Create site column feature using custom field with parameters

Question

We are using a CodePlex solution that provides a custom cascading drop down field type for our site. When you create a site column from the MOSS UI, and select this new field type, you have to fill in several parameter fields to associate the parent list, child list, lookup field, etc. We'd like to package the creation of several site columns that uses this custom field type. I'm using wspBuilder to help. I'm having great difficulty finding the syntax I need for my Elements XML file to create the site column instance from this custom field type. I'm not sure how to pass the parameters for parent list, etc. to the custom field type to have it instantiate my site column.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks, Kevin

Answer 1

You can try using the SPWCM Feature Generator from here http://spwcmfeaturegen.codeplex.com/

The tool lets you to generate the feature/element xml file for any preexisting content type or fields in a SharePoint 2007/2010 site.

Answer 2

I would imagine you may not be able to do this directly through the XML. However, what you could do is attach a feature receiver to the feature provisioning the site columns and pick up some Customization XML (held in a Customization/ArrayOfProperty/Property XML Elements) which you can then use inside the FeatureActivated method to cast the field to the required field type and set the properties required, using a similar method to this: http://codeshape.wordpress.com/2010/09/16/provisioning-taxonomy-type-site-columns-in-a-feature/