Something I've been meaning to put on Codeplex for a few weeks now is an extended version of the Content Query web part. This particular web part is one which many SharePoint developers will use quite often for displaying lists of links etc. However, anybody who's ever worked with it will probably tell you they spent a good hour (or more) on the first time, wondering how the hell to get the control to display either:
- custom columns on their list
- custom columns on the content type that the page layout uses (in WCM scenarios)
Since this doesn't happen automatically, it becomes apparent you have to tell the control the names of your custom fields. You might expect this to be exposed (like many other things are) by the control properties, but unfortunately it's not that simple. There is a property (CommonViewFields), but the tool part doesn't provide a UI to enter a value. This means that the value can only be supplied by digging a little deeper and changing the definition of the CQWP using it's .webpart file.
This involves exporting the web part from a page which uses it, amending the CommonViewFields element in the XML, then re-importing the .webpart file to the Web Part gallery. This new definition can then be added to your page, and you'll then get the right results.
Hmm. Why is it not a property on the control again?!
So this was the extension I was going to implement. As it goes, Ishai Sagi has beat me to it and is supplying additional functionality to boot. The shot below shows that now all you have to do is enter your field names into the tool part:
Definitely worth a look if you use CQWP regularly.
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