Can I have multiple the same facet types with different facet keys?

Question

in every article and documentation I can see they are using for one facet type one (default) facet key.

MyCustomFacet facet = new MyCustomFacet();
var facetReference = new FacetReference(contact, MyCustomFacet.DefaultFacetKey);
client.SetFacet(facetReference, facet);
client.Submit();

Can I have (for this example) several 'MyCustomFacet' types under different facet keys?

MyCustomFacet facetA = new MyCustomFacet();
var facetReferenceA = new FacetReference(contact, "MyCustomFacetKeyA");
client.SetFacet(facetReferenceA, facetA);

MyCustomFacet facetB = new MyCustomFacet();
var facetReferenceB = new FacetReference(contact, "MyCustomFacetKeyB");
client.SetFacet(facetReferenceB, facetB);

MyCustomFacet facetC = new MyCustomFacet();
var facetReferenceC = new FacetReference(contact, "MyCustomFacetKeyC");
client.SetFacet(facetReferenceC, facetC);

client.Submit(); // Exception "Unknown facet 'MyCustomFacetKeyA' for Contact"

I am asking because it's not working for me.

Thanks in advance

Lukas

Answer 1

Yes, you can have several 'MyCustomFacet' types under different facet keys. Can you please try like this, it will work for you:

 MyCustomFacet facetA = contact.GetFacet<MyCustomFacet>(MyCustomFacet.DefaultFacetKey);
        facetA = new MyCustomFacet
        {
            propertyA = "valueA",
            propertyB = "valueB"
            //and so on
        };
        client.SetFacet(contact, MyCustomFacet.DefaultFacetKey, facetA);
        client.Submit();

Please ensure that FacetKeys are registered into the customModel.json(you have created for custom facet). e.g.

"Facets": [
{
  "Target": "Contact",
  "Name": "MyCustomFacetKeyA",
  "Type": "dllName.MyCustomFacetModelA"
},
{
  "Target": "Contact",
  "Name": "MyCustomFacetKeyB",
  "Type": "dllName.MyCustomFacetModelB"
},

Answer 2

Yes, we need to create a custom model class for CustomFacet with custom facet key. Then we deploy our custom model and serializes our custom facet model and we need to copy that custom JSON model to the xConnect location. After that, you need to create a patch file or register your DLL and class name with namespace into a schema tag into Sitecore.XConnect.Client.config. For more detail: please refer below links that are useful:

1) https://doc.sitecore.com/developers/90/sitecore-experience-platform/en/create-a-custom-facet.html

2) https://doc.sitecore.com/developers/91/sitecore-experience-platform/en/deploy-a-custom-model.html

3) https://sitecorerockz.wordpress.com/2018/09/24/create-custom-facet-in-xconnect/

Please do remember facetkeys are case sensitive.

Regarding Dynamic key: I haven't played with the dynamic key but I think it would not be good to play with dynamic as we need to register and deploy all keys and during the set or update facets and we can't remember those keys during operations.

Suggestion for Dynamic facet keys:

I want to suggest instead of creating multiple dynamic facet keys, create one single facet key and make one property into that facet model in which assign/ map your Product Catalogue as a JSON object, like:

{
"title":{"text":"Product Catalogue"},
"Types":[
           {"name":"Product A","data":["Market",20.00]},
           {"name":"Product B","data":["Sales",30.00]},
           {"name":"Product C","data":["Operating",40.00]},
           {"name":"Product D","data":["Gross",10.00]}
         ] }