Text Fields of an External Content Type come across as Multiple Line of Text

In SharePoint 2013 I have an external content type that consists of a couple of short (nvarchar) fields (no more that 15 characters). When I use this ECT in a custom list the fields from the ECT end up as a "Note" type instead of "Text".
I am not sure how this happens. I have verified this by accessing the list via poweshell where I see the Type being as "Note" and also the SchemaXml showing the colName attribute as "ntext".
The strange thing is that initially when I created the web application and built my lists this was working.
Any ideas or pointers would be appreciated.
Thanks

Hi,
Based on your description, my understanding is that When you use the ECT in a custom list the fields from the ECT end up as a "Note" type instead of "Text".
Have you ever changed column types from "Single line of text" to "Multiple Lines of Text" in list?http://www.sharepointdiary.com/2013/09/change-column-type-in-list-using-powershell.html
External content types are made up of fields whose types are a subset of the primitive types of .NET. For each such .NET type, a rudimentary mapping to SharePoint’s field controls exists, describing a field’s visual appearance. Fields of type string for
instance will, on the new and edit forms, render as a single-line text field.
Besides, check whether the following link is useful:
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/sharepoint/en-US/0fcb5a9f-8445-4a37-9e60-ac5e9e14e8f1/sharepoint-designer-external-content-type-shows-single-line-text?forum=sharepointgeneralprevious
Best Regards,
Lisa Chen
Forum Support
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Lisa Chen
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Meaning of "Map To Identifier " while creating an External Content Type

In SharePoint 2010 Desginer, I created an External Content Type that retrieves data from a VIEW in SQL Server. In the wizard, I see "Map To Identifier." What is the purpose of that. I want to understand the meaning of Map To Identifier? Thank you.
Mayank

Hi Mayank,
When we create database-based external content type, we could map the data source element to an identifier of the related external content type as input to the association.
In the Data Source Elements pane on the left side, select the data source element in the list. In the
Properties pane on the right side, select the Map to Identifier check box. In the
Identifier list, select the appropriate identifier.
The database object name is referred to as its identifier. An object identifier is created when the object is defined. The identifier is then used to reference the object.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-IN/library/ms175874.aspx
We map the field of the external content type to the identifier of the external content type.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/ee558417(v=office.14).aspx
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[email protected] .
Rebecca Tu
TechNet Community Support

Assigning External content type field column value using Client Object Model

I have a problem assinging External column value to ListItem object with client object model-based application I'm developing. To be precise, I am able to retrieve data related to external content type by reading external list created from this content type
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which pritty much makes sence since it isn't properly related to rest of the data in specific row. Does someone have a better solution for this?
Igor S.

I think I understand your problem.
In my example I have an external data column "Beneficiary Name", using a Beneficiary external content type (accessing a table of beneficiaries in a SQL table).
I want to set the "Beneficiary Name" property using the client object model. I know the name of the beneficiary but not the ID value.
It is a fairly simple solution. You just need to identify the name of the property SharePoint assigns to the ID field, in my case it is called "Beneficiary_ID". Then set the two properties as follows:
thisItem["Beneficiary_Name"] = "Charitable Trust";
thisItem["Beneficiary_ID"] = -1;
thisItem.Update();
Setting the ID property to -1 causes the server to do an automatic lookup for the ID from the value assigned to the item.

Is it possible to to use SQlite database as an External Content type?

Hi guys,
I need some help in accessing data from an external database(SQlite) and use it in sharepoint 2010. I have a list in sharepoint 2010 but some of the fields must come from SQlite database. Whenever the list is updated, the corresponding
fields from SQlite database should also be updated.
I've been looking on some examples on using external content types but I've only encountered examples using SQL server. I'm new to sharepoint 2010 and I have little idea to get this done. Can someone kindly assist me on this?
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Peter

Hi Peter,
SharePoint is designed to use Business Connectivity Services when talking to external data sources.
The Microsoft Business Connectivity Services (BCS) can connect to external data from the following types of databases:
Microsoft SQL Server
Oracle
OLE DB
ODBC
So you may connect to SQLite through ODBC. Take a look at this example how to connect to MySQL through ODBC
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Dmitry
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out our SharePoint tools and web parts |
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External Content Type Using SQL

I’m trying to setup an external content type using just SharePoint designer.
I will need to be able to show other individual within the organization how to create these content types so getting it to work with just SharePoint designer is the goal.
No Programming involved please.
Abbreviated Steps I have taken
The account that we will use to connect to 2012 SQL server has been created and the correct permissions have been granted to the database.
The secure store service account has been created and setup
Go into SharePoint designer 2010 to create the external content type using
Impersonated Custom Identity and inputting in the username and password that was setup in SQL server and added to the secure store credentials for the secure store service. I receive error cannot login with the provided credentials.
I have searched the web trying to correct this issue and cannot find anything that will assist.
Everything either shows you to connect with windows identity (not an option) or breezes past this issue.

To connect as an impersonated custom identity you have to:
1. Be sure SQL login on SQL Server uses SQL authentication
(not Windows one!)
2. Create target application in Secure Store with:
a. Target app type - "Group"
b. Field types - Username and
Password
3. Don't forget to grant required permission to a new Traget Application.
Here is a good guide (look at steps 4-8):
http://lightningtools.com/bcs_meta_man/sharepoint-2010-secure-store-service-and-oracle/

SharePoint 2010 Present Wrong Timezone for External List of External Content Type

External content is hosted on an independent SQL server DB from the SharePoint server. External content lists shows datetime fields 5 hours earlier as opposed to Eastern standard time but Web parts display data correctly.
Yes, timezones on both servers are correct. Timezones settings in SharePoint have been checked and all appear correct. There are several places for settings. Is there a checklist in case something was missed. Our SharePoint administrator has
looked for the cause and cannot determine.
I poured through other blogs and issues with external content and timezone on this site including "External Content Type Saving Dates in UTC".
Please provide a list for timezone settings such as global settings for a site, collection, external content, SharePoint 2010 designer settings, Central Administration settings, etc.

Hi Benjamin,
Please test the following approach for your issue, exporting the BDC Metadata Model from SharePoint Designer and change the normalization to use local time, and let us know the results.
http://sharepoint.stackexchange.com/questions/91516/timestamp-in-sharepoint-external-content-type-not-matching-value-in-sql-table
http://www.shillier.com/archive/2010/09/01/why-are-my-date-fields-wrong-in-business-connectivity-servces.aspx
https://calshare.berkeley.edu/Blog/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=9
Thanks
Daniel Yang
TechNet Community Support

External Content Type (BCS) with a dropdown column choices from a different table

I want to create an ECT with Create/Update method using SPD.
The dropdown choices should be also from another table in the database.
How can I achieve this?
----------------------- Sharepoint Newbie

Hi,
It is not supported to create External Content Type with a dropdown column by OOTB.
For a workaround, you can use Custom Field Controls and jQuery to add
Drop Down List to External List Form.
Please take a look at this article
SP 2010: Customizing the forms for External Lists (BCS) in SharePoint 2010 by using Custom Field Controls and jQuery
Reference:
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/office/en-US/61ffb8a0-af16-4104-94f9-255ea1b8bdf0/dropdown-from-external-content-type?forum=sharepointcustomizationprevious
Best Regards,
Eric
TechNet Community Support
Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they help, and unmark the answers if they provide no help. If you have feedback for TechNet Support, contact
[email protected]

External content type error: Business Data Connectivity object not found.

Hello
I have to change the external database (external system) for an external content type. The database view on the new database is exactly the same as on the old database.
After changing the external system of the external content type, this happens:
When I try to add a new item to the list, I get this error under the external data field:
"Business Data Connectivity object not found. Administrators, see the server log for more information."
Also, when I try to update the external data field, it is not possible because the buttons are grey.
When I add a new external data field to the same list, I can use the external content type. For some reason the current external data field doesn't update.
Any ideas?
Any help would be much appreciated!

Have you implemented both ‘Read List’ & ‘Read Item’ operations in your ECT?
This may be helpful -
https://sharepointcreations.wordpress.com/2014/03/13/business-data-connectivity-object-not-found/
Thanks
Ganesh Jat [My Blog |
LinkedIn | Twitter ]
Please click 'Mark As Answer' if a post solves your problem or 'Vote As Helpful' if it was useful.

Not able to crawl all items from External content type

Hello All,
"All the records in my external content source are not getting crawled, only 1/3 rd of the data are getting crawled."
Steps:
I created "External content type" using sharepoint designer which connects to a SQL Server database.
Have written a SQL View joining 2 tables, which return 9,00,000 rows when executed using the SQL Server management studio.
I used the default "Business Data Connectivity Service" and "Search Service Application" and made sure the necessary permissions are set.
Created a External Content source for the search service application and selected the "Business Data Connectivity Service" -> "Crawl selected External datasource" -> <my external datasource i created in sharepoint designer>
Issue
When i ran the full crawl for the first time it crawled "3,49,923" records in 01 hour and 07 seconds. And returned 1 error "Error crawling LOB Contents.(Error caused by exception: System.InvalidOperationException. There is an error in XML
document...)
Later i removed the below item from the index and started a full recrawl, this time it crawled "3,49,924" records 1 record extra from my previous crawl
and no errors were returned.
Please let me know what could be the issue. It doesn't look like the permission related issues as i am able to crawl the 1/3rd of my total data. Also i am able to search the crawled data. I also set the throtteling limit for the "Business data catalog"
to -maximum 10000000 -default 1000000 which is less than the data it has to crawl.
SRIRAM

Hi ,
I started the change suggested in the link shared by you, but got stuck at a point,
The field which i set as identifier in BCS earlier is not having unique values. Total rows returned by the sql view is 899000, but the unique values present in the column that is set as identifier is
3,49,923, which is equal to the number of rows crawled. - Is this the reason why it didnt crawl all records?
The table that is used in the sql view has composite key, - Is it possible to have multiple identifier in BCS as well?
Is it possible to make BCS to ignore the identifier? i mean creating BCS without an identifier column?
Please let me know your suggestions on this.
Thanks,
SRIRAM
Yes, BCS needs a UID. This is so it can figure out changes over time to a single record. Otherwise all changes to a row could be a potential new row without BCS knowing any better.
Yes, or just have it run off the composite key instead of the field you're using now.
Nope, BCS needs a UID field like in answer 1 :)
Good luck!
My CodePlex -
My Blog - My Twitter
Join me at the San Francisco SharePoint User Group!
If this post helped you or answered your question please remember to mark it! :)

Error while creating an external content type using wcf service.

Hi!
I have been asked to create a wcf service to expose sql data and populate them in a list using external content type.i have created the service but while creating the content type it gives me error. Can anyone suggest me about which url should
be used in service metadata url and service endpoint url.
Thanks in advance.

You can refer these links, may be helpful
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/jj163810.aspx
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/gg318615(v=office.14).aspx
http://www.dotnetcurry.com/showarticle.aspx?ID=799
http://www.c-sharpcorner.com/UploadFile/Roji.Joy/connecting-to-a-web-service-using-business-connectivity-serv/
Thanks
Ganesh Jat [My Blog |
LinkedIn | Twitter ]
Please click 'Mark As Answer' if a post solves your problem or 'Vote As Helpful' if it was useful.

Get "An Error occurred while retrieving data From ProjectWebApp.." when searching content on an External Content Type

I have set-up an ECT in SPD2013 on SP2013. It is a SQL Data source called ProjectWebApp. I have BCS/SSS set-up. I can create an ECT OK in SPD. I can add the ECT to a custom list.
The problem is when I add a new item in the list the following error message appears in red
An error occurred while retrieving data from ProjectWebApp. Administrators, see the server log for more information
I cannot filter or return any results. There is data in the DB.
Another test I do is to try and create a new App/List using the "External List" template. When
I select the ECT a red message appears "External Content Types are not available". which is odd since I can add an ECT to a list as mentioned above.
Any ideas?
Tx
Andrew
Andrew Payze

Hi Andrew,
Please try the option Allow unlimited length in document libraries in the column settings:
http://littletalk.wordpress.com/2011/08/18/external-content-type-an-error-occurred-while-retrieving-data-from-a-system-administrators-see-the-server-log-for-more-information/
If it doesn't help, please refer to the link below and raise the External content type Read List operation thresholds:
http://lightningtools.com/bcs/business-connectivity-services-end-user-implications-part-one-threshold-limit-errors/
Please provide error message in ULS log for further troubleshooting.
Regards,
Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they help and unmark them if they provide no help. If you have feedback for TechNet Subscriber Support, contact
[email protected] .
Rebecca Tu
TechNet Community Support

How to create an External Content Type with SQL Stored Procedures Parameters and query it in a SharePoint App

Hi,
I'm new to SharePoint 2013 I want to be able to query a MSSQL database from a SharePoint App I have tried to create an External Content Type (ECT) which is produced from a MSSQL stored Procedure, this procedure has several parameters which are needed to
filter the data correctly. From here I want to produce an external list which I can then query from a c# SharePoint app. If I leave the filters in the ECT null then the list is of course empty or if enter a default values the results are limited
for the app to query so are no good.
I want to dynamically pass values to the ECT when querying from the app, is this not possible. Should I just be returning everything in an external list and then letting the query in the app filter the data, this seems inefficient?
Is this the best way to do this or should I be doing this differently?
Please can someone point me in the right direction.
Thanks

Hi Pandra801,
When you create a the external content type, please try to add a filter based on your select statement.
http://arsalkhatri.wordpress.com/2012/01/07/external-list-with-bcs-search-filters-finders/
Or, try to create a stored procedure based on your select statement, then create ECT using the SQL stored procedure.
A step by step guide in designing BCS entities by using a SQL stored procedure
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/sharepointdev/archive/2011/02/10/173-a-step-by-step-guide-in-designing-bcs-entities-by-using-a-sql-stored-procedure.aspx
I hope this helps.
Thanks,
Wendy
Wendy Li
TechNet Community Support

BCS external content type migration

Hi,
We are migrating from SP 2010 to SP2013 via simple content db backup restore method.
2010 site has external lists connected to SQL DB via BCS.
When we took backup of whole 2010 content db and restored to 2013 n done upgrade. Post that I have noticed none of External content type is available in 2013. All the external lists are broken.
Is any way to migrate External content types from 2010 to 2013.

Hi Praful,
The external content types are stored in the Business Connectivity Services(BCS) application database, so if you only migrating content database the external content types will not be available in the new environment.
You need to detach the BCS application database from the old environment and then copy and attach the database to the new environment.
More references:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc262483(v=office.15).aspx
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj839719(v=office.15).aspx
If you only need to migrate the external content types, you can follow this link:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/gg650431(v=office.14).aspx
Best regards.
Thanks
Victoria Xia
TechNet Community Support

Creating app scoped external content type using Provider Hosted App in sharepoint 2013 using visual studio 2012

Hi,
I am creating provider hosted app in visual studio 2012 using app scoped external content type having OData with Northwind url
App manifest start page url :
ODataNewAppWeb/Pages/Default.aspx
In XML it is:
<StartPage>~remoteAppUrl/Pages/Default.aspx</StartPage>
When i am deploying app pressing F5 the app gets deployed successfully....
Now i am changing my start page url in Appmanifest like this:
ODataNewApp/Lists/Employees
In XML it looks like:
StartPage>~appWebUrl/Lists/Employees</StartPage>
When i am deploying app pressing F5 the app..
Getting register SOD error.....
I have followed all the steps like:
1)Creating app domain
2)Starting all the required services
3)Creating root site collection
But still no success.. Please help me on this.... I am struggling with this from two weeks...

Have you set up a wildcard DNS entry for the spapps.com domain?
Also if you're trying to connect from the server you might be hitting loop back check issues.

SP 2013 ECT - Created an External Content Type in SPD But Not Appearing in BCS

Hello Community,
I have created an External Content Type in SP Designer 2013, and the connection and operations all seem to work fine, but the ECT List throws an access error, and when I check the BCS Service Application the ECT doesn't even appear in the list. Has
anyone else ever seen this kind of problem and if so please brovide guidance and examples for resolving it.
Thanks!
Tom
Tom Molskow - Senior SharePoint Architect - Microsoft Community Contributor 2011 and 2012 Award -
Linked-In - SharePoint Gypsy

Hi Tom,
Have you created external content type from SharePoint designer 2013 successfully prevously?
And was it displayed in BCS service applicaiton previously?
Have you executed "External Content Type Operations" and saved it back successfully in SharPoint Designer like the following article?
Please check if it is related to the permission issue by using SharePoint Farm Administrator account to create this external content type.
If all above don't solve the issue, please check the ULS log for more information for troubleshooting when create the external content type.
http://www.c-sharpcorner.com/UploadFile/anavijai/create-external-content-type-using-sharepoint-designer-2013/
Thanks,
Daniel Yang
Forum Support
Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they help and unmark them if they provide no help. If you have feedback for TechNet Subscriber Support, contact
[email protected]
Daniel Yang
TechNet Community Support

Text Fields of an External Content Type come across as Multiple Line of Text

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