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A
Anonymous
September 14, 2012
Answered

FM 11 and SharePoint -- support for custom columns?

  • September 14, 2012
  • 2 replies
  • 1886 views

We're using FM10, DITA-FMX, and SharePoint 2010, and working with DITA topics.

We've created a "Topic Type" column in SharePoint, which we populate with the topic type (concept, task, reference) when we check in a DITA document.

In FM10's CMS Connector, Advanced Search, this column is not available for searches. IN FM11, it looks like it might be (http://help.adobe.com/en_US/framemaker/using/WS92ce23f8a8bab2f3-289f19b113749faafac-8000.html), but I'm not completely sure.

If we upgrade to FM11, will we be able to search on Topic Type and other custom fields from within the CMS Connector Advanced Search? 

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer

Solved. You must use the literal name of the column. This is not necessarly the same as the name shown under "Column (click to edit)" on the settings page for the Library.

To find the literal name, click the apparent name (as if to edit the column), and then refer to the URL in the browser address bar for the Field value. In my case it read "Field=TopicTitle", without the space.

NOTES: The error I cited is generated by SharePoint. See for example http://hazaa.com.au/2012/06/26/microsoft-sharepoint-spexception-one-or-more-field-types-are-not-installed-properly-go-to-the-list-settings-page-to-delete-these-fields/

2 replies

A
Anonymous
November 2, 2012

Now that we have a new CMS forum, and all the current questions are way down the list, I'm going to bump this. I need an answer, especially considering that this supposed new functionality is one of the reasons we purchased FM 11 upgrades.

Briefly: We have a "Topic Title" column in SharePoint, which we populate with the text of a DITA <title> element drawn directly from the file at checkin. I want to be able to search on the Topic Title column from within the SharePoint Connector.

I've added a "Custom Attribute" for Topic Title, but when I try to use it in Advanced Search I receive the error, "One or more field types are not installed properly. Go to the list settnigs to delete these fields."

Can I do what I need, and if so, how?

A
Anonymous
Correct answer
November 2, 2012

Solved. You must use the literal name of the column. This is not necessarly the same as the name shown under "Column (click to edit)" on the settings page for the Library.

To find the literal name, click the apparent name (as if to edit the column), and then refer to the URL in the browser address bar for the Field value. In my case it read "Field=TopicTitle", without the space.

NOTES: The error I cited is generated by SharePoint. See for example http://hazaa.com.au/2012/06/26/microsoft-sharepoint-spexception-one-or-more-field-types-are-not-installed-properly-go-to-the-list-settings-page-to-delete-these-fields/

G
gkamthan
Participant
September 21, 2012

Hi,

In FM11, its possible to search for custom CMS fields from CMS connector after adding them in preferences.

Regards,

Garima

Framemaker Team

A
Anonymous
October 9, 2012

I now have FM11, and I've tried this, and I've had to unmark the answer.

I'll explain again what we're trying to do.

In SharePoint, we have a library where we store DITA topics. We've added a custom column to the library. The column is caled "Topic Type" and is of type "Choice."  The accepted values are "map", "concept", "task", "reference", and "glossentry".

We've added programming to SharePoint, so that when we check in a DITA file, SharePoint reads the file to identify the type (e.g. concept), and then writes the appropriate value in the Topic Type column. So when I check in a map file or a concept file, for example, the Topic Type column for that file is automatically updated to say "map" or "concept" respectively.

Now I want to search on that column from within the CMS Connector, for example to find all DITA topics of type "map" or "concept" in the library.

From FM File > Preferences I can open CMS > SharePoint and add new "Custom Attributes." Each Custom Attribute accepts a Name, a Data Type, and an Attribute Type.

I've provided the name "Topic Type" because that is the name we used for the SharePoint column. I've left Data Type as the default (String) and I've left Attribute Type as the default (Text).

One thing that puzzles me about this dialog box, and makes me suspect it's for something other than what I want, is that it contains an "On File Upload" property. What does file upload have to do with finding metadata I might have added to SharePoint in any number of ways?

Now, when I use Advanced Search from the CMS Connector, I can select "Topic Type" as the Property. I can set the condition as "contains", and I can manually specify a value such as "map" or "concept" (without the quotes).  Then I can click Add to include this in the Criteria. But when I click "Search"  I get a "Search Failed" dialog box saying "One or more field types are not installed properly. Go to the list settings page to delete these fields."

To be quite clear: in SharePoint, I have added a custom column to a library. I'm using the custom column to identify the topic type of each item in the library. I want to search on that - for example, to find all topics I've marked as "concept".

Is it possible to do this from the CMS Connector??

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