5

I use the SOAP API (WSC, partner wsdl) to describe objects and use the field meta information to dynamically build SOQL queries. Today i observed that DescribeSObjectResult can contain fields of type reference but with an unknown (empty) relationship name.

These reference fields are not usable to build SOQL queries because of the missing relationship name that must be used in a field path.

For Example the description of the User object contains a reference field 'AccountId' that contains the correct referenceTo property ('Account') but an empty relationshipName.

Why this can happen?

I can imaging that these fields are only used/enabled in some specific cases? The User.AccountId field seems to be only used for Customer Portal users (when communities are enabled in an organization).


A complete list of fields (describeGlobal, developer org) that are of type reference but with an empty relationship name:

User -> DelegatedApproverId
User -> AccountId
User -> CallCenterId
ContentDocument -> ArchivedById
ContentDocument -> ParentId
FiscalYearSettings -> PeriodId
LoginHistory -> UserId
Group -> RelatedId
CaseShare -> UserOrGroupId
RecordType -> BusinessProcessId
Campaign -> CampaignMemberRecordTypeId
WebLink -> ScontrolId
DocumentAttachmentMap -> ParentId
DocumentAttachmentMap -> DocumentId
Task -> RecurrenceActivityId
ContentVersion -> ContentModifiedById
CategoryNode -> ParentId
ContentWorkspace -> DefaultRecordTypeId
LeadShare -> UserOrGroupId
AccountPartner -> ReversePartnerId
CronTrigger -> OwnerId
OpportunityShare -> UserOrGroupId
CampaignMemberStatus -> CampaignId
ApexTestQueueItem -> ParentJobId
ForecastShare -> UserRoleId
ForecastShare -> UserOrGroupId
UserRecordAccess -> UserId
AsyncApexJob -> ParentJobId
SetupEntityAccess -> SetupEntityId
IdeaComment -> CommunityId
UserRole -> ParentRoleId
UserRole -> ForecastUserId
UserRole -> PortalAccountId
UserRole -> PortalAccountOwnerId
CaseTeamTemplateMember -> TeamTemplateId
CaseTeamTemplateMember -> MemberId
CaseTeamTemplateMember -> TeamRoleId
AuthProvider -> RegistrationHandlerId
AuthProvider -> ExecutionUserId
AdditionalNumber -> CallCenterId
Event -> RecurrenceActivityId
OpportunityPartner -> ReversePartnerId
CampaignShare -> UserOrGroupId
ContactShare -> UserOrGroupId
EmailTemplate -> BrandTemplateId
EmailServicesAddress -> RunAsUserId
Report -> OwnerId
CategoryData -> CategoryNodeId
CategoryData -> RelatedSobjectId
Partner -> ReversePartnerId
AccountShare -> UserOrGroupId
UserPreference -> UserId
GroupMember -> UserOrGroupId
SelfServiceUser -> ContactId
EmailServicesFunction -> ApexClassId
Improve this question

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
1

I suspect that you can't query these particular relationships with SOQL. You can see them and the related entity Id. However, you can't query directly across the join in SOQL.

This is a rather unsatisfactory answer and I'd be more than happy to be proven wrong on this.

I did find some documentation that hinted at this limitation:

...not all parent-child relationships are exposed in SOQL, so to be sure you can query on a parent-child relationship by issuing the appropriate describe call
Source: Identifying Parent and Child Relationships

With custom fields you typically use the __r suffix to identify the relationship rather than the __c of a custom field. However, this doesn't apply for inbuilt fields like User.AccountID.

Improve this answer
2
  • These relationship fields are definitelynot queryable, i also tested it with removing the id part of the field name manually (convention for standard field relations) and it doesn't work via API nor in the developer console.
    – lgraf
    Mar 13, 2014 at 8:27
  • The hint in the documentation is a good point, but i think it would be much nicer and self explaining if there was a method like isQueryReference on the Field object to test if a reference field can directly used across a SOQL join.
    – lgraf
    Mar 13, 2014 at 8:38

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .