How to: Create List Instance using WSPBuilder

Hi all,

In the blog post, I will cover how to create a list instance using WSPBuilder. There are few small points to be noted.

Step1: Create a WSPBuilder project called as ListInstance.

Step2: Right-click on project >> Add new item >> Choose Feature with Receiver element from WSPBuilder called as "ListInstanceReceiver"

Step3: In ListInstanceReceiver, create a list instance. Now, if you create a new Guid for "FeatureID", you will get an error. Lets create a new Guid for FeatureID (Tools >> Create Guid)

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

<ListInstance

Title="My list instance"

Url="Lists/MyListInstance"

OnQuickLaunch="TRUE"

QuickLaunchUrl="Lists/MyListInstance"

TemplateType="100" FeatureId="efca61a1-7f3f-4f8f-9515-e831008cba15'">

</ListInstance>

</Elements>

Step4: Build the solution, Build WSP and Deploy.

Step5: Go to the Site actions >> Site settings >> Site Features >> Activate the "ListInstanceReceiver". You will get this error:

Feature 'efca61a1-7f3f-4f8f-9515-e831008cba15' for list template '100' is not installed in this farm. The operation could not be completed.

Apparently, FeatureId: This is the ID of the feature in which the base list template is defined.

Therefore, we have to use pre-defined FeatureId.

Hence, we need to use "00BFEA71-DE22-43B2-A848-C05709900100" as our list is a generic list. Now, we have the upgrade our solution.

You can get all available list templates with their template type id and their corresponding feature id here.

When you again activate the feature, you will still get an error as follows:

The method or operation is not implemented.

We just need to remove the line throw new Exception("The method or operation is not implemented.");
in all the methods 

FeatureActivated,
FeatureDeactivating,
FeatureInstalled,
FeatureUninstalling. 


Therefore the ListFeatureReceiver.cs will look this

public override void FeatureActivated(SPFeatureReceiverProperties properties)
{
}

public override void FeatureDeactivating(SPFeatureReceiverProperties properties)
{
}

public override void FeatureInstalled(SPFeatureReceiverProperties properties)
{
}

public override void FeatureUninstalling(SPFeatureReceiverProperties properties)
{
}

Compile and upgrade the solution.

Cheers,

Aroh

Download the code here.