To enable versioning in a custom list in visual studio 2013

Question

I have created a custom list in visual studio 2013 for sharepoint 2013. Is it possible to enable versioning for this list in visual studio itself? Or Do we need to do it via UI only in sharepoint ?

Answer 1

you can do it through code:

as an example:

SPList list = web.Lists["My List"];
list.EnableVersioning = true;

so the above can be simply added to your code when your creating the list:

somthing on the lines of:

//get web object from context
SPWeb web = SPContext.Current.Web;
//get list collection
SPListCollection lists = Web.Lists;
//add list to list collection
lists.Add("My List", "My list for user input form", SPListTemplateType.GenericList);
//call list that we just made
SPList newMyList = Web.Lists["My List"];
//enable versioning on that list
newMyList.EnableVersioning = true;

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

EDIT

i get you! when adding the list using vs2012 you can go into the xml of the list (Elements.xml ):

<ListInstance 
  CustomSchema = string
  Description = "Text"
  DocumentTemplate = integer
  FeatureId = "Text"
  Hidden = "TRUE" | "FALSE"
  HyperlinkBaseUrl = string
  Id = Text
  OnQuickLaunch = "TRUE" | "FALSE"
  QuickLaunchUrl = "Text"
  RootWebOnly = "TRUE" | "FALSE"
  TemplateType = Integer
  Title = "Text"
  Url = "Text"
  VersioningEnabled = "TRUE" | "FALSE"
</ListInstance>

the above is appended within the list elements.xml as you can see within ListInstance you have VersioningEnabled, just add that like so: VersioningEnabled = true and versioning is enabled to that custom list.

for major and minor versions that is the same concept here again:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/ms415091.aspx

<List
  BaseType = "Integer" | "Text"
  Default = "TRUE" | "FALSE"
  DefaultItemOpen = "Integer"
  Description = "Text"
  Direction = "Text"
  DisableAttachments = "TRUE" | "FALSE"
  DraftVersionVisibility = "Integer"
  EnableContentTypes = "TRUE" | "FALSE"  EnableMinorVersions = "TRUE" | "FALSE"  EnableThumbnails = "TRUE" | "FALSE"
  EventSinkAssembly = "Text"
  EventSinkClass = "Text"
  EventSinkData = "Text"
  FolderCreation = "TRUE" | "FALSE"
  Id = "GUID"
  ModeratedList = "TRUE" | "FALSE"
  ModerationType = "TRUE" | "FALSE"
  Name = "Text"
  OrderedList = "TRUE" | "FALSE"
  PrivateList = "TRUE" | "FALSE"
  QuickLaunchUrl = "URL"
  RootWebOnly = "TRUE" | "FALSE"
  ThumbnailSize = "Integer"
  Title = "Text"
  Type = "Integer"
  Url = "URL"
  URLEncode = "TRUE" | "FALSE"
  VersioningEnabled = "TRUE" | "FALSE" 
  WebImageHeight = "Integer"
  WebImageWidth = "Integer">
</List>

you append the above within the schema.xml that belongs to the list with the elements.xml

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/ms459356.aspx

Answer 2

In the schema you can add

How does versioning work in a list or library

VersioningEnabled="TRUE"
EnableMinorVersions="TRUE"
MajorVersionLimit="5"
MajorWithMinorVersionsLimit="2"

For example

<List xmlns:ows="Microsoft SharePoint"
            Title="Title here"
            VersioningEnabled="TRUE"
            EnableMinorVersions="TRUE"
            MajorVersionLimit="5"
            MajorWithMinorVersionsLimit="2"
            Direction="$Resources:Direction;"
            Url="url here"
            BaseType="1"
            xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/"
            EnableContentTypes="TRUE">