The SharePoint Business Data List Connector is used to directly connect a SharePoint List (no Web Part) with external LOB data, e.g. from SQL databases, ERP or CRM systems.

How to update SharePoint BDLC lists on demand per URL or on page load?

SharePoint lists, that are based on the Business Data List Connector by default are updated

manually (using the BDLC settings dialog) or
manually using the actions menu or
automatically (using timer-based scheduled background updates).

With BDLC V1.6 there is one additonal update method available:

on demand updates per URL or on page load.

To update a list, with V1.6 the following page is available:

<siteurl>/_layouts/layer2/bdlcupdate.aspx?list=<guid>&source=<Url>

where

<siteurl> is the url of the site that hosts the BDLC list with <guid> (required)
<guid> is the SharePoint BDLC list guid (required)
<Url> is the URL to redirect after update (optionally)

How to get the SharePoint list guid in browser?

Go to the list settings page. Right click on "Title, description and navigation" and copy the URL. Paste that into notepad and copy everything after "List=" in the string. That's your URL Encoded GUID for the list.

What happens if no source Url is given?

A message is displayed about modified items or errors during update.

What happens if a source URL is given?

After update the user is redirected to the source Url.

How to update a SharePoint BDLC list during page load?

Create a link that doesn't link directly to the list, but to a list update with redirection:

.../_layouts/layer2/bdlcupdate.aspx?list=<guid of your BDLC list>&source=<Url of your BDLC list>

e.g.

http://myserver/sites/mysite/_layouts/layer2/bdlcupdate.aspx?List=%7BBC048C4F%2DC4E9%2D42CD%2DBC84%2D1600DF993BC2%7D&source=http://myserver/sites/mysite/Lists/MyBDLCList/AllItems.aspx

You can place this "update" link in the navigation or in a web part on the list page for example.

"Please support us to improve our products and solutions. Give us your feedback."

Frank Daske, Business Development Manager, Layer 2 GmbH

Related Contacts

Frank Daske, Business Development Manager

Frank Daske, Business Development Manager +49 (0) 40 28 41 12 - 30 sales@layer2.de (Please note that the 011 exit code must be dialed first for all international calls made from the USA , Canada and Australia.)

SharePoint Business Data List Connector

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Related Downloads

2009-11-01: Layer2 Press Release

SharePoint – New Business Data List Connector for External Lists in MOSS 2007 and WSS 3.0
Layer2, the SharePoint Experts from Hamburg (Germany) announced a new Microsoft SharePoint extension to unlock the value of enterprise data for SharePoint 2007 based portals. The Business Data List Connector (BDLC) for SharePoint directly connects SharePoint lists with external LOB data sources. Almost any data from databases, Office or even text data can be displayed in SharePoint lists without any programming. Workflows can be used to start business actions in SharePoint, if external data records are changed.