SPContentType class
Represents a site or list content type.
Inheritance hierarchy
System.Object
Microsoft.SharePoint.SPContentType
Namespace: Microsoft.SharePoint
Assembly: Microsoft.SharePoint (in Microsoft.SharePoint.dll)
Syntax
'Declaration
Public NotInheritable Class SPContentType
'Usage
Dim instance As SPContentType
public sealed class SPContentType
Remarks
Content types are designed to help users organize their SharePoint content in a more meaningful way. A content type is a reusable collection of settings that you want to apply to a certain category of content. Content types enable you to manage the metadata and behaviors of a document or item type in a centralized, reusable way.
For more information, see Introduction to Content Types.
Examples
The following example is a console application that creates a content type and adds it to the site content type collection. Next, the example creates a field (column) and links the field to the new content type. Finally, the example creates a list and adds the new content type to the content type collection that belongs to the list.
Before running the application, you need to add a reference to Microsoft.Sharepoint.dll to your project.
Imports System
Imports Microsoft.SharePoint
Module Test
#Region "fields"
Private requestUrl As String = "https://localhost"
' Name and type of content type to create.
Private ctName As String = "Customer"
Private parentId As SPContentTypeId = SPBuiltInContentTypeId.Contact
' Name and type of site column to create.
Private fldName As String = "LastOrder"
Private fldType As SPFieldType = SPFieldType.DateTime
' Name, type, and description of list to create.
Private lstName As String = "Customers"
Private lstType As SPListTemplateType = SPListTemplateType.Contacts
Private lstDesc As String = "A list of customers."
#End Region
Sub Main()
Using site As SPSite = New SPSite(requestUrl)
Using web As SPWeb = site.OpenWeb()
If ValidNames(web) Then
' Create a new site content type.
Dim cts As SPContentTypeCollection = web.ContentTypes
Dim ct As New SPContentType(cts(parentId), cts, ctName)
' Add the content type to the site collection.
cts.Add(ct)
Console.WriteLine( _
"Added {0} content type to site collection.", ct.Name)
' Create a site field to link to.
Dim fields As SPFieldCollection = web.Fields
fldName = fields.Add(fldName, fldType, False)
Console.WriteLine("Created {0} site column.", fldName)
' Link the content type to the field.
Dim field As SPField = fields.GetField(fldName)
Dim fieldLink As SPFieldLink = New SPFieldLink(field)
ct.FieldLinks.Add(fieldLink)
Console.WriteLine( _
"Linked {0} content type to {1} column.", _
ct.Name, field.InternalName)
' Commit changes to the database.
ct.Update()
' Create a list.
Dim lists As SPListCollection = web.Lists
Dim listID As Guid = lists.Add(lstName, lstDesc, lstType)
Dim list As SPList = lists(listID)
list.OnQuickLaunch = True
list.Update()
Console.WriteLine("Created {0} list.", list.Title)
' Apply the new content type to the list.
list.ContentTypesEnabled = True
If list.IsContentTypeAllowed(ct) Then
' Add the new content type.
Dim lstCT As SPContentType = list.ContentTypes.Add(ct)
' Remove the default content type.
list.ContentTypes(0).Delete()
' Commit changes to the list.
list.Update()
Console.WriteLine("Applied {0} content type to {1} list.", _
lstCT.Name, list.Title)
Else
Console.WriteLine("{0} list does not allow {1} content type.", _
list.Title, ct.Name)
End If
End If
End Using
End Using
Console.Write(vbCrLf + "Press ENTER to continue...")
Console.ReadLine()
End Sub
' Checks for duplicate content type, field, and list names.
Private Function ValidNames(ByRef web As SPWeb) As Boolean
Dim valid As Boolean = True
' Duplicate content type name?
If web.AvailableContentTypes(ctName) IsNot Nothing Then
valid = False
Console.WriteLine("Duplicate content type name.")
End If
' Invalid characters in content type name?
Try
SPContentType.ValidateName(ctName)
Catch ex As SPException
valid = False
Console.WriteLine("Invalid character in content type name.")
End Try
' Duplicate field name?
If web.Fields.ContainsField(fldName) Then
valid = False
Console.WriteLine("Duplicate field name.")
End If
' Duplicate list name?
Try
Dim list As SPList = web.Lists(lstName) ' Exception if not found
valid = False
Console.WriteLine("Duplicate list name.")
Catch ex As ArgumentException
' List name does not exist.
End Try
Return valid
End Function
End Module
using System;
using Microsoft.SharePoint;
namespace Test
{
class ConsoleApp
{
#region fields
private static string requestUrl = "https://localhost";
// Name and type of content type to create.
private static string ctName = "Customer";
private static SPContentTypeId parentId = SPBuiltInContentTypeId.Contact;
// Name and type of site column to create.
private static string fldName = "LastOrder";
private static SPFieldType fldType = SPFieldType.DateTime;
// Name, type, and description of list to create.
private static string lstName = "Customers";
private static SPListTemplateType lstType = SPListTemplateType.Contacts;
private static string lstDesc = "A list of customers.";
#endregion
static void Main(string[] args)
{
using (SPSite site = new SPSite(requestUrl))
{
using (SPWeb web = site.OpenWeb())
{
// Check for duplicate content type, field, and list names.
if (ValidNames(web))
{
// Create a new site content type.
SPContentTypeCollection cts = web.ContentTypes;
SPContentType ct = new SPContentType(cts[parentId], // parent
cts, // collection
ctName); // name
// Add the content type to the site collection.
cts.Add(ct);
Console.WriteLine(
"Added {0} content type to site collection.", ct.Name);
// Create a site field to link to.
SPFieldCollection fields = web.Fields;
fldName = fields.Add(fldName, fldType, false);
Console.WriteLine("Created {0} site column.", fldName);
// Link the content type to the field.
SPField field = fields.GetField(fldName);
SPFieldLink fieldLink = new SPFieldLink(field);
ct.FieldLinks.Add(fieldLink);
Console.WriteLine(
"Linked {0} content type to {1} column.",
ct.Name, field.InternalName);
// Commit changes to the database.
ct.Update();
// Create a list.
SPListCollection lists = web.Lists;
Guid listID = lists.Add(lstName, lstDesc, lstType);
SPList list = lists[listID];
list.OnQuickLaunch = true;
list.Update();
Console.WriteLine("Created {0} list.", list.Title);
// Apply the new content type to the list.
list.ContentTypesEnabled = true;
if (list.IsContentTypeAllowed(ct))
{
// Add the new content type.
SPContentType lstCT = list.ContentTypes.Add(ct);
// Remove the default content type.
list.ContentTypes[0].Delete();
// Commit changes to the list.
list.Update();
Console.WriteLine("Applied {0} content type to {1} list.",
lstCT.Name, list.Title);
}
else
{
Console.WriteLine("{0} list does not allow {1} content type.",
list.Title, ct.Name);
}
}
}
}
Console.Write("\nPress ENTER to continue...");
Console.ReadLine();
}
// Checks for duplicate content type, field, and list names.
static bool ValidNames(SPWeb web)
{
bool valid = true;
// Duplicate content type name?
if (web.AvailableContentTypes[ctName] != null)
{
valid = false;
Console.WriteLine("Duplicate content type name.");
}
// Invalid characters in content type name?
try
{
SPContentType.ValidateName(ctName);
}
catch (SPException ex)
{
Console.WriteLine("Invalid character in content type name.");
}
// Duplicate field name?
if (web.Fields.ContainsField(fldName))
{
valid = false;
Console.WriteLine("Duplicate field name.");
}
// Duplicate list name?
try
{
SPList list = web.Lists[lstName]; // Exception if not found
valid = false;
Console.WriteLine("Duplicate list name.");
}
catch (ArgumentException ex)
{
// List name does not exist.
}
return valid;
}
}
}
Thread safety
Any public static (Shared in Visual Basic) members of this type are thread safe. Any instance members are not guaranteed to be thread safe.
See also
Reference
Microsoft.SharePoint namespace