type. We can define the site columns in the same Elements.XML file of the content type after the <ContentType></ContentType> tag but before the closing </Elements> tag as shown below.

The code for the same is as follows

 

<!--Create Custom Site Columns -->

<!--Site Column of type "Text"-->

<Field ID="{2FA325B0-B884-4AAB-8E60-E9AA48AA97F3}" Type="Text" Name="DemoName" DisplayName="DemoName" Required="False" Sealed="TRUE" Group="Custom Columns"/>

<!--Site Column of type "Number"-->

<Field ID="{30C7137C-7320-4603-8F54-B8043C3AAF49}" Type="Number" Name="DemoValue" DisplayName="DemoValue" Required="False" Sealed="TRUE" Group="Custom Columns"/>

<!--Site Column of type "Choice for DropDown"-->

<Field ID="{38A52E05-59EB-4FA8-AEB4-5739AD6562F3}" Type="Choice" Name="DemoType"  DisplayName="DemoChoiceType" Sealed="TRUE" Group="Custom Columns">

<CHOICES>

       <CHOICE>Internal</CHOICE>

       <CHOICE>External</CHOICE>

</CHOICES>

</Field>

<!--Site Column of type "Currency"-->

<Field ID="{34814490-405E-4CC5-A200-1934266F59F8}" Type="Currency" Name="DemoAmount" DisplayName="DemoAmount" Decimals="2"Min="0" Required="FALSE" Group="Custom Columns" />

<!--Site Column of type "Date & Time" & contains today's date as default date-->

<Field ID="{19BFDCF6-2B4C-4666-9D8C-B933C0B1DF5D}" Type="DateTime" Name="DemoDate" DisplayName="DemoDate" Format="DateOnly" Required="FALSE" Group="Custom Columns">

<Default>[today]</Default>

</Field>

<!--Site Column of type "Lookup" which reads values from other list created in the same solution-->

<Field ID="{BF2FCD32-5A68-4E8C-9DB3-C785D8279DD4}"  Type="Lookup" Name="DemoLookupField" DisplayName="DemoLookupField"  Hidden="FALSE" Required="FALSE" Sealed="FALSE" Group="Custom Columns" List="Lists/LookupListInstance" StaticName="DemoLookupField" ShowField="Title" WebId="~sitecollection" Overwrite="TRUE" />

While creating the Site Column we have to give every field a unique ID. After copying &changing the ID’s of all the site columns, the solution will look as given below.

 

      10.    After creating the site columns we have to bind them in our custom content type. To achieve this we have to give the site column’s reference in the <FieldRef></FieldRef> which is present inside <ContentType></ContentType> tag. To add the reference of the fields we have to give the ID of the site column & the Name on the field defined in the Site Columns.

The code for the same is as follows.

<!--Create Field References to the Defined Content Type-->

<FieldRef ID="{2FA325B0-B884-4AAB-8E60-E9AA48AA97F3}" Name="DemoName" DisplayName="DemoName" Required="False"/>

<FieldRef ID="{30C7137C-7320-4603-8F54-B8043C3AAF49}" Name="DemoValue" DisplayName="DemoValue" Required="False"/>

<FieldRef ID="{38A52E05-59EB-4FA8-AEB4-5739AD6562F3}" Name="DemoType"  DisplayName="DemoChoiceType" />

<FieldRef ID="{34814490-405E-4CC5-A200-1934266F59F8}" Name="DemoAmount"  DisplayName="DemoAmount" />

<FieldRef ID="{19BFDCF6-2B4C-4666-9D8C-B933C0B1DF5D}" Name="DemoDate"  DisplayName="DemoDate" />

<FieldRef ID="{BF2FCD32-5A68-4E8C-9DB3-C785D8279DD4}" Name="DemoLookupField"  DisplayName="DemoLookupField" />

The FieldRef ID & the Name should match with the ID & Name of the site column defined below it. After adding the Field References the solution will look as follows.

 

      11.    Now the next step is to build the solution & deploy it in your SharePoint Web Application. After deploying the solution we can find these columns created in the Custom Columns Group in the Site Columns page as shown below

 

        Also the Content type is created iunder the Custom Content Types Group as shown below