How to enable session state in SharePoint WSS 3.0?

Before you can use sessions you first have to enable the session state module in the web.config file in a WSS 3.0 sharepoint site. Just uncomment the following line:


<!—
<add name="Session" type="System.Web.SessionState.SessionStateModule"/>
-->

After that you can use the session object like you'll normally do with any ASP.NET web applications.

How can a web page go to the bottom end as soon as it is loaded?

I needed to get a loaded web page to scroll down to the bottom of a long page. I was able to make that happen using some basic JavaScript. Here's my solution:


1) Place the following HTML at the page loaction where you want to go to automatically:

<a id="bottom" name="bottom"></a>

2) Add the following ASP.NET code that triggers some very basic JavaScript:

StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();

sb.Append("<script language='javascript' >");

sb.Append("window.location.href = '#bottom';");

sb.Append("</script>");

ClientScript.RegisterStartupScript(typeof(Page), "Focus", sb.ToString());

Although thic technique pertains to ASP.NET 2.0, it really can be implemented in any other server-side technology.

Unable to delete or customize a choice field in WSS 3.0

I needed to customize the HelpDesk template that is freely downloadable from Microsoft. I discovered that it is not possible to add any choice items or even delete the column. Here's what I experienced when I clicked on:
Service Requests ==> Site Settings ==> List Settings ==> Status

You will notice that the "Delete" button is missing and no choice items can be changed.
I discovered that the choice field is sealed in the feature template itself.

Solution:

1) Open the schema.xml file located in the SharePoint 2007 12-hives directory at:

%ProgramFiles%\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\TEMPLATE\FEATURES\HelpDeskServiceRequestsList\servicerequest

2) Search for the Status field.

<Field ID="{75AF1E7D-39F1-45db-908A-B7AD3F26531A}"

Type="Choice"

Name="Status"

DisplayName="$Resources:hlpdsk,SRStatus;"

StaticName="Status"

Required="TRUE"

Sealed="TRUE"

Format="Dropdown"

FillInChoice="FALSE"

SourceID="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/v3"

>

<Default>$Resources:hlpdsk,SRStatus_Choice1;</Default>

<CHOICES>

<CHOICE>$Resources:hlpdsk,SRStatus_Choice1;</CHOICE>

<CHOICE>$Resources:hlpdsk,SRStatus_Choice2;</CHOICE>

<CHOICE>$Resources:hlpdsk,SRStatus_Choice3;</CHOICE>

<CHOICE>$Resources:hlpdsk,SRStatus_Choice4;</CHOICE>

</CHOICES>

</Field>

3) Change the Sealed attribute value from TRUE to FALSE

4) Save the schema.xml file

5) Restart IIS

Presentation on SharePoint WebParts to Bellingham .NET Users Group

Andrew Robinson, the president of the Bellingham .NET Users Group, invited me to give a talk to his group. I will be giving them a talk on "WebParts for SharePoint 2007" on Wednesday January 8, 2007 starting at 6:00 PM. Bellingham is the most visited city accross the border for British Columbians and I look forward to forging closer ties between .netBC and the Bellingham .NET Users Groups.
Here is the extract of my talk:
WebParts for SharePoint 2007

WebParts provide the fundamental building blocks for creating custom applications for SharePoint. This session will show you how to efficiently and quickly use your ASP.NET 2.0 and C# skills to develop WebParts for deployment into SharePoint 2007. Most of the development, testing and debugging will be done in Visual Studio .NET 2007. We shall then deploy the WebPart as a feature into Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 (WSS 3.0). We will also look at WebPart communication and modifying WebPart verb menus.

Wednesday January 9, 2008

The files that make up my presentation can be downloaded from here.

Thursday January 10, 2008

I had an enjoyable time at Bellingham. There were 13 people in attendance. Pizza was great and I was glad that they serve water instead of the dreaded pop.

Move SharePoint 2007 paging control from the right to the left of the action bar.

A user at my workplace has a view that is horizontally very wide. It drives him nuts to have to scroll all the way to the extreme right of the page in order to find the paging control. He pleaded with me to find a way to move this control to the left side of the action bar. After many hours of research, here's what I found:

The default layout of the action bar is defined in a user control file named DefaultTemplates.ascx found in the TEMPLATE\CONTROL TEMPLATES directory of your 12-hives

The default layout can be alterted for a particular type of list be over-riding the "ViewToolBar" for that list.

This is best done by working on a copy of DefaultTemplates.ascx

I moved the paging control for the DocumentLibraryViewToolBar to the left-hand-side by doing the following:



copy DefaultTemplates.ascx to PagingLeftOnDocLibrary.ascx (or any other name you fancy).

open PagingLeftOnDocLibrary.ascx in a text editor

search for DocumentLibraryViewToolBar. Your editor should find this line: <SharePoint:RenderingTemplate ID="DocumentLibraryViewToolBar" runat="server">

delete all <SharePoint:RenderingTemplate>.. </SharePoint:RenderingTemplate> sections before and after the section that you have just found. In other words retain the section <SharePoint:RenderingTemplate ID="DocumentLibraryViewToolBar" runat="server"> .. </SharePoint:RenderingTemplate> and delete all other sections

You will be left with only the following:

<%@ Control Language="C#" AutoEventWireup="false" %>

<%@Assembly Name="Microsoft.SharePoint, Version=12.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=71e9bce111e9429c" %>

<%@Register TagPrefix="SharePoint" Assembly="Microsoft.SharePoint, Version=12.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=71e9bce111e9429c" namespace="Microsoft.SharePoint.WebControls"%>

<%@Register TagPrefix="SPHttpUtility" Assembly="Microsoft.SharePoint, Version=12.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=71e9bce111e9429c" namespace="Microsoft.SharePoint.Utilities"%>

<%@ Register TagPrefix="wssuc" TagName="ToolBar" src="~/_controltemplates/ToolBar.ascx" %>

<%@ Register TagPrefix="wssuc" TagName="ToolBarButton" src="~/_controltemplates/ToolBarButton.ascx" %>

<SharePoint:RenderingTemplate ID="DocumentLibraryViewToolBar" runat="server">

<Template>

<wssuc:ToolBar

CssClass="ms-menutoolbar"

EnableViewState="false"

id="toolBarTbl"

ButtonSeparator="<img src='/_layouts/images/blank.gif'

alt=''>" RightButtonSeparator="  "

runat="server">

<Template_Buttons>

<SharePoint:NewMenu AccessKey="<%$Resources:wss,tb_NewMenu_AK%>" runat="server"/>

<SharePoint:UploadMenu AccessKey="<%$Resources:wss,tb_UploadMenu_AK%>" runat="server"/>

<SharePoint:ActionsMenu AccessKey="<%$Resources:wss,tb_ActionsMenu_AK%>" runat="server"/>

<SharePoint:SettingsMenu AccessKey="<%$Resources:wss,tb_SettingsMenu_AK%>" runat="server"/>

</Template_Buttons>

<Template_RightButtons>

<SharePoint:PagingButton runat="server"/>

<SharePoint:ListViewSelector runat="server"/>

</Template_RightButtons>

</wssuc:ToolBar>

</Template>

</SharePoint:RenderingTemplate>

The PagingButton section (shown in red above) needs to be moved to the Template_Buttons section. I simply cut <SharePoint:PagingButton runat="server"/> and pasted it right before </Template_Buttons>

If you restart IIS (IISRESET from the command line) you should see the paging control on the left-hand-side of the document library action bar as shown below.

The final version of my PagingLeftOnDocLibrary.ascx is:

<%@ Control Language="C#" AutoEventWireup="false" %>

<%@Assembly Name="Microsoft.SharePoint, Version=12.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=71e9bce111e9429c" %>

<%@Register TagPrefix="SharePoint" Assembly="Microsoft.SharePoint, Version=12.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=71e9bce111e9429c" namespace="Microsoft.SharePoint.WebControls"%>

<%@Register TagPrefix="SPHttpUtility" Assembly="Microsoft.SharePoint, Version=12.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=71e9bce111e9429c" namespace="Microsoft.SharePoint.Utilities"%>

<%@ Register TagPrefix="wssuc" TagName="ToolBar" src="~/_controltemplates/ToolBar.ascx" %>

<%@ Register TagPrefix="wssuc" TagName="ToolBarButton" src="~/_controltemplates/ToolBarButton.ascx" %>

<SharePoint:RenderingTemplate ID="DocumentLibraryViewToolBar" runat="server">

<Template>

<wssuc:ToolBar

CssClass="ms-menutoolbar"

EnableViewState="false"

id="toolBarTbl"

ButtonSeparator="<img src='/_layouts/images/blank.gif'

alt=''>" RightButtonSeparator="  "

runat="server">

<Template_Buttons>

<SharePoint:NewMenu AccessKey="<%$Resources:wss,tb_NewMenu_AK%>" runat="server"/>

<SharePoint:UploadMenu AccessKey="<%$Resources:wss,tb_UploadMenu_AK%>" runat="server"/>

<SharePoint:ActionsMenu AccessKey="<%$Resources:wss,tb_ActionsMenu_AK%>" runat="server"/>

<SharePoint:SettingsMenu AccessKey="<%$Resources:wss,tb_SettingsMenu_AK%>" runat="server"/>

<SharePoint:PagingButton runat="server"/>

</Template_Buttons>

<Template_RightButtons>

<SharePoint:ListViewSelector runat="server"/>

</Template_RightButtons>

</wssuc:ToolBar>

</Template>

</SharePoint:RenderingTemplate>

DevTeach & SqlTeach conference held in Vancouver from 26nov07 to 30nov07

The highlight for me was the open ended bar night named "Party with Palermo" held on Monday night (26nov07) at the Steamworks brewery. It was a blast and happiness was being propelled by the alcohol level flowing through our veins. Unfortunately, I left early around 9:45 PM because I had to teach at BCIT very early the next morning. I know of a few who were there until midnight. Thanks Jeffrey Palermo.
The other highlight was the Mad Mexican's second appearance at DevTeach. He barged into Beth Massi's presentation to emphasize how great she is. Check out this blog entry.
I spoke on Wednesday 28nov07 on the topic of "SharePoint 2007 Advanced Development". Attendance was about 40 people. All went well except for the last part involving installation of the SharePoint workflow. After the simple workflow was deployed and activated it did not work. I did not bother trouble-shooting the problem because I was already about 15 minutes overtime. However, I later discovered that I had failed to set one of the dreaded GUIDs in the Manifest.XML. Oh well, as the saying goes "Shit Happens".
All in all it was a lot of fun and I am very happy for Jean-Rene that his first-time conference in Vancouver was indeed a success.

How do I enable more detailed error messages in SharePoint 2007 for debugging purposes?

The error messages generated by SharePoint 2007 are not very useful. If you are doing some serious development work in SharePoint you will need to temporarily enable error messages. This is done by making the following changes to your web.config file:
1) Change the "CallStack" attribute in the <SafeMode> element from "false" to "true".
<SafeMode MaxControls="200" CallStack="true"

DirectFileDependencies="10"

TotalFileDependencies="50"

AllowPageLevelTrace="false">

2) Change the "mode" attribute in the <customErrors> element from "On" to "Off".
<customErrors mode="Off" />