Why won't the “New Item Form” create for an external list?

Question

I'm using SharePoint Foundation 2010 and I have an external list created from an external content type. The external content type uses a WCF service as datasource.

The WCF service has only three operations: "Read List", "Read Item" and "Create".

The "Read List" operation works fine. I see in my site the results returned by the web service. But when I try to create a new item for the list I get the following error:

Unable to find the default new form for list XXX

OK, no biggy I thought, I just go to Sharepoint Designer and create the "New Item Form"(.aspx) for that list. The problem is that after I try to create a new form, I get the following error:

Could not save the list changes to the server

This is not a very useful message, so I went for the logs where I found this:

Failed to find the default form for PAGETYPE PAGE_EDITFORM

I've read many blogs and forums saying to delete the list, recreate it, empty the recycle bin etc. Nothing worked.

Have you encountered this before? What was the cause?

Answer 1

I managed to get my form created! I'm posting the solution that worked for me in case someone else stumbles on the same problem.

The forums and blogs I've read were correct. You have to delete the external list and recreate it. I've already done this several times and it didn't work.

But today I changed the name of the list (until now I was always recreating it with the same old name) and voila!

Now, my Forms tab in Sharepoint Designer shows two forms: DispForm.aspx and NewForm.aspx. I've tested my new form and it works great. Items are created in my external datasource.

Go figure!

Answer 2

Since I am new on Sharepoint.StackExchange I cant comment. My issue was resolved by the following:

. If the columns returned from the Read Item command do not match the input parameters for the Create and Update commands, the forms are not generated.

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/jorman/archive/2011/11/19/external-list-missing-new-and-edit-forms.aspx