describeMetadata()

This call retrieves the metadata which describes your organization. This information includes Apex classes and triggers, custom objects, custom fields on standard objects, tab sets that define an app, and many other components.

Syntax

1DescribeMetadataResult = metadataConnection.describeMetadata(double apiVersion);

Arguments

Name	Type	Description
apiVersion	double	The API version for which you want metadata; for example, 35.0.

Permissions

Your client application must be logged in with the “Modify All Data” permission.

Sample Code—Java

1public void describeMetadata() {
2  try {
3    double apiVersion = 21.0;
4    // Assuming that the SOAP binding has already been established.
5    DescribeMetadataResult res = 
6        metadataConnection.describeMetadata(apiVersion);
7    StringBuffer sb = new StringBuffer();
8    if (res != null && res.getMetadataObjects().length > 0) {
9      for (DescribeMetadataObject obj : res.getMetadataObjects()) {
10        sb.append("***************************************************\n");
11        sb.append("XMLName: " + obj.getXmlName() + "\n");
12        sb.append("DirName: " + obj.getDirectoryName() + "\n");
13        sb.append("Suffix: " + obj.getSuffix() + "\n");
14        sb.append("***************************************************\n");
15      }
16    } else {
17      sb.append("Failed to obtain metadata types.");
18    }
19    System.out.println(sb.toString());
20  } catch (ConnectionException ce) {
21    ce.printStackTrace();
22  }
23}

Response

DescribeMetadataResult

Metadata API Developer’s Guide