mcp_manage_view

Summary

Field	Value
Tool name	manage_view
MCP title	Manage entity views
Category	standard
Implementation	DynamicsCrm.DevKit.Cli/Mcp/Tools/ManageViewTool.cs
Estimated token count	~734 tokens (tools/list tool JSON, o200k_base, measured 2026-06-18)
Last verified	2026-06-18

MCP Tool Description (Exact)

Dataverse views (savedquery/userquery) — list/detail/create/update/rename/set_default/undo. Required: list (none); detail (view_id OR view_name); create (view_name+layoutxml); update (view_id OR view_name + layoutxml and/or cell_updates_json); rename (view_id+view_name); set_default (view_id OR view_name); undo (view_id+backup path). Auto: backup→XSD+sync validate→update→publish. SYNC RULE: every FetchXML <attribute> MUST have a matching LayoutXML <cell>; mismatch blocks. querytype: 0=Public, 4=QuickFind, 64=SubGrid. See docs://instructions_for_views, schema://layoutxml, schema://fetchxml.

QUICK FIND NOTE: for query_type=4, searchable fields are FetchXML <condition> nodes inside <filter isquickfindfields="1">. LayoutXML <cell> only controls displayed columns and does NOT make a field searchable.

WHEN TO USE:
- Inspect existing views (list, detail) before editing
- Apply layout/fetch changes (action=update)
- Patch cell attributes only via cell_updates_json (no full LayoutXML rebuild)

NAME RESOLUTION: entity_name, FetchXML field/entity references, LayoutXML cell names, and cell_updates_json cell_name values accept Display Name or logical/schema name. Display Name contains is resolved first, then logical/schema contains.

FUZZY/AMBIGUITY:
- view_name is contains match. Exactly 1 → auto-detail; multiple → tool returns candidates, use view_id to disambiguate.

SAFETY:
- Validation blocks FetchXML/LayoutXML mismatch by default (validate=true).

Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Default	Description
action	string	Yes	-	'list', 'detail', 'create', 'update', 'rename', 'set_default', 'undo'.
entity_name	string	Yes	-	Entity Display Name or logical name (Display Name is resolved first; e.g. 'Account' or 'account').
view_id	string	No	""	GUID. Required: detail/update/rename/undo.
view_name	string	No	""	Name contains. 1 match → auto-detail.
query_type	integer	No	-1	0=Public, 1=Lookup, 4=QuickFind, 64=SubGrid. -1=all.
include_fetchxml	boolean	No	false	List only. Detail always includes XMLs.
include_personal	boolean	No	false	Include userquery (personal views).
layoutxml	string	No	""	update/create: LayoutXML. undo: backup path.
fetchxml	string	No	""	Empty = keep (update) / auto-generate (create). undo: backup path.
validate	boolean	No	true	XSD + sync check before write.
backup	boolean	No	true	Backup before overwrite.
cell_updates_json	string	No	""	JSON array of {cell_name, set_attributes, remove_attributes}. Patch cell attrs (imageproviderwebresource, imageproviderfunctionname, ishidden, …) without rebuilding LayoutXML.

Input Schema

{
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "action": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "'list', 'detail', 'create', 'update', 'rename', 'set_default', 'undo'."
    },
    "entity_name": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Entity Display Name or logical name (Display Name is resolved first; e.g. 'Account' or 'account')."
    },
    "view_id": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "GUID. Required: detail/update/rename/undo.",
      "default": ""
    },
    "view_name": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Name contains. 1 match → auto-detail.",
      "default": ""
    },
    "query_type": {
      "type": "integer",
      "description": "0=Public, 1=Lookup, 4=QuickFind, 64=SubGrid. -1=all.",
      "default": -1
    },
    "include_fetchxml": {
      "type": "boolean",
      "description": "List only. Detail always includes XMLs.",
      "default": false
    },
    "include_personal": {
      "type": "boolean",
      "description": "Include userquery (personal views).",
      "default": false
    },
    "layoutxml": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "update/create: LayoutXML. undo: backup path.",
      "default": ""
    },
    "fetchxml": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Empty = keep (update) / auto-generate (create). undo: backup path.",
      "default": ""
    },
    "validate": {
      "type": "boolean",
      "description": "XSD + sync check before write.",
      "default": true
    },
    "backup": {
      "type": "boolean",
      "description": "Backup before overwrite.",
      "default": true
    },
    "cell_updates_json": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "JSON array of {cell_name, set_attributes, remove_attributes}. Patch cell attrs (imageproviderwebresource, imageproviderfunctionname, ishidden, …) without rebuilding LayoutXML.",
      "default": ""
    }
  },
  "required": [
    "action",
    "entity_name"
  ]
}

Related MCP Resources

Resource	URI / URI template	MIME type	Reason
fetchxml_schema	schema://fetchxml	application/xml	Mentioned in MCP metadata: Returns the XML schema defining the FetchXML query language. Structure: fetch > entity > attribute, filter, link-entity, order. Note: The execute_fetchxml tool description already provides a curated guide. This schema is for advanced/edge cases.
layoutxml_instructions	docs://instructions_for_views	text/markdown	Mentioned in MCP metadata: Rules and best practices for modifying Dataverse view definitions. Read this before creating or modifying views via manage_view.
layoutxml_schema	schema://layoutxml	application/xml	Mentioned in MCP metadata: Returns the XML schema defining the column layout of Dataverse views. Structure: grid > row > cell (with name and width attributes). Read this schema before creating or modifying view column layouts.

When To Use

• Inspect existing views (list, detail) before editing
• Apply layout/fetch changes (action=update)
• Patch cell attributes only via cell_updates_json (no full LayoutXML rebuild)

Notes

• SAFETY: Validation blocks FetchXML/LayoutXML mismatch by default (validate=true).
• FUZZY/AMBIGUITY: view_name is contains match. Exactly 1 → auto-detail; multiple → tool returns candidates, use view_id to disambiguate.
• NAME RESOLUTION: entity_name, FetchXML field/entity references, LayoutXML cell names, and cell_updates_json cell_name values accept Display Name or logical/schema name. Display Name contains is resolved first, then logical/schema contains.
• QUICK FIND NOTE: for query_type=4, searchable fields are FetchXML nodes inside . LayoutXML only controls displayed columns and does NOT make a field searchable.

Example

{
  "action": "string",
  "entity_name": "string"
}

Output

Returns CallToolResult from the MCP server. The response content and structured fields follow the tool implementation and model returned by ManageViewTool.manage_view.

Prompt Examples

• "List public Account views and include their FetchXML."
• "Update this view layout to add these columns and validate FetchXML/LayoutXML sync."
• "Set this Contact view as the default public view."