Thanks to the updated Developer Console and Schema Builder’s new ability to manipulate the data structure directly, I’ve been spending a lot more time in my browser to build out applications.  There is one way Schema Builder currently behaves, however, that developers should be aware of when creating new objects and fields.

Currently the builder behaves in the same way that creating metadata via the Metadata API (the API currently used in the Force.com IDE) works – it doesn’t, by default, create and field level security settings.  The result is that, even as System Administrator you don’t see your new fields in the page layout editor.  This might cause some confusion because there’s a direct link to update the page layout. The fields still won’t be visible until the field level security is updated.

Fortunately, updating that information is much easier to do with the Schema Builder.  When you’ve created the new field, you can right click on it to link directly to that field definition, just click “View Field in New Window”:

And then you’ll go right to the field and can click “Set Field-Level Security”:

Just select the profiles that should be able to view that particular field (and as such, show up on your layouts).  Now if you find this a bit clumsy, have no fear – my advanced network of ninjas and spies (known publicly as email and Chatter) tell me that UI updates to the builder are already in testing, and this one is on the radar.

Let us know how your development with the new tools is going in the comment section below, or catch me on twitter @joshbirk if you’d like to shoot me comments or questions directly.

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