Customize entity attribute metadata
Applies To: Dynamics CRM 2013
Use the AttributeMetadata class to retrieve existing attributes. This class is returned by the RetrieveAttributeRequest message. The AttributeMetadata class inherits from the abstract MetadataBase class.
Use the specific class for each attribute type with the CreateAttributeRequest message to update attributes or create custom attributes.
Note
You can access custom attributes programmatically after you create them, but you must add them to an entity form and publish them before users can see them.
Attribute types
The following table lists each type of Attribute you can work with. Each attribute inherits from the AttributeMetadata class.
Class |
Application Label |
Description |
|---|---|---|
Two Option |
A Boolean attribute. You can specify the text for both options. When added to a form, the field properties control whether the attribute is displayed as two radio buttons, a check box, or a list. |
|
Date and Time |
A date and time attribute. You can format the attribute to show only the date or the date and the time. |
|
Decimal Number |
A decimal attribute. You can specify the level of precision up to ten decimal places and the minimum and maximum values from -100,000,000,000 to 100,000,000,000. |
|
Floating Point Number |
A double attribute. You can specify the level of precision up to five decimal places and the minimum and maximum values from -100,000,000,000 to 100,000,000,000. Note DoubleAttributeMetadata replaces the FloatAttributeMetadata used in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0. |
|
Image |
An image attribute. Each entity can have one image attribute. Certain system entities have image attributes and new image attributes cannot be added to system entities that do not have them. You can add an image attribute to custom entities All image attributes have the SchemaName ‘EntityImage’ and the LogicalName ‘entityimage’. Custom image attributes will not use the solution publisher customization prefix in the name. More information: Entity images. |
|
Whole Number |
An integer attribute. You can specify the maximum and minimum values from -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647. This attribute can be formatted to create the following types of fields using the IntegerFormat enumeration:
|
|
Lookup |
An attribute created when an entity relationship is created by using the CreateOneToManyRequest message. |
|
Multiple Lines of Text |
A memo attribute. Displays as a text box field in a form. The maximum length is 1048576 characters. |
|
Currency |
A money attribute. You can specify the maximum and minimum values between - 922,337,203,685,477 and 922,337,203,685,477. The level of precision can be set by using the PrecisionSource property:
|
|
Options Set |
A picklistattribute. This attribute provides a set of options that are displayed in a drop-down list. You can create the picklist attribute so that it can contain its own options or use a global options set. |
|
Status |
The state attribute is created automatically when the entity is created. Note The options available for this attribute are read-only. |
|
Status Reason |
The status attribute is created automatically when the entity is created. Each of the options must be associated with the StateAttributeMetadata attribute for the entity. Use the InsertStatusValueRequest message to update options available for this attribute. Note Each StatusOption must reference a specific state attribute value because status values depend on a specific state value. |
|
Single Line of Text |
See StringAttributeMetadata formats. |
StringAttributeMetadata formats
String attributes can be formatted to allow links to initiate phone calls by using Lync or Skype. This changes requires that a new FormatName property be added to the StringAttributeMetadata class and the deprecation of the Format property.
Using the StringFormat enumeration to define the format for StringAttributeMetadata.Format is deprecated. Instead, use the StringFormatName class to set the value of StringAttributeMetadata.FormatName.
This allows for setting the format value of PhoneNumber, which does not exist in the StringFormat enumeration.
For backwards compatibility, you can set a value to control how the attribute is formatted by using either the Format or FormatName property. Your existing code will continue to work if you only use Format, but you will not be able to format an attribute as a phone number without using FormatName. If both properties are set, the value set using FormatName is the one that will be applied.
The StringFormatName class contains the following members; each member returns a string with the same value as the member name:
Member name and value |
Description |
|---|---|
The form field will validate the text value as an e-mail address and create a mailto link in the field. |
|
PhoneNumber |
The form field will contain a link to initiate a phone call by using Lync or Skype. |
PhoneticGuide |
For internal use only. |
Text |
The form will display a text box. |
TextArea |
The form will display a text area field. |
TickerSymbol |
The form will display a link that will open to display a quote for the stock ticker symbol. |
URL |
The form will display a link to open the URL. |
VersionNumber |
For internal use only. |
See Also
Extend the metadata model
Work with attributes
Entity attribute metadata messages
Sample: Work with attributes
Technical Article: Using Option Set Options with the REST Endpoint - JScript
Sample: Dump attribute metadata to a file
Sample: Dump attribute picklist metadata to a file