Database.com Metadata API Developer's Guide - Salesforce.com

Utility CallsdescribeMetadata()describeMetadata()This call retrieves the metadata which describes your organization. This information includes Apex classes and triggers, customobjects, custom fields on standard objects, tab sets that define an app, and many other components.SyntaxDescribeMetadataResult[] = metadataConnection.describeMetadata(double apiVersion);ArgumentsNameapiVersionTypedoubleDescriptionThe API version for which you want metadata; for example, 30.0.PermissionsYour client application must be logged in with the “Modify All Data” permission.Sample Code—Javapublic void describeMetadata() {try {double apiVersion = 21.0;// Assuming that the SOAP binding has already been established.DescribeMetadataResult res =metadataConnection.describeMetadata(apiVersion);StringBuffer sb = new StringBuffer();if (res != null && res.getMetadataObjects().length > 0) {for (DescribeMetadataObject obj : res.getMetadataObjects()) {sb.append("***************************************************\n");sb.append("XMLName: " + obj.getXmlName() + "\n");sb.append("DirName: " + obj.getDirectoryName() + "\n");sb.append("Suffix: " + obj.getSuffix() + "\n");sb.append("***************************************************\n");}} else {sb.append("Failed to obtain metadata types.");}System.out.println(sb.toString());} catch (ConnectionException ce) {ce.printStackTrace();}}ResponseDescribeMetadataResultlistMetadata()This call retrieves property information about metadata components in your organization. Data is returned for the componentsthat match the criteria specified in the queries parameter. The queries array can contain up to three ListMetadataQueryqueries for each call. This call supports every metadata type: both top-level, such as CustomObject and ApexClass, and childtypes, such as CustomField.56