Copy Slides to Presentation outside of Slide Library Context

Slide Library is a powerful document management feature of SharePoint 2010 but still very much underutilized. You can publish slides from you local machine to this library directly. Slides are stored as .pptx files. To do this. right click the ppt and click "Publish slides" and enter the slide library URL in the address box. This is fairly easy to do and very useful for someone who wants to publish only parts of their ppt file.

The another important feature of Slide Library is the "Copy Slides to Presentation". You can select the slides from the library and on click of the "Copy Slides to Presentation" button it will create a new presentation with the selected slides or it will add to a existing presentation based on your selection.  

This is a very cool feature that I wanted to use in my custom webparts and in some other pages. "Copy Slides to Presentation" button is a activex control embedded in the slides library. I was digging into how this is working. I was looking at the sharepoint js files and found that 1033/SLDLIB.js is the file that is called when you click the button. If you look at the file they get the pptx file URLs and form a array and pass it to the active control. I tried to replicate the same in my custom webpart and it worked amazingly!

1. First add the below reference to the js file 

  <script type="text/javascript" src="/_layouts/1033/SLDLIB.js"></script>

2. Place the Activex Control in the page as below.

<object id="ppactivex" 

classid="clsid:99098758-CB85-4a90-924F-F21898796281" style="visibility:hidden" OnError="SetActiveXStatus(false);">

</object>

3.Copy the below vbscript function to the page.

<script type="text/vbscript">

function CallInsertSlides(Selected)

    arrSelected = Split(Selected, ",", -1, 0)

    set objx = Document.ppactivex

    objx.InsertSlidesFromSlideLibrary arrSelected

End function

</script>

4. Now just call the CallInsertSlides function from you javascript code as below

CallInsertSlides("/Slides%20Management/sureshtest.pptx");

In the above function I have passed only one URL. You can form a array of URLs from the items selected and pass it to the function as below. 

.S4-itm-cbx is the class of the checkboxes in the page.

$(".s4-itm-cbx:checked").each(function () {

            var parentcell = $(this).parent();

            var hyperlinkparent = $(parentcell).next().next().children();

            selItems[cSelectedSlides++] = GetEscapedUrl(portalurl + $(hyperlinkparent).attr("href"));           

        });

CallInsertSlides(selItems);

When the function CallInsertSlides is called it will open a dialog box to copy the presentation.

Happy coding !!!!.


Update: Below is the entire sample aspx page I have created as there were requests to provide the sample.




<%@ Assembly Name="Microsoft.SharePoint, Version=14.0.0.0, Culture=neutral,

PublicKeyToken=71e9bce111e9429c"%> <%@ Page Language="C#"

Inherits="Microsoft.SharePoint.WebPartPages.WikiEditPage"

MasterPageFile="~masterurl/default.master" meta:progid="SharePoint.WebPartPage.Document"

meta:webpartpageexpansion="full"       %>
<%@ Import Namespace="Microsoft.SharePoint.WebPartPages" %> <%@ Register

Tagprefix="SharePoint" Namespace="Microsoft.SharePoint.WebControls"

Assembly="Microsoft.SharePoint, Version=14.0.0.0, Culture=neutral,

PublicKeyToken=71e9bce111e9429c" %> <%@ Register Tagprefix="Utilities"

Namespace="Microsoft.SharePoint.Utilities" Assembly="Microsoft.SharePoint, Version=14.0.0.0,

Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=71e9bce111e9429c" %> <%@ Import

Namespace="Microsoft.SharePoint" %> <%@ Assembly Name="Microsoft.Web.CommandUI,

Version=14.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=71e9bce111e9429c" %>
<%@ Register Tagprefix="WebPartPages" Namespace="Microsoft.SharePoint.WebPartPages"

Assembly="Microsoft.SharePoint, Version=14.0.0.0, Culture=neutral,

PublicKeyToken=71e9bce111e9429c" %>
<asp:Content ContentPlaceHolderId="PlaceHolderPageTitle" runat="server">
<SharePoint:ProjectProperty Property="Title" runat="server"/> -
<SharePoint:ListItemProperty runat="server"/>
</asp:Content>
<asp:Content ContentPlaceHolderId="PlaceHolderPageTitleInTitleArea" runat="server">
<span>
<SharePoint:DocumentFolderName runat="server" id="PageFolderName"

AppendSeparatorArrow = "true"/>
</span>
<span class="ms-WikiPageNameEditor-Display" id="wikiPageNameDisplay" runat="server">
<SharePoint:ListItemProperty runat="server"/>
</span>
<span class="ms-WikiPageNameEditor-Edit" style="display:none;" id="wikiPageNameEdit"

runat="server">
<asp:TextBox id="wikiPageNameEditTextBox" runat="server"/>
</span>
</asp:Content>
<asp:Content ContentPlaceHolderId="PlaceHolderPageDescription" runat="server">
<SharePoint:UIVersionedContent runat="server" UIVersion="4">
<ContentTemplate>
<SharePoint:ProjectProperty Property="Description" runat="server"/>
</ContentTemplate>
</SharePoint:UIVersionedContent>
</asp:Content>
<asp:Content ContentPlaceHolderId="PlaceHolderPageImage" runat="server">
<SharePoint:AlphaImage ID=onetidtpweb1 Src="/_layouts/images/wiki.png" Width=145

Height=54 Alt="" Runat="server"/></asp:Content>
<asp:Content ContentPlaceHolderId="PlaceHolderAdditionalPageHead" runat="server">


<script type="text/javascript"></script>

<meta name="CollaborationServer" content="SharePoint Team Web Site" />
<script type="text/javascript">
var navBarHelpOverrideKey = "WSSEndUser";
</script>
<SharePoint:RssLink runat="server"/>
<SharePoint:UIVersionedContent UIVersion="4" runat="server"><ContentTemplate>
<SharePoint:CssRegistration runat="server" Name="wiki.css" />
</ContentTemplate></SharePoint:UIVersionedContent>
</asp:Content>
<asp:Content ContentPlaceHolderId="PlaceHolderMiniConsole" runat="server">
<SharePoint:FormComponent TemplateName="WikiMiniConsole" ControlMode="Display"

runat="server" id="WikiMiniConsole"/>
</asp:Content>
<asp:Content ContentPlaceHolderId="PlaceHolderLeftActions" runat="server">
<SharePoint:RecentChangesMenu runat="server" id="RecentChanges"/>
</asp:Content>
<asp:Content ContentPlaceHolderId="PlaceHolderMain" runat="server">



<SharePoint:UIVersionedContent runat="server" UIVersion="3"

Id="PlaceHolderWebDescription">
<ContentTemplate>
<div class="ms-webpartpagedescription"><SharePoint:ProjectProperty

Property="Description" runat="server"/></div>
</ContentTemplate>
</SharePoint:UIVersionedContent>
<asp:UpdatePanel
  id="updatePanel"
  runat="server"
  UpdateMode="Conditional"
  ChildrenAsTriggers="false">
<ContentTemplate>
<SharePoint:VersionedPlaceHolder UIVersion="4" runat="server">
<SharePoint:SPRibbonButton
id="btnWikiEdit"


RibbonCommand="Ribbon.WikiPageTab.EditAndCheckout.SaveEdit.Menu.SaveEdit.Edit"
runat="server"
   Text="edit"/>
<SharePoint:SPRibbonButton
id="btnWikiSave"


RibbonCommand="Ribbon.WikiPageTab.EditAndCheckout.SaveEdit.Menu.SaveEdit.SaveAndStop"
runat="server"
   Text="edit"/>
<SharePoint:SPRibbonButton
id="btnWikiRevert"


RibbonCommand="Ribbon.WikiPageTab.EditAndCheckout.SaveEdit.Menu.SaveEdit.Revert"
   runat="server"
Text="Revert"/>
</SharePoint:VersionedPlaceHolder>
<SharePoint:EmbeddedFormField id="WikiField" FieldName="WikiField"

ControlMode="Display" runat="server"></SharePoint:EmbeddedFormField>
<WebPartPages:WebPartZone runat="server" ID="Bottom"

Title="loc:Bottom"><ZoneTemplate></ZoneTemplate></WebPartPages:WebPartZone>
</ContentTemplate>
<Triggers>
   <asp:PostBackTrigger ControlID="WikiField" />
   <asp:PostBackTrigger ControlID="btnWikiRevert" />
   <asp:PostBackTrigger ControlID="btnWikiSave" />
</Triggers>
 </asp:UpdatePanel>
 <script type="text/javascript" src="/_layouts/lazard/scripts/jquery-1.7.2.js"></script>
  <script type="text/javascript" src="/_layouts/lazard/1033/SLDLIB.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">

$(document).ready(function(){
        CallInsertSlides(serverurl+"/Slides%20Management/sureshtest.pptx");
});

   


</script>
<script type="text/vbscript">
function CallInsertSlides(Selected)
    arrSelected = Split(Selected, ",", -1, 0)
    set objx = Document.ppactivex
    objx.InsertSlidesFromSlideLibrary arrSelected
End function
</script>

<input type="button" value="Copy to presentation slides" onclick="javascript:CallPPT();">
<object id="ppactivex"
classid="clsid:99098758-CB85-4a90-924F-F21898796281" style="visibility:hidden"

OnError="SetActiveXStatus(false);">
</object>

</asp:Content>

Hide Site Action and Site Settings link

We know there is a straight way to add a Custom action under a Site Actions menu or in a Site settings page. You just need to develop a feature with a custom action and deploy it.

I got a requirement to hide a custom action under the Site Actions menu. I initially thought of doing it in using my familiar JQuery hack and hide dirty way. Then something I found that there is a straight way available in SharePoint. Just develop a feature with a element file and add the below code.

<HideCustomAction
  GroupId = "SiteAdministration"
  HideActionId = "DeleteWeb"
  Id = "HideDeleteWeb"
  Location = "Microsoft.SharePoint.SiteSettings">
</HideCustomAction>

Here in the above code:

GroupId: Self explanatory for a developer. You can find the group id herehttp://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb802730.aspx

HideActionId: The id of the custom action that needs to be hidden. This can be found if you search in the features folder(in element file).
Id: Some Unique id(optional).
Location: From Where is should be hidden.
Hope this helps someone.

Error updating User Profile property on commit

Error: Updates are currently disallowed on GET requests. To allow updates on a GET, set the 'AllowUnsafeUpdates' property on SPWeb.


I saw many people has came across this is error when updating user profile property values, but I couldnt find a solid solution to this issue. So thought of posting a article on this one. The error may be misleading. Many think web.AllowUnsafeUpdates=true will solve the issue. But it wouldn't because this update will not have any impact on the User Profile Service application. 

Try the below code, it should solve the issue.

The difference here is SPContext.Current.Web.AllowUnsafeUpdates=true will update the current user profile to allow updates. Also make sure that there is no context given when Instantiating UserProfileManager object as it gets populated automatically when run on a personal site context. 

Hide Any Site template in Create Site section- SharePoint 2010

We may need to block creation of sites based on certain templates. For example my organisation does not like the employees to create blog site of their own in their personal mysite. 

There is a quick and dirty way to modify the webtemp.xml file to hide the template we dont want to show up. Its never a good approach to modify the default SharePoint config files. Also webtemp.xml file modification will affect farm level settings.

In SharePoint 2010 we can hide the templates of desired nature from the Create site page so no one can create site based on the particular template. This can by achieved by creating a new feature with a event handler code.

1. Create a new Empty SharePoint project.

2. Add a new feature element.Scope it to Web

3. Add a new event receiver to that feature element.

4. Paste  the below code(this code will hide the blog template at the site level)

public override void FeatureActivated(SPFeatureReceiverProperties properties)

{

SPWeb web = properties.Feature.Parent as SPWeb;

SPWebTemplateCollection existingWebTemps = web.GetAvailableWebTemplates(1033); ;

Collection<SPWebTemplate> newWebTemps = new Collection<SPWebTemplate>();

for (int i = 0; i < existingWebTemps.Count; i++)

{

if (!existingWebTemps[i].Title.ToLower().Contains("blog"))

{

newWebTemps.Add(existingWebTemps[i]);

}

}

web.SetAvailableWebTemplates(newWebTemps, 1033);

web.Update();

}

5.Deploy the solution and activate the feature. You will no longer see the blog template visible to the user in the Create site page.

6. To revert back and to show all the templates use the below code at Feature deactivating event.

 web.AllowAllWebTemplates() ;

Get User profile using Console App- Object reference error at Server context

Today I was trying to retrieve user profiles properties using a console application. Its a very simple application just pulls some metadata from the userprofilesmanager. Previously I have get and set profile properties in my SharePoint application many times. Thought it would be a piece of cake for me. Not though.

This is the code I have written in the program.cs. But to my surprise I was getting object reference error. I was thinking that url might be the wrong thing. But its not.


            SPSite site = new SPSite("http://suresh-pc:100/default.aspx");
            ServerContext context = ServerContext.GetContext(site);
            UserProfileManager upm = new UserProfileManager(context);
            UserProfile profile = upm.GetUserProfile("moss/suresh");

This error is a misleading one. You dont have permission to pull data from User Profile Service application basically.

Go to Central Admin- Manage Service applications- Click User Profile Service Application(click the row not the link).- In the ribbon select Manage Permmissions

Provide full permission for the user trying to access the User profile manager.

Build the application and run again.

SharePoint 2010 Content Editor webpart

I am a very big fan of Content Editor Webpart in Moss 2007. I have done many site customization's using CEWP in SharePoint 2007. Place a new html file, hack DOM elements using JQuery and modify the html elements, javascript etcs., I almost love it. Even I have developed a complete site using few CEWP's in SharePoint 2007.

I was hoping SharePoint 2010 would offer much more functionality to CEWP. But to the sad part it has worsened it usability. When I first tried inserting a CEWP in my SharePoint 2010 site, I virtually struggled to use it. I was trying to figure our how to insert my custom html. There was no Source editor in WebPart editor panel.

Edit Html source has been moved to the Ribbon. You have to click the "HTML-EditHTMLSource" and place your html.

And the worst part is now you cannot place any javascript code in the source editor(edit html source).

To place a javascript code you need to create a text file or html file and put your code there. Save it to some document library and link the file as show below in the editor pane

I like it in one way. We can checkin the code in Source control and deploy the text file or html file to the layouts folder and we can link it in our webpart so that we can have a backup of the code.

Custom Workflow Activity for SharePoint Designer 2010

Back in Moss 2007 we had the feature of creating a new custom activity for SharePoint designer. I never tried that. Yesterday I had to present a POC to a customer on Custom activity for SharePoint designer 2010. The requirement is pretty simple.

User will be presented with a simple list. On creating of a new item, a approval workflow will be triggered. On approval, a new subsite has to be created. So I thought creating a custom activity in designer and using that to create a designer workflow would to do the trick.

I will describe with steps to create a custom activity for a SharePoint designer 2010 below. Since creating a approval workflow is simple I m not going to cover it :-)

1. Open Visual Studio
2. Select the “File->New->Project”
3. For template, select “Workflow->Workflow Activity Library” ( If you don't see this template, then target your environment to .Net 3.5.)
4. For Name, type “CustomActivities”
7. Rename Activity1.cs to CustomAction.cs
8. Right click the project, select “Add Reference”
9. Add the following references:
o C:\program files\common files\microsoft shared\web server
extensions\14\isapi\Microsoft.SharePoint.dll

I dont want to jump into full code directly. Lets go Step by Step.

Create a new function which creates new site

To make your custom code we need to override the Execute method of System.Workflow.Activities.
Call our CreateSite() function within the Execute method.

We have created a simple activity which is good enough to create a new SharePoint site. But if you notice I have hardcoded the siteTitle and siteURLRequested. Not good practice ah..

Lets create a new set of properties to get and set values for our title and url parameters. Before that to make the properties to be picked by the SharePoint designer we need to create Dependency properties as below.


   public static DependencyProperty TaskTitleProperty = DependencyProperty.Register("TaskTitle", typeof(string), typeof(CustomAction));

        [Category("Cross-Site Actions"), Browsable(true)]
        [DesignerSerializationVisibility
          (DesignerSerializationVisibility.Visible)]
        public string TaskTitle
        {
            get
            {
                return ((string)
                    (base.GetValue(CustomAction.TaskTitleProperty)));
            }
            set
            {
                base.SetValue(CustomAction.TaskTitleProperty, value);
            }
        }

Note that we need to prefix the DependencyProperty with the word "Property" else VS2010 is going to shout at you.

Now use the dependency property created in our CreateSite method. Overall code looks like below.

So create another dependency property for siteUrlRequested as well which i m not doing here. Sign the assembly and build it. Place the assembly in GAC using gacutil.exe(never  install manually).

We are done with the coding part. Now lets register our newly created activity with the SharePoint designer.

If you navigate to 14 hive folder under 1033/Workflows/ you will find MOSS.ACTIONS and WSS.ACTIONS.

As a good housekeeping we will create a new ACTIONS file. Say CustomAction.ACTIONS.

Place the below xml in it to register our custom activity.

<WorkflowInfo>
  <Actions Sequential="then" Parallel="and">
     <Action Name="Create Site"
    ClassName="CustomActivities.CustomActions"
    Assembly="CustomActivities, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=a3170baa21b0a3e9"
    AppliesTo="all" Category="Custom Site Actions">
        <RuleDesigner 
           Sentence="Create a Site titled %1">
           <FieldBind Field="TaskTitle" DesignerType="TextArea" 
              Id="1"/>
        </RuleDesigner>
         <Parameters>
            <Parameter Name="TaskTitle" Type="System.String, mscorlib" 
              Direction="In" />
         </Parameters>
     </Action>
  </Actions>
</WorkflowInfo>

Save the file and close.  We have a very last step that to register our dll as a Authorized type with my webapplication. Navigate to web.config in the file system and make the below entry.

<authorizedType Assembly="CustomActivities, Version=1.0.0.0, 
   Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=a3170baa21b0a3e9"     
   Namespace="CustomActivities" TypeName="*" Authorized="True" />
Save the web.config. There you go..
Perform and IISReset and load the designer. You will see a new activity added under "Custom Site Actions"