CustomObject

Represents a custom object that stores data unique to your organization. It extends the Metadata metadata type and inherits its fullName field. You must specify all relevant fields when you create or update a custom object. You cannot update a single field on the object. For more information about custom objects, see “Custom Object Record Overview” in the Salesforce online help.

You can also use this metadata type to work with customizations of standard objects, such as accounts. For an example, see Standard Objects.

All metadata components have a fullName field, which must be fully specified for any custom object.

For example, the following are fully specified names:

Account
MyCustomObject__c

For sample Java code that creates a custom object, see Step 4: Walk Through the Sample Code .

Declarative Metadata File Suffix and Directory Location

Custom object names are automatically appended with __c. The file suffix is .object for the custom object (or standard object) file.

Custom and standard objects are stored in the objects folder in the corresponding package directory.

Note

Retrieving a component of this metadata type in a project makes the component appear in the Profile component as well.

Version

Custom objects are available in API version 10.0 and later.

Fields

Unless otherwise noted, all fields are createable, filterable, and nillable.

Field Name	Field Type	Description
actionOverrides	ActionOverride[]	A list of action overrides on a standard or custom object. This field is available in API version 18.0 and later.
businessProcesses	BusinessProcess[]	A list of business processes associated with the object. This field is available in API version 17.0 and later.
customHelp	string	The s-control that contains the help content if this custom object has customized help content. This field is available in API version 14.0 and later.
customHelpPage	string	The Visualforce page that contains the help content if this custom object has customized help content. This field is available in API version 16.0 and later.
customSettingsType	CustomSettingsType (enumeration of type string)	When this field is present, this component is not a custom object, but a custom setting. This field returns the type of custom setting. The following string values are valid: `List`—static data stored in cache and accessed as part of your application and available organization-wide. `Hierarchy`—static data stored in cache and accessed as part of your application and available based on a hierarchy of user, profile or organization. This is the default value. This field is available in API version 17.0 and later.
customSettingsVisibility	CustomSettingsVisibility (enumeration of type string)	When this field is present, this component is not a custom object, but a custom setting. This field returns the visibility of the custom setting. The following string values are valid: `Public`—if the custom setting is packaged, it is accessible to all subscribing organizations. `Protected`—if the custom setting is in a managed package, it is only accessible to the developer organization. Subscribing organizations cannot access it. This is the default value. This field is available in API version 17.0 and later.
deploymentStatus	DeploymentStatus(enumeration of type string)	Indicates the deployment status of the custom object.
deprecated	boolean	Reserved for future use.
description	string	A description of the object. Maximum of 1000 characters.
enableActivities	boolean	Indicates whether the custom object is enabled for activities (`true`) or not (`false`).
enableDivisions	boolean	Indicates whether the custom object is enabled for divisions (`true`) or not (`false`). For more information about the Division object, see the Web Services API Developer's Guide.
enableEnhancedLookup	boolean	Indicates whether the custom object is enabled for enhanced lookups (`true`) or not (`false`). Enhanced lookups provide an updated lookup dialog interface that gives users the ability to filter, sort, and page through search results as well as customize search result columns. For more information about enhanced lookups, see “Enabling Enhanced Lookups” in the Salesforce online help.
enableFeeds	boolean	Indicates whether the custom object is enabled for feed tracking (`true`) or not (`false`). For more information, see “Customizing Chatter Feed Tracking” in the Salesforce online help. This field is available in API version 18.0 and later.
enableHistory	boolean	Indicates whether the custom object is enabled for audit history (`true`) or not (`false`).
enableReports	boolean	Indicates whether the custom object is enabled for reports (`true`) or not (`false`).
fields	CustomField[]	Represents one or more fields in the object.
fieldSets	FieldSet	Defines the field set that exists on this object.
fullName	string	Inherited from Metadata, this field is not defined in the WSDL for this metadata type. It must be specified when creating, updating, or deleting. See `create()` to see an example of this field specified for a call. This value cannot be `null`.
gender	Gender	Gender of the name to support translation for languages that indicate gender in nouns. Valid values are: `Neuter` `Masculine` `Feminine`
household	boolean	This field supports relationship groups, a feature available only with the Salesforce for Wealth Management. For more information, see “Salesforce for Wealth Management Overview” in the Salesforce online help.
label	string	Label that represents the object throughout the Salesforce user interface.
listViews	ListView[]	Represents one or more list views associated with the object.
namedFilter	NamedFilter[]	Represents the metadata associated with a lookup filter. Use this metadata type to create, update, or delete lookup filter definitions. This field is available in API version 17.0 and later.
nameField	CustomField	Required. The field that this object's name is stored in. Every custom object must have a name, usually a string or autonumber. Identifier for the custom object record. This name appears in page layouts, related lists, lookup dialogs, search results, and key lists on tab home pages. By default, this field is added to the custom object page layout as a required field. Every custom object must have a name, usually a string or autonumber.
pluralLabel	string	Plural version of the label value.
recordTypes	RecordType[]	An array of one or more record types defined for this object.
recordTypeTrackFeedHistory	boolean	Indicates whether the record type is enabled for feed tracking (`true`) or not (`false`). To set this field to `true`, the enableFeeds field on the associated CustomObject must also be `true`. For more information, see “Customizing Chatter Feed Tracking” in the Salesforce online help. This field is available in API version 19.0 and later.
recordTypeTrackHistory	boolean	Indicates whether history tracking is enabled for this record type (`true`) or not (`false`). To set recordTypeTrackHistory to true the enableHistory field on the associated custom object must also be `true`. This field is available in API version 19.0 and later.
searchLayouts	SearchLayouts	The Search Layouts related list information for a custom object.
sharingModel	SharingModel	Indicates the sharing model for this custom object. Valid values are: `Private` `Read` `ReadWrite` Note You can't change the value of this field through the Metadata API; you must use the Web interface.
sharingReasons	SharingReason[]	The reasons why the custom object is being shared.
sharingRecalculations	SharingRecalculation[]	A list of custom sharing recalculations associated with the custom object.
startsWith	StartsWith(enumeration of type string)	Indicates whether the name starts with a vowel, consonant, or is a special character. This is used for languages where words need different treatment depending on the first character. Valid values are listed in StartsWith.
validationRules	ValidationRule[]	An array of one or more validation rules on this object.
webLinks	Weblink[]	An array of one or more weblinks defined for the object.

Declarative Metadata Additional Components

CustomObject definitions may include additional components which are defined in the custom object for declarative metadata. The following components are defined in the CustomObject:

Declarative Metadata Sample Definition

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<CustomObject xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <deploymentStatus>Deployed</deploymentStatus>
    <description>just a test object with one field for eclipse ide testing</description>
    <fields>
        <fullName>Comments__c</fullName>
        <description>add your comments about this object here</description>
        <inlineHelpText>This field contains comments made about this object</inlineHelpText>
        <label>Comments</label>
        <length>32000</length>
        <type>LongTextArea</type>
        <visibleLines>30</visibleLines>
    </fields>
    <label>MyFirstObject</label>
    <nameField>
        <label>MyFirstObject Name</label>
        <type>Text</type>
    </nameField>
    <pluralLabel>MyFirstObjects</pluralLabel>
    <sharingModel>ReadWrite</sharingModel>
</CustomObject>