Features\ExcelServerSite\Microsoft.Office.Excel.WebUI.dwp is referenced in the database, but is not installed on the current farm

I was getting above error while migrating contents from 2007 to 2010, as per this MSDN links we can ignore this error while migration.

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/sharepoint2010setup/thread/539c4086-0bfe-4c87-9b0a-c4d65642340f/

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

Alternate solutions for automatic workflow history clean up – MOSS 2007

By default in MOSS 2007, workflow task history list values are being cleanup/deleted every 60 days, so we can’t audit data based on workflow history list, this is very known concern for SharePoint.

Here are some links which talks about different workaround for automatic workflow history cleanup: 

http://blogs.technet.com/b/officeasia/archive/2010/11/28/workaround-for-the-situation-that-sharepoint-auto-cleanup-job-deleted-workflow-history.aspx

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc424956(office.12).aspx

http://vspug.com/drewdevo/2008/08/27/workaround-for-missing-workflow-history/

We can also go with custom solution in which we can design database structure for storing workflow history data. Then from database we can populate and retrieve data to display into OOB workflow history page.

SharePoint 2010 Branding – Master Page

As we all know that MOSS 2007 master page is not going to work properly with SharePoint 2010, in other way it is always good to create new master page for SharePoint 2010, there are some changes in placeholder name for 2010 master page and some new placeholder introduced in 2010 master page like ribbon tag, etc..

V4.Master is default master page for 2010; codeplex also has provided starter master pages for 2010 which will be very useful.

Here are some very good links to follow for starting creating master page for SharePoint 2010, links has detailed information regarding from where to start and how.

http://www.sharepointedutech.com/2011/01/24/sharepoint-2010-branding-series-part-two/ 

http://startermasterpages.codeplex.com/ (codeplex master pages)

http://sharepoint.microsoft.com/Blogs/GetThePoint/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=386

Here is link for SharePoint 2010 CSS reference names: http://sharepointexperience.com/csschart/csschart.html

Good Luck with master page designing :)

With VPN access - not able to open any SharePoint 2007 documents

Here are some lists of troubleshoot questions which we can ask to users who are not able to open SharePoint 2007 documents from VPN access:

1)       Which office version users are using.

2)       Is it problem with word document or any office documents from SharePoint 2007?

3)       We can create new document in library and see if it’s in edit mode or not.

4)       We can browse/open any other SharePoint sites and see whether user is able to edit word documents or not in their sites?

5)       Try with “Open with explorer” option to see about the documents status.

6)       Check with Check-in and Check-out option

7)       Try with different browser (instead of IE – install different browser and can try the same functionality)

8)       We can compare IE add-ins (to check enable – disable option)

9)       Check this path : C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\OWSSUPP.DLL

Reference link:

http://www.microsoftoffice2010forums.com/general-microsoft-office-2010-discussion/can039t-o

http://www.jjclements.co.uk/index.php/2010/03/24/sharepoint-2007-documents-not-opening-in-office-2007

In my case I have suggested VPN user to install office 2007 instead of office 2003 into system and problem resolved :)

Upgradation/migration steps for SharePoint 2010

Here in this article, I am going to explain steps for migrating contents from MOSS 2007 to SharePoint 2010 with "Database attach" method. You can find more detail information from below reference links.

1. Select any MOSS 2007 site for migration

2. Go to SQL Server Management studio and take backup of MOSS 2007 site database.

3. Move database backup file to SharePoint 2010 server manually.

4. Create blank Database from SQL Server Management studio into SharePoint 2010 server.

5. Restore MOSS 2007 backup file (step # 3) to newly created database into SharePoint 2010 server (make sure to select 'overwrite the existing database' option)

Some time if we are getting below error in SQL Server while restoring database then we need to try to perform same steps again and again for some more time. {Detach database, attach database, restore database}

ERROR:

Restore failed for Server “database server name”.  (Microsoft.SqlServer.SmoExtended)

The backup set holds a backup of a database other than the existing 'database” database.

RESTORE DATABASE is terminating abnormally. (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: 3154)

6. Create new web application and site collection into SharePoint 2010 server.

7. Delete content database of newly created web application from going to SQL Server Management studio.

8. Add/Attach step # 5 database to new web application by below command

stsadm -o addcontentdb -url yourWebApplicationUrl -databasename yourDatabasename -databaseserver yourdatabaseServerName

9. After successful upgrade, it will generate upgrade log file which contains missing features, web parts names and other information which failed during upgrade.

10. Check migrated SharePoint 2010 site about data and pages.

11. Open web application settings from central admin to change site collection admin name (if source and destination web application have different user names)

12. If we want to see SharePoint 2010 look and feel in migrated site then we need to change visual upgrade from site settings (update all sites which make interface same like SharePoint 2010) – actually when we migrated site from MOSS 2007 to SharePoint 2010, at that time we have different master page in MOSS. In SharePoint 2010 system is using v4.master page.

Some points about how to verify migrated SharePoint 2010 site

1. Navigation links are coming correctly or not

2. Custom Image are not coming properly or not

3. Documents are migrated with its Meta data or not like uploaded and modified date/time stamp

4. Sub-site data are migrated with as it is navigation option or not (suppose if we have tree structure enable in source MOSS 2007 site then after migration it suppose to come with tree structure navigation only)

Perform pre-upgrade steps for SharePoint 2010: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc303417.aspx

Different Upgrade Methods in SharePoint 2010:

http://sharepoint2010blog.blogspot.com/2010/01/upgrade-methods-in-sharepoint-2010.html

http://sharepoint2010blog.blogspot.com/2010/01/how-to-upgrade-to-sharepoint-2010-using_21.html

MSDN SharePoint 2010 upgrade reference Links: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc263447.aspx

Very good link which describes about migrating to SharePoint 2010: http://mosshowto.blogspot.com/2010/06/migrating-to-sharepoint-2010.html

Other reference links:

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-IE/sharepoint2010setup/thread/8a993fcf-b663-4b67-9ed4-928d26333f37

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1609356/how-to-restore-a-sharepoint-2007-backup-on-a-sharepoint-2010-server

How to configure PDF search in SharePoint 2010

By default SharePoint won’t search PDF contents in any SharePoint site (same like MOSS 2007)

So we need to install Adobe iFilter on server and follow configuration steps as per below link to able to successfully crawl and search PDF documents and contents.

Link: http://www.sharepointsharon.com/2010/03/sharepoint-2010-and-adobe-pdf/

How to terminate/cancel workflow from SharePoint object model

While terminating or cancelling workflow, it will delete all the tasks from the task list and it will marked task status as “Cancelled” into attached list.

Reference Link:

http://blog.brianfarnhill.com/2008/10/01/how-to-cancel-a-workflow-programmatically/

Visual Studio Approval Workflow Example

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd674137.aspx

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc811589.aspx

How to get workflow instance for single workflow into listitem

http://nishantrana.wordpress.com/2009/02/10/using-workflow-object-model-in-sharepoint/

Getting access denied error while updating list items

I was getting access denied error while updating list items, I already tried to put my code into SPSecurity.RunWithElevatedPrivileges delegate, still I was getting error. Below was my actual code.

CODE:

//code line for updating list columns

Listitem.update()

List.Update()

After doing debugging and removing line by line from actual code I have figured out actual problem – the user who has contributor rights(normal user) was getting access denied error, admin users can able to update list without any problem, it’s because of LIST.UPDATE() statement, because contributor rights users don’t have permission to change anything into List settings, they can add/delete list items but they can’t able to change anything into list, after removing LIST.UPDATE() statement from my actual code, all users were able to successfully update the list items.

Enjoy!

How to attach/delete attachments from SharePoint list items

http://www.pointsharepoint.com/2008/12/list-attachments-in-webpart-solution.html

ERROR: Workflow failed on start

I was getting below error while starting of workflow.

Workflow:System.Workflow.ComponentModel.Compiler.WorkflowValidationFailedException: The workflow failed validation.     at System.Workflow.Runtime.WorkflowDefinitionDispenser.ValidateDefinition(Activity root, Boolean isNewType, ITypeProvider typeProvider)     at System.Workflow.Runtime.WorkflowDefinitionDispenser.LoadRootActivity(Type workflowType, Boolean createDefinition, Boolean initForRuntime)     at System.Workflow.Runtime.WorkflowDefinitionDispenser.GetRootActivity(Type workflowType, Boolean createNew, Boolean initForRuntime)     at System.Workflow.Runtime.WorkflowRuntime.InitializeExecutor(Guid instanceId, CreationContext context, WorkflowExecutor executor, WorkflowInstance workflowInstance)     at System.Workflow.Runtime.WorkflowRuntime.Load(Guid key, CreationContext

I spend lots of time to find out exact resolution for workflow failed error, but I couldn’t get solution, below are some of the reference link which talks causing of issue due to migration from visual studio 2005 to 2008 workflow project, but in my case, I have created workflow into visual studio 2008 only, some articles were talking about adding some line into solution project, but that’s also not working for me.

Reference Link:

http://blog.hhebnes.no/?tag=/workflows

http://www.eggheadcafe.com/software/aspnet/31975863/sharepoint-workflow-upgra.aspx

http://geekswithblogs.net/SoftwareDoneRight/archive/2007/12/12/condition-not-found.aspx

At the last for resolving my issue, I have created new workflow file, one thing I have observed here – if I am going to change main default file name for workflow file from workflow.cs to something else, then sometime it will mess up workflow. So I would recommend not changing workflow.cs file name.

:)

How to get current status of workflow from SharePoint object model

Reference Link:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/microsoft.sharepoint.workflow.spworkflowstatus.aspx

Sample Code:

//Obtain a list item
SPWeb thisWeb = SPControl.GetContextWeb(Context);
SPList issuesList = thisWeb.Lists["Customer Issues"];
SPListItem myItem = issuesList.Items[0];
//Get the workflow status value
int WorkflowStatusValue = myItem["MyWorkflow"];
string WorkflowStatusString = System.Enum.GetName
        (typeof(SPWorkflowStatus), WorkflowStatusValue);
StatusLabel.Text = "The current status of the workflow is: " +
        WorkflowStatusString;

SPWorkflow AlterTask didn’t work with hash table which has space into key name

While creating hash table for passing into altertask method, we need to be very careful, because it didn’t like spaces into key name, we need to put our key without spaces.

Sample Code:

taskHash["UserInputField"] = UserInputField.Text;

taskHash["UserInputField_ForHash"] = UserInputField.Text;

taskHash["Status"] = "Completed";

taskHash["Status_ForHash"] = "Completed";

SPWorkflowTask.AlterTask(taskListItem, taskHash, true);

Reference Link:

http://www.databaseforum.info/10/1131769.aspx

ERROR: The security validation for this page is invalid. Click Back in your Web browser, refresh the page, and try your operation again

I was getting above error while doing altertask on SPWorkflowTask.AlterTask method.

Solution:  we need to write altertask code under SPSecurity delegate and need to write code for Allowunsafeaccess.

http://sansanwal.blogspot.com/2009/08/security-validation-for-this-page-is.html

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;970192

ERROR: The content type of a workflow task must be derived from the Workflow Task content type

I was getting “The content type of a workflow task must be derived from the Workflow Task content type” error while working with custom ASPX form for visual studio workflow, I have created custom content type which will be used into workflow, I have found out that my content type ID is incorrect by comparing it with some another content type ID. Visual studio activity “Createtaskwithcontenttype” must be inherited from workflow task.

Reference Links:                                

http://www.eggheadcafe.com/software/aspnet/30858987/login.aspx

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/sharepointworkflow/thread/93679b02-bfa9-43c2-94ad-ec45191cd478

How to open any documents in EDIT Mode from custom ASPX page

Requirement:

We need to display documents from SharePoint Document Library into custom ASPX page and when user clicks on documents, it needs to open in “EDIT” mode, by default it’s giving user prompt to open documents in “EDIT” or “READ” only mode.

Solution:


We need to put extra JavaScript code which will open document in EDIT mode.

Reference Links:

http://ddkonline.blogspot.com/2007/07/issues-with-sharepoint-2007-checkout.html

http://www.google.com/search?q=dispex+sharepoint

http://mattknott.com/content/blog/2009/08/Stop_DispEx_Redirecting.html

http://dotnetninja.wordpress.com/2009/01/12/how-to-open-sharepoint-documents-in-edit-mode-with-internet-explorer-6-and-windows-xp-without-regfix/

ERROR: The file manifest.xml does not exist in the solution package

I was getting above error when solution package size becomes too big; I need to add below lines into cab.ddf file.

.Set CabinetFileCountThreshold=0

.Set FolderFileCountThreshold=0

.Set FolderSizeThreshold=0

.Set MaxCabinetSize=0

.Set MaxDiskFileCount=0

.Set MaxDiskSize=0

Reference Links:

http://andreasglaser.net/post/2009/03/13/SharePoint-and-the-file-manifestxml-does-not-exist-in-the-solution-package.aspx

http://ph-tom.blogspot.com/2008/04/file-manifestxml-does-not-exist-in.html

Different Method of SP List Item Update

http://karinebosch.wordpress.com/walkthroughs/event-receivers-theory/

http://hristopavlov.wordpress.com/2008/05/14/uploading-a-file-event-receivers-the-file-has-been-modified-by/