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How to move Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) Databases from one SQL server to another SQL server

Unclaimed Blog — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 01:11:00 GMT

I. Note the database names for the Windows SharePoint Services Configuration and Content databases. To do this: a. Stop the Default Web Site on the WSS server in IIS. b. On the Windows SharePoint Services server, go to Start , Administrative Tools , SharePoint...(read more)

Posted on SharePoint Blogs

Troubleshooting Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0 Issues on Windows Server 2003 SP1

Unclaimed Blog — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 20:21:00 GMT

The following information may help you with your IIS sites you plan to migrate to Windows Server 2003 SP1 with IIS 6.0.

KB Articles

Disable the loopback check

Windows Server 2003 SP1 include a loopback check security feature that is designed to help prevent reflection attacks on your computer. Therefore, authentication fails if the FQDN that you use does not match the local computer name.

You receive error 401.1 when you browse a Web site that uses Integrated Authentication and is hosted on IIS 5.1 or IIS 6

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;896861

Users receive an authentication prompt, enter their user and password credentials, then get prompted two more time and failing to a 401.2 error.

IIS log files were reporting failure on all files listed in the virtual directories under the site

Cause

The virtual directories and files permissions are not being inherited by the site.

Workaround

Set the site’s Directory Security to Basic Authentication to push inheritance, and then set back to Integrated Windows authentication. You should receive a prompt to propagate permissions to the virtual directories. If so, select all then OK. You may receive this prompt one more time. Try to access the site to see if you can access the site without a login prompt.

If the problem continues, remove all permissions on the Web Sites directory’s Directory Security. You should receive a prompt to propagate permissions to the virtual directories. If so, select all then OK. You may receive this prompt one more time. Once the permissions are inherited to all sites and virtual directories, set the Web Sites directory back to Enable anonymous access. Try to access the site to see if you can access the site without a login prompt.

Enabling HTTP Keep-Alives (IIS 6.0)

Most Web browsers request that the server keep the client connection open while the server sends multiple elements (.htm files and .gif or .jpeg files) to the client. Keeping the client connection open in this way is referred to as an HTTP Keep-Alive. Keep-Alive is an HTTP specification that improves server performance. HTTP Keep-Alives are enabled by default.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/WindowsServer2003/Library/IIS/d7e13ea5-4350-497e-ba34-b25c0e9efd68.mspx

IIS 6.0 References

Frequently Asked Questions About IIS 6.0

http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/community/centers/iis/iis6_faq.mspx

Interne Information Services (IIS) 6.0 Resource Kit

(THIS ONE IS A GREAT RESOURCE!!!!)

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=80a1b6e6-829e-49b7-8c02-333d9c148e69&DisplayLang=en

Default permissions and user rights for IIS 6.0

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=812614

401.1 and 401.2-Authentication Problems (IIS 6.0)

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/WindowsServer2003/Library/IIS/8feeaa51-c634-4de3-bfdc-e922d195a45e.mspx

Authentication may fail with "401.3" Error if Web site's "Host Header" differs from server's NetBIOS name

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=294382

You receive an "HTTP Error 401.1 - Unauthorized: Access is denied due to invalid credentials" error message when you try to access a Web site that is part of an IIS 6.0 application pool

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;871179

Configuring Launch Permissions for COM+ Server Objects (IIS 6.0)

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/WindowsServer2003/Library/IIS/fd24c76b-a8d7-4033-8e31-6dbe236d92f7.mspx

Application Launch Issues (DCOM)

http://support.installshield.com/kb/view.asp?articleid=Q104986

Improving Performance of IIS 6.0 Applications (Reid A Blog)

http://reidablog.blogspot.com/2005/07/improving-performance-of-iis-60.htm

DNS References

Fixing Replication DNS Lookup Problems (Event IDs 1925, 2087, 2088)

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/library/Operations/43e6f617-fb49-4bb4-8561-53310219f997.mspx

IIS 6.0 Troubleshooting Tools

AuthDiag 1.0 http://msmvps.com/bernard/archive/2004/09/02/12722.aspx

IIS Log Files - Start=>Run=>Type logfiles=>Go To directory that hosts IIS site

Fiddler – HTTP Debugging Proxy Tool - http://www.fiddlertool.com/fiddler/

For Detailed information on the following tools, see 24_CHAPTER_11_Troubleshooting_IIS_6.0.doc of the Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0 Resource Kit

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=80a1b6e6-829e-49b7-8c02-333d9c148e69&DisplayLang=en

WFetch (WFetch.exe). This tool allows you to generate customized HTTP requests and view request and response data.

Microsoft Network SMS Network Monitor (NetMon2) Captures Network Traffic

File Monitor (FileMon.exe). This tool allows you to view and capture real-time file system activity.

Registry Monitor (RegMon.exe). This tool allows you to view and capture real-time system registry activity.

IIS Enterprise Tracing for Windows. This tool allows you to enable tracing for various providers. IIS includes a set of providers that can be used to troubleshoot various internal processes in addition to application performance. IIS Enterprise Tracing for Windows is new in Windows Server 2003. Logman.exe and Tracerpt.exe are the tools used to enable IIS ETW tracing.

Network Monitor. This network tracing utility allows you to view activity in the network stack. Network Monitor is included with Windows Server 2003.

System Monitor. This tool allows you to view and collect system performance data. System Monitor is included with Windows Server 2003.

HRPlus. This tool provides error lookup functionality.

Microsoft Debugging Tools for Windows. This tool allows you to debug and diagnose application problems.

Hopefully this will help you out.

Posted on SharePoint Blogs

Projects and Managing Them - Open Discussion

Unclaimed Blog — Fri, 10 Jun 2005 20:07:00 GMT

I have been thinking about how to manage projects. There is of course, MS Project, but I am talking about all the projects and tasks that I need to keep track of. On a given project, if I am managing the project, I try to use tools to keep track of everything: Phase the project out, break tasks into smaller tasks, etc. The tools I may use range from a network drive for my files, OneNote, SharePoint Issues List: Sorted by priority, and emails.

SharePoint is great for collaboration, MS Project is great for projects, but there doesn’t seem to be a tool that I have seen that will allow me to manage all of my projects both small and large, tasks, ideas, etc. I’m looking for a one stop shop. I have been pondering on making a SharePoint Project Dashboard that all departments can use. I have some ideas, but I thought I would put my thoughts out there and get some feedback on what others are doing.

Please feel free to send me ideas or how you manage all your projects. It seems to be the missing tool that most people would use.

I started working on my Project Dashboard, and I’ll post my results when I’m done.

Thanks,

~Brian

Posted on SharePoint Blogs

Sharepoint User Group meeting that will be held tomorrow!

Unclaimed Blog — Thu, 12 May 2005 21:00:00 GMT

I wanted to send out a reminder for the Sharepoint User Group meeting that will be held tomorrow!

Our next SPS User Group meeting is scheduled for TOMORROW May 12th from 12-1:30pm, and back by popular demand is your fellow user group member Brian Carlson! Brian will lead a focused discussion/demo around Sharepoint and FrontPage integration. The detailed agenda includes:

Noon-1pm: In-depth look at Sharepoint/FrontPage integration

WSS Customization
Web Part Customization
Web Part Connections
Conditional Formatting
Web Part Zones
Converting Web Parts to XSLT
and more ...

1pm-1:30pm: Q&A

The meeting is located at One Market Suite 200 in San Francisco. Directions to Microsoft’s San Francisco office can be found here:

http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/info/usaoffices/northernca/sanfrancisco.asp

For those of you who can not make it in person, the live meeting information is included at the bottom of this email.

For additional information regarding the Sharepoint User Group, please visit our website:

http://nbaysps.sharepointsite.com/default.aspx

Thanks,

Angie Hammell

Microsoft Corporation

Information Worker Technology Specialist

Northern California

angelham@microsoft.com

310-920-7503

-+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-

Angela Hammell has invited you to attend a Microsoft Office Live Meeting.

Join Meeting

Meeting Details

    Subject:                         SPS User Group - May 12th - Sharepoint/FrontPage Integration
    Meeting URL:                     https://www.livemeeting.com/rm/microsoft/join
    Meeting ID:                      SPSUSER
    Attendee Key:                    SPSATTEND
    Role:                            Attendee
    Audio Conferencing (Toll-free): +1 (866) 500-6738
    Participant Code:                641076

This Office Live Meeting invitation is a personal invitation meant only for you.
It should not be forwarded. If you received this email by mistake or
require Live Meeting Assistance, please refer to the Live Meeting Assistance Center at
http://r.office.microsoft.com/r/rlidLiveMeeting?p1=7&p2=en_US&p3=LMInfo&p4=support

Take your meetings live! Microsoft Office Live Meeting is an industry leading real-time web collaboration service and you can see for yourself with our 15 day FREE TRIAL! Click on:
www.microsoft.com/meetlive
to sign up now! Or, for more information, visit:
www.microsoft.com/livemeeting.

Posted on SharePoint Blogs

I will be presenting at the next Bay Area SPS Users Group - Topic: SharePoint and FrontPage Integration

Unclaimed Blog — Sun, 01 May 2005 19:58:00 GMT

Bay Area SPS USer Group - http://nbaysps.sharepointsite.com/

Next User Group Meeting - SharePoint and FrontPage Integration
by Angie Hammell

May 12th from 12:00PM to 1:30 PM - The Landmark @ 1 Market, Suite 200 (Microsoft SF Office)

Our next user group meeting will be held on May 12th, and back by popular demand is your fellow user group member Brian Carlson! Brian will be presenting the integration between Front Page and Sharepoint. He will focus on the following topics:

Noon-1pm: In-depth look at Sharepoint/FrontPage integration

WSS Customization
Web Part Customization
Web Part Connections
Conditional Formatting
Web Part Zones
Converting Web Parts to XSLT
and more ...

1pm-1:30pm: Q&A

The meeting is located at One Market Suite 200 in San Francisco. Directions to Microsoft’s San Francisco office can be found here:

http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/info/usaoffices/northernca/sanfrancisco.asp

For those of you who can not make it in person, the live meeting information is included at the bottom of this email.

For additional information regarding the Sharepoint User Group, please visit our website:

http://nbaysps.sharepointsite.com/default.aspx

~Brian

Posted on SharePoint Blogs

InfoPath: Mini-Knowledge Base - Decision Tree Based Form - Decision tree based on how questions are answered

Unclaimed Blog — Sat, 18 Dec 2004 00:20:00 GMT

I had a request for a complex form that needed to have questions appear based on how the user answers questions.

With a standard form you would need to create multiple forms for each scenario. Using the following instructions, you can sink your multiple scenarios into one form.

This form is like a mini knowledge base or decision tree. The top questions of the form are for information gathering, then a key question or (Branch Question) is asked that determines the path the user takes. In my form, there is one top-level Branch Question and depending on the path, the users are asked several other Sub-Branch Questions taking them on different paths within one path.

I created this form using components form my previous Blogs entries and then adding the Branch Questions. I used the Branch Questions with Hidden Sections and Conditional Formatting Rules for questions and answers. I thought I would be able to use the Hide this control option, but this option only grays out the radio button but not the Value when selected: field. I found the answer by adding questions that I want to hide in a section, and hiding the section based on the rules I created. By default, I hide all hidden sections. Once a user selects an answer on a Branch Question the question(s) in the hidden section appears. If they deselect the answer, the question(s) is hidden again.

The mini knowledge base or decision tree based form is very confusion trying to get it to work properly. I suggest you Visio the form out using if then paths. This will help you work out the rules.

Path A:

Top-Level Branch Question: Which path would you like to take?

· A

· B

· C

· D

Section (Not Hidden)
Sub-Branch Question 1: If A is selected un-hide this Section

· a

· b

· c

· d

Section (Hidden)
Sub-Branch Question 1: If a is selected hide this Section

Sub-Section (Not Hidden)
Sub-Branch Question 2: If b is selected un-hide this Section

Section (Hidden)
Sub-Branch Question 2: If B is selected hide this Section

Section (Hidden)
Sub-Branch Question 3: If C is selected hide this Section

Section (Hidden)
Sub-Branch Question 4: If D is selected hide this Section

Path D:

Top-Level Branch Question: Which path would you like to take?

· A

· B

· C

· D

Section (Hidden)
Sub-Branch Question 1: If A is selected hide this Section

Section (Hidden)
Sub-Branch Question 2: If B is selected hide this Section

Section (Hidden)
Sub-Branch Question 3: If C is selected hide this Section

Section (Not hidden)
Sub-Branch Question 4: If D is selected un-hide this Section

· a

· b

· c

· d

Sub-Section (Not Hidden)
Sub-Branch Question 4: If d is selected un-hide this Section

How to Hide Sub-Level Branch Questions that reside in sections: This can be tedious.

How to hide all sections by default: Using Path A

1. Add a Section control to the form.

2. Add your Sub-Branch Question inside the Section. (i.e. Sub-Branch Question 2: If B is selected hide this Section).

3. Double click on the Section to access Section Properties.

4. Click on the Display Tab.

5. Click on the Conditional Formatting… button.

6. Click Add…

7. Under If this condition is true: Select the Top-Level Question field.

8. Then select Is blank.

9. Check the Hide this control then click on OK.

How to hide Sub-Branch Questions that are not selected at the Top-Level Branch Question: Using Path A

1. Add a Section control to the form.

2. Add your Sub-Branch Question inside the Section. (i.e. Sub-Branch Question 2: If B is selected hide this Section).

3. Double click on the Section to access Section Properties.

4. Click on the Display Tab.

5. Click on the Conditional Formatting… button.

6. Click Add…

7. Under If this condition is true: select the Top-Level Branch Question field.

8. Select Is equal to.

9. Select answer (B) to the Sub-Level Branch Question that you want to hide the corresponding Sub-Branch Question. (i.e. Sub-Branch Question 2).

10. Select “or”.

11. Then repeat steps 7 through 10 for each answer to the Top-Level Question (C and D).

12. Then select Is blank.

13. Check the Hide this control then click on OK.

How to hide Sub-Branch Questions that are not selected at the Sub-Level Branch Question: Using Path A

To create a Sub-Branch within a Sub-Branch you need to add multiple sections. Each section will host the same question, but the answers will be different. I named the sections by question name and Option 1, 2 and 3.

1. Add a Section control to the form.

2. Add your Sub-Branch Question inside the Section. (i.e. Sub-Branch Question a: If B is selected hide this Section).

3. Double click on the Section to access Section Properties.

4. Click on the Display Tab.

5. Click on the Conditional Formatting… button.

6. Click Add…

7. Under If this condition is true: select the Sub-Level Branch Question field.

8. Select Is equal to.

9. Select answer (a) to the Sub-Level Branch Question that you want to hide the corresponding Sub-Branch Question. (i.e. Sub-Branch Question 1).

10. Select “or”.

11. Then repeat steps 7 through 10 for each answer to the Sub-Level Question (c and d).

12. Then select Is blank.

13. Check the Hide this control then click on OK.

I hope this helps!

~Brian

Posted on SharePoint Blogs

InfoPath Sharepoint site screen shot

Unclaimed Blog — Fri, 03 Sep 2004 03:48:00 GMT

Per the request of Pedro Serrano, I took a screen shot of my SharePoint home page.to support the following Blog entries.

InfoPath Submit Button: File Naming Convention - Monday, August 23, 2004

InfoPath Job Request Forms - Tuesday, August 17, 2004

This shot displays three web parts that are connected and formatted in FrontPage 2003, I erased a few items, but you will get the idea. All this infomation is generated on the fly based on current jobs submitted with InfoPath forms.

~Brian

Posted on SharePoint Blogs

InfoPath Submit Button: File Naming Convention

Unclaimed Blog — Mon, 23 Aug 2004 23:17:00 GMT

I added a Submit button at the bottom of my InfoPath form. InfoPath allows rules, so I used the following rules: “Submit using data a connection” and “Close this form: No Prompt.”

Using the “Submit using data a connection” I added this formula - concat(RequestBy, "_", Project, "_", today()) - to create a custom naming convention for my form to distinguish the forms in a list. Sample: Brian Carlson_Project_2004-23-2003.xml. Then I used “Close this form: No Prompt.” to close the form after the Submit button has been pressed.

NOTE: RequestedBy and Project are fields I added to the form. You can use what ever fields make sense for the naming convention for your form.

~Brian

Posted on SharePoint Blogs

InfoPath Job Request Forms

Unclaimed Blog — Tue, 17 Aug 2004 21:01:00 GMT

I've been busy, and haven't had time to Blog. .I have been playing around with InfoPath, and I like it.

I created a complex form for job requests that have various stages of approval. We enabled the Event Handler for the form library, so any changes made to the form will trigger emails to all parties involved providing the fields that have been completed in the form.

When an InfoPath form created, you now have access to the form as a web part. I simple added the web part several time to the team site's home page. I used FrontPage 2003 to expose the current jobs sorted by date and priority. The remaining web parts simply state the schedule and the tasks. Using web part connections, I linked the schedule and the tasks to the open job requests web part. This allows users to see a quick dashboard of the jobs. They can click on the open jobs and see the details of the schedule and tasks without opening the InfoPath form.

More to come on InfoPath forms.

~Brian

Posted on SharePoint Blogs

Data Source Catalog and Lists

Unclaimed Blog — Fri, 07 May 2004 00:22:00 GMT

SharePoint is great when it comes to one stop shop for updating lists. When creating a WSS site, navigation to team sites, common links are needed on many sites within and outside a site collection. I created a Quick Links web part by creating a custom list with Category (Text), Sub Category (Text) and reference (Hyperlink). I collapse the list by Category show Sub Category and Reference. Once the Quick Links web part is to my liking, I open a site within or outside the site collection, and can use the Data Catalog in FrontPage 2003, by clicking on Manage catalog..., then entering the site name and URL to connect to all items from that site. Using FrontPage I have to modify the web part to my liking, but once this is setup, the Quick Links is updated in one site, and all sites the Quick Links is added two is a read only version and updated on the fly. This will reduce the time needed to update each Quick Links on the other sites.

Adding a Read Only copy of Quick Links to another WSS site.
Create a Quick Links using a custom list. See my “Creating Quick Links” Blog
Link the sites using the Data Source Catalog:

Open the site you want to add the copy of Quick Links to in FrontPage 2003.
In the Task Pane, Open Data Source Catalog.
Click on Manage catalog.
Click on Add
In Display Name:, enter the name of the site where Quick Links resides.
In Location:, enter the URL of the same site.
Click on OK.

Add the copy of Quick Links to the site.

In Data Source Catalog
Expand the site
Expand SharePoint Lists
Highlight the Zone where you want to add Quick Links.
From the drop down menu on Quick Links under SharePoint Lists, select Insert Data View.
Format the Quick Links web part to look like the Quick Links on the main site. See “Creating Quick Links”.

Save the page in FrontPage and test.
Repeat the above steps for each site you Quick Links to Appear.
To edit and update quick links, simple go to the original site and click on the Quick Links link and update as needed.

Posted on SharePoint Blogs

Creating Quick Links

Unclaimed Blog — Thu, 06 May 2004 23:58:00 GMT

1. Create a custom list using the following fields: Category (Text), Sub Category (Text) and reference (Hyperlink)

2. Add some categories and links. I use Sub Categories to differentiate links and to bunch common types of links together (i.e. Help (Category) – SharePoint (Sub-Category) link name (Hyperlink)

3. Create a Quick Links view -

a. Name - Quick Links

b. Columns – Category, Sub Category, Reference, Edit (link to edit items)

c. Sort – Sub Category, Reference

d. Group By – Category, Collapsed

e. Click on OK.

4. Then add the Quick Links web part to your home page, and launch FrontPage 2003.

5. Right click on the Quick Links web part, and select List View Properties.

6. Under Manage view settings change the following:

Fields – Sub Category and Reference
Style, Options Tab – Uncheck Show Toolbar with options for:
Sort & Group – Category

7. Right click on the Quick Links web part and select Convert to XSLT Data View

8. Under Manage view settings change the following:

· Sort & Group – Category

9. Converting to XSLT Data View allows you to move items to any cell you want.

10. I modify the following:

· Delete Category: next to the plus sign

· Change the cell color from gray to white

· Change the color of the Category name next to the plus sign

· Change the color of the Sub Category name

· Delete the column names and cell under the Quick Links bar

11. Save the page and test.

Posted on SharePoint Blogs

Post It Wall

Unclaimed Blog — Wed, 05 May 2004 03:17:00 GMT

I created a Post It Wall with SharePoint. I created a custom list with the following fields:

Subject - Drop down list with Project, Idea, Note, Thoughts, Suggestion, etc
Note: - Rich Text - 10 rows
Date Started
Date Completed
Created by and Date
Modified by and Date

Using FrontPage 2003 to set List View Details, then I converted the list to XSLT Dataview. I modified the list using tables and cells to make each note to appear as a post it note. I sorted the list via subject and collapsed the list. The list appears as a collapsed list, but when you expand a subject, each entry in that subject is a yellow post it note.

Here are some screen shots.

Upload Form

Collapsed View

Expanded View

Posted on SharePoint Blogs

Microsoft® 8009 Web-based Training Course

Unclaimed Blog — Wed, 05 May 2004 03:16:00 GMT

I found this on the Microsoft site and reviewed this awhile back. This is a great tool for Site Authors and Coordinators. I linked this course off the SharePoint Users Group (WSS site) I created.

Microsoft® 8009 Web-based Training Course

Managing Portals and Collaboration with Microsoft® SharePoint™ Products and Technologies 2003

This Web-based training course tells you how to set up, customize, and manage a SharePoint Portal site using SharePoint Portal Server and Windows SharePoint Services.

~Brian

Posted on SharePoint Blogs

Welcome to my SharePoint Blog!

Unclaimed Blog — Wed, 05 May 2004 03:14:00 GMT

Hello All,

I've been using SharePoint Beta Technical Refresh since last March and we went RTM last Fall. We are using SharePoint Portal and WSS, but mostly using WSS for department collaboration. I will be posting tools, tips, tricks, links, and solutions.

I am working with Microsoft and a few other SharePoint users in creating an SF Bay Area SharePoint Users Group. We are planning our first meeting next month. I'll keep you posted.

Dustin, thanks for setting me up.

~Brian

Posted on SharePoint Blogs