How to: Extend a SharePoint Node in Server Explorer
You can extend nodes under the SharePoint Connections node in Server Explorer. This is useful when you want to add new child nodes, shortcut menu items, or properties to an existing node. For more information, see Extending the SharePoint Connections Node in Server Explorer.
To extend a SharePoint node in Server Explorer
Create a class library project.
Add references to the following assemblies:
Microsoft.VisualStudio.SharePoint
Microsoft.VisualStudio.SharePoint.Explorer.Extensions
System.ComponentModel.Composition
Create a class that implements the IExplorerNodeTypeExtension interface.
Add the ExportAttribute attribute to the class. This attribute enables Visual Studio to discover and load your IExplorerNodeTypeExtension implementation. Pass the IExplorerNodeTypeExtension type to the attribute constructor.
Add the ExplorerNodeTypeAttribute attribute to the class. This attribute specifies the string identifier for the type of node that you want to extend.
To specify built-in node types provided by Visual Studio, pass one of the following enumeration values to the attribute constructor:
ExplorerNodeTypes: Use these values to specify site connection nodes (the nodes that display site URLs), site nodes, or all other parent nodes in Server Explorer.
ExtensionNodeTypes: Use these values to specify one of the built-in nodes that represent an individual component on a SharePoint site, such as a node that represents a list, field, or content type.
In your implementation of the IExplorerNodeTypeExtension.Initialize method, use members of the nodeType parameter to add features to the node. This parameter is an IExplorerNodeType object that provides access to the events defined in the IExplorerNodeEvents interface. For example, you can handle the following events:
IExplorerNodeEvents.NodeChildrenRequested: Handle this event to add new child nodes to the node. For more information, see How to: Add a Custom SharePoint Node to Server Explorer.
IExplorerNodeEvents.NodeMenuItemsRequested: Handle this event to add a custom shortcut menu item to the node.
IExplorerNodeEvents.NodePropertiesRequested: Handle this event to add custom properties to the node. The properties appear in the Properties window when the node is selected.
Example
The following code example demonstrates how to create two different types of node extensions:
An extension that adds a context menu item to SharePoint site nodes. When you click the menu item, it displays the name of the node that was clicked.
An extension that adds a custom property named ContosoExampleProperty to each node that represents a field named Body.
Imports System.ComponentModel
Imports System.ComponentModel.Composition
Imports System.Windows.Forms
Imports Microsoft.VisualStudio.SharePoint
Imports Microsoft.VisualStudio.SharePoint.Explorer
Imports Microsoft.VisualStudio.SharePoint.Explorer.Extensions
Namespace Contoso.ServerExplorerExtension
<Export(GetType(IExplorerNodeTypeExtension))> _
<ExplorerNodeType(ExplorerNodeTypes.SiteNode)> _
Friend Class SiteNodeExtensionWithContextMenu
Implements IExplorerNodeTypeExtension
Private Sub Initialize(ByVal nodeType As IExplorerNodeType) _
Implements IExplorerNodeTypeExtension.Initialize
AddHandler nodeType.NodeMenuItemsRequested, AddressOf NodeMenuItemsRequested
End Sub
Private Sub NodeMenuItemsRequested(ByVal Sender As Object, ByVal e As ExplorerNodeMenuItemsRequestedEventArgs)
Dim menuItem = e.MenuItems.Add("Display Message")
AddHandler menuItem.Click, AddressOf MenuItemClick
End Sub
Private Sub MenuItemClick(ByVal Sender As Object, ByVal e As MenuItemEventArgs)
Dim node As IExplorerNode = CType(e.Owner, IExplorerNode)
MessageBox.Show(String.Format("Clicked the menu item for the '{0}' node.", node.Text))
End Sub
End Class
<Export(GetType(IExplorerNodeTypeExtension))> _
<ExplorerNodeType(ExtensionNodeTypes.FieldNode)> _
Friend Class FieldNodeExtensionWithProperty
Implements IExplorerNodeTypeExtension
Private Sub Initialize(ByVal nodeType As IExplorerNodeType) _
Implements IExplorerNodeTypeExtension.Initialize
AddHandler nodeType.NodePropertiesRequested, AddressOf NodePropertiesRequested
End Sub
Private Sub NodePropertiesRequested(ByVal Sender As Object, ByVal e As ExplorerNodePropertiesRequestedEventArgs)
Dim propertyObject As ExampleProperty = Nothing
' Only add the property to "Body" fields.
If e.Node.Text = "Body" Then
' If the properties object already exists for this node, get it from the node's annotations.
If False = e.Node.Annotations.TryGetValue(propertyObject) Then
' Otherwise, create a new properties object and add it to the annotations.
propertyObject = New ExampleProperty(e.Node)
e.Node.Annotations.Add(propertyObject)
End If
e.PropertySources.Add(propertyObject)
End If
End Sub
End Class
Friend Class ExampleProperty
Private node As IExplorerNode
Private Const propertyId As String = "Contoso.CustomActionTestProperty"
Private Const propertyDefaultValue As String = "This is a test value."
Friend Sub New(ByVal node As IExplorerNode)
Me.node = node
End Sub
' Gets or sets a simple string property.
<DisplayName("ContosoExampleProperty")> _
<DescriptionAttribute("This is an example property for field nodes.")> _
<DefaultValue(propertyDefaultValue)> _
Public Property TestProperty As String
Get
Dim propertyValue As String = Nothing
' Get the current property value if it already exists; otherwise, return a default value.
If False = node.Annotations.TryGetValue(propertyId, propertyValue) Then
propertyValue = propertyDefaultValue
End If
Return propertyValue
End Get
Set(ByVal value As String)
If value <> propertyDefaultValue Then
' Store the property value in the Annotations property of the node.
' Data in the Annotations property does not persist when Visual Studio exits.
node.Annotations(propertyId) = value
Else
' Do not save the default value.
node.Annotations.Values.Remove(propertyId)
End If
End Set
End Property
End Class
End Namespace
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.ComponentModel.Composition;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using Microsoft.VisualStudio.SharePoint;
using Microsoft.VisualStudio.SharePoint.Explorer;
using Microsoft.VisualStudio.SharePoint.Explorer.Extensions;
namespace Contoso.ServerExplorerExtension
{
[Export(typeof(IExplorerNodeTypeExtension))]
[ExplorerNodeType(ExplorerNodeTypes.SiteNode)]
internal class SiteNodeExtensionWithContextMenu : IExplorerNodeTypeExtension
{
public void Initialize(IExplorerNodeType nodeType)
{
nodeType.NodeMenuItemsRequested += nodeType_NodeMenuItemsRequested;
}
void nodeType_NodeMenuItemsRequested(object sender, ExplorerNodeMenuItemsRequestedEventArgs e)
{
IMenuItem menuItem = e.MenuItems.Add("Display Message");
menuItem.Click += menuItem_Click;
}
void menuItem_Click(object sender, MenuItemEventArgs e)
{
IExplorerNode node = (IExplorerNode)e.Owner;
MessageBox.Show(string.Format("Clicked the menu item for the '{0}' node.", node.Text));
}
}
[Export(typeof(IExplorerNodeTypeExtension))]
[ExplorerNodeType(ExtensionNodeTypes.FieldNode)]
internal class FieldNodeExtensionWithProperty : IExplorerNodeTypeExtension
{
public void Initialize(IExplorerNodeType nodeType)
{
nodeType.NodePropertiesRequested += nodeType_NodePropertiesRequested;
}
void nodeType_NodePropertiesRequested(object sender, ExplorerNodePropertiesRequestedEventArgs e)
{
// Only add the property to "Body" fields.
if (e.Node.Text == "Body")
{
ExampleProperty propertyObject;
// If the properties object already exists for this node, get it from the node's annotations.
if (!e.Node.Annotations.TryGetValue(out propertyObject))
{
// Otherwise, create a new properties object and add it to the annotations.
propertyObject = new ExampleProperty(e.Node);
e.Node.Annotations.Add(propertyObject);
}
e.PropertySources.Add(propertyObject);
}
}
}
internal class ExampleProperty
{
private IExplorerNode node;
private const string propertyId = "Contoso.ExampleProperty";
private const string propertyDefaultValue = "This is an example property.";
internal ExampleProperty(IExplorerNode node)
{
this.node = node;
}
// Gets or sets a simple string property.
[DisplayName("ContosoExampleProperty")]
[DescriptionAttribute("This is an example property for field nodes.")]
[DefaultValue(propertyDefaultValue)]
public string TestProperty
{
get
{
string propertyValue;
// Get the current property value if it already exists; otherwise, return a default value.
if (!node.Annotations.TryGetValue(propertyId, out propertyValue))
{
propertyValue = propertyDefaultValue;
}
return propertyValue;
}
set
{
if (value != propertyDefaultValue)
{
// Store the property value in the Annotations property of the node.
// Data in the Annotations property does not persist when Visual Studio exits.
node.Annotations[propertyId] = value;
}
else
{
// Do not save the default value.
node.Annotations.Remove(propertyId);
}
}
}
}
}
This extension adds an editable string property to nodes. You can also create custom properties that display read-only data from the SharePoint server. For an example that demonstrates how to do this, see Walkthrough: Extending Server Explorer to Display Web Parts.
Compiling the Code
This example requires references to the following assemblies:
Microsoft.VisualStudio.SharePoint
Microsoft.VisualStudio.SharePoint.Explorer.Extensions
System.ComponentModel.Composition
System.Windows.Forms
Deploying the Extension
To deploy the Server Explorer extension, create a Visual Studio extension (VSIX) package for the assembly and any other files that you want to distribute with the extension. For more information, see Deploying Extensions for the SharePoint Tools in Visual Studio.
See Also
Tasks
Walkthrough: Extending Server Explorer to Display Web Parts
Concepts
How to: Add a Custom SharePoint Node to Server Explorer
Associating Custom Data with SharePoint Tools Extensions
Other Resources
Extending the SharePoint Connections Node in Server Explorer