--- schema_version: "1" id: 0390d9e88d3b4aec8067967c6b0de89b9ed84429686701f30530f4c631ed16a9 title: ArticleType CustomField collection: legacydeveloper version: current locale: en-us portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/legacydeveloper/current/en-us/api_meta/meta_articletype_customfield.md canonical_url: https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.api_meta.meta/api_meta/meta_articletype_customfield.htm source_site: developer.salesforce.com content_type: documentation content_hash: 8b01167e2764eab0800e4dbb7afb8618f14e5be8aab6ba6e7ed177c98ca8bc85 description: Represents the metadata associated with an article type custom field. Use this metadata type to create, update, or delete article type custom field definitions. --- # ArticleType CustomField Represents the metadata associated with an article type custom field. Use this metadata type to create, update, or delete article type custom field definitions. This type extends the [Metadata](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.api_meta.meta/api_meta/metadata.htm "The base class for all metadata types. You can’t edit this object. A component is an instance of a metadata type.") metadata type and inherits its fullName field. Always specify the full name whenever you create or update a custom field. For example, a custom field on a custom object: MyArticleType\_\_kav.MyCustomField\_\_c ## Declarative Metadata File Suffix and Directory Location Custom fields are defined as part of the article type. ArticleType field names have a suffix of \_\_c like other custom objects, and must be dot-qualified with the name of the article type to which they belong. See [ArticleType](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.api_meta.meta/api_meta/meta_articletype.htm "Represents the metadata associated with an article type.") for more information. ## Retrieving Custom Fields on Custom or Standard Objects When you retrieve a custom or standard object, you return everything associated with the object. However, you can also retrieve only the custom fields for an object by explicitly naming the object and fields in package.xml. The following definition in package.xml retrieves the files objects/MyCustomObject\_\_c.object, objects/Account.object\_\_c.object, and objects/MyArticleType\_\_kav.object, each containing one custom field definition. MyCustomObject\_\_c.MyCustomField\_\_c Account.MyCustomAccountField\_\_c MyArticleType\_\_kav.MyOtherCustomField\_\_c CustomField ## Version ArticleTypes custom fields are available in API version 19.0 and later. ## Fields for ArticleType Unless otherwise noted, all fields are createable, filterable, and nillable. ![Note](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.api_meta.meta/api_meta/images/icon_note.png) #### Note If you create a knowledge validation rule, the errors always display at the top of the page, even if you add it beside the field. Therefore, write the errors descriptively so authors know how to satisfy the validation rule. For example, identify which field is causing the error. The Salesforce Classic user interface does not support field level error messages for articles.
Field Name Field Type Description
defaultValue string If specified, represents the default value of the field. This field was deprecated in API version 48.0.
deleteConstraint Metadata Field Types (enumeration of type string) Provides deletion options for lookup relationships. Valid values are:
  • Cascade—Deletes the lookup record as well as associated lookup fields.
  • Restrict—Prevents the record from being deleted if it's in a lookup relationship.
  • SetNull—This is the default. If the lookup record is deleted, the lookup field is cleared.

For more information on lookup relationships, see "Object Relationships" in Salesforce Help.
description string Description of the field.
formula string If specified, represents a formula on the field.
formulaTreatBlankAs Metadata Field Types (enumeration of type string) Indicates how to treat blanks in a formula. Valid values are: BlankAsBlank and BlankAsZero.
fullName string Inherited from Metadata, this field is defined in the WSDL for this metadata type. It must be specified when creating, updating, or deleting. See createMetadata() to see an example of this field specified for a call.

This value cannot be null.
inlineHelpText string Represents the content of field-level help. For more information, see "Define Field-Level Help" in Salesforce Help.
label string Label for the field. You cannot update the label for standard fields in Article Type such as Title, UrlName, Summary, etc.
length int Length of the field.
picklist Picklist (Including Dependent Picklist) (Deprecated. Use this field in API version 37.0 and earlier only. In later versions, use valueSet instead.) If specified, the field is a picklist, and this field enumerates the picklist values and labels.
referenceTo string If specified, indicates a reference this field has to another object.
relationshipLabel string Label for the relationship.
relationshipName string If specified, indicates the value for one-to-many relationships. For example, in the object MyObject that had a relationship to YourObject, the relationship name might be YourObjects.
required boolean Indicates whether the field requires a value on creation (true) or not (false).
type FieldType Required. Indicates the field type for the field. Valid values are:
  • Checkbox available in version 30.0 and later
  • Currency
  • ArticleCurrency
  • Date
  • DateTime
  • Email
  • File
  • Formula
  • Html
  • Lookup
  • Number
  • Percent
  • Phone
  • Picklist
  • DependentPicklist
  • MultiselectPicklist
  • Text
  • TextArea
  • LongTextArea
  • URL
visibleLines int Indicates the number of lines displayed for the field.
## Declarative Metadata Sample Definition Comments\_\_c add your comments about this object here 32000 LongTextArea 30 #### See Also - [ArticleType](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.api_meta.meta/api_meta/meta_articletype.htm "Represents the metadata associated with an article type.") - [ArticleType Layout](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.api_meta.meta/api_meta/meta_articletype_layout.htm "Represents the metadata associated with an article type page layout. Article type layouts determine which fields users can view and edit when entering data for an article. Article type layouts also determine which sections appear when users view articles.")