Default value set for a particular field in metadata of a schema is not getting populated if we create the component through TDSE

Question

We have a particular schema in which we set a default value for a particular metadata text field. The default value gets populated if we create relevant component on tridion CME. But we want it populated through some of our applications, which basically create these components through TDSE.

I agree we can go ahead and add this one field entry in all our applications. But why does this default value is not getting populated?

Answer 1

Through TDSE, you will not able to populate the default value automatically, however, you can try the Code Block below to retrieve the default value of a particular metadata field in the Schema:

TDSEClass tdse = new TDSEClass();
tdse.Impersonate(userName);
Schema schema = (tdse.GetObject(schemaId, EnumOpenMode.OpenModeView, null,
                 XMLReadFilter.XMLReadNull) as Schema); 

TridionWebSchemaFields metadataFields = schema.MetadataFields;

var defaultValue = metadataFields.Item("[xml field name]").DefaultValue();

//OR: var defaultValue = metadataFields.Item([index]).DefaultValue(); // [index] is 1 based

I hope it helps.

Answer 2

Setting the default value for newly created components is done by the WebGUI and not by the underlying BL layers; hence creating components outside of the WebGUI will not populate default values.

If you create a component programmatically you can also programmatically set it's fields to any value of your choosing (including many more complex setups than what the default value offers; like filling multivalue fields, or component link fields, etc).