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SharePoint eLearning - Online SharePoint Training, Video Tutorials and Webcasts > Wendy's Blog
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11/12/2009
Hello from sunny (well, mostly sunny) Las Vegas! I'm here presenting sessions at the SharePoint Connections Fall 2009 Conference and having a blast meeting SharePoint-Videos subscribers, having coffee with Asif (who I rarely get face time with anymore), and learning....ALOT. For example, I thought of something to share while rebuilding my demo VM last night instead of going to dinner with some friends from Penton Media. Believe me, I didn't want to be stuck at my laptop but the virtual hard drive had corrupted 5 minutes before my first session earlier that day and it needed fixing. Ain't that always the way things go? :-) When it comes to installing WSSv3 or MOSS 2007 onto a Windows Server 2008 OS the order in which you add server roles to the OS is important. HERE'S A HINT: Add the Application Server Role (to get the .NET Framework 3.0 goodies), which automatically adds a very scaled down edition of the web server role as well, before adding/enhancing the Web Server Role to include additional IIS 7.0 role services that you feel will benefit your SharePoint web sites (such as HTTP redirection or domain security). The order makes a difference in how the Default Web Site gets generated, which will affect the web sites created by SharePoint for your SP Web Applications later.
There, a "tip for the day". And I kept it short, the planets must be aligning (just read my other posts)! Must be the desert air. Oh, and for those of you readers who attended my WSS/SSE session here, please go check out the full narrative that will be appearing on Connections ONLINE (videos.devconnections.com) within a few weeks for additional demonstrations of Search Server 2008 Express. 10/9/2009A few posts ago I introduced this series bestowing practical advice for the online student. Given the expanse of broadband Internet access these days, it's realistic to believe that more and more of us will, at some point after reading Part I of this series, decide to enroll in an online course. Before you bravely embark on your first day in a new virtual classroom, allow me to paraphrase some suggestions from the US Distance Learning Association about how to win the online education "Most Congenial Student" award.
PART II: "Behave Yourself"1
Here some words of wisdom for avoiding the most common online classroom faux pas:
"Look Ma, No Hands"
Remember that most virtual classrooms offer no student video transmissions, so the desired effects of facial expressions and/or body language will be lost on your fellow classmates. Therefore, you will need to make the most of the communication tools offered inside the web interface (such as private chat windows, white boards, emoticons, etc.). Learn ahead of time how to use these tools (take an online tutorial or ask the instructor) so that you don't inadvertently misuse, say, a public chat and embarrass yourself by making inappropriate comments to the entire room rather than one other person. This advice is also warranted even if your virtual education provider offers student video input as most webcams have a limited scope and may pick up your facial expressions but not hand gestures, etc.
"Stick to the Program"
Do not use the virtual classroom or its communication tools for personal or social matters. Believe me, the rest of the room couldn't be less interested in your personality conflict with fellow student #15 or your infatuation with student #12. If you have a reason to personally communicate with a fellow student, say to arrange online lab time together or a study group, then be sure to correctly use the online communication tools to take the conversation out of the public view. And above all else, do not abuse the virtual classroom by turning it into an online dating service or auction house! There are few methods more expedient for getting kicked out of class than selling wholesale products or exhibiting unsolicited interest toward a fellow classmate.
"Feast or Famine"
There are two extremes when it comes to contributing to an online class, try not to become either. Excessive contributors are those classmates who communicate just for the sake of reading their own typing or hearing their own voice. Replies such as "I agree" or "Got it" are unnecessary unless solicited by the other participant in your conversation. The rest of the room will not appreciate mundane chatter that clogs up the chat room text display or unnecessary audio line use that prevents other students from speaking. Conversely, classmates who rarely speak or contribute to the chat room can be branded as uninterested or worse, offline! Be sure to get the most education out of your investment by remaining engaged and asking pertinent questions but be mindful of monopolizing the instructor or medium.
"Patience is a Virtue"
As difficult as it may be, keep in mind that not all of your classmates will be as worldly as yourself about online etiquette. Also, they may not be as skilled with a keyboard or know the latest IM acronyms and shortcuts. Be sure to give your classmates and the instructor ample time to respond to your inquiries and take those extra few moments to think carefully before you respond. Just because online education appeals to the need for instant education remember, this isn't a race. Exercise patience with your fellow online audience and plan your words carefully (see 1 and 2 above).
While attending training online may appear casual in nature because of the comfortable environment from which you may attend (i.e. your favorite chair in your living room)…don't mistake your immediate environment for a license to treat your fellow classmates or instructor as casual friends. Remember, especially in the beginning of class, these people are likely strangers and first impressions last forever.
1"The Netiquette of Online Learning" by Dr. Kenneth E. Hartman, Academic Director Drexel University Online as published in "Distance Learning Today" Vol1-Issue4, November 2007 ©2007 by Brown Kelly O'Neil & Partners 5/19/2009Have you ever looked at an existing SharePoint site and wondered which site template was used to create it? While cruising the Internet, I have come across several blog entries that offer code to retrieve the site template associated with an existing SharePoint site and while the code is useful, the snippets I've seen require modification by someone experienced with C#.NET or VB.NET. Furthermore, the snippets offer no translation of the cryptic template names that show up in their results (there are other blogs offering different code for that). Nothing against these code bloggers, I have the utmost respect for developers, but it occurs to me that site template information can also be retrieved without writing code by running STSADM.EXE or by directly querying the WSS_Content database in SQL Server.
STSADM
Beware that the following operation requires Site Collection Administrator or higher authority and is only available after installing SharePoint's Service Pack 2. Conversely, the default NTFS ACL on the SharePoint 12 hive files noted in the subsequent paragraphs contain an ACE for the Authenticated Users Windows system group that grants Read and Read+Execute...so rest assured you'll be able to read the files.
A quick stsadm.exe -o enumallwebs -database {content database name} operation at a Command Prompt reveals the TemplateName associated with each site in the subject database, such as "STS#0" for those sites created using the "Team Site" system-supplied site template. To translate "STS#0" into the more widely recognized "Team Site" name of the template, open the webtemp.xml file in the 12 hive path: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\TEMPLATE\1033\XML (assuming US English templates for locale 1033). This file contains details about the system-supplied site templates that ship with the Team Collaboration Feature. Using Notepad to read webtemp.xml (below), notice that the <Template> element with the Name="STS" bears a configuration option with the ID Number of "0". Translation: "STS#0". The user friendly Title of this configuration option is the easily recognized "Team Site" string. Sweet!
NOTE: There are actually multiple webtemp*.xml files in the 12 hive that contain information about the various system-supplied site templates depending on which Features are installed in SharePoint. A list of the defaults appears at the end of this post.
SQL SERVER
DBA's who do not have the necessary authority to execute stsadm.exe or are in pre-SP2 environments can still determine what site template was used to create a site by directly querying SQL Server (assuming the DBA knows which SharePoint content database houses the site in question).
DISCLAIMER: Microsoft Best Practices caution against direct contact with the SharePoint databases in SQL Server. The following SQL example is not supported by Microsoft but is a common enough question I've been asked by SQL Admins that I thought I'd shed some light on it.
The dbo.Webs table of any given content database contains a bevy of details about the sites housed by the database. Details such as: Site GUID's, Titles, URL's, and more along with each site's associated site template in the WebTemplate column and more specifically the configuration option of said template in the ProvisionConfig column.
Sample dbo.Webs table opened in SSMS
For example, say you want to find out which site template had been used to create a site entitled Consulting Team Site (I know, the site title kind of gives it away...but work with me here). The following simple SELECT Transact-SQL query to the WSS_Content database:
SELECT Title, WebTemplate, ProvisionConfig
FROM dbo.Webs
WHERE Title='Consulting Team Site'
would return the ID number of the site template and configuration option associated with the Consulting Team Site web site. Let's assume this example returned the value "1" for the site template ID number from the WebTemplate column and a value of "0" for the configuration option ID number from the ProvisionConfig column. Great! From the webtemp.xml file displayed in Notepad earlier it's easy to find the <Template> element with an ID number of "1" (it's the template with the Name="STS"). And within that template, the configuration option ID Number of "0" corresponds to the friendly-titled "Team Site" site template. Mission accomplished!
PS: Here are the default MOSS webtemp*.xml files from the 12 hive that contain available system-supplied site template information within:
File Name | Site Template Information For... | webtemp.xml | STS (Team Site, Blank Site, Document Workspace) ; MPS (Basic Meeting Workspace, Blank Meeting Workspace, Decision Meeting Workspace, Social Meeting Workspace, MultiPage Meeting Workspace) ; Wiki Site ; Blog | webtempbdr.en-US.xml | Document Center | webtempoffile.xml | Records Center | webtempsps.xml | Personalization Site ; Publishing Site ; Publishing Site with Workflow ; News Site ; Site Directory ; Report Center ; Collaboration Portal ; Search Center with Tabs ; Publishing Portal ; My Site Host | webtempsrch.xml | Search Center |
4/9/2009Almost every time I'm speaking with a content contributor or developer of a SharePoint environment, the question invariably comes up: "Why don't my functions work in SharePoint?" This dilemma can crop up anywhere in SharePoint that you can place a Calculated Value, such as a default value parameter on a list column. For instance, imagine you want a date field to fill in whatever calendar date it happens to be at the moment a. VB.NET programmers will want to use the NOW() function, while Microsoft Access power users will struggle to use DATE(). But no matter how you enter these functions, with closed parenthesis or with brackets such as [NOW], neither works. In fact, the error messages from SharePoint will even change depending on the incorrect syntax used:
Figure 1 Error on DATE()
Figure 2 Error on [DATE]
So what exactly does SharePoint want? If VB.NET and Access 2007 functions are not good enough, what functions will actually work?
You can find a list of supported functions by visiting a MOSS site via Internet Explorer, clicking the  Help icon in the upper right corner to bring up "SharePoint Server 2007 Help and How-To", then either searching for the phrase functions or navigating to Business IntelligenceàBusiness data in sites, lists, and librariesàFormulas and functions. This same help menu is available on the Internet via the SharePoint pages of Microsoft's Office website at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepointserver/CH101760291033.aspx . Alternatively, you can view the STSLIST.CHM help file ({Office Installation Path such as c:\program files\microsoft office}\Office12\1033) found on any pc that has Office installed with Windows SharePoint Services Support enabled, which will bring up the Access Web DataSheet Help files, then navigate to Function Reference.
3/25/2009A few months ago on one of my many travels, I discovered an insert in the complimentary newspaper provided by my hotel. The 16-page magazine caught my eye because it was published by the United States Distance Learning Association (www.usdla.org). Being a technical trainer and given the propensity for online education opportunities in the IT industry, I was very interested in what the magazine had to say about taking classes over the Internet. The articles were full of practical advice for the knowledge seeker who favors a more casual learning environment (namely their favorite comfy chair) over the stark, institutional environment of an on-campus classroom. So I thought I would share this valuable information in case some of you might be considering online training. NOTE: below I'm paraphrasing from copyrighted material (bibliography/credits at end of post).
PART 1 "Are You Ready?" 1
Before you get into any online course, it's best to have realistic expectations of what you want to gain from the experience. Here's a list of questions to ask yourself when deciding if online education is right for you:
Why are you going?
Your immediate motivation for attending a technical class, online or traditional, may reveal what outcome you're hoping for. For example, if you are polishing your resume in preparation for a job hunt, your needs for the class will be different than if you are attending under duress because your employer is demanding one more human resource be certified in order to meet regulatory compliance. Honestly ask yourself why you want to attend the class.
Who's paying? What is a reasonable return on investment (ROI) expectation?
The ROI expected from technical training likely will depend on who's footing the bill. If you expect your employer to pay your tuition, you may need to justify how the training will improve your job skills in order to get them on board with the idea. If you are paying your own way, personal financial commitments (such as taking out a loan for tuition) will raise your expectations. Unrealistic expectations may be influenced by some of the advertising out there that promises exorbitant job opportunities upon getting certified. Or you may have experienced less-than-stellar classes in the past and develop low standards to base your ROI expectations on. Take some time to research your potential online training provider and make sure their services meet or exceed your goals.
Is online learning conducive to the way you learn?
Learning online is a very different journey than learning in traditional instructor-led classrooms. In my experience auditory learners, those of you who absorb new information by hearing it and conversing about it with others, do not usually enjoy the isolated environment of an online class. Visual learners, on the other hand, are folks who retain information best by reading it and maybe even rewriting it on a piece of paper. These learners benefit well from distance learning and even tend to prefer the privacy and isolation of being "alone in the classroom". Kinesthetic (or "hands on") learners gain from performing the learned tasks over and over, and the flexibility of an online class schedule gives them the freedom to do just that. So knowing which type of learner you are will help you determine if distance learning will work for you. There is an Internet site that offers tools to help you assess whether online classes are right for you (www.elearners.com/advisor).
Are you being realistic about the commitment?
The freedom of online learning can be a double-edged sword. While online classes make for a more casual and flexible learning environment, they also give students the chance to devote inadequate commitment to the material and thus set themselves up for failure. Studying "anywhere" can translate to studying in a den of distractions and the next thing you know you aren't retaining any knowledge or getting anything accomplished! If you are not prepared to approach your online class as if it were on-the-job hours, you may find yourself behind in the material early on in the class. Stay focused by sticking to a time schedule, planning breaks, and avoiding personal distractions during your class time.
If you sincerely soul-search the answers to these questions and decide that online learning is the route you would like to take, I'll be posting more parts to this series including Part II "Behave Yourself" (how to be polite in an online class), Part III "Assuring Success" (how to make sure you have a good class) and Part IV "Getting More Than You Bought" (benefits of online learning). If you want to investigate distance learning further, visit the USDLA at www.usdla.org.
1
"You're Ready to Go Back to School If…" by Andrew Gansler, CEO eLearners.com as published in "Distance Learning Today" Vol1-Issue4 November, 2007 ©2007 by Brown Kelly O'Neil & Partners 10/22/2008It's been so long since I've posted I guess it took a big event for me to feel inspired. I recently had the distinct honor of presenting four sessions for the Tech Mentor Conference sponsored by Redmond Magazine at their Las Vegas show (Tech Mentor is partnered with the VSLive Conference which has mostly development topics centered on Visual Studio). The wide range of Microsoft topics offered on the Tech Mentor side of the show included SharePoint, SQL Server, IIS 7.0, Windows Server 2008, Exchange 2007, Active Directory 2008, Virtualization/Hyper-V, Windows Powershell and more. But the breadth of topics wasn't the most impressive characteristic of the conference for me. Instead, I was delighted by the way these topics were presented. Even though Microsoft was one of the sponsors of the show, Redmond Magazine prides itself on being the independent voice of IT (the slogan is printed right on the front of the magazine) and this conference was true to that calling. There were sessions that showcased third party utilities and add-ons for SharePoint and sessions that demonstrated field best practices you won't find anywhere on MSDN or Microsoft Technet. The speakers were brutally honest about the software's capabilities and shortcomings as well as about "undocumented features". If you were there, maybe I got the chance to meet you and say "Hi". If you didn't get to attend, check out a future conference date (http://techmentorevents.com) when you get the opportunity. While there are many conferences about SharePoint to choose from each year, some even delivered or heavily sanctioned by Microsoft itself, I think you'll find Tech Mentor a breath of fresh air or, if nothing else, a heavy dose of realism.
A question that came up during one of my sessions concerned recovering from erroneously installing SharePoint as a Stand-Alone Server. You may have noticed that both the WSS installation program and the MOSS installation program offer two setup modes: Basic or Advanced. These modes are reminiscent of other Microsoft application installation programs that offer Typical or Custom setup modes. The Basic setup mode of SharePoint installs all SharePoint components onto a single server, assuming many default configuration settings. However, the Advanced setup mode of SharePoint offers two configurations: WFe (web front end) or Stand-Alone Server. And while the AdvancedàStand-Alone Server choice may seem very similar to a Basic install (all SharePoint components end up getting installed on a single server), there is one major difference: the stand-alone server creates a single-server SharePoint Farm that can never be expanded to include additional SharePoint servers! This is the one time when going with the more simplistic Basic setup mode is preferable if you ever plan on expanding SharePoint in the future. But back to my audience member's question. He had already performed an AdvancedàStand-Alone Server installation and had the environment in production, populated with content. Now he needed a second SharePoint server to scale out into a small farm. Unfortunately, there is no Central Administration switch or easy radio button to convert a Stand-Alone Server into a Single-Server. Possible remedies include reinstallation or a pristine single-server installation followed by content migration, then decommissioning the original stand-alone server and installing SharePoint anew as a second SharePoint farm server. This question gave me the chance to showcase Metalogix, Quest, and AvePoint third party manufacturers of SharePoint migration tools.
Sometimes conferences can be more than just a chance to get away from the office! J 11/29/2007Employing the new WSSv3/MOSS2007 Site Content Type object requires a bit of prep work. When visiting the Settings page of any given list or library, the section necessary to engage content type configuration is not visible by default. Don't panic, you haven't forgotten to install anything. Rather, the default list and library templates do not have Content Type management enabled by default.
To enable Content Type management on a list or library, perform the following steps:
Navigate to the Settings page for the subject list or library
Click on "Advanced Settings"
Change the Content Types management setting from "No" into "Yes": 
- Now the List/Library Settings page includes a section to engage Content Type configurations:
9/14/2007In order to restore a Site Collection using the stsadm.exe "restore" operation it isn't enough to be a member of the Windows "Administrators" local group AND the "Owners" SharePoint group…you must also be specifically listed as a Site Collection Administrator! Otherwise, you will be met with the following error:
To add someone as a Site Collection Administrator, you must visit SharePoint Central Administration and perform the following steps:
- Navigate to the Application Management page
Click on Site collection administrators under "SharePoint Site Management"
- Add the user account of whoever will be performing the restore to either the "Primary" or "Secondary" site collection administrator field (these are single-value fields):
- Save these settings by clicking OK at the bottom of the page
Now the newly appointed Site Collection Administrator has the ability to perform the stsadm.exe restore operation! |
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