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Update a metadata template

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Update a metadata template

Updating a metadata template can be achieved by passing an array of operations to the PUT /metadata_templates/:scope/:templateKey/schema API.

cURL
curl -X PUT https://api.box.com/2.0/metadata_templates/enterprise/blueprintTemplate/schema \
     -H 'Authorization: Bearer <ACCESS_TOKEN>'
     -H 'Content-Type: application/json" '
     -d '[
       {
         "op": "editField",
         "fieldKey": "category",
         "data": {
           "displayName": "Customer Group"
         }
       }
     ]'
.NET
var updates = new List<BoxMetadataTemplateUpdate>()
{
    new BoxMetadataTemplateUpdate()
    {
        Op = MetadataTemplateUpdateOp.addEnumOption,
        FieldKey = "fy",
        Data = new {
            key = "FY20"
        }
    },
    new BoxMetadataTemplateUpdate()
    {
        Op = MetadataTemplateUpdateOp.editTemplate,
        Data = new {
            hidden = false
        }
    }
};
BoxMetadataTemplate updatedTemplate = await client.MetadataManager
    .UpdateMetadataTemplate(updates, "enterprise", "marketingCollateral");
Java
List<MetadataTemplate.FieldOperation> updates = new ArrayList<MetadataTemplate.FieldOperation>();

String addCategoryFieldJSON = "{\"op\":\"addField\","\"data\":{"
    + "\"displayName\":\"Category\",\"key\":\"category\",\"hidden\":false,\"type\":\"string\"}}";
updates.add(new MetadataTemplate.FieldOperation(addCategoryFieldJSON));

String changeTemplateNameJSON = "{\"op\":\"editTemplate\",\"data\":{"
    + "\"displayName\":\"My Metadata\"}}";
updates.add(new MetadataTemplate.FieldOperation(changeTemplateNameJSON));

MetadataTemplate.updateMetadataTemplate(api, "enterprise", "myData", updates);
Python
template = client.metadata_template('enterprise', 'employeeRecord')
updates = template.start_update()
updates.add_enum_option('state', 'WI')
updates.edit_template({'hidden': False})
updated_template = template.update_info(updates)
Node
// Add a new option to the Fiscal Year field, and un-hide the template
var operations = [
	{
		op: 'addEnumOption',
		fieldKey: 'fy',
		data: { key: 'FY20' }
	},
	{
		op: 'editTemplate',
		data: { hidden: false }
	}
];
client.metadata.updateTemplate('enterprise', 'vcontract', operations)
	.then(template => {
		/* template -> {
			templateKey: 'vcontract',
			scope: 'enterprise_12345',
			displayName: 'Vendor Contract',
			hidden: false,
			fields: 
			[ { type: 'date',
				key: 'signed',
				displayName: 'Date Signed',
				hidden: false },
				{ type: 'string',
				key: 'vendor',
				displayName: 'Vendor',
				hidden: false },
				{ type: 'enum',
				key: 'fy',
				displayName: 'Fiscal Year',
				options: 
					[ { key: 'FY17' },
					{ key: 'FY18' },
					{ key: 'FY19' },
					{ key: 'FY20' } ],
				hidden: false } ] }
		*/
	});
iOS
client.metadata.updateTemplate(
    scope: "enterprise",
    templateKey: "personnelRecord",
    operation: .reorderEnumOptions(fieldKey: "department", enumOptionKeys: ["Marketing", "Sales", "HR"])
) { (result: Result<MetadataTemplate, BoxSDKError>) in
    guard case let .success(template) = result {
        print("Error updating metadata template")
        return
    }

    print("Updated metadata template with ID \(template.id)")
}

Admin permissions required

Updating metadata templates is restricted to users with admin permission. This means that only admins, or co-admins who have been granted rights to Create and edit metadata templates for your company by the admin can use the web app or the API to manage templates.

Operations

Updates to metadata templates are performed through operations rather than directly changing the template itself. This method allows us to update any existing metadata instances that are already applied to files and folders.

Template operations

Template operations update a template's details or fields. These operations are generally safe as they are applied to any template instance without much impact.

Edit a template

The operation editTemplate allows for editing any of the base properties of the template, like the displayName, copyInstanceOnItemCopy and more.

Parameter
dataAn object representing the properties to change
[
  {
    "op": "editTemplate",
    "data": {
      "displayName": "Client",
      "copyInstanceOnItemCopy": true
    }
  }
]

This will update the template to have a new display name of Client.

This will affect existing instances of this template.

Add a field to a template

The operation addField adds an field to a template.

Parameter
dataAn object representing field to add
[
  {
    "op": "addField",
    "data": {
      "displayName": "Category",
      "key": "category",
      "hidden": false,
      "type": "string"
    }
  }
]

This will add a new non-hidden string field with a displayName and key of category.

This will affect existing instances of this template.

Reorder fields

The operation reorderFields reorders the list of fields in a template to match the requested field list.

Parameter
fieldKeysThe new list of field keys in the requested order
{
  "op": "reorderFields",
  "fieldKeys": ["field2", "field1", "field3"]
}

This will reorder the fields for the template to have field2 first, followed by field1, then field3.

This will affect existing instances of this template. It will reorder the fields, yet keep the values of the fields intact.

Field operations

Field operations transform the schema of a template. The following is a list of operations that can be used in this API and can potentially change the data of any previously assigned templates.

These changes will be logged as template changes but not as file changes.

Edit a field

The operation editField option edits any number of the base properties of a field like the displayName, description, key, and hidden state.

Parameter
dataAn object representing the new properties to set for the field
fieldKeyThe key of the field to be edited
{
  "op": "editField",
  "fieldKey": "category",
  "data": {
    "displayName": "Customer Group"
  }
}

This will update the field category to have a new display name of Customer Group. If the key is changed, existing values of the specified field are migrated to the new key. The search index will be updated yet it can take time depending on how many files are affected by the change.

This may affect existing instances of this template.

Remove a field

The operation removeField removes an field from a template.

Parameter
fieldKeyThe key of the field to remove from the template
{
  "op": "removeField",
  "fieldKey": "brand"
}

This will remove the field brand from the template as well as all instances of the template. The search index will be updated yet it can take time depending on how many files are affected by the change.

This will affect existing instances of this template.

Field Option Operations

Both the enum and multiSelect metadata field types support some additional operations to change the options of the fields.

Operation
addEnumOptionAdds an option to an enum field
editEnumOptionEdits an enum field option
reorderEnumOptionsRe-orders the options on an enum field
removeEnumOptionRemoves an enum field options
addMultiSelectOptionAdds an option to an multiSelect field
editMultiSelectOptionEdits an multiSelect field option
reorderMultiSelectOptionsRe-orders the options on an multiSelect field
removeMultiSelectOptionRemoves an multiSelect field options