How to delete list view from metadata?

Question

We have a requirement where we have to delete list views. So I thought we could do something like this (this is similar to the create example mentioned here):

HTTP h = new HTTP();
HTTPRequest req = new HTTPRequest();
req.setMethod('POST');
req.setHeader('Content-Type', 'text/xml');
req.setHeader('SOAPAction', 'create');

String b = '<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>';
b += '<soapenv:Envelope xmlns:soapenv="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">';
b += '<soapenv:Header>';
b += '<ns1:SessionHeader soapenv:mustUnderstand="0" xmlns:ns1="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">';
b += '<ns1:sessionId>' + UserInfo.getSessionId() + '</ns1:sessionId>';
b += '</ns1:SessionHeader>';
b += '</soapenv:Header>';
b += '<soapenv:Body>';
b += '<delete xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">';
b += '<metadata xsi:type="ns2:ListView" xmlns:ns2="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">';
b += '<fullName>customObject__c.listView2</fullName>';
b += '</metadata>';
b += '</delete>';
b += '</soapenv:Body>';
b += '</soapenv:Envelope>';

req.setBody(b);
req.setCompressed(false);
req.setEndpoint('https://ap1.salesforce.com/services/Soap/m/25.0');
HTTPResponse resp = h.send(req);
System.debug(resp.getBody());

Even though when I run this in dev console, it succeeds but the list view is not deleted. listView2 is the name of the list view. Please advice on how to go about it. Thanks

Answer 1

I've updated the Metadata API Apex library you referenced in your question, to include examples on creating and deleting List Views. In writing the example I discovered two things.

• Make sure it is not a personal list view these are not supported

  List views with the Visible only to me Restrict Visibility option are not accessible in Metadata API. Each of these list views is associated with a particular user.

• Ensure that you pass in your delete request the FilterScope. You should not have to pass this for a delete request in my view, but it seems Salesforce requires it.

The following is my create example...

    MetadataService.MetadataPort service = createService();     
    MetadataService.ListView listView = new MetadataService.ListView();
    listView.fullName = 'Test__c.MyListView';
    listView.label = 'My List View';
    listView.filterScope = 'Everything';
    listView.columns = new List<String> { 'NAME' };
    MetadataCreateJob.run(
        new List<MetadataCreateJob.Item> { new MetadataCreateJob.Item(listView) },
        new MetadataCreateJob.EmailNotificationMetadataAsyncCallback());                        

NOTE: Example uses the MetadataCreateJob utility class, described here (there are other options). This ensures that any errors are retrieved and communicated back (in the default case via email).

The following is my delete example...

    MetadataService.MetadataPort service = createService();     
    MetadataService.ListView listView = new MetadataService.ListView();
    listView.fullName = 'Test__c.MyListView';
    listView.filterScope = 'Everything';
    MetadataService.AsyncResult[] results = service.deleteMetadata(new List<MetadataService.Metadata> { listView });                

In your case, if you want to stick with the raw XML approach, you should be able to replicate what is being done above by adding the FilterScope element at the same level as the fullName. If your still having issues run the examples above an review the XML output in the Debug logs to compare.