Updating Project Server custom fields via JSOM

by Martin Laukkanen | Aug 5, 2013 | Apps, Development, How to, Project 2013

After a few busy weeks working on my first 100% JavaScript 2013 App (watch this space for more!!) I’ve come to realise that the MSDN documentation on JSOM and CSOM still is pretty sparse!

A couple of simple examples exist in the usual place (e.g. JSOM CreateProjects) but when you get to the details you’ll find a lot missing. For example updating Custom Fields; if you look at the MSDN page covering PS.DraftProject, the method you need (draftProject.setCustomFieldValue()) is not even listed! (UPDATE 7/08: It is covered here but with no detail; PS.Project.setCustomFieldValue)

JavaScript PS.DraftProject.setCustomFieldValue Method

Here’s the missing method definition that you’ll see when using PS.debug.js:

PS.DraftProject.setCustomFieldValue(FieldName, Value);

Hey wow, that simple hey? No, unfortunately the definition is a bit misleading; easy to assume that FieldName references the custom field name used else where like in the OData fields, but in fact this refers to the InternalName from the PS.CustomField object.

An example InternalName is: Custom_a1737ae3b4fce211940b00155d000a03

So first thing you need to do is get that name, it is just the field GUID prefixed with “Custom_”, but I like to do things more dynamically so I’ll use projContext.get_customFields(); to cache that information.

Example JavaScript update of Custom Field Value

Firstly lets get those InternalName values into an array for later use.

Cache the field details with a GetCustomFields Function

var projContext;
var customFields;
var customFieldData = [];


SP.SOD.executeOrDelayUntilScriptLoaded(GetCustomFields, "PS.js");


function GetCustomFields() {
    // Initialize the current client context and get the projects collection
    projContext = PS.ProjectContext.get_current();


    customFields = projContext.get_customFields();
    projContext.load(customFields);

    // Run the request on the server.
    projContext.executeQueryAsync(getCFComplete, getCFFailed);
}

function getCFComplete(response) {
    var cfEnumerator = customFields.getEnumerator();


    // Save the details of each CF for later
    while (cfEnumerator.moveNext()) {
        var cf = cfEnumerator.get_current();


        customFieldData.push({
            Id: cf.get_id(),
            Name: cf.get_name(),
            InternalName: cf.get_internalName()
        });
    }

    // Now update the project
    updateProject();
}

Note the last line there; updateProject() as this is all asynchronous you need to call the update only once you have the customFieldData array ready.

Update the Project Custom Field Function

function updateProject() {
    var projectId = "9C585CC0-3FC0-4133-9F2A-1FB96587CF0D";
    var project = projects.getById(projectId);
    var draftProject = project.checkOut();
    var fieldName = "My Custom Field";


    // Update custom field
    var cfData = $.grep(customFieldData, function (val) {
        return val.Name === fieldName;
    });

    if (cfData.length > 0) {
        draftProject.setCustomFieldValue(cfData[0].InternalName, "Some new value");
    }

    //Publish the change
    var publishJob = draftProject.publish(true);


    //Monitor the job
    projContext.waitForQueueAsync(publishJob, 30, function (response) {
        if (response !== 4) {
            // handle errors
        }
    }
}

This simple example assumes the FieldType is text, but you get the idea, also to work with Lookup Tables you’ll need to look at the cf.get_lookupEntries() values in the getCFComplete() function but hopefully the above will get you started.