Thread: Accessing Views through the API

Originally Posted by ysinger

We need to access Views through the API in order to create a mass email functionality from a custom object.
Using Apex Explorer 8 (or any other useful tool), how do I find Views in the data schema?

When you say you need to access Views, do you mean an object within Salesforce? Is it a View object?

Thanks for joining the site by the way, I appreciate it


~Mike

We created a custom object to work around the limitations of the campaign member.
We called it Enrollment (it's an educational application). It resolves the many-to-many relationship between contact and campaign.
We want to reproduce the Mass Email function that is on the Tools section of the Contact tab. In the past we built a number of Views based on the Campaign that displayed a subset of Contacts.
Now, we want to build Enrollment views and place a button on the enrollment tab that allows for Mass Emails based on the Enrollment object (a subset of contacts).

In summary, "view" is not a custom object, but a SF view of contact or enrollment.
When creating a view, regardless of object, the help text on the "View Unique Name" field writes, "The name field must be unique and is used when referencing this component in the API and Apex."
How do I access this component (view) in the API?
In what object do I query? Which fields?
We have Apex Explorer 8, but were not able to browse the objects and identify it.

My pleasure. Great site.

Thanks so much!

I am so sorry to ask so many questions but it is hard to understand what this view is without seeing it.

From what I read, it sounds like this is some sort of counter that is a field on an object you created? I hope I am right, I don't want you to have to keep writing these books on my site, sorry about that

Listen maybe we could setup a time to chat about this offline, maybe show me what you are trying to do, so I can get a better idea


~Mike

In my attempt to be clear, I am making this sound complicated - which I'm sure it is not.
The mass email tool on the Contact is here:
https://emea.salesforce.com/ui/massm...Url=%2F003%2Fo

It asks you to choose (or create) a contact view. Straightforward, standard SF functionality. When you click on Create New View, you get the screen with the "View Unique Name:" label and the help text I mentioned above.
Step 1: I want to access the SF contact view created on that page through the API.
Going forward, we created a custom object for which SF allows us to create views similar to those of contact.
Step 2: I want to access the custom object's views through the API.
Step 3: We would like to create a button that provides a mass email ability.
Step 4: We are not opposed to out-sourcing a couple of these things.
Step 5: I'd be happy to speak offline, let me know how to reach you at ysinger@aishcafe.com.

Thanks

sorry I just do not know enough about this to help you, I wish I did

I don't think that you can access the views through the API though, but I could be wrong. I would ask this question over at the regular Salesforce Developers forum


~Mike