How to create External List using console application in SharePoint 2010

In this article we will be seeing how to create an External list using a console application in SharePoint 2010.

Steps Involved:

• Open visual studio 2010.
• Go to File => New => Project.
• Choose Console Application template.
• Enter the Name as ExternalList and click OK.
• Change the Target Framework and platform target as shown in this link.
• Replace the Program.cs with the following code.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using Microsoft.SharePoint;

namespace ExternalList
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            using (SPSite site = new SPSite("http:// sharepoint2010:4040/"))
            {
                using (SPWeb web = site.OpenWeb())
                {
                   string title="ExternalListTest";
                    string description="Creating External List through code";
                    SPListCollection listCollection = web.Lists;
                    SPListTemplateCollection tempCollection = web.ListTemplates;
                    SPListDataSource ds = new SPListDataSource();
                    ds.SetProperty("Entity", "Employee");
                    ds.SetProperty("EntityNamespace",                            "BdcModelUsingOracle.BdcModel1");
                    ds.SetProperty("LobSystemInstance", "BdcModel1");
                    ds.SetProperty("SpecificFinder", "ReadItem");
                    Guid gd = listCollection.Add(title, description, "", ds);
                    listCollection[gd].Update();
                    SPList list = web.Lists[title];
                    list.OnQuickLaunch = true;
                    list.Update();
                    Console.WriteLine("External List Created Successfully");
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

• Open the SharePoint site http:// sharepoint2010:4040/ (the Url mentioned in the code).

• You can see an External List as shown in the following.