SharePoint 2010 - Custom List Definition without a Content Type

We will see that how to create the custom list using List Definition without content type.

I am going to create a simple custom list “Status Master” with the following fields,

1.       Status Name (Text)

2.       Descriptions (Text)

3.       Is Active (Boolean)

Step 1:

In Visual Studio 2010, open a new project and select the template (SharePoint => 2010 => List Definition)

Step 2:

Set the SharePoint site URL and select an option called “Deploy as a farm solution”.

Press “Next” for setting List Definitions.

Step 3:

Fill the display name of the list as “Status Master” and choose the list definition type as “Custom List” and click “Finish”.

Step 4:

In the solution explorer, rename the “List Definition1” to “Status Master” and rename the “ListInstance1” to “Status Master Instance”

Step 5:

Open the “Elements.xml” under the “Status Master” and do the following changes

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<Elements xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/">

    <ListTemplate

        Name="Status Master"

        Type="10001"

        BaseType="0"

        OnQuickLaunch="TRUE"

        SecurityBits="11"

        Sequence="410"

        DisplayName="Status Master"

        Description="Which contains the Issue Statuses"

        Image="/_layouts/images/itgen.png"/>

</Elements>

Note:

I have specified the Type value is 10001. For details, refer the following links

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/microsoft.sharepoint.splisttemplatetype.aspx

Step 6:

Open the “Elements.xml” under the “Status Master Instance” and do the following changes

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<Elements xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/">

  <ListInstance Title="Status Master"

                OnQuickLaunch="TRUE"

                TemplateType="10001"

                Url="Lists/Status Master"

                Description="Status Master">

  </ListInstance>

</Elements>

Step 7:

Open the “Schema.xml” file and do the following changes

Change the URL attribute in the List node as Url="Lists/Status Master"

Remove the <ContentTypes> tags under <MetaData>

Step 8:

In the “Schema.xml” file, add the following texts inside the <Fields> tag

<Field ID="{fa564e0f-0c70-4ab9-b863-0177e6ddd247}" Type="Text" Name="Title" DisplayName="Status Name" Required="TRUE" />

      <Field Id="{36E73DB3-9AE9-49B1-B01C-8AC0F77AF16C}" Name="Description" DisplayName="Description" Type="Text"></Field>

      <Field Id="{B6D40FB5-CF22-4FC2-9C4E-14B3310B6818}" Name="IsActive" DisplayName="Is Active" Type="Boolean"></Field>

Note:

Instead of create the new column; I changed the “Title” column display name as “Status Name”

Step 9:

In the “Schema.xml” file, change the <ViewFields> under the <View BaseViewID="1" tag

<ViewFields>

          <FieldRef Name="Attachments"></FieldRef>

          <FieldRef Name="Title"></FieldRef>

          <FieldRef Name="Description"></FieldRef>

          <FieldRef Name="IsActive"></FieldRef>

        </ViewFields>

Step 9:

Deploy the “SimpleList” project and check the SharePoint site.

Step 10:

Now we will see how to add default data for the “Status Master” list.

Open the “Elements.xml” under the “Status Master Instance” and add the following xml contents inside the <ListInstance tag

     <Data>

      <Rows>

        <Row>

          <Field Name="Title">New</Field>

          <Field Name="Description">New</Field>

          <Field Name="IsActive">True</Field>

        </Row>

        <Row>

          <Field Name="Title">Fixed</Field>

          <Field Name="IsActive">True</Field>

        </Row>

        <Row>

          <Field Name="Title">Rejected</Field>

          <Field Name="IsActive">True</Field>

        </Row>       

      </Rows>

    </Data>

Now try to redeploy the “SimpleList” project and check the SharePoint site.

You can find the sample here