Choices columns
Customizers can define a column that allows selection of multiple options. The MultiSelectPicklistAttributeMetadata class defines a column type that inherits from the EnumAttributeMetadata class. Just like the PicklistAttributeMetadata class, this column includes an OptionSetMetadata.Options property that contains the valid options for the column. The difference is that the values you get or set are an OptionSetValueCollection type that contains an array of integers representing the selected options. Formatted values for this column are a semi-colon separated string containing the labels of the selected options.
Note
Only the publisher of a managed solution can import changes that delete an option from a global option set. This includes Microsoft published solutions such as the out of box global option sets. In order to make a change to the option sets, an Upgrade must be made to the solution that added the option set. More information: Upgrade or update a solution. Users can manually delete an option in their environment if they are unable to modify the solution or contact the solution publisher, but this must be done on every environment manually.
With the Web API, this column is defined using the MultiSelectPicklistAttributeMetadata EntityType.
Just like choices columns, there's technically no upper limit on the number of options that can be defined. Usability considerations should be applied as the limiting factor. However only 150 options can be selected for a single column. Also, a default value can't be set.
Setting choices values
The following examples show how to set choices values for a column named sample_outdooractivities
added to the contact
table.
With the Web API, you set the values by passing a string containing comma separated number values:
Request:
POST [organization uri]/api/data/v9.0/contacts HTTP/1.1
Accept: application/json
Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8
OData-MaxVersion: 4.0
OData-Version: 4.0
{
"@odata.type": "Microsoft.Dynamics.CRM.contact",
"firstname": "Wayne",
"lastname": "Yarborough",
"sample_outdooractivities": "1, 9"
}
Response:
HTTP/1.1 204 No Content
OData-Version: 4.0
OData-EntityId: [organization uri]/api/data/v9.0/contacts(00aa00aa-bb11-cc22-dd33-44ee44ee44ee)
Query data from choices
Two new condition operators have been added to support querying values in choices:
Web API | FetchXml | ConditionOperator |
---|---|---|
ContainValues | contain-values |
ContainValues |
DoesNotContainValues | not-contain-values |
DoesNotContainValues |
Note
These operators depend on full-text indexing to be applied on the database tables that store the multiple values. There is some latentcy after new records are created and the full-text index takes effect. You may need to wait several seconds after new records are created before filters using these operators can evaluate the values.
Other existing condition operators that can be used with this type of column include the following:
Web API | FetchXml | ConditionOperator |
---|---|---|
eq |
eq |
Equal |
ne |
neq |
NotEqual |
not null |
not-null |
NotNull |
eq null |
null |
Null |
In | in |
In |
NotIn | not-in |
NotIn |
The following examples show using the ContainValues
and DoesNotContainValues
operators against the following data set on choices column named sample_outdooractivities
on the contact
table.
Choices sample_outdooractivities
values
Value | Label |
---|---|
1 | Swimming |
2 | Hiking |
3 | Mountain Climbing |
4 | Fishing |
5 | Hunting |
6 | Running |
7 | Boating |
8 | Skiing |
9 | Camping |
Contact table values
fullname |
'sample_outdooractivities' |
---|---|
Wayne Yarborough | 1,9 |
Monte Orton | 2 |
Randal Maple | 4 |
Hiram Mundy | 2,3,8,9 |
Barbara Weber | 1,4,7 |
Georgette Sullivan | 4,5,9 |
Verna Kennedy | 2,4,9 |
Marvin Bracken | 1,2,8,9 |
This example shows the use of the ContainValues query function to return all the contacts who like hiking. Notice how the text of the options is returned as annotations due to the odata.include-annotations="OData.Community.Display.V1.FormattedValue"
preference applied.
Request:
GET [organization uri]/api/data/v9.0/contacts?$select=fullname,sample_outdooractivities&$filter=Microsoft.Dynamics.CRM.ContainValues(PropertyName='sample_outdooractivities',PropertyValues=%5B'2'%5D) HTTP/1.1
Accept: application/json
Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8
OData-MaxVersion: 4.0
OData-Version: 4.0
Prefer: odata.include-annotations="OData.Community.Display.V1.FormattedValue"
Response:
HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Type: application/json; odata.metadata=minimal
OData-Version: 4.0
Preference-Applied: odata.include-annotations="OData.Community.Display.V1.FormattedValue"
Content-Length: 1092
{
"@odata.context": "[organization uri]/api/data/v9.0/$metadata#contacts(fullname,sample_outdooractivities)",
"value": [{
"@odata.etag": "W/\"529811\"",
"fullname": "Monte Orton",
"sample_outdooractivities@OData.Community.Display.V1.FormattedValue": "Hiking",
"sample_outdooractivities": "2",
"contactid": "cdbcc48e-0b8d-e711-811c-000d3a75bdf1"
}, {
"@odata.etag": "W/\"529823\"",
"fullname": "Hiram Mundy",
"sample_outdooractivities@OData.Community.Display.V1.FormattedValue": "Hiking; Mountain Climbing; Skiing; Camping",
"sample_outdooractivities": "2,3,8,9",
"contactid": "d7bcc48e-0b8d-e711-811c-000d3a75bdf1"
}, {
"@odata.etag": "W/\"529838\"",
"fullname": "Verna Kennedy",
"sample_outdooractivities@OData.Community.Display.V1.FormattedValue": "Hiking; Fishing; Camping",
"sample_outdooractivities": "2,4,9",
"contactid": "e6bcc48e-0b8d-e711-811c-000d3a75bdf1"
}, {
"@odata.etag": "W/\"529843\"",
"fullname": "Marvin Bracken",
"sample_outdooractivities@OData.Community.Display.V1.FormattedValue": "Swimming; Hiking; Skiing; Camping",
"sample_outdooractivities": "1,2,8,9",
"contactid": "ebbcc48e-0b8d-e711-811c-000d3a75bdf1"
}]
}
Example code using FetchXml
The following code shows the use of FetchXml with Web API and SDK for .NET.
This example shows the use of the not-contain-values
operator in the following FetchXml
query using the Web API.
<fetch distinct='false' no-lock='false' mapping='logical'>
<entity name='contact'>
<attribute name='fullname' />
<attribute name='sample_outdooractivities' />
<filter type='and'>
<condition attribute='sample_outdooractivities' operator='not-contain-values'>
<value>2</value>
</condition>
</filter>
</entity>
</fetch>
Request:
GET [organization uri]/api/data/v9.0/contacts?fetchXml=%253Cfetch%2520distinct%253D'false'%2520no-lock%253D'false'%2520mapping%253D'logical'%253E%253Centity%2520name%253D'contact'%253E%253Cattribute%2520name%253D'fullname'%2520%252F%253E%253Cattribute%2520name%253D'sample_outdooractivities'%2520%252F%253E%253Cfilter%2520type%253D'and'%253E%253Ccondition%2520attribute%253D'sample_outdooractivities'%2520operator%253D'not-contain-values'%253E%253Cvalue%253E2%253C%252Fvalue%253E%253C%252Fcondition%253E%253C%252Ffilter%253E%253C%252Fentity%253E%253C%252Ffetch%253E HTTP/1.1
Accept: application/json
Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8
OData-MaxVersion: 4.0
OData-Version: 4.0
Prefer: odata.include-annotations="OData.Community.Display.V1.FormattedValue"
Response:
HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Type: application/json; odata.metadata=minimal
OData-Version: 4.0
Preference-Applied: odata.include-annotations="OData.Community.Display.V1.FormattedValue"
{
"@odata.context": "[organization uri]/api/data/v9.0/$metadata#contacts(fullname,sample_outdooractivities,contactid)",
"value": [{
"@odata.etag": "W/\"529806\"",
"fullname": "Wayne Yarborough",
"sample_outdooractivities@OData.Community.Display.V1.FormattedValue": "Swimming; Camping",
"sample_outdooractivities": "1,9",
"contactid": "c8bcc48e-0b8d-e711-811c-000d3a75bdf1"
}, {
"@odata.etag": "W/\"529816\"",
"fullname": "Randal Maple",
"sample_outdooractivities@OData.Community.Display.V1.FormattedValue": "Fishing",
"sample_outdooractivities": "4",
"contactid": "d2bcc48e-0b8d-e711-811c-000d3a75bdf1"
}, {
"@odata.etag": "W/\"529828\"",
"fullname": "Barbara Weber",
"sample_outdooractivities@OData.Community.Display.V1.FormattedValue": "Swimming; Fishing; Boating",
"sample_outdooractivities": "1,4,7",
"contactid": "dcbcc48e-0b8d-e711-811c-000d3a75bdf1"
}, {
"@odata.etag": "W/\"529833\"",
"fullname": "Georgette Sullivan",
"sample_outdooractivities@OData.Community.Display.V1.FormattedValue": "Fishing; Hunting; Camping",
"sample_outdooractivities": "4,5,9",
"contactid": "e1bcc48e-0b8d-e711-811c-000d3a75bdf1"
}]
}
Create choices with code
The easiest way to create choices is to use the column editor in the customization tools. More information: How to create and edit columns
But if you need to automate creation of this kind of column you can use C# code like the following with the SDK for .NET that creates choices to allow choices of outdoor activities to the contact
table. More information: Create columns
private const int _languageCode = 1033; //English
MultiSelectPicklistAttributeMetadata outDoorActivitiesAttribute = new MultiSelectPicklistAttributeMetadata()
{
SchemaName = "sample_OutdoorActivities",
LogicalName = "sample_outdooractivities",
DisplayName = new Label("Outdoor activities", _languageCode),
RequiredLevel = new AttributeRequiredLevelManagedProperty(AttributeRequiredLevel.None),
Description = new Label("Outdoor activities that the contact likes.", _languageCode),
OptionSet = new OptionSetMetadata()
{
IsGlobal = false,
OptionSetType = OptionSetType.Picklist,
Options = {
new OptionMetadata(new Label("Swimming",_languageCode),1),
new OptionMetadata(new Label("Hiking",_languageCode),2),
new OptionMetadata(new Label("Mountain Climbing",_languageCode),3),
new OptionMetadata(new Label("Fishing",_languageCode),4),
new OptionMetadata(new Label("Hunting",_languageCode),5),
new OptionMetadata(new Label("Running",_languageCode),6),
new OptionMetadata(new Label("Boating",_languageCode),7),
new OptionMetadata(new Label("Skiing",_languageCode),8),
new OptionMetadata(new Label("Camping",_languageCode),9)}
}
};
CreateAttributeRequest createAttributeRequest = new CreateAttributeRequest
{
EntityName = "contact",
Attribute = outDoorActivitiesAttribute
};
var response = (CreateAttributeResponse)service.Execute(createAttributeRequest);
See also
Column definitions
Create a table row using the Web API
Query Data using the Web API
Work with column definitions
Sample: Work with columns definitions
Late-bound and early-bound programming using the SDK for .NET