Programmatically add a web part to a page using CSOM

Question

I want to create a SharePoint 2013 app that will add a web part (and an app part) to a page programmatically. I will be using SharePoint online.

I cant seem to find any code that does this.

Is this even possible?

Answer 1

The following example demonstrates how to add Content Search Web Part using SharePoint 2013/Online CSOM API

Prerequisites: SharePoint Online Client Components SDK

var pageUrl = "/Pages/SearchResults.aspx";
var webPartSchemaXml = @"<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<webParts>
  <webPart xmlns='http://schemas.microsoft.com/WebPart/v3'>
    <metaData>
      <type name='Microsoft.Office.Server.Search.WebControls.ContentBySearchWebPart, Microsoft.Office.Server.Search,Version=16.0.0.0,Culture=neutral,PublicKeyToken=71e9bce111e9429c' />
      <importErrorMessage>$Resources:core,ImportErrorMessage;</importErrorMessage>
    </metaData>
    <data>  
      <properties>
        <property name='Title' type='string'>$Resources:Microsoft.Office.Server.Search,CBS_Title;</property>
        <property name='Description' type='string'>$Resources:Microsoft.Office.Server.Search,CBS_Description;</property>
        <property name='ChromeType'>None</property>
        <property name='AllowMinimize' type='bool'>true</property>
        <property name='AllowClose' type='bool'>true</property>         
        <property name='Hidden' type='bool'>false</property>
        <property name='DataProviderJSON' type='string'>{'Properties':{'TryCache':true,'Scope':'{Site.URL}'},'PropertiesJson':'{\'TryCache\':true,\'Scope\':\'{Site.URL}\'}'}</property>
     </properties>
</data>
</webPart>
</webParts>";

var zoneid = "Header";
var zoneIndex = 1;

using (var ctx = GetContext(webUri, userName, password))
{
    var page = ctx.Web.GetFileByServerRelativeUrl(pageUrl);
    var wpm= page.GetLimitedWebPartManager(PersonalizationScope.Shared);
    var importedWebPart = wpm.ImportWebPart(webPartSchemaXml);
    var webPart = wpm.AddWebPart(importedWebPart.WebPart,zoneid, zoneIndex);
    ctx.ExecuteQuery();
}

where

public static ClientContext GetContext(Uri webUri, string userName, string password)
{
    var securePassword = new SecureString();
    foreach (var ch in password) securePassword.AppendChar(ch);
    return new ClientContext(webUri) { Credentials = new SharePointOnlineCredentials(userName, securePassword) };
}