Using Source Format

Learning Objectives
Why is source format necessary?
Converting from MDAPI to source format and vice versa
Utilizing source commands to retrieve and deploy
Time to Complete: 45 Minutes
Steps
Create a new source project using sfdx force:project:create command
Open new Visual Studio code window
Open a new folder where you wish to create the source format project
sfdx force:project:create -n dxatscale101-source -t empty
Convert the mdapi project used in 'Deploy to a Sandbox' challenge to source format
Utilise sfdx force:mdapi:convert command to convert the mdapi format into a local format known as 'source format'.This format makes working with metadata api modular and maintainable.
Go to mdapi project in vscode
Run the below command in the terminal
sfdx force:mdapi:convert -r mdapi  -d <workspacelocation>\dxatscale101-source\dreamhouse-app
Run the sfdx force:mdapi:convert command
copy the .gitignore file and data folder from mdpai project root to source project root to dxatscale101-source repository
Observe the difference between mdapi and source format. Object Metadata is decomposed into multiple files, this helps when you have a large project with multiple objects having a large amount of fields. Tracking the changes in fields and record types is relatively easy and time saving.
All challenges from here on will use source format
Open the new source project in VSCode
Delete force-app folder
Replace force-app with dreamhouse-app in the sfdx-project.json file
{
  "packageDirectories": [
    {
      "path": "dreamhouse-app",
      "default": true
    }
  ],
  "namespace": "",
  "sfdcLoginUrl": "https://login.salesforce.com",
  "sourceApiVersion": "52.0"
}
Make the following changes in the org
Set Compliance Categorization as GDPR to all fields in Broker__c object
Open Playground
Setup --> Object Manager --> Search Broker in Object finder--> Fields & Relationships --> Email --> Edit --> set Compliance Categorization as GDPR
Follow this step in all the fields in the Broker object
Setup a path on property status
Setup --> Path Settings --> new path --> use below details on Name and Record Type page and click Next--> Fields and Text page no changes click next --> Activate the path and then click Finish
Field
Value
Path Name
Property Status
API Reference Name
Auto populated from path name
Object
Property
Record Type
Auto populated as Master
Picklist
Status
Add the property status path to Property record page
Open Dreamhouse app in App launcher
Open Properties Record tab and open any record
Click Setup gear Icon --> Edit page --> search path in component finder --> add the path component below the compact layout
Save the changes and click back
Retrieve the changes in the org using one of the below sfdx force:source:retrieve commands (Use the -h flag to understand usage)
sfdx force:source:retrieve -u <playground-1> -x <path to package.xml>
​
sfdx force:source:retrieve -u <playground-1> -m <metadatatype:medataname>
​
sfdx force:source:retrieve -u <playground-1> -p <sourcepath to retrieve>
Take the time to discuss and understand these commands
Make the following changes in the local source code
Update all the fields in Property__c to change the Compliance Categorization from PII to GDPR
Let's add a Broker image to Broker card component in property detail page. Replace brokerCard.js and brokerCard.html with below snippet and create a new file brokerCard.css with below snippets
brokerCard.html
<template>
    <lightning-card title="Broker Details">
        <template if:true={property.data}>
​
            <lightning-button-icon
                icon-name="utility:expand_alt"
                slot="actions"
                onclick={handleNavigateToRecord}
            ></lightning-button-icon>
            <div class="slds-var-m-around_medium">
                <lightning-layout>
                    <lightning-layout-item size="3">
                        <img src={brokerImage}></img>
                    </lightning-layout-item>
                    <lightning-layout-item size="9">
​
                        <lightning-record-form
                            object-api-name="Broker__c"
                            record-id={brokerId}
                            fields={brokerFields}
                            columns="1"
                        ></lightning-record-form>
                    </lightning-layout-item>
                </lightning-layout>
            </div>
        </template>
        <template if:true={property.error}>
            <c-error-panel
                friendly-message="Error retrieving data"
                errors={property.error}
            ></c-error-panel>
        </template>
    </lightning-card>
</template>
brokerCard.js
import { LightningElement, api, wire } from 'lwc';
import { getRecord, getFieldValue } from 'lightning/uiRecordApi';
import { NavigationMixin } from 'lightning/navigation';
​
import BROKER_FIELD from '@salesforce/schema/Property__c.Broker__c';
import BROKERIMAGE_FIELD from '@salesforce/schema/Property__c.Broker__r.Picture__c';
import NAME_FIELD from '@salesforce/schema/Broker__c.Name';
import PHONE_FIELD from '@salesforce/schema/Broker__c.Phone__c';
import MOBILE_PHONE_FIELD from '@salesforce/schema/Broker__c.Mobile_Phone__c';
import EMAIL_FIELD from '@salesforce/schema/Broker__c.Email__c';
​
const PROPERTY_FIELDS = [BROKER_FIELD,BROKERIMAGE_FIELD];
const BROKER_FIELDS = [
    NAME_FIELD,
    PHONE_FIELD,
    MOBILE_PHONE_FIELD,
    EMAIL_FIELD
];
​
export default class BrokerCard extends NavigationMixin(LightningElement) {
    @api recordId;
​
    brokerFields = BROKER_FIELDS;
​
    @wire(getRecord, { recordId: '$recordId', fields: PROPERTY_FIELDS })
    property;
​
    get brokerId() {
        return getFieldValue(this.property.data, BROKER_FIELD);
    }
    get brokerImage() {
        return getFieldValue(this.property.data, BROKERIMAGE_FIELD);
    }
​
    handleNavigateToRecord() {
        this[NavigationMixin.Navigate]({
            type: 'standard__recordPage',
            attributes: {
                recordId: this.brokerId,
                objectApiName: 'Property__c',
                actionName: 'view'
            }
        });
    }
}
brokerCard.css
img {
    width: 100px;
    height: 100px;
    border-radius: 50%;
}
Deploy the changes to both the playground using sfdx force:source:deploy command (The reference to documentation is attached or use the -h flag to understand usage)
sfdx force:source:deploy -u <playground-1> -p dreamhouse-app -w 30
Once the metadata is successfully committed, commit your changes to the repo.
Create a new repo to publish your new source format project
Create a new repo in your GitHub Account with the below highlighted details
Get the newly created repo URL
Follow the below commands in the order from your Terminal to publish your local repo
git init
​
git add .
​
git commit -m "First commit"
​
git remote add origin <new repo url you copied>
​
git remote -v
​
git push origin master
Recap
Congrats! Now you have understood how to create a new sfdx source project and convert an existing project into source format, and also understood the similarity between Source and MDAPI. Please note that source format is only a local decomposition done by the CLI and the Salesforce Org doesn't understand source format.
Field	Value
Path Name	Property Status
API Reference Name	Auto populated from path name
Object	Property
Record Type	Auto populated as Master
Picklist	Status
Deploy to a Sandbox
Introduction to Scratch Orgs
Last modified 2mo ago