Wednesday, 20 March 2013

SharePoint Basics

SharePoint is a browser based web application developed by Microsoft that enables users within an organization to work together, collaborate, more efficiently through its vast number of features.


Some of the features include the followin. Document Management, Web Content Management, Business Process Management (Workflows), Enterprise Search, Business Intelligence (Dashboards, Reports), Electronic Forms (InfoPath), Social Networking





SharePoint History:



SharePoint (2010) Versions Available
1.  SharePoint Foundation (Free version, known as WSS in  2007. Mainly Provides Document Management)
2.      SharePoint Standard Edition
3.      SharePoint Enterprise Edition
Click the below link for more details of the SharePoint Versions



WSS stands for Windows SharePoint Services. It is a core framework on which MOSS works. WSS features are: Wiki, Blogs site, Document management, Server Farm.


MOSS stands for Microsoft Office SharePoint Server. It is the part of SharePoint which gives more functionality with WSS. MOSS features are:
Mysite, Search Services, Audience Targeting, Excel Services, Form Services.

A library is a component in SharePoint that stores files (documents) and a list is a component in SharePoint that stores rows of information. In Library you can create core document like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. But in List You cannot create document, instead of that you can attach document in a particular List.

Document Library contains core document such as, MS word, Excel, PowerPoint. But Form library contains document in XML form Such as InfoPath form.

List is a component in SharePoint that stores rows of information. List contains meta data to describe the particular row in more detail.

Sites available in SharePoint are Wiki Sites, Blogs Site, Meeting Sites, Team Sites, and Blank Sites etc.

Site Definitions are the foundations on which all sites and user templates are built. Site Definition is collection ox XML and .aspx file. Site Definitions are predefined components needs to be included when a site was created in SharePoint server.

Webparts are smallest component in SharePoint. Web parts are used to give more functionality to the page. In SharePoint we have custom web part as well as readymade 3rd party web part. You can create a custom web part by using visual studio.

Various web parts available in SharePoint web part gallery are: Data view web part, Content editor web part, Form web part, Excel web access web part, Image web part etc.


SharePoint object model hierarchy:
The Following is the order of the SharePoint Object Model .
  1. SPFarm
  2. SPSite
  3. SPWeb
  4. SPList
  5. SPListItem


·         Farm- is a collection of one or more SharePoint server which having a single configuration database. A farm will contain multiple web applications.
·         Web Application- is always created for Central Administration and at least one web application will be created for the SharePoint intranet, extranet or internet site. A web application is where you implement and maintain authentication.
·         Site Collection- Site collection is the collection of sites and workspaces which create a hierarchy
·         Sites-Site is the container of contents, contents are in the form of List and Library
·         Pages

User Permission levels:

 The following permission levels are assigned to users in SharePoint , they are...

Full Control: Persons have full control over the SharePoint site.
Design: Persons can read, modify, delete records and also modify their views
Contribute: Persons can read, modify, delete records. (This is widely used permission level)
Read: Persons can view the records.
Tools for SharePoint:

Sharepoint Designer

Visual Studio 

Silverlight/Microsoft expression blend



Pages Available are… 

 Site Pages: These are pages that supports user customization by designing tools e.g. SharePoint designer. Some site pages are default.aspx, default.master

Application Pages: Those pages which does not support user customization. These pages are found in virtual -layouts directory. Application pages can be used with any sites or site collection on same server.

You may find application pages at this location:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\TEMPLATE\LAYOUTS

A content type is a reusable thing provided by WSS.  Content type defines the column for an item in a library or list and same can be used for any library or list in that SharePoint application.
For e.g. you are creating a list for leave application then if you are creating column for HR department, IT department then it does not makes any sense.

So used content type where you can create your own column or site column (Given by SharePoint) and you can use this content type with any list or library.

Business Data Catalogue: It is a middleware for your SharePoint site and back end data such as SAP, Siebel and any other Line of Business application.

In BDC you cannot modify data from your SharePoint list. It will be available to your site in read only.

In SharePoint 2010 it is named as BCS (Business Connectivity Services). BCS is two way, i.e. Data can be edit from SharePoint list as well from the back end data base.

Workspace is more specific to a site for e.g. you want to create annual report


CAML stands for Collaborative application markup languages. It is in xml form. And it can be sued to retrieve the data from SharePoint list as well to update and insert.

Stsadm command is used to perform all administrative work like backup, restore, installing feature, adding web part to site etc.

Using the STSADM tool the following commands can be done:

Backup command:
stsadm -o backup -url http://moss:1985/ -filename c:\mysite.bak

To restore:
Create one blank Site collection on same server with any port number e.g. 1986.
stsadm -o restore -url http://moss:1986/ -filename c:\mysite.bak


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