Fetch All from Single or Multi Choice Metadata

This utility retrieves all configured options from a Sitevision single choice or multi choice metadata definition.

The implementation below is based on a direct metadata node lookup with globalAppData.getNode("subject-metadata") and returns a string[] with each alternative's displayName.

Typical use cases:

• populate dropdowns/selectors in custom modules,
• validate incoming values against allowed metadata options,
• build export/reporting helpers that depend on metadata alternatives.

Prerequisites

• globalAppData must contain a node value for the key subject-metadata.
• the metadata definition must contain child nodes for each selectable alternative.
• code must run server-side in Sitevision (Data, Script, RESTApp, etc.).

How It Works

1. Reads the metadata definition node from globalAppData.getNode("subject-metadata").
2. Iterates through child nodes (one child per alternative).
3. Reads each node's displayName.
4. Pushes each value into a subjects string array.
5. Returns all collected values (or an empty array if nothing is found).

Usage Example

const subjects = getSubjects();

subjects.forEach((subject) => {
    console.log(subject);
});

Tips & Best Practices

• Keep key names stable: If you rename subject-metadata, update both code and stored app data.
• Null-safe handling: Always guard the metadata node lookup and skip empty display names.
• Consistent return type: This version returns string[]. If you later need richer data, switch to typed objects and update all consumers.
• Avoid client-side usage: Sitevision server APIs are not available in browser code.
• Duplicate values: If editors can create same displayName multiple times, consider deduplication before returning.

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Implementation

import globalAppData from "@sitevision/api/server/globalAppData";
import propertyUtil from "@sitevision/api/server/PropertyUtil";
import type { Node } from "@sitevision/api/types/javax/jcr/Node";

export const getSubjects = (): string[] => {
    const subjects: string[] = [];
    const metadataNode = globalAppData.getNode("subject-metadata") as Node | null;

    if (metadataNode) {
        const metadataAlternativeIterator = metadataNode.getNodes();

        while (metadataAlternativeIterator.hasNext()) {
            const metadataAlternativeNode = metadataAlternativeIterator.next() as Node;
            const displayName = propertyUtil.getString(metadataAlternativeNode, "displayName");

            if (displayName) {
                subjects.push(displayName);
            }
        }
    }

    return subjects;
};

Common Pitfalls

• Using subjectMetadata in docs while code uses subject-metadata.
• Returning objects in some places and strings in others.
• Forgetting to initialize subjects before pushing values.
• Assuming this utility can run outside Sitevision server runtime.