--- title: Map stores slug: cms-11/dev-docs/mapping-stores docTags: createdAt: 2026-07-22T19:45:19.643Z --- ## Compile time type mapping When instances of a compile time data type (.NET classes excluding `EPiServer.Data.Dynamic.PropertyBag` and classes implementing `System.IEnumerable`) are saved in the Dynamic Data Store, and their "inline" properties are mapped to columns in the "big table." This is known logically as a store. ### Default mapping The default algorithm for mapping .NET classes (excluding `EPiServer.Data.Dynamic.PropertyBag` and classes implementing `System.IEnumerable`) to a store is as follows: - Property must have a getter and setter - Property must be marked public (although the setter can mark non-public if desired) - Other properties are ignored and not saved in the Dynamic Data Store ### Custom mapping You can override the default mapping behavior. This is useful if you do not want certain public properties to be mapped or want certain non-public properties to be mapped. To use custom mapping, you need to add the `System.Runtime.Serialization.DataContactAttribute` to your class definition. In this case, *only* properties marked with the `System.Runtime.Serialization.DataMemberAttribute` are mapped and saved in the Dynamic Data Store regardless of the accessibility status. They must still, however, have a getter and setter. See the `MappingWithDataContract` class in the [DDS sample project](https://world.optimizely.com/download/Items/Episerver-CMS/Episerver-CMS-6-R2/Dynamic-Data-Store-Examples/). You may want to save an object of an existing class that has already been marked with `DataContactAttribute` and its member properties with `DataMemberAttribute`. One problem might be that using these properties does not match the desired behavior when an object instance is saved in the Dynamic Data Store. In these cases, you can also add the `EPiServerDataContractAttribute` to the class definition and `EPiServerDataMemberAttribute` to the properties to be saved. The Dynamic Data Store will use these attributes in preference to the Microsoft ones to resolve the conflict. See the `MappingWithEPiServerDataContract` class in the [DDS sample project](https://world.optimizely.com/download/Items/Episerver-CMS/Episerver-CMS-6-R2/Dynamic-Data-Store-Examples/). ### Type handlers Some classes in the .NET Framework do not have properties that the Dynamic Data Store can use to extract the value, save it to the database, and re-inflate an instance with the value from the database. If you want to use such a type as a property on a class that is saved to the Dynamic Data Store, you must register a Type Handler for it. A good example of this is the `System.Uri` class. This class only has read-only properties, and saving an instance to the Dynamic Data Store without a Type Handler is meaningless as no data is stored for it. See the `MappingWithTypeHandler` class in the [DDS sample project](https://world.optimizely.com/download/Items/Episerver-CMS/Episerver-CMS-6-R2/Dynamic-Data-Store-Examples/) ## Map runtime data type (PropertyBag) Properties saved using `PropertyBags` are mapped as if the properties were public members' properties on a normal .NET class. `PropertyBags` can be mapped in the following ways: - Implicit is the first time a `PropertyBag` is saved to a store, the store mappings are inferred from the properties in the `PropertyBag`. - Explicit is a mapping dictionary which is passed to the `DynamicDataStoreFactory.CreateStore` method detailing the store mapping. The main advantage of this is that properties that can be potentially saved in this store are mapped, as opposed to the first time a `PropertyBag` is saved, which may not have all potential values. See the `ImplicitDynamicMapping` and `ExplicitDynamicMapping` classes in the [DDS sample project](https://world.optimizely.com/download/Items/Episerver-CMS/Episerver-CMS-6-R2/Dynamic-Data-Store-Examples/). ## Store remapping From time to time, you may need to change the structure of your data. This can mean adding, removing, or changing properties on your .NET classes or `PropertyBags`. The Dynamic Data Store is flexible regarding accepting changes to types saved in a store. You can remap .NET classes to stores in the following ways: - Using attributes on the class. - Using attributes with the `StoreDefinition` class. Remapping stores that are not represented by a .NET class can only be done with the `StoreDefinition` class. ### Remap using class attributes A .NET class whose instances are saved in the Dynamic Data Store can be optionally decorated with the `EPiServerDataStoreAttribute`. In these cases, set the `AutomaticallyRemapStore` property to true. When the Optimizely application starts, it scans for classes with this attribute and automatically remaps the .NET class to the store if needed. Any properties that are renamed MUST be marked with the `EPiServerDataPropertyRenameAttribute` attribute; otherwise, the remap treats them as if one property was removed (with the old name) and one was added (with the new name). ### Remap using StoreDefinition class To remap a store, obtain the store definition of a store with the `StoreDefinition` property of a `DynamicDataStore` instance or with the `StoreDefinition.Get` method. You can then call the `Rename` and `Remap` methods to update the store's mappings. You should call `Rename` before `Remap`. Otherwise, properties renamed in the data type are treated as if one property was removed and added. Finally, call the `CommitChanges` method of `StoreDefinition` to update the store's meta information in the database. If a `DynamicDataStore` instance reference is held, then its `Refresh` method should be called to align its in-memory copy of the store definition with the one committed to disk. ### Remap rules These rules are followed when remapping stores: 1. Properties removed from the type definition are removed from the store. :::hint{type="info"} **Note** The data itself for the removed property remain intact in the big table. It is only the “view” of the data that is changed. ::: 2. Properties added to the type definition are added to the store. 3. Properties with the same name but different data types are checked for compatibility. When old and new property data types are 'inline,' the database used must be able to convert from the old database data type to the new one. If a collection or reference type is changed, then the new property type must be assignable (using `System.Type.IsAssignableFrom`) or the old type must be convertible to the new type. The old type supports `System.IConvertible` and the `System.Convert.ChangeType` succeeds in converting an instance of the old type to an instance of the new type. See the `StoreReMapping` class for examples of store re-mapping and the `PropertyReName` class for updating mappings when a property is renamed on a type in the Dynamic Data Store SDK. ## Map types to specific stores It can be convenient to save instances of a Type in the same store, regardless of where those instances are in an object graph. You have the following options: 1. **Global Mapping** – Use the `EPiServer.Data.Dynamic.GlobalTypeToStoreMap.Instance` methods to add and remove a mapping or add an `EPiServer.Data.Dynamic.EPiServerDataStoreAttribute` to the .NET class. When this is used, instances of the registered type are saved in the store with the specified name. 2. **Local Mapping** – A delegate is passed to the `DynamicDataStore` or `DynamicDataStore` Save method. This delegate is called for "reference" properties and collection items that are references. The delegate should return the name of the store to save the item. This gives extra flexibility to steer instances of a Type into different stores depending on their context and use. :::hint{type="info"} **Note** The store top level item, that is, the object passed to the `DynamicDataStore` `Save` method, is *always* saved in the current store (the store `Save` is being called on) regardless of the name of that store. This effectively overrides the `Type` to `Store` mapping mechanism. ::: Example: 1. A global `Type` to `Store` mapping is added so instances of the Type "Person" are saved in a store called "People." 2. A store is created or obtained with the name "MyPeople." 3. An instance of a Person Type is saved in the store obtained in step 2. This instance has properties that are also Person instances. Result: The top-level Person is saved in the "MyPeople" store *but* other instances of the Person Type in the object graph are saved in the "People" store (because of the global mapping). To adhere to the global Type to Store mappings, you should create or obtain your top-level store by calling `DynamicDataStoreFactory.Create` or `GetStore` with just the type and not a store name. See the `UsingGlobalTypeToStoreMapping` and `UsingLocalTypeToStoreMapping` classes in the [DDS sample project](https://world.optimizely.com/download/Items/Episerver-CMS/Episerver-CMS-6-R2/Dynamic-Data-Store-Examples/) for more details. ## Map stores to custom big tables In the same way as it may be convenient to map a `Type` to a `Store`, it may also prove convenient to map a store to a custom big table. See the Big Table section in the [Dynamic Data Store](https://world.optimizely.com/documentation/developer-guides/CMS/dynamic-data-store/) topic for more details. The `UsingGlobalStoreToTableMapping` class in the [DDS sample project](https://world.optimizely.com/download/Items/Episerver-CMS/Episerver-CMS-6-R2/Dynamic-Data-Store-Examples/) demonstrates this technique.