New Value List

A value list can either be internal or external.

The contents of an internal value list are saved in the document vault database, meaning that the list is used only inside the document vault. An external value list, on the other hand, can be updated from an external database. In this case, you need to define how the server is to retrieve the value list contents from the other database. For example, an employee database running on an external database server can be connected to the M-Files value lists by defining the database connection. See Connections to External Databases for Value Lists.

Creating a New Value List

  1. Open M-Files Admin.
  2. In the left-side tree view, expand a connection to M-Files server.
  3. Expand Document Vaults.
  4. Expand a vault.
  5. Expand Metadata Structure (Flat View), and then select Value Lists.
  6. In the task area, click New Value List.
    Result:The Value List Properties dialog is opened.
  7. In the Name (singular) and Name (plural) fields, enter the name of the new value list respectively in singular (for example, Client) and plural (for example, Clients) forms.
  8. Optional: Check the Allow users to add new values to this list if you want to allow users to add new values to the value list.
  9. From the Default permissions for new values drop-down menu, select the default permissions for new values in this value list.
  10. Optional: Check the Allow this value list to be used as a grouping level in views check box to allow this value list to used for defining a grouping level within a view.
  11. Optional: On the Advanced tab, set hierarchical relationships for the value list.
    See Advanced Value List Properties for more information.
  12. Optional: On the Permissions tab, you can specify the users who may see this value list or add new values to it.
    See Value List Permissions for more information.
  13. Optional: On the Connection to External Database, set the connection to an external database for importing value list contents from an external database source.
    For further instructions, Connections to External Databases for Value Lists.
  14. Click OK to finish creating the value list.
The new value list is added to the Value Lists list.

Converting a Value List to an Object Type

  1. Open M-Files Admin.
  2. In the left-side tree view, expand a connection to M-Files server.
  3. Expand Document Vaults.
  4. Expand a vault.
  5. Expand Metadata Structure (Flat View) and then select Value Lists.
  6. From the Value Lists list, select the value list that you want to convert to an object type.
  7. In the task area, click Convert to Object Type.
    Result:The Convert to Object Type dialog appears.
  8. You are prompted to confirm that you want to convert the selected value list to an object type. Click Yes.
    Once you have clicked Yes, you cannot undo the conversion.
The selected value list is converted to an object type and removed from the Value Lists list and added to the Object Types list.