16
votes

In Sharepoint how can you copy a list item from one list to another list eg copy from "List A" to "List B" (both are at the root of the site)

I want this copying to occur when a new list item is added to "List A"

I tried using the CopyTo() method of an SPListItem inside the ItemAdded event receiver but couldnt figure out the url to copy to.

11

11 Answers

18
votes

Here is the code I use. Pass it a SPlistItem and the name of the destination list as seen in Sharepoint(Not the URL). The only restriction is that both list must be in the same site:

private SPListItem CopyItem(SPListItem sourceItem, string destinationListName) {
        //Copy sourceItem to destinationList
        SPList destinationList = sourceItem.Web.Lists[destinationListName];
        SPListItem targetItem = destinationList.Items.Add();
        foreach (SPField f in sourceItem.Fields) {
            //Copy all except attachments.
            if (!f.ReadOnlyField && f.InternalName != "Attachments"
                && null != sourceItem[f.InternalName])
            {
                targetItem[f.InternalName] = sourceItem[f.InternalName];
            }
        }
        //Copy attachments
        foreach (string fileName in sourceItem.Attachments) {
            SPFile file = sourceItem.ParentList.ParentWeb.GetFile(sourceItem.Attachments.UrlPrefix + fileName);
            byte[] imageData = file.OpenBinary();
            targetItem.Attachments.Add(fileName, imageData);
        }

        return targetItem;
    }
5
votes

Indeed as Lars said, it can be tricky to move items and retain versions and correct userinfo. I have done similar things with that before so if you need some code examples, let me know through a comment and can supply you with some guidance.

The CopyTo method (if you decide to go with that) need an absolute Uri like: http://host/site/web/list/filename.doc

So, if you are performing this in an event receiver you need to concatinate a string containing the elements needed. Something like (note that this can be done in other ways to):

string dest= 
 siteCollection.Url + "/" + site.Name + list.Name + item.File.Name;
1
votes

Copying and moving files, items and folders in SharePoint can be tricky if you want to retain all metadata, timestamps, author info and version history. Take a look a CopyMove for SharePoint - it also has a Web Service API.

1
votes

There's many tools on the market for copying a list item to another list (avepoint, metavis, etc.) but they are pretty expensive if you're planning to do this on only one list.

If you can do this manually once a week for example, look at the following tool : http://en.share-gate.com/sharepoint-tools/copy-move-sharepoint-list-items-with-metadata-and-version-history

1
votes

Here is a powershell equivalent of Sylvian's that does allow for cross-site copy. His code could be modified similarly as well...

param([string]$sourceWebUrl, [string]$sourceListName, [string]$destWebUrl, [string]$destListName)

$sourceWeb = get-spweb $sourceWebUrl;
$sourceList = $sourceWeb.Lists[$sourceListName];
$destWeb = get-spweb $destWebUrl;
$destList = $destWeb.Lists[$destListName];
$sourceList.Items |%{
$destItem = $destList.Items.Add();
$sourceItem = $_;
$sourceItem.Fields |%{
    $f = $_;
    if($f.ReadOnlyField -eq $false -and $f.InternalName -ne "Attachments" -and $sourceItem[$f.InternalName] -ne $null){
        $destItem[$f.InternalName] = $sourceItem[$f.InternalName];
    }
}
$destItem.Update();
}

To use, copy and past to a file copy-listitems.ps1 and run using Sharpoint powerhsell commandline...

1
votes

Make sure you call CopyTo(url) method on SPFile, not on SPListItem. for example:

ItemUpdated(SPItemEventProperties properties)
{ 
  //...
  string url = properties.Web.Site.Url + "/" + properties.Web.Name + "Lists/ListName/" + properties.ListItem.File.Name;
  //properties.ListItem.File.MoveTo(url);
  properties.ListItem.File.CopyTo(url);
  //...
}
1
votes
private void CopyAttachmentsToList(SPListItem srcItem, SPListItem tgtItem)
{
    try
    {
        //get source item attachments from the folder
        SPFolder srcAttachmentsFolder =
            srcItem.Web.Folders["Lists"].SubFolders[srcItem.ParentList.Title].SubFolders["Attachments"].SubFolders[srcItem.ID.ToString()];

        //Add items to the target item
        foreach (SPFile file in srcAttachmentsFolder.Files)
        {
            byte[] binFile = file.OpenBinary();
            tgtItem.Update();
            tgtItem.Attachments.AddNow(file.Name, binFile);
            tgtItem.Update();
        }
    }
    catch
    {
        //exception message goes here
    }
    finally
    {
        srcItem.Web.Dispose();
    }
}

Don't forget to add this line, tgtItem.Update();, else you will get an err.

0
votes

So, the lists have the exact same or similar columns? Either way, you could create a simple workflow that runs automatically when an item is created in "List A". Since the workflow in question is relatively simple, I'd recommend using SharePoint Designer (which is free) to create it, since you can easily match up the columns from the two lists. The walk through below should be able to help you get started.

Create a Workflow - SharePoint Designer

0
votes

I had the same problem.

After experimenting a bit instead of

targetItem[f.InternalName] = sourceItem[f.InternalName];

I used:

targetItem[childField.Title] = sourceItem[parentField.Title];

0
votes

How to copy field and save versions:

public static SPListItem CopyItem(SPListItem sourceItem, SPList destinationList)
            {
                SPListItem targetItem = destinationList.AddItem();

                //loop over the soureitem, restore it
                for (int i = sourceItem.Versions.Count - 1; i >= 0; i--)
                {
                    //set the values into the archive 
                    foreach (SPField sourceField in sourceItem.Fields)
                    {
                        SPListItemVersion version = sourceItem.Versions[i];

                        if ((!sourceField.ReadOnlyField) && (sourceField.InternalName != "Attachments"))
                        {
                            SetFields(targetItem, sourceField, version);
                        }
                    }

                    //update the archive item and 
                    //loop over the the next version
                    targetItem.Update();
                }

                foreach (string fileName in sourceItem.Attachments)
                {
                    SPFile file = sourceItem.ParentList.ParentWeb.GetFile(sourceItem.Attachments.UrlPrefix + fileName);
                    targetItem.Attachments.Add(fileName, file.OpenBinary());
                }

                targetItem.SystemUpdate();
                return targetItem;
            }

            private static bool SetFields(SPListItem targetItem, SPField sourceField, SPListItemVersion version)
            {
                try
                {
                    targetItem[sourceField.InternalName] = version.ListItem[sourceField.InternalName];
                    return true;
                }
                catch (System.ArgumentException)//field not filled
                {
                    return false;
                }
                catch (SPException)//field not filled
                {
                    return false;
                }
            }
0
votes

Copy List Items from one SharePoint List or library to Another SharePoint list or library using c# server side code

//Itecollection is a collection of data from source list

 public void CopyItemsFromOneListToAnotherList(SPListItemCollection itemCollection)
 {  
 using (SPSite site = new SPSite(siteUrl))
 {
  using (SPWeb web = site.OpenWeb())
  {
     //Get destination list/library
     //destListName - Destination list/library name
   SPList destList = web.Lists.TryGetList(destListName);

   foreach (SPListItem sourceItem in itemCollection)
   {
    //Add new Item to list
    SPListItem destItem = destList.Items.Add();

    foreach (SPField field in sourceItem.Fields)
    {
     if (!field.ReadOnlyField && !field.Hidden && field.InternalName != "Attachments")
     {
      if (destItem.Fields.ContainsField(field.InternalName))
      {
       //Copy item to  destination library
         destItem[field.InternalName] = sourceItem[field.InternalName];
      }
     }
    }
    //Update item in destination  library or list
    destItem.Update();
    Console.WriteLine("Copied " + sourceItem["ID"] + "to destination list/library");
   }
  }
 }

 }