Creating a Folder Metadata Web Part

An interesting challenge I faced was programmatically exposing custom folder metadata within a specific Document Library View, for specific Folder Content Types.

As background, I already created Folder Content Types, deriving from the SharePoint Folder Content Type, to which I added appropriate metadata.

These new Content Types were syndicated from a Content Type Hub, and propagated across the enterprise.

I extended the ASP template to include a table that I will build dynamically and a button that I optionally hide:

&lt;/asp:Table&lt;&gt;asp:Button ID="PlaceholderButton" runat="server" Text="Create New Placeholder" onclick="PlaceholderButton_Click" /&gt;

I then add an action for the button:

 protected void PlaceholderButton_Click(object sender, EventArgs e) 
        {
            Response.Redirect("http ://SharePoint/div/myDiv/Lists/MyListTasks/NewForm.aspx?RootFolder="); 
        }

This useful function adds a table row consisting pair of table cells with a property label (in bold) and the property value, but only if the property/value is found, on the current Document. Note Content Type is detected and handled separately:

void push_property(string myLabel, string propertyName)
 {
     try
     {
         string val = null;
         if (propertyName == "ContentType")
             val = folder.Item.ContentType.Name;
         else
             val = folder.Item.Properties[propertyName].ToString();
 
         if (!String.IsNullOrEmpty(val))
         {
             TableRow rw = new TableRow();
             TableCell cel = new TableCell();
             cel.Text = string.Concat("<b>", myLabel, "</b>");
 
             rw.Cells.Add(cel);
             cel = new TableCell();
             cel.Text = val;
             rw.Cells.Add(cel);
             Table1.Rows.Add(rw);
         }
 
     }
     catch { }
 
 }

This is the heart of this little web-part. I derive the actual folder from the user context, by extracting it from the browser URL string using Page.Request.QueryString[“RootFolder”]:

 protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    bool ok = true;
    string ctName = null;
 
    SPWeb web = SPContext.Current.Web;
    string rootFolder = Page.Request.QueryString["RootFolder"];
 
    //Label2.Text = rootFolder;
 
    if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(rootFolder))
        ok = false;
 
 
    if (ok)
    {
        folder = web.GetFolder(rootFolder);
        if (!folder.Exists)
            ok=false;
    }
 
    if (ok)
    {
        ctName = folder.Item.ContentType.Name;
 
        if ((ctName != "Divison Acct Folder") &amp;&amp; (ctName != "Divison Common Folder"))
          ok=false;
    }
 
        PlaceholderButton.Visible = ok;  //reacts dynamically, needs setting in both directions, as it maintains state
 
    if (ok)
    {
        //push_property("Folder Type", "ContentType");  //Handled in special fashion internal to function
        push_property("Claimant", "Claimant");      
        push_property("Account Number", "AccountNumber");
        push_property("Issue Description", "IssueDescription");
 
        /*Only apply this border logic if you want a griddy view
        if (Table1.Rows.Count &gt;  0)
        {
            Table1.GridLines = (GridLines) 3;
        }
        */
    }
 
}

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Folder Metadata Web Part

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Alexis Daniel

Creating a Folder Metadata Web Part

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