Custom Content Type for Calendar?

Question

I have a calender list in my Sharepoint 2010 application. I want to make custom content types that the user can fill out that will make a calendar event.

The problem is, if I inherit from the Event content type I pick up extra columns, such as "Recurrence" and "All Day Event" that I don't want to show up and don't need. I really just need the dates. Is there any way to accomplish this?

Answer 1

One idea would be to not use a Calendar list. If you use a custom list, and then set up a Calendar View for that list, you wouldn't have to have any additional columns.

For example, create a custom list, add two date columns (begin and end), and "Create new View" then select "Calendar View" and configure the view as you want.

Might be a heavy way to do it, but it's good to know that you can do such things.

Answer 2

Although the specific fields you mention cannot be removed from the child content type through the browser or through SharePoint Designer, you can remove them if you deploy your content type through a feature. Here is the syntax:

<Elements xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/">
  <!-- Parent ContentType: Event (0x0102) -->
  <ContentType ID="0x0102002aacb48149ad4a62844d0bf03d752e16"
           Name="My Calendar Event"
           Group="Custom Content Types"
           Description="My Calendar Event"
           Version="0">
    <FieldRefs>
      <RemoveFieldRef ID="{f2e63656-135e-4f1c-8fc2-ccbe74071901}" Name="fRecurrence" />
      <RemoveFieldRef ID="{7d95d1f4-f5fd-4a70-90cd-b35abc9b5bc8}" Name="fAllDayEvent" />
    </FieldRefs>
  </ContentType>
</Elements>

IMPORTANT: Be sure to use lowercase for the ID of the columns you want to remove or it may not match and the columns will not be removed.

NOTE: To get the id and internal name of a column, you can use PowerShell:

$web = Get-SPWeb http://myserver
write-host $web.Fields["All Day Event"].Id
write-host $web.Fields["All Day Event"].InternalName

Answer 3

You can create a content type based off of the event content type. The fields such as Workspace, Reoccurance, etc can be hidden within designer. Designer is very touchy about it though so it may take a few clicks and some hovering around the property to get the dropdown to appear.