Deploying lookup columns is a tricky business, but once you know why and how all it takes is a couple of lines of code. In short I ususally have a feature activated handler and hook up the columns on activation-time.

.b

I'd be interested in seeing how you have handled deployment of lookup fields, using the technique you have outlined here … in my experience, things get a lot trickier; multiple interrelated GUID dependencies mean you would have to then deploy the “looked-up” list definition and instance, the lookup site column, and the content types which use these.

Have you found a way to simplify this? Cheers

However, for this article I wanted to explain a certain technique, not discuss the various tools available. As the technique used SPM and WSPBuilder I elaborated on the use of WSPBuilder.

On that note, I have yet to see any single tool capable of performing the same CAML dump->Feature combo that WSPBuilder plus SPM can do. Most other tools, like VSeWSS, when it releases, perform a single task very well.