Create an item in Tridion 2011 using Core Service

Question

In Tridion 2011 I want to use the Core Service equivalent of UpdateXml to create new Tridion objects in a generic way. I intend to create new Components, Pages and later on Folders and Structure Groups. It works quite well using UpdateXml but I am having a problem with casting the `RepositoryLocalObject` (or another generic-type object) to a `ComponentData` object with the Core Service. My Core Service code is much longer (and growing by the second). Error message when I try to access on object-type specific property: Error 9 'Tridion.ContentManager.CoreService.Client.RepositoryLocalObjectData' does not contain a definition for 'Content' and no extension method 'Content' accepting a first argument of type 'Tridion.ContentManager.CoreService.Client.RepositoryLocalObjectData' Would a possible solution be to create an extension method? Tridion TOM API: ``` Function CreateNewItemCopy(organizationalItemUri, itemType, title, xml, directory, filename) Dim newItem : set newItem = tdse.GetNewO…

Accepted Answer

I have slightly adjusted your code and now it's working:

```
    private string CreateNewItemCopy(string title, RepositoryLocalObjectData source, string filename)
    {
        string newItemUri = "";
        try
        {
            ItemType tridionItemType = GetTridionItemType(source);
            string orgItemUri = source.LocationInfo.OrganizationalItem.IdRef;

if (tridionItemType == ItemType.Component)
            {
                ComponentData sourceComp = source as ComponentData;
                ComponentData newComponent = client.GetDefaultData(tridionItemType, orgItemUri) as ComponentData;
                newComponent.Title = title;
                newComponent.Metadata = source.Metadata;

// ** Only Component has .Content and SchemaRef
                newComponent.Content = sourceComp.Content;
                newComponent.Schema.IdRef = sourceComp.Schema.IdRef;
                newItemUri = client.Create(newComponent, new ReadOptions()).Id;
            }
            else if (tridionItemType == ItemType.Page)
            {
                PageData sourcePage = source as PageData;
                PageData newPage = client.GetDefaultData(tridionItemType, orgItemUri) as PageData;
                newPage.Title = title;
                newPage.Metadata = source.Metadata;

// ** Only Page has .Filename
                newPage.FileName = filename;
                newItemUri = client.Create(newPage, new ReadOptions()).Id;
            }
            else //I would really like to handle all things here - but have problems with item-specific mandatory properties, such as Schema, Filename, and Dir
            {
                var newGenericTridionItem = client.GetDefaultData(tridionItemType, orgItemUri) as RepositoryLocalObjectData;
                newGenericTridionItem.Title = title;
                newGenericTridionItem.Metadata = source.Metadata;
                //if(GetTridionItemType(newGenericTridionItem.Id) == ItemType.Page)
                //    newGenericTridionItem.filename;
                newItemUri = client.Create(newGenericTridionItem, new ReadOptions()).Id;
            }
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            throw;
        }

return newItemUri;
    }

private ItemType GetTridionItemType(RepositoryLocalObjectData source)
    {
        string itemType = source.GetType().Name;
        switch (itemType)
        {
            case "ComponentData":
                return ItemType.Component;
            case "PageData":
                return ItemType.Page;
        }
        return ItemType.UnknownByClient;
    }
```

But I still don't understand why do you want to do it this way and not use simple Copy method?

Create an item in Tridion 2011 using Core Service

Solution

Problem