Customize choices

Typically, you use global choices (option sets) to set fields so that different fields can share the same set of options, which are maintained in one location. Unlike local choices that are defined only for a specific table column, you can reuse global choices. You'll also see them used in request parameters in a manner similar to an enumeration.

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.

When you define a global choice by using CreateOptionSetRequest, we recommend that you let the system assign a value. You do this by passing a null value when you create the new OptionMetadata instance. When you define a choice, it will contain a choice value prefix specific to the context of the publisher set for the solution that the choice is created in. This prefix helps reduce the chance of creating duplicate choices for a managed solution, and in any choices that are defined in organizations where your managed solution is installed. For more information, see Merge choice options.

You can download the code sample from here.

Message request classes

Use the following message request classes to work with global choices.

• CreateOptionSetRequest
• DeleteOptionSetRequest
• RetrieveAllOptionSetsRequest
• RetrieveOptionSetRequest
• UpdateOptionSetRequest

Use the following message request classes with both global and local choices.

• DeleteOptionValueRequest
• InsertOptionValueRequest
• InsertStatusValueRequest
• OrderOptionRequest
• UpdateOptionValueRequest
• UpdateStateValueRequest

Retrieve a global choice

The following code sample shows how to retrieve a global choice by name using the RetrieveOptionSetRequest message:

// Use the RetrieveOptionSetRequest message to retrieve
// a global option set by it's name.
RetrieveOptionSetRequest retrieveOptionSetRequest =
    new RetrieveOptionSetRequest
    {
        Name = _globalOptionSetName
    };

// Execute the request.
RetrieveOptionSetResponse retrieveOptionSetResponse =
    (RetrieveOptionSetResponse)svc.Execute(
    retrieveOptionSetRequest);

Console.WriteLine("Retrieved {0}.",
    retrieveOptionSetRequest.Name);

// Access the retrieved OptionSetMetadata.
OptionSetMetadata retrievedOptionSetMetadata =
    (OptionSetMetadata)retrieveOptionSetResponse.OptionSetMetadata;

// Get the current options list for the retrieved attribute.
OptionMetadata[] optionList =
    retrievedOptionSetMetadata.Options.ToArray();

Create a global choice

Use the CreateOptionSetRequest message to create a new global choice. Set the IsGlobal property to true to indicate that the choice is global. The following code example creates a global choice called "Example Option Set":

// Define the request object and pass to the service.
CreateOptionSetRequest createOptionSetRequest = new CreateOptionSetRequest
{
    // Create a global option set (OptionSetMetadata).
    OptionSet = new OptionSetMetadata
    {
        Name = _globalOptionSetName,
        DisplayName = new Label("Example Option Set", _languageCode),
        IsGlobal = true,
        OptionSetType = OptionSetType.Picklist,
        Options =
    {
        new OptionMetadata(new Label("Open", _languageCode), null),
        new OptionMetadata(new Label("Suspended", _languageCode), null),
        new OptionMetadata(new Label("Cancelled", _languageCode), null),
        new OptionMetadata(new Label("Closed", _languageCode), null)
    }
    }
};

// Execute the request.
CreateOptionSetResponse optionsResp =
    (CreateOptionSetResponse)svc.Execute(createOptionSetRequest);

Create a choice that uses a global choice

The following sample shows how to create a choice column that uses a global choice by using CreateAttributeRequest:

// Create a Picklist linked to the option set.
// Specify which entity will own the picklist, and create it.
CreateAttributeRequest createRequest = new CreateAttributeRequest
{
    EntityName = Contact.EntityLogicalName,
    Attribute = new PicklistAttributeMetadata
    {
        SchemaName = "sample_examplepicklist",
        LogicalName = "sample_examplepicklist",
        DisplayName = new Label("Example Picklist", _languageCode),
        RequiredLevel = new AttributeRequiredLevelManagedProperty(AttributeRequiredLevel.None),

        // In order to relate the picklist to the global option set, be sure
        // to specify the two attributes below appropriately.
        // Failing to do so will lead to errors.
        OptionSet = new OptionSetMetadata
        {
            IsGlobal = true,
            Name = _globalOptionSetName
        }
    }
};

svc.Execute(createRequest);

Update a global choice

The following code sample shows how to update the label for a global choice by using UpdateOptionSetRequest:

// Use UpdateOptionSetRequest to update the basic information of an option
// set. Updating option set values requires different messages (see below).
UpdateOptionSetRequest updateOptionSetRequest = new UpdateOptionSetRequest
{
    OptionSet = new OptionSetMetadata
    {
        DisplayName = new Label("Updated Option Set", _languageCode),
        Name = _globalOptionSetName,
        IsGlobal = true
    }
};

svc.Execute(updateOptionSetRequest);

//Publish the OptionSet
PublishXmlRequest pxReq1 = new PublishXmlRequest { ParameterXml = String.Format("<importexportxml><optionsets><optionset>{0}</optionset></optionsets></importexportxml>", _globalOptionSetName) };
svc.Execute(pxReq1);

Ordering options

The following code sample shows how the options in a global choice can be ordered by using OrderOptionRequest:

// Change the order of the original option's list.
// Use the OrderBy (OrderByDescending) linq function to sort options in
// ascending (descending) order according to label text.
// For ascending order use this:
var updateOptionList =
    optionList.OrderBy(x => x.Label.LocalizedLabels[0].Label).ToList();

// For descending order use this:
// var updateOptionList =
//      optionList.OrderByDescending(
//      x => x.Label.LocalizedLabels[0].Label).ToList();

// Create the request.
OrderOptionRequest orderOptionRequest = new OrderOptionRequest
{
    // Set the properties for the request.
    OptionSetName = _globalOptionSetName,
    // Set the changed order using Select linq function
    // to get only values in an array from the changed option list.
    Values = updateOptionList.Select(x => x.Value.Value).ToArray()
};

// Execute the request
svc.Execute(orderOptionRequest);

//Publish the OptionSet
PublishXmlRequest pxReq4 = new PublishXmlRequest {
ParameterXml = String.Format("<importexportxml><optionsets><optionset>{0}</optionset></optionsets></importexportxml>", _globalOptionSetName)
};
svc.Execute(pxReq4);

Retrieve all global choices

The following code sample shows how to retrieve all global choices by using RetrieveAllOptionSetsRequest:

// Use RetrieveAllOptionSetsRequest to retrieve all global option sets.
// Create the request.
RetrieveAllOptionSetsRequest retrieveAllOptionSetsRequest =
    new RetrieveAllOptionSetsRequest();

// Execute the request
RetrieveAllOptionSetsResponse retrieveAllOptionSetsResponse =
    (RetrieveAllOptionSetsResponse)svc.Execute(
    retrieveAllOptionSetsRequest);

// Now you can use RetrieveAllOptionSetsResponse.OptionSetMetadata property to
// work with all retrieved option sets.
if (retrieveAllOptionSetsResponse.OptionSetMetadata.Count() > 0)
{
    Console.WriteLine("All the global option sets retrieved as below:");
    int count = 1;
    foreach (OptionSetMetadataBase optionSetMetadata in
        retrieveAllOptionSetsResponse.OptionSetMetadata)
    {
        Console.WriteLine("{0} {1}", count++,
            (optionSetMetadata.DisplayName.LocalizedLabels.Count >0)? optionSetMetadata.DisplayName.LocalizedLabels[0].Label : String.Empty);
    }
}

Delete a global choice

The following code sample shows how to check whether a global choice is being used by another solution component by using RetrieveDependentComponents message (RetrieveDependentComponents Function or RetrieveDependentComponentsRequest), and then how to delete it by using DeleteOptionSet message (for the SDK for .NET, use DeleteOptionSetRequest):

// Create the request to see which components have a dependency on the
// global option set.
RetrieveDependentComponentsRequest dependencyRequest =
    new RetrieveDependentComponentsRequest
    {
        ObjectId = _optionSetId,
        ComponentType = (int)componenttype.OptionSet
    };

RetrieveDependentComponentsResponse dependencyResponse =
    (RetrieveDependentComponentsResponse)svc.Execute(
    dependencyRequest);

// Here you would check the dependencyResponse.EntityCollection property
// and act as appropriate. However, we know there is exactly one
// dependency so this example deals with it directly and deletes
// the previously created attribute.
DeleteAttributeRequest deleteAttributeRequest =
    new DeleteAttributeRequest
{
    EntityLogicalName = Contact.EntityLogicalName,
    LogicalName = "sample_examplepicklist"
};

svc.Execute(deleteAttributeRequest);

Console.WriteLine("Referring attribute deleted.");

// Finally, delete the global option set. Attempting this before deleting
// the picklist above will result in an exception being thrown.
DeleteOptionSetRequest deleteRequest = new DeleteOptionSetRequest
{
    Name = _globalOptionSetName
};

svc.Execute(deleteRequest);

See also

Create and update choices using the Web API