So you want the Content Query Web Part but you're running into issues implementing it... First let’s go over what the web part does. A great overview is provided by the Microsoft ECM Team: Configuring and Customizing the Content Query Web Part. To summarize, the web part shows content from your site or aggregated content from multiple sites in a collection based on a query. You also have the ability to filter and apply additional rules to the query. Here’s another nice Content Query Web Part Overview from Microsoft’s SharePoint Designer page.Ok, so you’re using one of the default templates that display the Content Query Web Part by default. As a crafty MOSS administrator, you’ve gone to your Site Settings -> Manage Web Parts and added the Content Query Web Part manually but it still doesn’t work. You’ve cursed and grumbled and you’ve googled away. You now realize you need the Publishing Feature or the appropriate template to make it work but when you try to enable the Publishing Feature you run into the following error:
'One or more features must be turned on before this feature can be activated: Office SharePoint Server Publishing Infrastructure'
So now you’re here and will find the information to make this your final stop to resolve the issue.
Issue Details
I am trying to enable the 'Office SharePoint Server Publishing' feature on a site collection through: Site Settings > Site Administration > Site features
When I click the 'Activate' button I get the following message: 'One or more features must be turned on before this feature can be activated: Office SharePoint Server Publishing Infrastructure'
There is no option to activate the 'Office SharePoint Server Publishing Infrastructure' feature in the 'Site features' list.
I opened Central Admin and went to Application Management > Manage Web application features, however, there is still no option to activate 'Office SharePoint Server Publishing Infrastructure'
Resolution
After some digging and research I found that the 'Office SharePoint Server Publishing Infrastructure' site feature won’t appear unless you are explicitly set as a Site Collection Administrator, regardless of being set as ‘site owner.’ This can be a common issue if you are in an organization where the IT folks have the keys to the kingdom. Once added as a Site Collection Administrator in SharePoint Central Admin, you can see and then enable the feature at the top level. Phew… a relief! The Publishing Infrastructure Feature appeared as you can see in the screenshot below.
Note: Also verify that the user appears in Site Settings -> Site Collection Administrators.
However, if you run into an Access Denied error (seen in the screenshot below), this can typically be resolved by following the steps indicated here or referring to the IT folks who may have the elevated rights you need:
http://blog.thekid.me.uk/archive/2007/02/05/activating-office-sharepoint-server-publishing-infrastructure-access-denied.aspx
Additional Information
· Ishai Sagi [MVP] has created an enhanced content query web part, which now has properties that expose the Common View Fields to the user in the web interface, so there is no longer need to export-import. http://www.sharepoint-tips.com/2007/06/adding-custom-fields-to-enhanced.html
· Check out Heather Solomon’s [MVP] article: Customizing the Content Query Web Part and Custom Item Styles