AttributeExporterXrmToolBoxPlugin 1.0.0

Attribute Metadata Exporter

A comprehensive XRM ToolBox plugin for exporting Dataverse/Dynamics 365 attribute metadata to CSV with advanced column management.

Export all metadata properties for attributes across your entire environment or from specific solutions. Configure which columns to display, reorder them with drag-drop, and save your preferences.

Features

Data Source Options

• All Entities: Export attributes from every table in your environment
• Selected Solution: Export attributes only from tables in a specific unmanaged solution
• Load on Demand: Efficient metadata retrieval with async loading

Advanced Column Management

• 40+ Metadata Columns: Export comprehensive attribute metadata organized into 7 categories
• 4 Column Presets: Quick configurations (Basic, Standard, Advanced, Full)
• Custom Columns: Pick exactly which columns you want to see and export
• Column Configuration UI: User-friendly dialog for managing column visibility
• Persistent Settings: Your column preferences are saved across sessions

Interactive Data Grid

• Search & Filter: Real-time filtering across all visible columns
• Sortable Columns: Click any header to sort ascending/descending
• Drag-Drop Reordering: Rearrange columns by dragging headers
• Horizontal Scrolling: View many columns without cramping
• Smart Details Column: Type-specific metadata automatically formatted per attribute type

Export Capabilities

• CSV Export: Clean, formatted CSV with only your selected columns
• Custom Column Order: Export respects your current column arrangement
• Filtered Export: Export only what's visible after filtering
• Timestamped Files: Auto-generated filenames (e.g., AttributeMetadata_20250930_161500.csv)

Installation

Prerequisites

• XRM ToolBox (version 2024.7.x or later)
• .NET Framework 4.8 (installed with Windows 10/11)
• Dataverse/Dynamics 365 environment with sufficient read permissions

Option 1: Install from XRM ToolBox (Recommended)

1. Open XRM ToolBox
2. Click Tool Library (or press Ctrl+T)
3. Search for "Attribute Metadata Exporter"
4. Click Install
5. Restart XRM ToolBox
6. Launch from Tools menu

Option 2: Install from NuGet Package

1. Download the latest .nupkg from Releases
2. In XRM ToolBox, go to Plugins Store → Install from disk
3. Select the downloaded .nupkg file
4. Restart XRM ToolBox

Option 3: Manual Installation (Development)

# Clone repository
git clone https://github.com/HurleySk/AttributeExporterXrmToolBoxPlugin.git
cd AttributeExporterXrmToolBoxPlugin

# Build and deploy
.\deploy.ps1 -Force

Usage

Basic Workflow

1. Connect to Environment

   • Open XRM ToolBox
   • Connect to your Dataverse/Dynamics 365 environment
   • Launch "Attribute Metadata Exporter"

2. Choose Data Source

   • Select All Entities to export from entire environment
   • OR select Selected Solution and choose a solution from dropdown
   • Click Load Attributes

3. Configure Columns (Optional)

   • Click Columns... button
   • Choose a preset or customize individual columns
   • Drag column headers to reorder
   • Click OK to apply

4. Filter & Search (Optional)

   • Type in search box to filter attributes
   • Filter applies across all visible columns

5. Export to CSV

   • Click Export to CSV
   • Choose save location
   • CSV includes only visible columns in current order

Column Presets

Available Metadata Columns

Core (8 columns)

• Table Logical Name, Table Display Name
• Attribute Logical Name, Attribute Display Name
• Attribute Type, Required
• Type Details (smart column), Description

Identity (5 columns)

• Schema Name, Metadata ID
• Is Primary ID, Is Primary Name, Attribute Of

Metadata (4 columns)

• Is Managed, Is Custom, Introduced Version, Type Name

Behavior (4 columns)

• Valid For Create, Valid For Read, Valid For Update, Is Logical

Security (4 columns)

• Is Secured, Can Secure Create, Can Secure Read, Can Secure Update

Audit (1 column)

• Audit Enabled

Type-Specific (3 columns)

• Max Length, Type Details, Description

Advanced (1 column)

• Required Level (detailed)

Smart Type Details Column

The Type Details column automatically shows relevant metadata based on attribute type:

• String: Format: Email, MaxLen: 100, Localizable
• Lookup: Targets: account, contact, lead
• DateTime: Behavior: UserLocal, Format: DateAndTime
• Picklist: Options: 5 choices, OptionSet: new_status
• Boolean: Labels: Yes / No, Default: No
• Integer: Range: 0 to 100, Format: None
• Decimal/Money: Precision: 2, Range: 0.00 to 1000000.00

This eliminates the need for 10+ sparse columns that only apply to specific attribute types.

Technical Details

Architecture

AttributeExporterXrmToolBoxPlugin/
├── AttributeExporterPlugin.cs          # Plugin entry point (MEF export)
├── AttributeExporterControl.cs         # Main UI control
├── Models/
│   ├── AttributeMetadataInfo.cs        # 28 metadata properties
│   ├── ColumnDefinition.cs             # Column configuration model
│   ├── ColumnPreset.cs                 # Preset enum
│   └── SolutionInfo.cs                 # Solution data model
├── Services/
│   ├── ColumnConfigurationService.cs   # Preset management, persistence
│   └── MetadataFormatter.cs            # Smart TypeSpecificDetails logic
├── Forms/
│   └── ColumnConfigurationDialog.cs    # Column picker UI
├── Resources/
│   └── logo64.png                      # Plugin icon
└── deploy.ps1                          # Automated deployment script

Dependencies

• XrmToolBoxPackage 1.2025.7.71 - Plugin infrastructure
• MscrmTools.Xrm.Connection 1.2025.7.63 - Connection management
• Microsoft.CrmSdk.CoreAssemblies 9.0.2.59 - Dynamics 365 SDK
• CsvHelper 12.3.2 - CSV export (downgraded for .NET Framework 4.8 compatibility)
• System.Windows.Forms - UI framework

Configuration Storage

User preferences are saved to:

%APPDATA%\AttributeExporter\config.json

Contains:

• Selected preset (Basic/Standard/Advanced/Full/Custom)
• Column visibility for each of 28 columns
• Column display order
• Column widths
• Last sort column and direction

Supported Attribute Types

All Dataverse attribute types are supported:

• String, Memo
• Integer, Decimal, Double, Money
• Boolean (Two Options)
• DateTime
• Lookup, Customer, Owner
• Picklist, State, Status, MultiSelectPicklist
• Image, File
• Uniqueidentifier, Virtual, EntityName, ManagedProperty

Building from Source

Prerequisites

• Visual Studio 2022 or later
• .NET Framework 4.8 SDK
• PowerShell 5.1+ (for deploy script)

Build Steps

# Clone repository
git clone https://github.com/HurleySk/AttributeExporterXrmToolBoxPlugin.git
cd AttributeExporterXrmToolBoxPlugin

# Restore NuGet packages
dotnet restore

# Build Release configuration
dotnet build --configuration Release

# Deploy (optional)
.\deploy.ps1 -Force

Deploy Script Parameters

# Skip build, just deploy existing binaries
.\deploy.ps1 -SkipBuild

# Auto-close XRM ToolBox if running
.\deploy.ps1 -Force

# Show what would be deployed without doing it
.\deploy.ps1 -WhatIf

Troubleshooting

Plugin Doesn't Appear in XRM ToolBox

1. Check deployment path: %APPDATA%\MscrmTools\XrmToolBox\Plugins\
2. Verify all DLL dependencies are present
3. Delete manifest cache: %APPDATA%\MscrmTools\XrmToolBox\Plugins\.manifestcache.dat
4. Check for old plugin versions in OneDrive locations
5. Restart XRM ToolBox

"Object reference not set to an instance of an object"

• Usually indicates missing DLL dependencies
• Re-run deploy.ps1 to ensure all files are copied
• Check that CsvHelper.dll, Microsoft.Bcl.AsyncInterfaces.dll, and System.Threading.Tasks.Extensions.dll are present

Column Configuration Dialog Shows Type Names Instead of Display Names

• Fixed in latest version
• Update to latest build
• Clear XRM ToolBox cache

Solution Dropdown Always Has a Selection

• Fixed in latest version
• Use "All Entities" radio button first, then "Selected Solution"
• Selection is properly cleared when switching to "All Entities"

Export Fails or CSV is Empty

• Ensure attributes are loaded (click "Load Attributes" first)
• Check that at least one column is visible
• Verify write permissions to export location
• Don't have CSV file open in Excel during export

Slow Performance with "All Entities"

• Large environments may take 30-60 seconds to load all metadata
• Use search/filter to reduce visible rows
• Consider using "Selected Solution" for specific tables
• Progress dialog shows loading status

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
3. Make your changes
4. Test thoroughly in XRM ToolBox
5. Commit with descriptive messages
6. Push to your fork
7. Open a Pull Request

Development Guidelines

• Follow existing code patterns and naming conventions
• Add XML documentation comments to public APIs
• Test with multiple Dataverse environments
• Update README.md if adding user-facing features
• Use deploy.ps1 for testing deployments

License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.

Author

Samuel Hurley - HurleySk

Acknowledgments

• Built on XRM ToolBox by Tanguy Touzard
• Uses CsvHelper by Josh Close
• Powered by Microsoft Dataverse SDK

Version History

v1.0.0 (2025-10-01)

Initial Release

• Export attributes from all entities or specific solutions
• 40+ metadata columns organized into 7 categories
• 4 column presets (Basic, Standard, Advanced, Full) + custom configuration
• Drag-drop column reordering and resizing
• Real-time search and filtering
• Sortable columns with persistent sort state
• Smart type-specific details column
• CSV export with configurable columns
• Persistent user preferences
• Full XRM ToolBox plugin store compliance
• ExecuteMethod pattern for automatic connection prompts