How to remove a field from the list settings page

Question

I created one custom list. While deploying that list, it gives me a deployment error. I remove that solution from the solution gallery and recreated the list with similar functionality with another name. Now while deplyoing it is giving me an error as like this:

Error occured in deplyoment step 'Activate Features': Field type note is not 
installed properly. Go to the list settings page to delete this field.

Now I went to my site and checked for the old list which produced an error. It is still residing in the quick launch menu. When i click that list and try to add any item, no fields are appearing ( i think because we removed the solution from gallery), but it is still showing an option to save the list. I save that one. And clicked on the newly added item. It is giving me a server error like this.

How to remove this boolean field. Tried a lot, but failed. Any one have idea about this? When I click on list settings page of previos list. It is giving me the following error.

Answer 1

So, the field that's giving the error is no longer part of the list definition any more? I assume it doesn't show up on the list settings page either?

If it doesn't contain any important data yet, the pragmatic approach could be to delete the list entirely and recreate it with the columns you need.

Another option might be to write a little console application that loops through the fields collection on the list. That tends to show more information than you are able to get through the SharePoint UI. Should it show up there, perhaps you can remove it programmatically.

Also, if you can't access the settings page, you could probably still delete the list through code as well.

As to why your custom field is not working, I suppose we would need a little more information, there's no way to tell right now.

Answer 2

To remove broken field(s):

• Go to the site with the broken list
• Open Site Settings
• Under Site Administration click Site libraries and lists
• Click the name of the list you want to edit

This will take you directly to the List Settings page. You will be given the option to delete fields with invalid types (a "Delete this field" link in the column listing). You'll often get an invalid type warning if you've retracted a solution that contained a Custom Field Type's definition.

If the List Settings page is broken then you most likely have a second problem. The screenshot appears to show the default error page: I'd advise finding the error in the ULS logs and posting a second question if the error seems unrelated.

Retracting a solution that contained a list's definition can cause such issues; this is usually best fixed by redeploying the solution and deleting the list (then re-retracting).