SharePoint 2007 site templates not appearing into SharePoint 2010

I have came across situation in which after MOSS 2007 to SharePoint 2010 migration – site templates are not appearing while creating new site in 2010, then I have figured out that .STP (site template file) concept has been removed in SharePoint 2010, so for saving any site template in 2010 we need to save file as .WSP which will automatically save solution to solution gallery page and then we need to activate that site template to be appear while creating new sites in SharePoint 2010.

Here are some reference link which talks about how to create site templates in 2010

http://www.learningsharepoint.com/2010/06/20/moving-site-template-stp-files-to-sharepoint-2010/

http://collab.rdacorp.com/2010/01/sharepoint-2010-custom-site-template.html

Insufficient SQL database permissions for user on SQL Server instance, the EXECUTE permission was denied on the object proc_GetProductVersions

I was getting ‘Insufficient SQL database permission’ issue in event viewer and 14 hive log file if I create any sub-site into 2010 environment. from user interface I didn’t see any errors.

Here is alternative option for this issue by granting permission into SQL server database.

Resolution links:

http://sharepointsoldiers.wordpress.com/2011/10/09/insufficient-database-permissions-proc_getproductversions-eventid-5214/

http://sajiviswam.wordpress.com/2011/05/24/the-execute-permission-was-denied-on-the-object-proc_getproductversions-insufficient-sql-database-permissions-for-user/

PowerPivot Known Issues – SharePoint 2010

Below are some known Issues while working with PowerPivot and here is master key for below two solution :)

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee210616.aspx 1) This workbook cannot be opened because it is not stored in an Excel Services Application trusted location. To create an Excel Services Application trusted location, contact your system administrator.

Resolution: we need to add ‘SharePoint’ into excel services trusted file location.

2) Getting ‘An unexpected error has occurred.” Error while clicking ‘Manage Data Refresh’ icon into any of the stored workbook into PowerPivot gallery.

Resolution: we need to configure the unattended PowerPivot data refresh account for above to work properly.

I will also try to update this article if I find any more known issues with PowerPivot.

Good Luck.

How to find out which site template is being used in SharePoint site

Sometime when we open any SharePoint sites we are curious to know and see which site template is being used to create SharePoint sites. without writing any custom code we can quickly see the site template name by appending /_vti_bin/owssvr.dll?Cmd=GetProjSchema at the end of SharePoint site URL.

e.g. http://sharepointsiteurl.com/_vti_bin/owssvr.dll?Cmd=GetProjSchema

It will return XML file which we can download and check the site template name from schema file.

some more owssvr tricks : http://sharepointglobe.wordpress.com/2010/12/13/owssvr-dll-tricks/  :)

How to lock down SharePoint Designer 2010

As we all know – SharePoint Designer is free tool from Microsoft, so any users in the organization can download designer and start using tool to make the changes directly to any SharePoint sites if they have designer access, Challenges comes in governance part of the SharePoint Designer usage. In SharePoint 2010 – admin have more control over what are the SharePoint Designer functionalities lock down and on which level of the site (web application, site collection level)

Here are some good reference links which talks about how to lock down designer access from SharePoint 2010.

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/mcsnoiwb/archive/2010/07/01/locking-down-sharepoint-designer-2010.aspx

http://www.thesanitypoint.com/archive/2011/09/22/governing-sharepoint-designer.aspx  

Different new features into SharePoint Designer 2010: http://www.endusersharepoint.com/EUSP2010/2010/03/19/introduction-to-sharepoint-designer-2010/