How to get a list of all features deployed in your environment

Ever wondered how powerful is the STSADM command in MOSS. Actually it is the core of all action items you need to perform. To your much interest, you will be really excited to know about what Gary LaPointe has to share with you. Take a look at this site where he has a bunch of extended commands for SharePoint.

I was actually looking for a quick and easy way to get a list of all the features deployed to the servers in the farm. I had a set of 6 servers, so I simply wanted to run a line-of-code on all of them to help me identify them. Thanks to my colleague Jeff, who pointed out this command to me and help in getting a quick resolution.

Gary's command are all pre-fixed by "gl-" and below is an example of the enumfeatures which did the job for me. Take a look:

C:\>stsadm -o gl-enumfeatures -url http://myserver:1237

1. TeamCollab: Team Collaboration Lists (Web - Active)

2. ReviewWorkflows: Routing Workflows (Site - Active)

3. PremiumWeb: Office SharePoint Server Enterprise Site features (Web - Active)

4. PremiumWebApplication: Office SharePoint Server Enterprise Web application features (WebApplication - Active)

5. MyTestFolder: Cases (Web - Inactive)

6. TransMgmtLib: Translation Management Library (Web - Active)

7. MultipleUploadWebpart: MultipleUploadWebpart (Site - Inactive)

8. GlobalWebParts: Global Web Parts (Farm - Active)

9. DisplayUserProfiles: DisplayUserProfiles (Site - Active)

10. SmartTools.jQuery: SmartTools.jQuery v1.2 (Site - Active)

11. OSearchEnhancedFeature: Office Server Enterprise Search (WebApplication - Active)

12. BaseWebApplication: Office SharePoint Server Standard Web application features (WebApplication - Active)

13. MySiteFeatureStapler: My Site Creation Feature Stapler (Farm - Active)

14. SpellChecking: Spell Checking (Farm - Active)

15. SmartTools.DockNavigation: SmartTools.DockNavigation v1.0 BETA2 (Web - Active)

16. SignaturesWorkflow: Collect Signatures Workflow (Site - Active)

17. Reporting: Reporting (Site - Active)

18. UserChangePassword: User Change Password Web Part (Site - Active)

19. PremiumSite: Office SharePoint Server Enterprise Site Collection features (Site - Active)

20. PublishingWeb: Office SharePoint Server Publishing (Web - Inactive)

21. BaseWeb: Office SharePoint Server Standard Site features (Web - Active)

22. MySiteCustomListInstance: Case Custom List (Web - Inactive)

23. MySiteDocumentLibrary: ListDefinition1 (Web - Inactive)

24. MyCoolDemoContentType1: MyCoolDemoContentType1 (Site - Inactive)

25. BaseSite: Office SharePoint Server Standard Site Collection features (Site - Active)

26. OSearchBasicFeature: Office Server Site Search (WebApplication - Active)

27. TranslationWorkflow: Translation Management Workflow (Site - Active)

28. ExpirationWorkflow: Disposition Approval Workflow (Site - Active)

29. MyCoolDemoField1: MyCoolDemoField1 (Site - Inactive)

30. DataConnectionLibraryStapling: Data Connection Library (Farm - Active)

31. ExcelServer: Excel Services Farm Feature (Farm - Active)

32. SearchWebParts: Office SharePoint Server Search Web Parts (Site - Inactive)

33. PublishingSite: Office SharePoint Server Publishing Infrastructure (Site - Inactive)

34. MySiteDocumentLibraryInstance: MyWorkspace Document Library (Web - Inactive)

35. IssueTrackingWorkflow: Three-state workflow (Site - Active)

You may install the extensions from the site and start exploring with all of them.

Technorati Tags: MOSS,SharePoint,STSADM,Extentesion,Features

Installing Windows 7 RC

I know I had earlier promised of coming up with the Windows 7 Beta install steps, but looking at the RC getting released very soon, I thought of holding it off for a while. And that was a good decision. Here I am, coming up with the RC screen shots. I know most of us are eagerly waiting for 7 to jump from XP, skipping that Vista in-between.

So if you are ready, start with downloading the RC from this url: Download Windows 7 RC here

As from Microsoft "The RC will be available at least through July 2009 and we're not limiting the number of product keys, so you have plenty of time."

Also, this RC expires on June 1, 2010. Starting on March 1, 2010, your PC will begin shutting down every two hours. Wow, that will be real frustrating for those not having the genuine license.

Okay now that you have the installer, let get started.

Start the Windows 7 Install.

Select the language, Keyboard options and click next.

Click "Install Now". What follows now are very intuitive steps, go on...

Accept the license.

Select "Custom (Advanced)".

Verify and select your install locations.

The installation proceeds for each row items and finally completes with a restart.

Provide a username, PC name.

Have your favorite password entered. Then enter the key next.

Select "Use recommended settings".

You may select the kind of network applicable for you, I select Home.

And there we are, cool and simple enough !!!

Let's start with exploring the much awaited piece of cake from Microsoft.

Technorati Tags: Microsoft,Windows,7,RC,Install

Call it Microsoft SharePoint 2010

Yes, that's the name we will be using going forward with the next release of the SharePoint.

MOSS has been taken away citing the official needs of the name "Office" should explicitly be attached to the Microsoft Office clients.

Nevermind, SharePoint will still be a great tool to work on with lots of new upcoming features.

Happy Twenty-Ten !!!

 

Technorati Tags: Microsoft,MOSS.SharePoint,2010

SharePoint 14 -New services

It looks like SharePoint 14 is going to be cool in a multiple ways. Trust me, the look-n-feel will definitely give you throbs, if you think finding an option to configure AAM or setting up a Policy for Web Applications is very easy to find. This may again take a while for of all of us to get used to the drill-downs of the Central Admin options.

The new layout of the Central Administration is drastically changing. Though still in its ALPHA stage, a lot would change in the coming BETA and any further releases. So it all depends on the feedback Microsoft gets back. So hold on tight and wait for the exciting 14 release (maybe late 2009 or early 2010).

To give you a bit of taste, here are few of the MUST-HAVEs that was always desired in MOSS 2007.

- Web Analytics Web Service

- Word viewing Service

- LotusNotes connector

- Visio Graphics Service

- BDC Service

- Application Registry Service

to name a few. Not gauranteed, but we may possibly see these getting integrated into the next release.

I also expect Microsoft to either acquire some of the great SharePoint tools available today in the market or have it developed internally. These could be SharePoint Security Explorer, Backup-Restore from AvePoint, Idera and some cool web parts from Bamboo Solutions. There are also some Imaging solutions which are highly wanted in the MOSS world.

Stay tuned...

Technorati Tags: MOSS,SharePoint,14

Know your WSS 3.0 or MOSS version numbers

This can be really helpful in case you are planning for an upgrade or trying to migrate content from one another.

I found this Blog where Dirk has tried to compile all of them in a tabular format. Nice work from him !

Updated: Aug 17, 2010

Bringing the tabular data from Dirk's site here as recently I experienced problem accessing his site.

Remember that you can find these version numbers in Central Administration -> Operations -> Servers in Farm (/_admin/FarmServers.aspx)

Here is a quick table for those who want to find out what version of WSS/MOSS you are currently patched up to:

Service Pack/Hotfix Version	WSS V3.0	MOSS 2007
Infrastructure Update (KB951695 & KB951297)	12.0.0.6318	12.0.0.6318
Post-SP1 hotfix (KB948945)	12.0.0.6303	12.0.0.6303
Post-SP1 hotfix (KB941274)	12.0.0.6301	12.0.0.6301
Post-SP1 hotfix (KB941422)	12.0.0.6300	12.0.0.6300
Service Pack 1	12.0.0.6219	12.0.0.6219
Release To Manufacturing (RTM)	12.0.0.4518	12.0.0.4518

Technorati Tags: WSS,3.0,MOSS,Upgrade,Migrate,Version

Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 beta for you !

Microsoft has made the next generation browser available for download here. 

Windows Internet Explorer 8, as described is easier to use, faster and offers leading-edge security features in direct response to people's increasing concerns about online safety.

Furthermore, It can be downloaded in 25 different languages starting at noon EDT on March 19.

Technorati Tags: Microsoft,Internet,Explorer,8,IE,Download,Beta

How-to see descriptive Error messages in MOSS

How many times you have cursed Microsoft for that single line error message that always appear for so many different reasons but always says "An unexpected error has occured." :-(

To have a more detailed messages in MOSS while you perform your development tasks, you may want to enable debugging in the web.config file for the SharePoint web application. Please note here that this is not recommended to be done in a Production environment.

Edit your web.config file as shown in red below:

<SafeMode MaxControls="200" CallStack="true" DirectFileDependencies="10"TotalFileDependencies="50" AllowPageLevelTrace="false">

And:

<customErrors mode="Off" />

And get rid of any bugs from your application quickly.

Technorati Tags: MOSS,Unexpected,Error,Web,Config,CallStack,customErrors,mode

SharePoint Designer coming your way !!!

Good news guys. The most useful tool for the MOSS community has finally come out-of-the shell, it is believed to be made available for "FREE" coming 1st April, 2009.

Yes, you heard it right. Free, you may download the designer from the official Microsoft download site starting April 1st, 2009.

But administrators, watch out. There may be a bit of thinking required before the developers start using this tool to make those site-level changes. This could mean more efficient backup-restore planning would be required.

But definitely, this is yet another big step for MOSS to get closer to the world.

Technorati Tags: MOSS,SPD,2007,SHarePoint,Designer,Microsoft,Tool

Error writing to the Event Log - Windows Server 2008

The EventLog.WriteEntry code runs successfully under Win Server 2003, but doesn't execute with Windows Server 2008. This line generates and error:

"The source was not found, but some or all event logs could not be searched.  Inaccessible logs: Security".

This can be resolved by following the below steps:

#1 Go to Start -> Run -> regedit

#2 Navigate to Computer > HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\EventLog

#3 Right click on "EventLog" key, select Permissions, and add the [Network Service] account with read/write permissions.

Note: Microsoft seems to have replaced the ASPNET account with the "Network Service" account.

#4 Restart the IIS (start -> Run -> iisreset)

#5 Now Go to Start -> Administrative Tools -> Computer Management -> Local Users and Groups -> Groups

Double click the [Administrator] Group -> Add the "Network Service" account.

Go back and try to refresh your web page again.

There you Go.....

Hope this saves some time for the others.

Technorati Tags: Windows,Server,2008,Security,ASPNET,Netwok,Service,Event,Logs

Remove the '! New' tag for uploaded items

A requirement to reduce the time period for which the "! New" tag is displayed for any new items uploaded to a site made me hunt for this solution.

And it is right under the STSADM hood, such a powerful tool indeed !

I wanted to get the "! New" tag displayed only for the current day on which a document is uploaded to a document library. By default, MOSS looks like it remembers this for more than a day.

Here is a simple command, which does the job fairly easily.

stsadm.exe -o setproperty -pn days-to-show-new-icon -pv 1 -url [your site url]

You may set the propertyvalue (pv) = 0, if you don't want to display it ever.

Technorati Tags: MOSS,New,Tag,Document,Library,STSADM,setproperty,icon