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OzymandiasOzymandias 

Problem with deploying objects using Force.com Eclipse plugin

I've been trying to migrate configuration changes to some standard objects from one sandbox instance to another using the Eclipse Force.com plugin. For example, I've added a few additional picklist values to a Task field and want to duplicate them on another sandbox without manually doing it through the browser UI. I've tried deploying the changes in the following ways:

1. Through the Force.com -> Deploy to Server... wizard.
2. Using Compare With -> Each Other to manually copy the xml from one sandbox to another.

For both of these procedures, the other sandbox always ignores changes to the object metadata that I'm trying to push to it. Is there any step that I'm missing?
Best Answer chosen by Admin (Salesforce Developers) 
JonPJonP
For the time being, yes, there is no way to migrate standard field customizations via the metadata API.

All Answers

JonPJonP
At the end of the Force.com > Deploy to Server wizard, there's an option to View Logs.  Can you try the deploy again, and post the contents of the log here?

Thanks,
Jon
salesforce.com Product Manager
OzymandiasOzymandias
Hi Jon,

Here's the contents of the log:

*** Deployment Log ***
Result: SUCCESS
Date: November 13, 2008 9:25:01 AM SGT

# Deployed From:
   Project name: Salesforce Stage
   Username: xxxxx
   Endpoint: test.salesforce.com

# Deployed To:
   Username: xxxxx
   Endpoint: test.salesforce.com

# Deploy Results:
   Name:    objects/Task.object
   Action:  NO ACTION
   Result:  SUCCESS
   Problem: n/a

   Name:    objects/Task.object
   Action:  UPDATED
   Result:  SUCCESS
   Problem: n/a

   Name:    objects/Task.object
   Action:  UPDATED
   Result:  SUCCESS
   Problem: n/a

   Name:    objects/Task.object
   Action:  UPDATED
   Result:  SUCCESS
   Problem: n/a

   Name:    objects/Task.object
   Action:  UPDATED
   Result:  SUCCESS
   Problem: n/a

   Name:    objects/Task.object
   Action:  UPDATED
   Result:  SUCCESS
   Problem: n/a

   Name:    objects/Task.object
   Action:  UPDATED
   Result:  SUCCESS
   Problem: n/a

   Name:    package.xml
   Action:  UPDATED
   Result:  SUCCESS
   Problem: n/a

# Test Results:
   n/a

The wizard says it's successful. However, when I do a comparison of the Task.object files (after refreshing from the server), the new picklist values are still missing.

Same thing happens when I try to copy from left to right in the compare window. Changes are "saved" while in the compare window, but when I open the actual .object file, the new picklist values are missing again.

Does this mean that changes to standard objects can't be deployed through the Force.com IDE? Appreciate any help you can give.

Thanks,
Ozy
JonPJonP
What version of the Force.com IDE are you using?  The latest is the Force.com IDE for Winter '09 (14.0.1).
OzymandiasOzymandias
I'm using Force.com IDE 14.0.1 on Eclipse 3.3.2
JonPJonP
And are you adding the picklist values to a standard field or a custom field?  Because custom fields for Tasks/Events are available through the Activity object.

If you're changing a standard picklist field on Task, what does your Task.object file from your source sandbox project look like?  When it comes to standard objects, generally standard fields cannot be downloaded/deployed through the file-based metadata API, only custom fields.
OzymandiasOzymandias
I'm adding them to the standard field Subject. I think I understand now what's been going on. All the while, I was trying to add to the available Subject picklist values on the Task record types, not to the Subject field itself (which isn't included in the Task.object file since it's a standard field). Since the picklist values being assigned to the record types didn't exist, they were being rejected during deployment.

So does this mean that the only way of synchronizing standard fields between sandboxes is just by recreating them manually through the browser UI?
JonPJonP
For the time being, yes, there is no way to migrate standard field customizations via the metadata API.
This was selected as the best answer