SharePoint Site Definitions by a real web designer...

Raphael Londner — Wed, 17 Aug 2005 17:55:00 GMT

Did you ever wonder to see a WSS site that really doesnt look like a WSS site? And a site that has not been obviously built with FrontPage 2003?

If so, you might want to check out http://www.graphicalwonder.com, written by the Creative Lead/Marketing for Information Worker Solutions at InfoTech Canada...

Last time I checked we were promised a WSS site definition that will look like that:

How to easily and quickly install the WSS Applications templates

Raphael Londner — Fri, 05 Aug 2005 11:15:00 GMT

Update: There was a small bug in the install_templates.bat file, you can now download the updated files from here. (I have also added an uninstall_templates.bat file, btw).

Since most SharePoint bloggers have already mentioned and posted about the WSS Applications templates Microsoft has just made available as free downloads here. BTW, it looks like MS subcontracted the delivery of these 30 templates to Quilogy (just look at the InfoPath Submit to SharePoint connections ;-) .

I won't go over the list again but just provide a few script files for those who would like to install them all and then create 1 site per template. Installing 30 templates and then creating 30 sites is a quite lenghty and boring process so I thought I could help you out a little bit (there are indeed 60 site templates as each application is shipped with a "basic" template based on the standard WSS look and a "custom" template with a more trendy look).

To take advantage of my script files, you'll thus have to do the following:

1. Download ALL the WSS templates from http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/sppt/wssapps/default.mspx

2. Unpack them all to C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\60\BIN

3. Download my bat files from here and unzip them to C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\60\BIN

4. Run the install_templates.bat file first (you will notice that I don't follow MS recommendations and I prefer to install them with stsadm.exe so that I can use them from all my site collections).

5. Edit the create_sites.bat file and replace http://localhost/sites/apps with whatever URL you want to use. I personally preferred to create my custom sites under a single site collection because it's easier to have a consolidated view of all of them using a treeview webpart like Tom's smartpart).

5 bis. IF you have previously installed site templates with stsadm, you will not be able to run create_sites.bat as is, because it assumes there are no other template installed with stsadm (I learnt it the hard way...). So you'll need to run stsadm -o enumtemplates to get the number of the globally installed template (something like _GLOBAL#3 if you have already installed 3 global templates) and then replace in create_sites.bat _GLOBAL#1 with _GLOBAL_#4, _GLOBAL#2 with _GLOBAL_#5, and so on... I know it's a pain, I know this issue could easily be solved with a intelligent macro in Excel, but I'm just too lazy to do it right now...

6. Run create_sites.bat and go get a coffee or two (depending on your server performance) ;-)

When you're back, you should be all set!

Enjoy...

SharePoint impersonation with COM+ Components

Raphael Londner — Thu, 04 Aug 2005 01:19:00 GMT

I have posted a fairly long article about this tricky subject on : http://blogs.microsoft.fr/rlondner/articles/7089.aspx

You can download the sample code from here.

Quelques webparts simples mais sympathiques...

Raphael Londner — Fri, 27 May 2005 17:07:00 GMT

...glanées sur Internet à la page suivante : http://www.asaris-matrix.com/sweber/playground/Downloads/Forms/AllItems.aspx

Et pour tester ces webparts : http://www.asaris-matrix.com/sweber/playground/demo/default.aspx

Enjoy !

SharePoint Technologies

SharePoint Site Definitions by a real web designer...

How to easily and quickly install the WSS Applications templates

SharePoint impersonation with COM+ Components

Quelques webparts simples mais sympathiques...