Programmatically Creating Alerts in SharePoint 2010

In this article we will be seeing how to create an alert for a particular user and for a specified document library using the SharePoint object model.

Introduction:

SharePoint 2010 provides the capability to subscribe the content through a feature called "Alerts". Alerts can be subscribed for at one of the four levels list, document library, list item and document. This also enables you to be notified by e-mail of any changes made to the content of your SharePoint Web site. In this article we will be seeing how to create an alert for a particular user and for a specified document library using the SharePoint object model.
For configuring alerts in SharePoint 2010 through out of the box refer to my previous article http://www.c-sharpcorner.com/UploadFile/anavijai/7593/  (Copy and paste the hyperlink).

SPAlert Class:

This class is used to represent an alert, which generates periodic e-mail or Short Message Service (SMS) notifications sent to a user about the list, list item, document, or document library to which the alert applies. Using this class we will be creating a new alert for a document library.

Steps involved:

• Open Visual Studio 2010.
• Go to File => New => Project.
• Select Console Application template from the installed templates.
• Add the following references.
  
  
  • Microsoft.SharePoint
   
• Add the following namespaces.
  
  
  • using Microsoft.SharePoint;
   
• Replace Program.cs with the following code.
  
  using System;
  using System.Collections.Generic;
  using System.Linq;
  using System.Text;
  using Microsoft.SharePoint;

  namespace Alerts
  {
      class Program
      {
          static void Main(string[] args)
          {
              using (SPSite site = new SPSite("http://serverName:22222/sites/TestSite/"))
              {
                  using (SPWeb web = site.RootWeb)
                  {
                      SPList list=web.Lists.TryGetList("Shared Documents");
                      SPUser user = web.EnsureUser(@"domainName\userName");
                      SPAlert newAlert = user.Alerts.Add();
                      newAlert.Title = "My Custom Alert";
                      newAlert.AlertType=SPAlertType.List;
                      newAlert.List = list;
                      newAlert.DeliveryChannels = SPAlertDeliveryChannels.Email;       
                      newAlert.EventType = SPEventType.Add;
                      newAlert.AlertFrequency = SPAlertFrequency.Immediate;                             
                      newAlert.Update();
                  }
              }
          }
      }
  }
  
  

• Build the solution.
• Hit F5.
• Go to Site Actions => Site Settings =>Site Administration => User Alerts.
  
  
   
• Select the user from the drop down to show all the alerts created by that user and click on "Update".
  
  
   
• A new alert is created successfully using SharePoint object model.
• An alternative method to check the newly created alert is to go to the Shared Documents (I have mentioned to create an alert for Shared Documents in my code) => in the ribbon interface, select Library Tools => Library => Alert Me.
  
  
  
  
• Click on "Manage my alerts".
• You should be able to see the alert created as shown in the following.
  
  
   

SPAlertType Enumeration:

It is used to specify the type of item to which an alert applies. Here I am applying the alert to the document library, so I have chosen "List" as my alert type.



SPAlertDeliveryChannels Enumeration:

It is used to specify the method of delivering alerts.



SPAlertFrequency Enumeration:

It is used to specify the time interval for sending an alert about changes to a specific list, list item, document library, or document.



SPEventType Enumeration:

It is used to specify the type of event for a list, list item, document, or document library to which an alert responds.