Sharepoint link list content query columns

I had a request from one of the Contoso business units that they have a collection of links to physical files and actual sites that they need on every new meeting workspace site that they create using specific custom business units meeting workspace templates, with the ability to configure and update the list in a central place with real time updates.

Lucky for me SharePoint2010 provides the perfect out of the box feature to solve this.

I knew I would have to create a links list on the root/parent site that gets used for the meetingworkspace and that the template would have to be edited to add some sort of a lookup to it in conjunction with a 'content query webpart', but alas it was not so easy once everything was done I had a whole bunch of (blank) links staring back at me.

Here are a few pointers on what I did wrong and how to fix it if it ever happens to you.

First things first, create the links list. For this example lets call it 'Links'

Note: 'URL' consists of two parts an address and a description.

Step 2: is to add the contentquery webpart to the page you need it on (ps. if it’s not available you will first have to activate the appropriate feature(s))

Once added, edit the webparts settings, the topmost setting is the most important one, choosing where / what the content query is pulling for you.

In this case we will be using the 3rd option to select items from a list, clicking the brows button you will be prompted to select the list you want to query.

Now scrolling down a bit we get to the more powerful stuff

So I assumed the out of the box configuration to the title/url will just link up and work. (FAIL)

The problem is that the links list XSL saves the URL data differently than what you would expect.

Using title is null and void for the purpose of what I was trying to achieve here, using url only gave me the url and not the display title.

 

The fix, use [Custom Columns]
Done :)


Note: This trick can also be used to filter and group results.


Update: This is a must read on the simplistic power of the content query webpart.
https://www.nothingbutsharepoint.com/sites/eusp/Pages/How-to-Customize-SharePoint-List-Content-Display-using-Content-Query-Web-Part.aspx