Remote Site Settings : Way to Create/Update Using Apex (Metadata API)

We can create or update Remote Site Settings in Apex using Metadata API.

You can either download Metadata API WSDL from Salesforce and generate apex class by clicking on Generate from WSDL button.

Or you can download the MetadataService class from below link:

MetadataService.cls

Below is sample to code to create remote site settings.

Execute this static method from execute anonymous and check if records created or not.

 MetadataAPIUtility.createRemoteSiteSettings();

Below is snapshot of remote site settings created

Note:

• I have used upsertMetadata method. If you want to only insert new remote site setting, then use insertMetadata method
• fullname property is considered in order to decide whether remote site setting needs to be created or updated.

Hope this will help!!!

Create Custom Metadata Types Using Metadata API
Create Update Custom Label by Using Metadata API

How to Schedule Apex class to Run Instantly or Run After Some Duration from Developer Console

We create apex scheduler job which can be scheduled to run at specific time. If we want to run job instantly to either check the functionality or want to force start scheduled job then below code sample will help you.

Suppose you have scheduled apex class:

global class SK_JobsSchedulerHelper implements Schedulable {
global SK_JobsSchedulerHelper(){

}
       global void execute(SchedulableContext sc) {
//your business logic
}
}

Now if you want to run it instantly from developer console, then use below script:

SR_JobsSchedulerHelper sch = new SR_JobsSchedulerHelper();
sch.execute(null);

Now if you want to run this job after 5 minutes, then you can use below script:

SR_JobsSchedulerHelper sch = new SR_JobsSchedulerHelper();
Datetime dt = Datetime.now().addMinutes(5);  
String schCronExp = dt.format('s m H d M \'?\' yyyy');
Id schedId = System.Schedule(' scheduling this job at'+System.now().format(),schCronExp,sch);

Hope this help!!

Adding Lightning Components in VF Page and Passing Values from URL

Can we create custom lightning components and use them in Salesforce Classic?

This question always comes in mind whenever we do development in Org which has not enabled lightning. We call these kind of Org as classic Salesforce Org.

We mainly create lightning components and use them in Lightning experience but it doesn't means that we can not utilize lightning components in Classic Salesforce (in VF)

If we have to create VF page, then create lightning components as per requirement and then add them in VF pages. So if in future, you migrate to Lightning from Salesforce Classic then you do not have to re-work on implementing VF functionality in Lightning.

Through this blog, I am going share sample code which explains how we can create lightning components and add it to VF pages. As lightning components works mainly based on attributes defined in component, how we can pass values to these attributes from VF page so that they behave as per requirement.

In below code, I am passing the Account Id and string message in VF page using URL parameters and then sending Account name and message to lightning component.

You can open VF page and specify parameters in URL. Below is sample URL:

/apex/SK_LtngCmpContainerVF?id=0019000001rHOgA&infoString=AccountId is passed from URL in VF and captured by component

or

/apex/SK_LtngCmpContainerVF?id=0019000001rHOgA&infoString=AccountId%20is%20passed%20from%20URL%20in%20VF%20and%20captured%20by%20component

Below is screenshot of VF page

Hope this will help!!!

Create Custom Metadata Types Using Metadata API

As we know, custom metadata is also considered as metadata due to which it helps to migrate predefined settings between different Organizations. If we use custom setting, then we need to upload custom records separately after migrating custom settings.

By using, Metadata API we can create apex script to create custom metadata.

You can either download Metadata API WSDL from Salesforce and generate apex class by clicking on Generate from WSDL button.

Or you can download the MetadataService class from below link:

MetadataService.cls

Below is custom metadata created for explaining the apex code:

Below is code snippet to create custom metadata record.

Execute this static method from execute anonymous and check if records created or not.

 MetadataAPICMUtility.createCustomMetadata();

Below is snapshot of record created

You can use above code sample to create records in custom metadata. You can maintain .csv file with all custom metadata records and parse it with apex and then create record in custom metadata.

In order to understand when to use custom setting or custom metadata type and their implementation tricks, please refer below URL:

Custom Metadata Types and Custom Settings Implementation Tricks

Hope this will Help!!!

Create Update Custom Label by Using Metadata API

We usually update custom labels from UI. After sandbox refresh, we update all custom labels so that these don't point to production URLs or values.

By using Metadata API, we can write automated apex script through which we can update all custom labels.

You can either download Metadata API WSDL from Salesforce and generate apex class by clicking on Generate from WSDL button.

Or you can download the MetadataService class from below link:

MetadataService.cls

I have created 2 separate static methods, one for creating new custom label and another for updating existing custom label. Below is class code:


Now by running below code in execute anonymous in developer console, you can create custom label:

MetadataAPIUtility.createCustomLabel('SFDC_Blog_URL','My test label from metadata api','en_US','http://www.sfdcstuff.com/',false);

You have to specify custom label values as a parameters in static method.

In order to update custom label, execute below code:

MetadataAPIUtility.updateCustomLabel('SFDC_Blog_URL','My test label from metadata api','en_US','https://www.sfdcstuff.com/search/label/Lightning',false);

Hope this will help!!

Search Content on Box from Salesforce Using Content Search API

In this blog, I am going to share the code snippet which can be used to do callout from Apex in order to search content on Box. You need to have access token in order to perform this callout.

To learn how to get access token from box, please refer Box and Salesforce Integration

Box provide content search API through which you can search for files and folders present in Box.
I have created a wrapper class in apex which will be used to parse the JSON response from Box.

Below is code snippet:

You can call this static method and pass the parameters to get results.

Hope this will help!!

Alternatives to OnClick Javascript buttons : Way to replace OnClick Javascript buttons across all objects with Single VF page

We always prefer onclick javascript button to perform different operations like updating fields on same records or on other records with single click by user. In order to do this, we either use ajax toolkit to either perform logic or to call apex method.

We can also perform these operation even by redirecting user to VF page on click of button and call apex method on VF page load (by specifying action attribute on <apex:page>) and redirecting User back to record details page.

Developers usually not use this approach as they do not want to create new VF page every time for these kind of requirements.

After the launch of lightning, onclick javascript buttons are not recommended and everyone is finding alternative for onclick javascript buttons functionality but sometime these alternative results in more than 1 click for end user.

Through this blog, I just to share one approach through which we can utilize single VF for all custom buttons. We just need to pass recordId and apex class name which contains your logic for operation in URL. This approach also involves single click from user and user will get notified about success and failure of operation (in onclick javascript we user alert to notify).

Different steps involved for this approach:

• Create a VF page and controller. Create wrapper in this controller to store redirect url (to redirect user after performing operation), success and failure message which you want to display to user.
• Create an Interface with method name executeLogic (return type will be wrapper of VF controller).
• Create a new apex class which implements interface and will contain logic in executeLogic method.
• Create a custom button and specify URL. pass recordid and apex class name where you have written your logic.

Sample Requirement:

I need to create a custom button on Account. When user click on that, I need to check if billing country and billing postalcode in not blank, then change the type field to 'Prospect'.

Traditional Approach:

Create a onclick Javascript button and call apex method from that to perform operation. Dispaly success/error message using alerts.

New Approach:

Below are code related to new approach:

Now create custom button on Account as mentioned in below image

URL will be like:

/apex/OnClickJSUtilityVF?rid={!Account.Id}&cname=AccountUtility

here "AccountUtility" is apex class name which contain logic.

If we use this approach then, going forward we just need to create apex class with method and implement the interface.

If we consider the both approaches, the amount of code that we need to write for any new custom button functionality will remain same.

Demo snapshots:

When I click on Change to Prospect button with billing country and billing postal code as blank, getting below message:

When clicking on Change to Prospect button after specifying values for billing country and postal code, getting below message:

These success and error message are specified in apex method in apex class. So you can specify different message based on different requirements.

Also you can specify the redirect URL in apex method where user will navigate after performing the requested action.

You can style your VF page as per your org need and all users will have same user experience.

Hope this will help!!!

Looking forward for everyone comments and suggestions.