Javascript Error when visit SharePoint site

I got a email yesterday about this strange behavior on certain machines trying to access SharePoint and got a Javascript error message as below.

After searching the web the top 2 result shows that this is not a isolated case. From this MSDN Forum response, its seems that the client machine’s Office installation has problem and the user need to do a installation repair. To do this, go to Add & Remove program in Control Panel, click on Office and choose the Repair option.

I remember reading a Javascript code from my SharePoint installation that there is a checking of the client Office installation and it’s version. So it’s just my judgement that I suspect this part of the Javascript code couldn’t access the Office’s DLL files and thus return the error.

MVC models in .NET platform

Devx has a tutorial on the coming ASP.NET MVC framework.It is to be released as part of the ASP.NET 3.5 Extension. Those familiar with Java Struts will find it nontrivial to code.

Now that the web platform of .NET has a MVC model, I am waiting for Acropolis or Smart Client Software Factory to be RTMed for Visual Studio 2008. As of now, Acropolis will stop their CTP release and become part of future .NET Framework release. So if you work on a project which will over go live the next 2 years, then Acropolis is a good bet. But if you have immediate needs then SmartClient Software Factory is the immediate solution now.

Develop OBA on Windows Server 2008 & Visual Studio 2008

From 25th to 27th March 2008, I will be conducted a class for Certified Partners in Malaysia on creating Office Business Applications with the latest Visual Studio 2008 (VSTO 3.0) on top of Windows Server 2008. Windows Server 2008 will be something new to me so I will create a series of blogs on how to setup an SharePoint 2007 + Office 2007 development environment on WS08 later. So stay tuned.

To find out more about the launch of latest Windows Server, SQL Server and Visual Studio check it out here.

Can’t get enough of VSeVSS? Get SmartTemplate then

Jan Tielens who created the SmartPart project came up with another SharePoint project called SmartTemplate. Similar to VSeWSS, SmartTemplate ease the development of SharePoint projects by automating the creating of configurations file with wizards and tools. Further more, by integrating SharePoint Installer, a setup program is created for you as well, giving developers more automation without using STSADM to install the feature. Best of all, it is running inside VS2008!!

Download the project here, it is just v0.2 but can be used to created SmartPart and WebPart project. More are in the todo list, i.e. Event Handler and Application Page project.

Here is the demo video I download from the CodePlex page.

 

[YouTube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xSb305Q30E]
YouTube – SharePoint SmartTemplate demo

SharePoint tips and tricks – 20 Feb 08

Spent a day with one of my partner to help them look into some SharePoint issues they face. They want to do quite a lot of customization on the CAML part do I manage to dig out some resources for them.

1. Dynamic Query on CAML

CAML inside SharePoint ASPX view pages are static, meaning they are based on fixed numbers of parameters. You can have it dynamic with some coding on the ASPX page. Robert Wheeler got a good post here.
http://www.sharepointblogs.com/wheeler/pages/dynamic-caml-query.aspx

2. Don’t like CAML? What about SharePoint dataview?

As a SharePoint developer, a lot of the time when users asked for a feature, the first thing we might do is fire off Visual Studio (after the requirement la). But little known to developers, SharePoint Designer offers a powerful tool not just for workflow authoring but also creating custom SharePoint view called data view. Ian from Intergen has a nice demo on this.
http://www.wssdemo.com/Pages/flash/SimpleDVWP.htm

3. Complex filter on SharePoint view

Back in the SharePoint 2003 days, there is a tutorial on DevX showing developers how to create a custom webpart which acts as dynamic parameter input and with the click on submit the view will be refreshed based on parameter entered in the webpart. It is not working for WSS 3.0 or MOSS 2007 but the idea is worth exploring, I will post again if there is any update on this.
http://www.devx.com/dotnet/Article/31762/1954?pf=true

4. SharePont goodies

Mention about Intergen and I remember the website they maintained which has all the goodies from tools and tutorial on SharePoint development.
http://www.wssdemo.com/Pages/technologyresources.aspx?View={4F7FE54C-0C1D-458C-84FD-6150B68AFCEB}&SelectedID=32

5. Bloat up your SharePoint site and stress test your SharePoint site

Found from the Intergen side is a useful little utility that automatically populates data in your SharePoint site. you can skip hours or writing scripts and mannually adding data to your site.

http://www.codeplex.com/sptdatapop

6. Managing your list

Another tool I found which do quite a few cool things

Column

• create LookUp-columns who looks in lists of other web on same server
• make a column readonly, hidden or undeleteable
• manage where the column are displayed (e.g.: new or edit mode)

List

• attach or remove EventHandler to Lists
• prevent a list for deletion
• make a list invisible

All

• edit all possible settings (Advanced – Mode)

http://www.codeplex.com/WSSListConfigurator

7. SharePoint integration tips from MS CRM folks

MS CRM is one of the most well integrated product with sharepoint and experted provides tips like creating custom fields which look up other data source or creating folders programmatically based on MS CRM (or any LOB) data.

8. Back to earth… err… back to CAML

People don’t call Karine Bosch the CAML girl for fun, she created tonnes of tools for CAML editing and 2 of the best are here:

CAML Query Builder v2.0 (Winform)
http://www.u2u.net/Res/Article.aspx?ART=camlquerybuilderv2

CAML Query Builder Feature (As a SharePoint feature and web based)
http://www.u2u.info/Blogs/karine/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=14

9 Like CAML yet? But lazy to learn?

There is a upcoming project which enables LINQ to work on SharePoint. Although the actual usage of LINQ for SharePoint is different CAML, it is worthy to try it out.

http://www.codeplex.com/LINQtoSharePoint

Return of HP Jornada!!

When I first saw the photo of HP latest UMPC, I thought it is a Jornada, a WindowsCE powered handheld device before being replaced by iPaq. Could be motivated by Asus’ success with Eee PC, HP own UMPC specification is still unknown but there is some photos here.

Now guess which one is the granddaddy of UMPC?

 

Hiding Task Pane programmatically with VSTO

Today I struggled for some time to figure out how to control the visibility of custom task pane in Excel 2007. I had done quite a few Word 2007 addin projects but this is the first time I try to do it in Excel.

In Word 2007 with VSTO 3.0 (that comes with VS2008) to hiding the custom task pane I would add this in the Click event code

Me.Application.TaskPanes(Word.WdTaskPanes.wdTaskPaneDocumentActions).Visible = False

But with Excel 2007 it is different. You have use the DisplayDocumentActionTaskPane class

Me.Application.DisplayDocumentActionTaskPane = False

I found the solution in the MSDN article here.

Just FYI, adding a action pane is same for both application using the following method

Me.ActionsPane.Controls.Add(actions)

Introducing Ervin Loh @Start.NET

Ervin is my long time friend dating back to the days when he was my senior in Stamford College. A experience developer on multiple platforms from J2EE to .NET, he bring along years of hands on experience seldom found in trainers. Passionate about technologies he always try his best to seek answer to students’ questions in the class.

He is currently involve in Microsoft Malaysia’s Start.NET program and in a course writer as well as pioneer in Move Up to the Paradigm: From PHP & JSP to ASP.NET 2.0 course. Check out his blog about samples of migrating from PHP & JSP to .NET. There is a post for Spring developers.

Web Services exposed by SharePoint (WSS & MOSS)

A Java architect talked to me recently about his intention to make use of features within SharePoint (i.e. Search, Workflow, Excel Services calculation, Business Data Catalog…) from his Java app. One solution is making the Java app as a client to SharePoint’s range of web services. Below is the list he requested on features in SharePoint that are exposed as web services.

For Windows SharePoint Services 3.0

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms479390.aspx

For Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms542012.aspx

Return of SmartPart 1.3 and SharePoint Installer

Jan Tielen give SharePoint developers a nice Valentine gift yesterday when he takes Return of SmartPart 1.3 out of beta. Quoted from his blog, “For those of you who don’t know the SmartPart: it’s a generic web part wrapper for SharePoint 2007 which can host any ASP.NET Web User Controls. So basically you can build web parts by using the Visual Studio designers instead of having to write all the code by hand.” Now it gives you the capability to develop AJAX enable webpart easily. Download it here and below is the tutorial on setting up SmartPart 1.3.

[YouTube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc2PhmOFUiQ]
YouTube – Deploy and setup SmartPart 1.3

Look mum!! No more STSADM command for SharePoint feature installation!! Thanks to a CodePlex project called SharePoint Installer, you can create a setup file which also let you decide which SharePoint site to activate your Sharepoint Feature.