Chapter 3. Site Definitions: Exploring List Definitions

In this chapter, we build on Chapter 2, "Site Definitions," by focusing on lists and libraries defined within site definitions. Libraries are a type of list and therefore are defined the exact same way as lists. As we discussed in Chapter 2, ONET.XML defines the lists available in a site. However, it does not provide a mechanism to describe list views, default list data, and many other attributes. These are specified inside the list definition.

List definitions are packaged as child folders within the site definition. Thus, the document library list definition exists in one child folder, whereas the announcement list exists within another child folder.

The key XML configuration file of the list definition is SCHEMA.XML. SCHEMA.XML is akin to the site definition's ONET.XML in that there is only one per list definition and it binds all the various parts of the list definition together.