Alex HolcombeApplied Information Sciences

SharePoint to a DeveloperDevelopment environmentDebuggingConfiguration ManagementBasic Do’s and Don’ts

Tighter integration with ASP.NET 2.0

“Shines Through”: Master Pages Web Parts Custom Provider Model

Conceptual Differences: Template Model Users can edit pages

ASP.NET 2.0ASP.NET 2.0

Windows Windows SharePoint SharePoint Services Services “v3”“v3”

WebParts Event Handlers Custom ASPX Pages Web Services Site Administration

functionality Searching Timer Jobs STSADM Workflows

Site Columns Field Types Content Types List Definitions Master Pages Site Definitions

SharePoint IS: An Application Full of OOTB functionality Deceptively complex Extensible using .NET Written by someone else (not you)

SharePoint IS NOT: A relational database A replacement for all web-based

applications

Show example functionality

Microsoft Software Windows Server 2003 Visual Studio 2005 SQL (Express) and SQL Management Tools .NET 3.0 Framework ECM Starter Kit Visual Studio extensions for WF Visual Studio extensions for WSS

Other Reflector Text searching tool

Several basic requirements for devs Source Control Access Baseline to clean environment Backup and restore process Consistent baseline across all developers Software upgrade management External Access (web, email)

“The supported approach for setting up your Web Part development environment is to develop locally on an Office SharePoint Server 2007 server.” Getting Started with Custom Enterprise

Search Web Parts (http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms564508.aspx)

Option Pros Cons

SharePoint server with development tools and devs RDC to it

•Easy to set up•Easy to centrally manage

•Shared resources•One dev may bring down environment for others

Install SharePoint on each developer workstation

•Developers are isolated from each other

•Need to reimage to Windows Server 2003

Create SharePoint VPC and run on each developer workstation

•Developers are isolated from each other•Portable and independent environment

•May cause networking problems (ex DHCP, multiple DC’s)•Resource intensive•Images need to be sysprep’d before sharing

DC, Source Control, etc192.168.1.1…n

Dev 3192.168.1.13

Dev 2192.168.1.12

Dev 1192.168.1.11

Dev Machines:Win 2k3MOSSSQL ExpressDev tools

DC, Source Control, etc192.168.1.1…n

Dev 3192.168.1.13 (host)192.168.1.103 (vpc)

Dev 2192.168.1.12 (host)192.168.1.102 (vpc)

Dev 1192.168.1.11 (host)192.168.1.101 (vpc)

Dev Host:Win XP

VPC:Win 2k3MOSSSQL ExpressDev tools

No network connectivity Makes network admin’s happy Difficult to connect to source control

Attach VPC to host network adapter Use NAT Assign a secondary IP address to the

VPCAttach VPC to host loopback adapter

Install loopback adapter on host Allow VPC to access internet through ICS

Install only what you need Keep the .vhd as small as possible Run from an external disk or separate

partition Allocate as much RAM as possible Shut down unnecessary apps on the

host Access the VPC through RDC Regularly defrag host and VPC Use Compact utility

Show how networking is set up on host and vpc

Compile codeStop IISDeploy assemblyStart IISSet breakpoint in code Initialize a SharePoint pageAttach to all w3wp.exe processes

HELP - It didn’t work!!! Code is different or didn’t compile New Assembly didn’t get picked up▪ Didn’t get GAC’d▪ IIS not reset

Feature not properly installed or activated

Code isn’t being executed

Enable Script Debugging in IEAttach to IE.exe processOpen Running Documents window in

VS (Ctrl-Alt-N)

Set breakpointOpen page/click to execute

Located in: 12\LOGSTurn up logging in SharePoint

From Central Administration: Operations \ Diagnostic Logging \ Event

Throttling▪ Select a Category: “All”▪ Least Critical…event log: “Information”▪ Least Critical…trace log: “Verbose”

Use a good text editor to search through the logs

Turn on logging in IIS Open web.config in the web app root

Modify the following: <configuration>

<SharePoint>▪ <SafeMode> ▪ set Callstack = "true"

<configuration> <system.web>▪ <customErrors> ▪ set mode="Off".

▪ <compilation>▪ set debug="true".

Attach to w3wp processAttach to IE process Increase logging level in SharePoint

Usual location: C:\program files\common files\microsoft

shared\web server extensions\12NEVER modify any OOTB filesCreate a script which copies/updates

your files in the 12 hiveUnderstand the consequences of

modifying the files you created

List of folders in the 12 hive that are commonly used by developers (not comprehensive)

12 CONFIG – stsadm commands, security trust files LOGS– SharePoint log files Resources - .resx files TEMPLATE▪ CONTROLTEMPLATES – .ascx files▪ FEATURES – Feature files▪ LAYOUTS – .aspx files▪ SiteTemplates – Site Definition files▪ XML – Field Type definitions

Search the web MSDN Google Groups Blogs

Is this being done OOTB? Search the 12 hive Search using Reflector

The 12 Hive is a valuable resource for information

Use it to see how things are being done OOTB

SharePoint functionality is deployed as Features

CONTROLTEMPLATES DefaultTemplates.ascx – Rendering field

templates Features

Ctypes – OOTB Content type definitions CustomList – Custom List definition Fields – OOTB field definitions

SiteTemplates Sts – OOTB Teamsite site definition

This is a small subset of what is there

Find information in 12 hive Search for examples of OOTB

functionality

Multiple ways to create “things”: UI XML Code

Can be problematic for a developer Each has it’s own pro’s and con’s They are NOT equal Must understand the impact of each:

How do you manage changes / source control

How is it deployed How is it maintained

Site templates CAB package of differences from site

definition Stored in content database End-user created

Site definitions Core description of what a site is Installed to web front ends Developer created Done through xml files Can be extended with code

Modular provisioning: Features! Less XML to create site templates Less duplication Reusable pieces of customization

Group logical elements intoscenario-driven “features”

Easier to add functionality to existing sites Easier to change site functions over time Admins can turn features on/off

Developer packages a custom Web application into a solution

Admin deploys: Files go to all Web front-end servers Can deploy to application servers

Solutions can contain: Feature definitions Site definitions Template pages and resources Resources Global, bin assemblies

Basic rules for CM: Source control everything Stage deployable files Automate deployment for staged files

Use what works best for you, but automate it Batch files Nant / MSBuild MSI file

Location Pros Cons

Bin directory •More secure•Takes advantage of CAS•Deployed to each web application

•Have to deal with CAS

GAC •Easier to deploy•Don’t have to worry about security

•Don’t have to worry about security (putting it off)

Don’t assume you will be able to deploy to the GAC on the production servers

1. Stop IIS2. Deactivate existing feature3. Uninstall existing feature4. Delete existing files5. Remove existing assembly6. Register new assembly7. Copy new files8. Install new feature9. Activate new feature10.Start IIS

Using STSADM Easy to script out with batch files Initializes on each call Can be time consuming

Using OM Initializes once Very fast Useful when deploying large number of

features

Show sample batch fileShow sample Nant scriptShow code to install with OM

Don’t modify any existing files Don’t assume your assembly will go in

the GAC Don’t run everything as an

administrator Don’t manually copy any files Don’t modify or directly access the

Database Don’t assume the server is “localhost”

Try to use as much OOTB functionality as possible

Put everything under source controlAutomate the deployment processKISS when trying something newDon’t assume you’ve done anything

correctlyCheck the basic things firstTry it through the UI (if possible)

SharePoint IS: An Application Full of OOTB functionality Deceptively complex Written by someone else Extensible using .NET

SharePoint IS NOT: A relational database A replacement for all web-based

applications

Alex Holcombe Applied Information Sciences Alex.holcombe@appliedis.com