Exposing the Event content type
For some reason, by default the Event content type is not exposed as a parent content type.
This means that it is not available to be used to create children. We handled this problem in the Create a Master Calendar in SharePoint workshop last week.
Tim Carlson sent me an update on a different way to do it. It’s always good to see two solutions to a single problem, just to get different ideas.
From Tim Carlson, Dixon-Hughes.com
I’m more of an advanced user than Sharepoint developer, but I managed to unhide the ‘Event’ content type so I could use it to make another content type based on it (without any coding):
- Go into the ‘List settings’ for an existing calendar on your site
- Click on ‘Advanced Settings’ and tick yes for “Allow Management of Content Types”
- This then shows the ‘Event’ content type in that calendar’s List Settings.
- Click on the word ‘Event’ in the list of content types.
- At the top of the next page it tells you that the parent is also called ‘Event’ – click on its link.
- The following page tells you that the parent content type is in Group “_Hidden”.
- Click on the “Name, Description & Group” link and then it allows you to put the ‘Event’ content type into a new group.
I put it into “List Content Types”. Voila! If I then go to create a new content type, the Event content type is selectable (under the parent of List Content Types)
From Mark Miller
Nice workaround, Tim.
This is great, and you can do this to expose other hidden content types as well. However, be careful that you don’t make any changes to the hidden content type directly as this can “break” your site. This is why those content types have been hidden.
Chris – When did you wake up? It’s been a while. Hope the holidays went well and the new one is having fun.
Regards,
Mark
I just did this tip, then created a new Content Type named “Event – Base” from the now unhidden Event. Then I went back into Event at step 7 point to rehide it. I noticed that _Hidden was not available from “Existing group” pull-down but I clicked “New group” and then simply typed _Hidden — WSS accepted that, and Event disappeared from the list of Content Types. Nothing crashed, I was able to create a new event in the default calendar, so I guess I did not break anything?
Holy Smokes, Batgirl! Joan, you’re actually starting to poke around a bit. “Nothing crashed” is a nice sound when something doesn’t break.
Hi, my first post here, I stumbled upon this trick and it seems very useful. But alas, I just followed the steps in my MOSS site and event remains doesn’t show up. Tried iisreset with no result. Any clues? Thank you in advance.
PS: amazing website, keep on sharing ideas :)
A quick update about this issue: I’ve realized that event IS present, but not in calendar lists. Sorry if this is a too basic question, but I still don’t understand this behaviour. Thanks.
thank you
I’m having the same problem Daniel had – I managed to unhide my Event content type with no trouble, but it’s not available when I try to assign content types to my calendar. However, it is available in a custom list. Any idea what I’m doing wrong? Thanks so much!
Hello Mark and Co.,
I had the pleasure of catching parts of your talk at SPSVB where you went into this a little. I saw you created custom content types based on country (Asia event, North America Event, etc.) I am trying to do something similar; however, it seems like the column types that correspond with the Event content type aren’t available when creating a custom content type. For example, there is a column type within Event called “start date.” I’m unable to find this column type under “Add from existing site columns” to add another one to my custom content type. Any ideas? Location and End Date also do not seem to be available.
Thanks,
Tasha
Sorry, I meant “Start Time” and “End Time”
Tasha – Make sure you are building off of a “List” parent content type. If you inadvertently are using a “Document” parent, the columns you are looking for won’t show up. — Mark
Thanks Mark. I’m definately using the “List” group with “Event” as the parent content type. They are not available.
I think I may have answered *part* of my own question (after watching Laura’s webcast you just posted on twitter!). I tried using “Item” as the parent content type instead of “Event,” and some of the columns became available-Location and Start Date(not time though). Things like “All Day Event” and “Recurrence” still were not available. The other issue is you can only select “Start Date” once when adding columns to Content Types. I’m not sure if this is the way for all columns, but for the application i’m trying to build i’d need it more than once.