"I'm just not sure how well this plan was thought through"

Todd Bleeker — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 06:19:00 GMT

Hello, yeah, it's been a while
Not much, how 'bout you
I'm not sure why I [blogged]
I guess I really just wanted to talk to you

And I was thinking maybe later on
We could get together for a while
It's been such a long time
And I really do miss your smile...

The last few months have kind of been like a hangover from my book and courseware writing. I really didn't want to write anything that I didn't have to write. Metaphorically, I've had my coffee and I'm ready to warm up the keyboard again.

Keith Richie Joins Barracuda Tools!

Todd Bleeker — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 08:01:00 GMT

I had planned to explain the JavaScript for the Crystallized Web Part in this post. But, this news just can't wait.

Keith Richie, of SPUserUtil fame, has joined us at Barracuda Tools! About this time last year I was welcoming Andrew Connell into the fold.

I am very excited to welcome Keith into our family. Keith and I have had the off chance to work together as I submitted WSS bugs that made it to CPR (I don't remember what it stands for but it's a Microsoft support group that is called in when the first and second line support can't diagnose a show-stopping problem). I can't wait to rub shoulders regularly with this highly competent, self-described SharePoint guy. Keith and I will be "collaborating" on our plans for DeliverPoint all next week.

Snow Web Part, Part Two - Crystallized

Todd Bleeker — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 13:33:00 GMT

The Snow Web Part I created last year still works on any SharePoint site (v2 or v3):

You can download last year's snow.dwp Web Part here. Just import it onto a page.

I thought it would be fun to release another simple, holiday CEWP.

(50 plus images in the AJAX-style slide show)

The Mindsharp staff enjoyed the images I showed them at SnowCrystals.com; so I asked the image owners if I could wrap their awesome photos into a Web Part. They gave me permission to proceed. I also thought I could use the opportunity to show off how the CEWP can use the RPC URL Protocol to access a List/Library in either WSS v2, SPS, WSS v3, or MOSS. So, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Use the following steps (generic steps given to prevent WSS version confusion) to create a standard Picture Library, add the images, and point the CEWP at the Library.

Upload my snowcrystals.stp (WSS v2 version or WSS v3 version - both custom List Templates target the STS 1033 site definition; that is Team Sites, Blank Sites, and Document Workspaces using the US English language) into your list template gallery on the top-level site of any site collection.
Create a new Picture Library using the uploaded list template.

OR, if you are using a site based a site definition other than STS or in a locale other than 1033, or you just want to create the Picture Library from scratch, use these alternate instructions:

Download the snow crystal images (I made them all 200x200).
Unzip the images to your local file system.
Create a Picture Library named SnowCrystals.
Upload the images into the new Picture Library.

After the Picture Library is created, the following steps are required:

Ensure everyone that will see the Web Part has at least read access to the new Picture Library.
Navigate to Picture Library Settings. In the URL, you will see the List as a parameter in the QueryString. It looks like the bolded section below (the v2 version will not have escape characters, either is OK):
http://[site]/_layouts/listedit.aspx?List=%7B2F6C6FAC%2D7E9A%2D42C2%2DBA99%2DCC986C67D7AE%7D
Copy this List ID.

On the page that you want to display the snow crystals:

Put my snowcrystals.dwp CEWP onto any WSS page.
Choose Modify Shared Web Part from the Web Part's smart menu.
Click the Source Editor... button in the tool pane and at the top of the JavaScript modify the following constants:
Paste the List ID you copied from the URL into the LIST_ID constant as follows:
var LIST_ID = "%7B2F6C6FAC%2D7E9A%2D42C2%2DBA99%2DCC986C67D7AE%7D";

Optionally, change the wait seconds to the number of seconds you want each image to show before displaying the next image in the library:
var WAIT_SECS = 1;

If the Picture Library IS on the same site as the Web Part (easiest) continue on to the next step. Otherwise, change the URL constant to the Web Application (same as v2 Virtual Server including both protocol and domain - do not end with a forward slash). Also, change the ROOT_URL to the fully qualified location to the site where the SnowCrystals Picture Library is located. If the library's URL is http://portal/sites/subsite/SnowCrystals/Form/AllItems.aspx, change these two lines as follows (they default to the values for the current site):
var WEB_URL = LOC_HREF.substring(0, LOC_HREF.indexOf(document.domain))+ document.domain;
var SITE_URL = LOC_HREF.substring(0,LOC_HREF.lastIndexOf('/'));

to these:
var WEB_URL = "http://portal";
var SITE_URL = http://portal/sites/subsite;
Click Save and then Exit Edit Mode.
Be amused.

Much bigger and crisper images can be seen in the three galleries at http://snowcrystals.com. There are also lots of interesting articles about snow crystals including a scientific discussion about whether two snow flakes could ever be alike or not.

In my next post, I'll explain how the code inside the Web Part works and how it can be used in other scenarios.

Developer's Guide to Windows SharePoint Services 3.0

Todd Bleeker — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 14:32:00 GMT

Want to get your hands on some early WSS v3 developer help? My book, the Developer's Guide to Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 should be on shelves the day after Christmas:

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Todd Bleeker's 12 Hive

"I'm just not sure how well this plan was thought through"

Keith Richie Joins Barracuda Tools!

Snow Web Part, Part Two - Crystallized

Developer's Guide to Windows SharePoint Services 3.0