Yes, you want to install the Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 on Windows Server 2008. But what will happen, when you run the MOSS installation? Most probably you will get this window:

Coz, by default Windows 2008 server wants MOSS SP1 (Service Pack 1) to run the installation process smoothly. But we are unable to get the bundled MOSS setup files with services pack 1. Instead of we only have two separate .exe’s for MOSS 2007 and MOSS 2007 SP1. But luckily we have Slipstream installation methodology. So, you just follow below steps to install MOSS 2007 successfully.

• If you have MOSS 2007 DVD setup media, then copy all the files to local directly. Let’s say  “C:\MOSS_2007_Setup”.
• Download the Microsoft Windows Service Pack 1 and Microsoft SharePoint Server 2007 Service Pack 1. You can use below links to download above mentioned service packs setup files. (For easy purpose, you can store downloaded files in "C:\" drive.
  Download WSS 3.0 SP1 / Download MOSS 2007 SP1
• Ok, now you have two setup files like below.
  C:\ wssv3sp1-kb936988-x86-fullfile-en-us.exe
  C:\ officeserver2007sp1-kb936984-x86-fullfile-en-us.exe
  
• Now is the time to extract setup files. Anyway, before extracting you need to create two folders for keeping extracted files.
  C:\WSSP1
  C:\MOSSSP1
• Go to the Windows command prompt and try below commands to extract setup files to given folders.
  C:\wssv3sp1-kb936988-x86-fullfile-en-us.exe  /extract:C:\WSSSP1
  C:\officeserver2007sp1-kb936984-x86-fullfile-en-us.exe  /extract:C:\MOSSSP1
• Ok, now you have extracted setup files in C:\WSSSP1 directory and C:\MOSSSP1 directory.
• As a final setup, you need to copy all the extracted files (in both directories) to the MOSS 2007 setup folder (C:\MOSS_2007_Setup). Just wait, There is a folder called “Updates” in MOSS 2007 setup directory.  Yes, that’s the exact place where you should copy extracted files. Anyway, in case of overwriting warning, just force to overwrite.
• Hmmm, Finished. Now you should be able to run setup files without any problem.

If you encounter any issues by flowing above steps, please let us know as soon as you can. Then I can come with solid answer. Thank you…

• If you are frequently updating the Assembly, then you always better to deploy it in BIN.  Since, Assembly will be reloaded automatically just after the updating.    But when you update the Assembly in GAC, you have to restart the IIS (IISRESET) to grab the new version. The reason is GAC keeps the assembly in Cache.

• When you deploy your Assembly on GAC then you can access the Assembly from any SharePoint web application. But when you deploy Assembly in web application’s BIN folder, then it can only access from the given web application. Anyway, if you have all-purpose web part, you better to deploy it in GAC and avoid the multiple Assembly deployments in BIN. 

• If you have multiple versions of same Assembly, then you have to deploy it in GAC. Coz, GAC manages the multiple version of given Assembly, but BIN doesn’t.

• The next point is CAS (Code Access Security). When you deploy your Assembly in GAC, then CAS permission level is FULL by default. But when you deploy the Assembly in BIN [partially trusted location], the CAS level will be very low [wss_minimaltrust.config]; anyway you can manage the CAS level by through Web.Config. 

Further, I will come with another post about CAS in Web Parts.

“Specify whether to allow the management of content types on this list. Each content type will appear on the new button and can have a unique set of columns, workflows and other behaviors.”

Normally we have to enable the Content Types in Document Library before using it.  Because by default Document Library doesn’t not support the multiple content types. Anyway, you can enable the Content Types through the SharePoint UI like below.

• Go to the Document Library Settings page.
• Click General Settings.
• Click Advanced Settings.
• Set Allow Management Of Content Types to Yes.
  

And programmatically you can enable it by using below mentioned code. 

 

This is a very familiar security warning message. It comes to us when we are opening documents from SharePoint. But most of end users want to remove\bypass this warning as they have to interact constantly with this.  Then, what is the solution for this?

The very common solution is disabling the warning message for common file types. Simply you can do it via Windows Explorer.

• Go to Windows Explorer --> Tools --> Folder options
  
• Select the "File types" Tab
• Highlight the Microsoft Word file type (.doc)/(.docx) and click on the "Advanced" button
• Unselect the first check box "Confirm open after download"

But according to few blogs/ forms, this solution is not effective under few situations. So, you better to try below mentioned solution also (Adding your SharePoint site to IE trusted site list). Most probably it will work for you.

• Go to Internet Explorer --> Tools --> Internet Option --> Securty Tab --> Select Trusted Site --> Click Sites Button --> Add your SharePoint site URL --> Close --> OK 

Another frustrating error.  I got this error when I attempt to publish InfoPath Form in to the NEW Document Library (Not in to the existing Document Library).  Actually, this is well known error and there is one solution to overcome this (As I know).  According to the clarification we have to manage the root site under “Wildcard Inclusion” not the “Explicit Inclusion”.  Then who will take care of the accessing issues of root site?  Only solution is “Microsoft SharePoint Service Pack 2”??????  

This is one of the really annoying error that is coming to play with InfoPath Publishing Wizard.  Normally this error raise just after providing the server location address (Where InfoPath Forms Services is running).  If you search around the web, probably you will get three possible and workable answers. But I didn’t get any respond with those solutions.

• Creating a Blank Team site collection in web application which is not under “sites”. You need a site at the root of the URL.
• InfoPath Forms Settings: Go to Tools > Form Options > Security and Trust and Uncheck “Automatically determine security level” and select “Domain” as the level of trust. Click “Ok”.
• Stopping the “System Event Notification” Service just long enough to publish the InfoPath form.

Finally, our server dude (Andrei from Romania) came with good answer (it is related to first common solution with few extra steps) and so far I can publish forms without any hassle. So, I would like to share the solution with you and all the credits should go to Andrei.

1. Central Administration -> Application Management -> Define Managed Paths, delete the root path and recreate it with the "Explicit inclusion" type.
2. Create a new site collection in the root of given web application.
3. Add new managed paths with the "Explicit inclusion" type for all the other site collections hosted on the base web application. 
   

After reading few blog posts concerning Microsoft SharePoint development environment, here I am going to write about my SharePoint development environment /configuration. Actually, it is all about the tools list that currently I am using. The usage of each tool depends on the given technical and business scenario.

NetworkedPlanet TMCore SharePoint Module. VMWare:This is a my favorite Virtualization Tool. Yes, hardly I use Microsoft Virtual PC/Server. But I prefer to go with VMWare as it has few advantages like easy configuration, resources utilization. Visual Studio 2005/2008: How can I live without this? Yes, actually this is for SharePoint DEVELOPMENTS. Visual Studio 2005 Extensions for .NET Framework 3.0: For SharePoint workflow related developments. Visual Studio 2005 Extensions for WSS 3.0 (VSeWSS): Visual Studio extensions for WSS 3.0 projects (build Web Parts, Field Controls, List Definitions, Site Definitions, and Content Types). Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 SDK Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) 3.0 Software Development Kit (SDK) SharePoint Designer (SPD): This is for SharePoint CUSTOMIZATION. U2U CAML Query Builder: What a handy utility to play with CAML. IE Developer Toolbar WSPBuilder Fiddler HTTP Debugger Andrew Connell's custom STSADM commands Lutz Roeder's Reflector.NET Microsoft Office InfoPath 2007 BDC Meta Man Visual Studio 2005 Tools for the 2007 Microsoft Office System (VSTO) SharePoint Inspector VisualSVN Server / Tortoisesvn / AnkhSVN

Here, I am going to note about the small mistake that we make, when publishing InfoPath Forms to MOSS 2007 Forms Libraries. As you all know that we can set the Button action to Submit and specify the SharePoint Document library with preferred file name format.  Let’s say you have defined the file name format like below.



Yes, your file format formula is correct. But what will happen after posting your form data to the specified document library. It will show like below.



What’s this NaN. It is not the file name format you expected.  Even you can’t submit any more duplicated forms Name. FYI: NaN means Not a Number. InfoPath tried to convert fields to number due to having plus sign (+) in file name format formula.

So, what’s the simplest solution to overcome this issue? The solution is using concat() function with your custom file name formula (specially, when you are having multiple files in your file formula).



   

If you are living with a Microsoft SharePoint platform, then you may remember this tool.  And also if you want to have solid Microsoft SharePoint development environment, then BDC Meta Man is a one of the great tool you must have. 

BDC Meta Man came to the ground without any noise, but it’s all about productivity.  In early days of Microsoft Office SharePoint 2007 BDC, you had to write Application Definition file by manually. Extremely, it was very tedious task.  Even Microsoft didn’t offer any tool to generate BDC Application Definition file for given scenario. Luckily, with BDC Meta Man, we can generate the Application Definition file without writing any single line of code. What a relief…! 

Basically, we can have BDC Meta Man in two flavors. First one is Developer Edition that we can use without paying any bucks (All the credit should go to Nick Swan* & Dimitry Kaloshin). Second one is Professional Edition. But you have to pay $ 1,200 (With Professional Edition you will have specialize technical support). 

* Nick Swan is playing big role in UK SharePoint User Group (SUGUK) and it's the world largest SharePoint user group.  

BDC Meta Man supports five types of data sources including:

• Microsoft SQL Server 2000 / 2005
• Oracle
• Web Services
• MS Access
• DB2 – ODBC
• MySQL - ODBC 

I forgot tell you one thing. Actually BDC Meta Man is a very very simple tool. Anyone can use it without knowing any nuts and bolts of Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 / Business Data Catalog (BDC). 

Actually, this is a little stuff, but lot of complexity around the community. Anyway, if you want to see the difference, defiantly you have to carefully read the Microsoft product documentation. Otherwise, you will not find dedicated article that’s showing the differences between MOSS 2007 Forms Services and Office Forms Server 2007. I just listed three differences, but if you have identified anymore, please post as a comment. 

Office Forms Server 2007 is coming as a standalone server with different editions and different licenses. SharePoint (InfoPath) Forms Services available in the Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 enterprise CAL ;which is providing same services as Office Forms Server 2007. If you are running on MOSS 2007 Enterprise edition, then no need to have Office Forms Server 2007, but if you are running on WSS 3.0 or if you want to run separate business forms server then you have to go for Office Forms server 2007.