Creating a view in a folder with custom icon created inVisual Studio

Hello All,

I wanted to created a folder within the Configuration Items with a custom Icon.

To accomplish this, I found that I had to do this via Visual Studio.
I found a great guide by Marcel Zehner on how to achieve this and was succesfull of deploying this.

However, if I now rightclick on that folder, then I'm not presented with an option to create a view.

It seems that it doesn't recognize as a placeholder for views.

Should I also create my views in Visual Studio if I want them to appear under that custom folder?

Any guidance or explanation why I can't just create these views would be very helpful!

Thanks

Filip

May 21st, 2015 4:55am

you're probably missing the folder items and categories that enable those actions. consider the following MP XML:

<Reference Alias="UIConsole">
  <ID>Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Console</ID>
  <Version>7.5.2905.0</Version>
  <PublicKeyToken>31bf3856ad364e35</PublicKeyToken>
</Reference>

[...]

<Categories>
  <Category ID="Category.dff1b681ea444b49b4e06b5a63ad0f83" Target="Folder.MaintenanceRoot" Value="UIConsole!Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Console.FolderTasks" />
</Categories>
<Presentation>
  <Folders>
      <Folder ID="Folder.MaintenanceRoot" Accessibility="Public" ParentFolder="SCSMWorkItem!ServiceManager.Console.WorkItem.Root" />
  </Folders>
<FolderItems>
  <FolderItem ElementID="UIConsole!Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Console.Task.CreateGridView" ID="FolderItem.c5ab979a9b384888839acb1e64ff3ec7" Folder="Folder.MaintenanceRoot" />
  <FolderItem ElementID="UIConsole!Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Console.Task.CreateFolder" ID="FolderItem.c25e2833b6af45cbba9392e6bf648fd0" Folder="Folder.MaintenanceRoot" />
</FolderItems>
<ImageReferences>
  <ImageReference ElementID="Folder.MaintenanceRoot" ImageID="UIAdministration!Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Administration.Image.WunderBar" />
</ImageReferences>
</Presentation>

Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
May 21st, 2015 12:14pm

you're probably missing the folder items and categories that enable those actions. consider the following MP XML:

<Reference Alias="UIConsole">
  <ID>Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Console</ID>
  <Version>7.5.2905.0</Version>
  <PublicKeyToken>31bf3856ad364e35</PublicKeyToken>
</Reference>

[...]

<Categories>
  <Category ID="Category.dff1b681ea444b49b4e06b5a63ad0f83" Target="Folder.MaintenanceRoot" Value="UIConsole!Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Console.FolderTasks" />
</Categories>
<Presentation>
  <Folders>
      <Folder ID="Folder.MaintenanceRoot" Accessibility="Public" ParentFolder="SCSMWorkItem!ServiceManager.Console.WorkItem.Root" />
  </Folders>
<FolderItems>
  <FolderItem ElementID="UIConsole!Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Console.Task.CreateGridView" ID="FolderItem.c5ab979a9b384888839acb1e64ff3ec7" Folder="Folder.MaintenanceRoot" />
  <FolderItem ElementID="UIConsole!Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Console.Task.CreateFolder" ID="FolderItem.c25e2833b6af45cbba9392e6bf648fd0" Folder="Folder.MaintenanceRoot" />
</FolderItems>
<ImageReferences>
  <ImageReference ElementID="Folder.MaintenanceRoot" ImageID="UIAdministration!Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Administration.Image.WunderBar" />
</ImageReferences>
</Presentation>

May 21st, 2015 4:13pm

you're probably missing the folder items and categories that enable those actions. consider the following MP XML:

<Reference Alias="UIConsole">
  <ID>Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Console</ID>
  <Version>7.5.2905.0</Version>
  <PublicKeyToken>31bf3856ad364e35</PublicKeyToken>
</Reference>

[...]

<Categories>
  <Category ID="Category.dff1b681ea444b49b4e06b5a63ad0f83" Target="Folder.MaintenanceRoot" Value="UIConsole!Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Console.FolderTasks" />
</Categories>
<Presentation>
  <Folders>
      <Folder ID="Folder.MaintenanceRoot" Accessibility="Public" ParentFolder="SCSMWorkItem!ServiceManager.Console.WorkItem.Root" />
  </Folders>
<FolderItems>
  <FolderItem ElementID="UIConsole!Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Console.Task.CreateGridView" ID="FolderItem.c5ab979a9b384888839acb1e64ff3ec7" Folder="Folder.MaintenanceRoot" />
  <FolderItem ElementID="UIConsole!Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Console.Task.CreateFolder" ID="FolderItem.c25e2833b6af45cbba9392e6bf648fd0" Folder="Folder.MaintenanceRoot" />
</FolderItems>
<ImageReferences>
  <ImageReference ElementID="Folder.MaintenanceRoot" ImageID="UIAdministration!Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Administration.Image.WunderBar" />
</ImageReferences>
</Presentation>

Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
May 21st, 2015 4:13pm

you're probably missing the folder items and categories that enable those actions. consider the following MP XML:

<Reference Alias="UIConsole">
  <ID>Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Console</ID>
  <Version>7.5.2905.0</Version>
  <PublicKeyToken>31bf3856ad364e35</PublicKeyToken>
</Reference>

[...]

<Categories>
  <Category ID="Category.dff1b681ea444b49b4e06b5a63ad0f83" Target="Folder.MaintenanceRoot" Value="UIConsole!Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Console.FolderTasks" />
</Categories>
<Presentation>
  <Folders>
      <Folder ID="Folder.MaintenanceRoot" Accessibility="Public" ParentFolder="SCSMWorkItem!ServiceManager.Console.WorkItem.Root" />
  </Folders>
<FolderItems>
  <FolderItem ElementID="UIConsole!Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Console.Task.CreateGridView" ID="FolderItem.c5ab979a9b384888839acb1e64ff3ec7" Folder="Folder.MaintenanceRoot" />
  <FolderItem ElementID="UIConsole!Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Console.Task.CreateFolder" ID="FolderItem.c25e2833b6af45cbba9392e6bf648fd0" Folder="Folder.MaintenanceRoot" />
</FolderItems>
<ImageReferences>
  <ImageReference ElementID="Folder.MaintenanceRoot" ImageID="UIAdministration!Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Administration.Image.WunderBar" />
</ImageReferences>
</Presentation>

May 21st, 2015 4:13pm

you're probably missing the folder items and categories that enable those actions. consider the following MP XML:

<Reference Alias="UIConsole">
  <ID>Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Console</ID>
  <Version>7.5.2905.0</Version>
  <PublicKeyToken>31bf3856ad364e35</PublicKeyToken>
</Reference>

[...]

<Categories>
  <Category ID="Category.dff1b681ea444b49b4e06b5a63ad0f83" Target="Folder.MaintenanceRoot" Value="UIConsole!Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Console.FolderTasks" />
</Categories>
<Presentation>
  <Folders>
      <Folder ID="Folder.MaintenanceRoot" Accessibility="Public" ParentFolder="SCSMWorkItem!ServiceManager.Console.WorkItem.Root" />
  </Folders>
<FolderItems>
  <FolderItem ElementID="UIConsole!Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Console.Task.CreateGridView" ID="FolderItem.c5ab979a9b384888839acb1e64ff3ec7" Folder="Folder.MaintenanceRoot" />
  <FolderItem ElementID="UIConsole!Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Console.Task.CreateFolder" ID="FolderItem.c25e2833b6af45cbba9392e6bf648fd0" Folder="Folder.MaintenanceRoot" />
</FolderItems>
<ImageReferences>
  <ImageReference ElementID="Folder.MaintenanceRoot" ImageID="UIAdministration!Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Administration.Image.WunderBar" />
</ImageReferences>
</Presentation>

Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
May 21st, 2015 4:13pm

you're probably missing the folder items and categories that enable those actions. consider the following MP XML:

<Reference Alias="UIConsole">
  <ID>Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Console</ID>
  <Version>7.5.2905.0</Version>
  <PublicKeyToken>31bf3856ad364e35</PublicKeyToken>
</Reference>

[...]

<Categories>
  <Category ID="Category.dff1b681ea444b49b4e06b5a63ad0f83" Target="Folder.MaintenanceRoot" Value="UIConsole!Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Console.FolderTasks" />
</Categories>
<Presentation>
  <Folders>
      <Folder ID="Folder.MaintenanceRoot" Accessibility="Public" ParentFolder="SCSMWorkItem!ServiceManager.Console.WorkItem.Root" />
  </Folders>
<FolderItems>
  <FolderItem ElementID="UIConsole!Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Console.Task.CreateGridView" ID="FolderItem.c5ab979a9b384888839acb1e64ff3ec7" Folder="Folder.MaintenanceRoot" />
  <FolderItem ElementID="UIConsole!Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Console.Task.CreateFolder" ID="FolderItem.c25e2833b6af45cbba9392e6bf648fd0" Folder="Folder.MaintenanceRoot" />
</FolderItems>
<ImageReferences>
  <ImageReference ElementID="Folder.MaintenanceRoot" ImageID="UIAdministration!Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Administration.Image.WunderBar" />
</ImageReferences>
</Presentation>

May 21st, 2015 4:13pm

Hello Thomas,

Thanks for sharing that XML with me.

As I've just started with SCSM Authoring I'd like to understand the XML code as well.

Now I've just pasted and modified the code :)

What does that <Categories> tag represent? How did you obtain that category ID?

I have got the same for the folderitems. How did you get these ID's?

Can you list that information somewhere?

Thanks!

Filip

Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
May 22nd, 2015 4:14am

The Categories block is a method to tie classes of objects together under the hood. the actual functionality is inherited from OMSDK, but in service manager it's primarily used to do something to every instance of a thing, i.e. put a task on every view, etc. you create a task that targets a category, in this case UIConsole!Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Console.FolderTasks, and then create a category entry that targets the view, and SM follows that bread crumb trail and sets the task on the view. 

FolderItems is a method, as it sounds, to put items in a folder, in this case the task that represent the right click options to create a view. 

i pulled this XML from a MP i created that contained a folder i created using the console, so don't feel bad about paste and modify, i did the same thing to get it up here. 


May 22nd, 2015 10:58am

i pulled this XML from a MP i created that contained a folder i created using the console, so don't feel bad about paste and modify, i did the same thing to get it up here. 

Yep. In my opinion, the best documentation for how management packs work is in the management packs themselves. Categories and many details like that aren't documented (not that I've seen, anyway). So quite often, figuring out how something works is a matter of finding a place in the console where it's already done (or something similar is done), then looking for how it was done in a management pack.

"select mpname, convert(xml,mpxml) from managementpack (with nolock)" is the best documentation tool at my disposal next to Reflector :)

Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
May 22nd, 2015 11:43am

ah yes, the superquery. many an issue has been helped by it's calling. 

be careful using that thou, it's much more expensive then it appears. it can kill a production SQL server if used during the day, and that "with nolock" bit it really required.

May 22nd, 2015 12:07pm

The Categories block is a method to tie classes of objects together under the hood. the actual functionality is inherited from OMSDK, but in service manager it's primarily used to do something to every instance of a thing, i.e. put a task on every view, etc. you create a task that targets a category, in this case UIConsole!Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Console.FolderTasks, and then create a category entry that targets the view, and SM follows that bread crumb trail and sets the task on the view. 

FolderItems is a method, as it sounds, to put items in a folder, in this case the task that represent the right click options to create a view. 

i pulled this XML from a MP i created that contained a folder i created using the console, so don't feel bad about paste and modify, i did the same thing to get it up here. 


Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
May 22nd, 2015 2:57pm

The Categories block is a method to tie classes of objects together under the hood. the actual functionality is inherited from OMSDK, but in service manager it's primarily used to do something to every instance of a thing, i.e. put a task on every view, etc. you create a task that targets a category, in this case UIConsole!Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Console.FolderTasks, and then create a category entry that targets the view, and SM follows that bread crumb trail and sets the task on the view. 

FolderItems is a method, as it sounds, to put items in a folder, in this case the task that represent the right click options to create a view. 

i pulled this XML from a MP i created that contained a folder i created using the console, so don't feel bad about paste and modify, i did the same thing to get it up here. 


May 22nd, 2015 2:57pm

The Categories block is a method to tie classes of objects together under the hood. the actual functionality is inherited from OMSDK, but in service manager it's primarily used to do something to every instance of a thing, i.e. put a task on every view, etc. you create a task that targets a category, in this case UIConsole!Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Console.FolderTasks, and then create a category entry that targets the view, and SM follows that bread crumb trail and sets the task on the view. 

FolderItems is a method, as it sounds, to put items in a folder, in this case the task that represent the right click options to create a view. 

i pulled this XML from a MP i created that contained a folder i created using the console, so don't feel bad about paste and modify, i did the same thing to get it up here. 


Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
May 22nd, 2015 2:57pm

The Categories block is a method to tie classes of objects together under the hood. the actual functionality is inherited from OMSDK, but in service manager it's primarily used to do something to every instance of a thing, i.e. put a task on every view, etc. you create a task that targets a category, in this case UIConsole!Microsoft.EnterpriseManagement.ServiceManager.UI.Console.FolderTasks, and then create a category entry that targets the view, and SM follows that bread crumb trail and sets the task on the view. 

FolderItems is a method, as it sounds, to put items in a folder, in this case the task that represent the right click options to create a view. 

i pulled this XML from a MP i created that contained a folder i created using the console, so don't feel bad about paste and modify, i did the same thing to get it up here. 


May 22nd, 2015 2:57pm

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