Is there a way to tell if a document was uploaded using drag-and-drop vs regular upload in an event receiver?

Question

The scenario:

Content Organizer enabled, Drop Off Library has a bunch of custom content types as well as the default "Document" content type (library default is set to "Document").

Multiple users are allowed to upload docs, but are instructed to leave the default Document content type (with no rules attached), so that a "librarian" user can come through, edit the docs, change to the correct content type, fill out the metadata, and have the docs routed where they need to go.

Users discover that if they drag and drop multiple files, all the files remain checked out to the uploader, so the librarian can't see them and make the necessary changes. So, they ask me to set it up so files are automatically checked in.

Item Added event receiver, check in files, Bob's your uncle.

But now (and I tried to warn them of this), if someone tries to add a single file using the "new document" link or one of the Ribbon buttons, of course the usual SharePoint behavior kicks in and they are presented with the Edit form to fill out metadata, and even if they don't do anything, once they hit save, the event receiver has fired and checked in the file, and they are presented with an error message saying they can't make changes because the file is not checked out to them.

So.... is there any way I can tell from my event receiver code if the upload method was drag and drop, so that I can only auto-check-in docs that were dropped in, and leave the other ones so that the regular SharePoint Edit form will work correctly?

Answer 1

The easiest and by far only way to differentiate dropped vs uploaded is based on "Metadata" values.

• Create a "Mandatory" field and check for the value in event receiver before proceeding your action. (i.e. Whether or not user drag & drop or perform a proper upload they need to fill this mandatory column to proceed further).

• If possible think about disabling drag & drop option so that user has no other choice than a default upload, in this way we are enforcing them to fill the "Metadata" using below code in CEWP.

  ExecuteOrDelayUntilScriptLoaded(function() {
      g_uploadType = DragDropMode.NOTSUPPORTED;
      SPDragDropManager.DragDropMode = DragDropMode.NOTSUPPORTED;
  }, "DragDrop.js");
  

Note: Still user can open explore view to upload files. consider disabling that based on your need:

• To disable for entire WebAppliction: Go to Central Admin->Choose your webapplication->Select User Permissions->look for 'Use Remote Interfaces' anddisable it.

• CSS hack to hide this option only for the specific library: Go to the respective library default view and add a CEWP and this CSS to hide it #Ribbon.Library.Actions.OpenWithExplorer-Medium{display:none;}

Answer 2

This is not exact answer but a hint(workaround) for your reference.

Take SharePoint 2013 as example, when user dragdrop a file to library, the UploadFinishFunc(either success or fail) will be triggered(we could get the function definition from dragdrop.debug.js). So you could extend/override this function to check in the file by JSOM.

Sample script to extend this function.

SP.File methods

<script type="text/javascript">
        ExecuteOrDelayUntilScriptLoaded(CustomizedragdropUpload, "dragdrop.js");
        function CustomizedragdropUpload() {
            var _UploadFinishFunc = UploadFinishFunc;
            UploadFinishFunc =
                function UploadFinishFunc(element, state) {
                    if (typeof g_currentControl.postUploadFunc == 'function' && state.status != UploadStatus.CANCELLED)
                        g_currentControl.postUploadFunc(state.files);
                    g_currentControl.status = ControlStatus.UPLOADED;
                    UpdateProgressBar(ProgressMessage.UPLOADED, state);
                    RefreshResult(state);
                    g_currentControl.status = ControlStatus.IDLE;
                    alert('to do:check in file ' + state.files[0].fileName);
                    var clientContext = SP.ClientContext.get_current();
                    var list = clientContext.get_web().get_lists().getById(_spPageContextInfo.pageListId);
                    var camlQuery = new SP.CamlQuery();
                    camlQuery.set_viewXml(
                                          "<View><Query>" +
                                              "<Where><Eq><FieldRef Name='FileLeafRef' /><Value Type='File'>" + state.files[0].fileName + "</Value></Eq></Where>" +
                                              "<OrderBy><FieldRef Name='Created' Ascending='False' /></OrderBy>" +
                                              "<RowLimit>1</RowLimit>" +
                                           "</Query></View>");
                    var collListItem = list.getItems(camlQuery);
                    clientContext.load(collListItem, 'Include(Id)');
                    clientContext.executeQueryAsync(
                    Function.createDelegate(this,
                    function () {
                        var listItemInfo = '';
                        var listItemEnumerator = collListItem.getEnumerator();
                        while (listItemEnumerator.moveNext()) {
                            var oListItem = listItemEnumerator.get_current();
                            var file = oListItem.get_file();

                            clientContext.load(file);
                            clientContext.executeQueryAsync(
                            Function.createDelegate(this,
                            function () {
                                alert(file.get_name());
                                //check in
                            }),
                            Function.createDelegate(this,
                            function (sender, args) {
                                //
                            }));
                        }
                        //check in
                    }),
                    Function.createDelegate(this,
                    function (sender, args) {
                        //
                    }));

                }
        }
    </script>