Visual Studio 2010 Available...

Oh.. no.. Not again.. Microsoft releases another version of .Net Framework, now it is 4.0 (quoted as Next generation of developer tools.. Oph.. what the ...). Also, they unveiled Visual Studio 2010 edition, which looks cool.

To get hands on experience on Visual Studio 2010, you get download it from Microsoft site i.e. http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=922b4655-93d0-4476-bda4-94cf5f8d4814&displaylang=en

" Visual Studio Team System 2010 includes a new Architecture Explorer for the discovery and exploration of existing code assets and application architectures." - Microsoft

Visual Studio Team System 2010 will deliver new capabilities that embrace the needs of the users in the lifecycle – from architects to developers, from project managers to testers.

Among the great new functionality in VSTS 2010:

• Discover and identify existing code assets and architecture with the new Architecture Explorer.
• Design and share multiple diagram types, including use case, activity and sequence diagrams.
• Improve testing efforts with tooling for better documentation of test scenarios and more thorough collection of test data.
• Identify and run only the tests impacted by a code change easily with the new Test Impact View.
• Enhanced version control capabilities including gated check-in, branch visualization and build workflow.

Currently, I am exploring all the new features.. Soon will add more my reviews and other new stuff...

Read More

Sharepoint 2007 Alerts are not working

Finally I managed to resolve this problem in my case.

Issue:
We have implemented a MOSS solution which contains a few custom lists. We have also configured alerts and customized them to suit the customer’s requirements.

Alerts were working fine but about suddenly they stopped working for one particular list. Alerts are working for all other lists/document libraries/etc. without any issues. If we check the content DB of MOSS, we can see the alerts are getting created successfully. But the emails are not being sent. We get confirmation emails that a new alert has been created, so message flow seems solid.

So, I then took a backup (by creating a List template with content), and recreated a new list with the same data and configuration. Alerts are working fine in the new list which has the same configuration and data. But with this approach we will lose Created/Modified and Author/Editor details.

Solution:

So, to resolve this issue I restarted the SPTimerV3 service (windows SharePoint timer), restarted IIS in all the servers. Thought this will resolve alerts issue. But no luck. Also, rebooted the machine (I know it doesn't make any sense but we wanted to try it) “

So, did google search and tried all the options provided in the following articles.... Also, contacted Microsoft support to help us out on this. But they are not sure about the problem.

http://weblogs.asp.net/mellota/archive/2007/10/11/sharepoint-2007-task-notification-alert-emails-not-working.aspx
http://www.moss2007.be/blogs/vandest/archive/2007/11/23/sharepoint-immediate-alert-notifications-stopped-working.aspx
http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=2150023&SiteID=1
http://suguk.org/forums/thread/6756.aspx
http://www.sharepointblogs.com/mindykelly/archive/2007/08/01/alerts-not-working-in-moss.aspx

As none of the option above help me to resolve the problem. So, thought of deleting the list and recreating list by losing out Created/Modified and Author/Editor details. But to my luck, I wanted to try removing all the alerts in the portal and test.

So, I created an application which will allow to take backup/restore all the alerts in the portal. After taking backup of all the alerts in the portal. I deleted all the alerts and then created one sample alert and tested, to my luck Alerts started working without any issue.

So, I restored all the alerts back without any issue. Now Alerts are being sent from the "troubled" list. Looks to you bit silly. But it is true... if you are working on MOSS 2007, be prepared for these kind of issues.

I hope this post will help someone, as I spent many frustrating days to resolve this issue.

Read More

Web 2.0 Design Patterns

In his book, A Pattern Language, Christopher Alexander prescribes a format for the concise description of the solution to architectural problems. He writes: "Each pattern describes a problem that occurs over and over again in our environment, and then describes the core of the solution to that problem, in such a way that you can use this solution a million times over, without ever doing it the same way twice."

1. The Long Tail
   Small sites make up the bulk of the internet's content; narrow niches make up the bulk of internet's the possible applications. Therefore: Leverage customer-self service and algorithmic data management to reach out to the entire web, to the edges and not just the center, to the long tail and not just the head.
2. Data is the Next Intel Inside
   Applications are increasingly data-driven. Therefore: For competitive advantage, seek to own a unique, hard-to-recreate source of data.
3. Users Add Value
   The key to competitive advantage in internet applications is the extent to which users add their own data to that which you provide. Therefore: Don't restrict your "architecture of participation" to software development. Involve your users both implicitly and explicitly in adding value to your application.
4. Network Effects by Default
   Only a small percentage of users will go to the trouble of adding value to your application. Therefore: Set inclusive defaults for aggregating user data as a side-effect of their use of the application.
5. Some Rights Reserved. Intellectual property protection limits re-use and prevents experimentation. Therefore: When benefits come from collective adoption, not private restriction, make sure that barriers to adoption are low. Follow existing standards, and use licenses with as few restrictions as possible. Design for "hackability" and "remixability."
6. The Perpetual Beta
   When devices and programs are connected to the internet, applications are no longer software artifacts, they are ongoing services. Therefore: Don't package up new features into monolithic releases, but instead add them on a regular basis as part of the normal user experience. Engage your users as real-time testers, and instrument the service so that you know how people use the new features.
7. Cooperate, Don't Control
   Web 2.0 applications are built of a network of cooperating data services. Therefore: Offer web services interfaces and content syndication, and re-use the data services of others. Support lightweight programming models that allow for loosely-coupled systems.
8. Software Above the Level of a Single Device
   The PC is no longer the only access device for internet applications, and applications that are limited to a single device are less valuable than those that are connected. Therefore: Design your application from the get-go to integrate services across handheld devices, PCs, and internet servers.

Reference: http://www.oreilly.com/pub/a/oreilly/tim/news/2005/09/30/what-is-web-20.html

Read More

Useful Sharepoint Resources

http://www.sharepoint-tips.com/
http://www.sharepoint-exchange.blogspot.com/
http://www.microsoft.com/sharepoint/

Read More

Custom Script while submiting a list item in MOSS

Here is another trick to add custom validations or script while submiting a listitem in NewForm.aspx or EditForm.aspx.

When you click on OK or Submit in NewForm.aspx or EditForm.aspx, it will execute following script to submit the data into SharePoint DB.

if (!PreSaveItem()) return false;
WebForm_DoPostBackWithOptions(new WebForm_PostBackOptions(<>, '', true, '', '', false, true))
theForm.submit();


So, if you want to add custom validation or script before submiting, then add a Content Editor WebPart in the same page with following script.

< language="javascript">
var submitButton = document.getElementById("<>")
submitButton.onclick = updateButton;

function updateButton()
{
//
// Add custom code to validate a page or any other functionality
// which needs to be performed before submiting a page
//

if (!PreSaveItem()) return false;
WebForm_DoPostBackWithOptions(new WebForm_PostBackOptions(<>, '', true, '', '', false, true))
theForm.submit();
}
< / script>


in the sameway, you can add confirmation message for cancel button

function updateCancelButton()
{
var conf = confirm("Are you sure you want to cancel?");
if (conf)
{
STSNavigate('\u002f');return false;
WebForm_DoPostBackWithOptions(new WebForm_PostBackOptions(<>, '', true, '', '', false, true))
}
}

I hope this helps. Happy coding...

Read More

SharePoint Customization

Here is the procedure to customize Multiline text box and Multi select box in MOSS 2007.

• To increase the size of Multiline textbox, modify width in .ms-long class.

If you want only modify in one page then add a content editor Webpart in the page and place the following code inside.

This will change only in that particular page. If you want this change to apply for the entire portal then modify Core.css file.

• To increase the height and width of Multiple selection list box. Then you have to modify “SPHtmlSelect_Adjust” function in

“C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\TEMPLATE\LAYOUTS\GroupedItemPicker.js”.

function SPHtmlSelect_Adjust(oSelect)

{

var oDiv=oSelect.parentNode;

if (oDiv.tagName !="DIV")

return;

if (oSelect.options.length <>

oSelect.size=20;

else

oSelect.size=oSelect.options.length;

var widthDiv=oDiv.clientWidth;

var widthSel=oSelect.offsetWidth;

if (widthSel <>

{

oSelect.style.width=widthDiv+"px";

}

if (oSelect.selectedIndex <>

return;

var pos=Math.round((oSelect.selectedIndex * oDiv.scrollHeight / oSelect.size));

if (pos <>

{

oDiv.scrollTop=pos;

}

else if (pos > Math.round(oDiv.scrollTop+oDiv.clientHeight - (oDiv.scrollHeight / oSelect.size)))

{

oDiv.scrollTop=Math.round(pos - oDiv.clientHeight+(oDiv.scrollHeight / oSelect.size));

}

}

Read More