Content Types in SharePoint

Content types

Content type is a reusable collection of settings that you want to apply to a certain category of content.

Content types enable you to manage the metadata and behaviour of a document, item, or folder in a centralised, reusable way.

If we create one Content type in root website we can use it in sub sites.

Content Types in SharePoint

Let's start discussing content types in SharePoint 2010. Content Type Hub is a new concept in SharePoint 2010. But before going into more details, let's first discuss briefly what the content types are.

So our agenda for the discussion is:

1. What are the Content Types
2. Problem with Content Types in MOSS 2007
3. Content Type Hub in SharePoint 2010
4. How to publish content types on Content Type hub
5. How to expose published content types for the web applications (How to subscribe the published content types)

What are the Content Types?

1. Content Types are very important and powerful features in SharePoint.
2. A Content type is a group of site columns (or metadata), workflows and other settings for the item in the list or document in document library or for SharePoint page.
3. Content types are reusable component, they are not specific to any list or library or page layout.
4. Content Type represents group of information with common properties. For example, you are maintaining the list of the employees for your company, but there are different details for the employees who are onsite. So here you can create two different content types; one for onsite employees and another for local employees. You can associate these content types with the Employee list. So whenever you enter the details for an onsite employee you will create the list item from onsite content type. Also by going one more step ahead we can create base content type with common fields (site columns) and derive two content types from base content type.

Some More Details:

1. We can create content types in SharePoint by the following 3 ways:
   
   a. From UI
   b. Using CAML (Collaborative Application Markup Language)
   c. Using SharePoint Object Model (i.e. Programmatically)
    
2. We can associate one content types to multiple lists and libraries
3. SharePoint comes with several OOB content types.
4. Content types are always inherited; content types are never created from scratch. So an existing content type is always selected as a base content type for creating a new content type. So we automatically get all the columns from the base content type for the new one.
5. Content Types are stored in the SharePoint database. Databases are created for the web application. We can view all the content types from content type gallery (Site Action >> Site Settings >>Galleries>>Site Content Types). Content Type gallery is the document library.

Figure. Content Type Gallery option

Problem with Content Types in MOSS

1. Now suppose I have created a few content types for my site collection in WebApplication1. And now I want to use some of the content types created in webApplication1 for WebApplication2. But I don't have such an option to share the content types in multiple web applications. I need to copy and paste all the content types with code and separately deployment on the WebApplication2.
    
2. Also then there is no synchronisation mechanism between the content types. If I do some modifications in content types for web application1 then I need to do these changes also content types available for web application2.

Content Type Hub in SharePoint 2010

1. To overcome the above problem SharePoint 2010 introduces a new concept called Content Type Hubs.
2. Content Type Hub is the centralized place where all content types are published and the web applications which will require the content types will subscribe to the content type hub and can get the published content types from the hub.
3. Web application which subscribes the published content types also can receive the updates on published content types.
4. So Content Type hub is nothing but the separate common site collection where all content types will get created.
5. Now to act as this site collection as a content type hub we need to activate the "Content Type Syndication Hub" site level feature.
   
   
   
   Figure. Feature activation required for Content Type hub
    
6. Once we have activated this feature we will get a link to "Manage publishing for this content type" for every content type setting page as:
   
   
   
   Figure. Link for Manage Publishing for this content type

Exposing the Content Types published on Content Type Hub to the web applications

1. Now to expose our content type created on the hub we need to configure Managed Metadata Service.
2. Enterprise Metadata Management Service (Metadata Service) allows us to share the content types across the farm.
3. Next, we need to bind the content type hub with the meta data service, for this go to
   Central Administration >> Application Management>>Manage Service Application.
   
   
   
   Figure. Manage service applications option

4. If metadata service is already created then we will get two entries, one is the service and one is connection
   
   
   
   Figure. Manage Metadata Service Application and Connection Links
   
   Select the metadata service, click on the Meta data service and click properties button.
   
   On the properties window, put the URL of content type hub site collection.
   
   
   Figure. Content Type Hub URL option
   Also, click on metadata connection, click on properties button and make sure that "Consumes content types from the Content Type Gallery at <URL of your content type hub site collection>" check box is checked.
   
   
   
   Figure. Managed metadata connection

Publishing the Content Type

1. Now we can publish any content type from the content type hub site collection, to be used in the other web applications for which this Meta data connection is associated.
2. Go to the content type setting page, click on the link "Manage Publishing for this content type", and make sure that Publish option button is selected.
   
   
   
   Figure. Content Type Publishing options
    

Now these publishing of content types are managed by the timer job which is executed after every 15 minutes and then available to the subscriber web application.

a. Content Type Hub (Server Job)
b. Content Type Subscriber (Job for the web application which is subscribing the content types)

Associate a Content Type with a SharePoint List or Library

Content types are an extremely powerful way to associate metadata and actions with your SharePoint 2010 documents and list items. The role of the content type is to separate the metadata, workflows, document template, and other settings from individual lists and libraries.
However, content types by themselves aren’t useful without lists and libraries. So you have to associate them with the lists and libraries where you want to use them to describe content.
To associate a content type with a list or library:

1. Browse to the List Settings or Library Settings page for the list or library where you want to use the content type by selecting the List tab or Library tab and the List Settings or Library Settings button.
2. Click the Advanced Settings link.
3. In the Allow Management of Content Types section, select the Yes radio button and then click OK.
   The Content Types section appears in the Settings page. All lists and libraries have at least one default content type associated with them, so this content type appears.
4. To add another content type to the list or library, click the Add from Existing Site Content Types link.
5. On the Select Content Types page, in the Available Site Content Types section, select the content types you want to add to the list or library and click the Add button to move them to the Content Types to Add list.
6. Click OK.
   The new content type appears in the Settings page.
   
   
   
   
   

When you add a content type to a list or library, it appears in the New Document drop-down list. When a user selects this content type, the columns associated with the content type determine metadata the user can enter to describe the content.
Remove any content types from your list that you aren’t using. To do so:

1. In the List Settings or Library Settings page, click the content type you want to remove.
   See the preceding steps for how to access the Settings page.
2. Click the Delete This Content Type link and then click OK at the confirmation prompt.
   The content type is removed from the list or library. Note: You're removing only this content type from the list or library; it still exists as a site content type.

Creating a Custom Content Type using Visual Studio

Introduction

In this article we will explore the ways of creating a custom content type.

What is a Content Type?

A Content Type is a reusable, shareable metadata. The base type of a content type could be an existing content type like:

• Item
• Document
• Folder
• Event
• Task
• Message
• Comment
• Post

Some more information on Content Type:

Base Type: The base type of the Content Type is System with Id 0x.

Example: If you need a common list format or document format across sites then Content Type is advisable.

Groups: The content types are organized in groups, for example, List Content Types, Document Content Types, and Folder Content Types.

Three important Content Types: Item, Document, and Folder.

Feature: A Content Type can be deployed as a feature.

Scope: The scope of a Content Type could be specified in the feature as Site, Web etc.

Creating Custom Content Types

We can use the following tools for creating Content Types:

• SharePoint UI
• Visual Studio 2010
• SharePoint Designer 2010

The content type is in XML format so Notepad can also do the job but in a different way.

Creating a Content Type using Visual Studio 2010

Now we can try creating a content type using Visual Studio 2010. The SharePoint Developer Tools already contain the template for Content Type creation. Here we are trying to create an Item Content Type with the following fields:

• Title
• Contact Type

Open Visual Studio and create a new project from SharePoint > Content Type.

Enter the name of your content type and click the OK button.

In the next page, you will be prompted with the solution type:

Select the option as Sandboxed solution and click the Next button.

In the next page, select the base type. You can see a large list of base types possible.

Select the base type as Item and click the Finish button. Expand Content Type1 and enter the following code inElements.xml:

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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Elements xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/">
  <Field ID="{B7410A27-4E0C-42FB-BC6E-07928C43108D}" Name="ContactType" DisplayName="Contact Type" Type ="Choice" >
    <CHOICES>
      <CHOICE>Personal Contact</CHOICE>
      <CHOICE>Official Contact</CHOICE>
      <CHOICE>Other Contact</CHOICE>
    </CHOICES>
  </Field>
  <!-- Parent ContentType: Item (0x01) -->
  <ContentType ID="0x01009aa1f989a2604c99af0f57d80fe0b16d"
               Name="Contact Type"
               Group="Custom Content Types"
               Description="Contact Type"
               Inherits="TRUE"
               Version="0">
    <FieldRefs>
      <FieldRef ID="{B7410A27-4E0C-42FB-BC6E-07928C43108D}"/>
    </FieldRefs>
  </ContentType>
</Elements>

The above code performs the following:

1. Create a new Choice field named ContactType
2. Add three Choices for the field
3. The new field is referred inside the Content Type

Deploying the Content Type

The content type is deployed as a feature. Right click on the project and use the menu command Deploy.

Possible Error

If you get the following error:

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Error occurred in deployment step ‘Activate Features’: Cannot start service SPUserCodeV4 on computer

It means that the Sandboxed Solution Service is not running in your computer.

Solution: Go to Central Administration and open the following link:

Click the Start link of the following service:

Wait for a while until the service is started and now you can try deployment. After the deployment succeeds, go to the SharePoint site.

Testing the Content Type

Now we can try testing the new Content Type. Our Content Type will prompt with following properties:

• Last Name
• Contact Type

Create a new list from template Contacts and go to the List Settings > Advanced Settings.

Modify the Allow Management property to true and save the changes.

Back to the List Settings, now you can see the following option:

Click on the Add from existing site content types, and in the appearing dialog, choose the new deployed Contact Type, and click the OK button.

Now go back to the List Settings and choose the Change new button.. link

In the above page, choose our Contact Type as the default option and save the changes.

Now go back to the My Contacts list and try to enter a new contact.

You will get the new modified properties dialog. Here our Contact Type is being used. 

Note: The Last Name column is the default one with original name as Title.

So this concludes our Content Type creation using Visual Studio. In real world scenarios, packing the Content Type into one Solution would be advantageous for deployment purposes.

Summary

In this article we have explored the creation of custom content type using Visual Studio. The source code attached contains the Content Type we discussed.

References

• Create Custom Content Type
• Built-in Content Types
• Adding a Field Content Type
• Field Types in SharePoint

SharePoint Migration from 2010 to 2013

Migration 2010 to 2013

Doc Ave Tool.

Metalogic Tool.

SharePoint Default Master pges

What is the Default master page for SharePoint 2010 & 2013?

1. SharePoint 2010: V4.Master
2. SharePoint 2013: Seatel.Master

SharePoint WebPart Zones

WebPart Zones

http://office.microsoft.com/en-in/sharepoint-designer-help/insert-or-delete-a-web-part-zone-HA010151394.aspx#BM1

What is a Web Part zone?

• A Web Part zone is a Web Part container that can be configured to control the organization and format of the Web Parts contained in it.

• Web Part zones make it possible not only to group and arrange Web Parts but also to customize them in the browser and to control who can modify them there.
• Each of the individual Web Parts on a Web Part Page may or may not be located within a Web Part zone:
• ·  Web Parts located in a Web Part zone    When a Web Part is located inside a Web Part zone, the Web Part properties are stored in the content database in Windows SharePoint Services 3.0, not in the ASPX page.
• By inserting a Web Part inside a zone, you make it possible for users to interact with or modify that Web Part through the browser.
• Web Parts not located in a Web Part zone    When a Web Part is not located inside a Web Part zone, the Web Part properties are stored in the ASPX page and not in the content database in Windows SharePoint Services 3.0.
• By inserting a Web Part without enclosing it in a zone, you allow users to view the Web Part, but you prevent them from interacting with or modifying the Web Part through the browser.
• This can be useful if you do not want users to be able to make any changes, either to the Web Part or to the way that it is displayed on the page.

For example, in the following schematic drawing of a Web Part Page, one of the three shaded Web Part zones contains only one Web Part, and the others each contain two. Note that within any Web Part zone, multiple Web Parts can be arranged either horizontally or vertically. Note also that one of the Web Parts is not located in a zone at all — an arrangement that may be acceptable if users do not need to be able to customize that Web Part in the browser.

 Web Part zone containing a single Web Part

 Web Part zone containing two Web Parts arranged horizontally

 Web Part not contained in a Web Part zone and therefore not customizable in the browser

 Web Part zone containing two Web Parts arranged vertically

Each time you insert a Web Part on a Web Part Page, you decide whether to insert it in a Web Part zone. There are several advantages to using Web Part zones:

• Customizing in the browser    Only Web Parts that are located in a Web Part zone can be customized by a user who is viewing them in the browser.

• Grouping and arranging    Using Web Part zones gives you greater control over how your Web Parts are arranged on the page. Also, when you include multiple Web Parts in a single Web Part zone, you can either stack them vertically within the zone or arrange them side by side horizontally.

• Format and appearance    One of the properties that you can control for all Web Parts in a single Web Part zone is whether they display a title bar only, both a title bar and a border, or neither.

• Access    For each Web Part zone, you can control whether users are allowed to:
• Add, delete, resize, and move the Web Parts.
• Change their own personal Web Part settings.
• Change Web Part settings for all users.

Insert a Web Part zone???

Delete a Web Part zone???

Absolute & Relative URL

Understanding Absolute and Relative URL Addresses

1. What is an absolute URL?
2. What is a relative URL?
3. How can an absolute URL be made relative?
4. Programmatic Access to Relative URLs
5. Converting relative and absolute URLs

For the above questions please refer below link.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb208688%28v=office.12%29.aspx

AllowUnsafeUpdated in SharePoint

when using "AllowUnsafeUpdated" in SharePoint?

AllowUnsafeUpdates is set to true when you are trying to update the database as a result of the GET request.

Say you have a list and you want to update something, then you need to set AllowUnsafeUpdates = true for the web and after you have done you need to set it back to false.

AllowUnsafeUpdates = false protects from cross-site scripting.

So if you need to allow your code to make some updates, you need to set allow unsafe updates to true and then back to false as soon you update.

SharePoint RunWithElevatedPrivileges

What is Microsoft.SharePoint.SPSecurity.RunWithElevatedPrivileges?

Microsoft.SharePoint.SPSecurity.RunWithElevatedPrivileges method enables you to supply a delegate that runs a subset of code in the context of an account with higher privileges than the current user.

This method runs under the Application Pool identity, which has site collection administrator privileges on all site collections hosted by that application pool.

• Using SharePoint context with an unauthenticated user does not actually elevate privileges:

SPSecurity.RunWithElevatedPrivileges(delegate()

{

    // do something with SPContext.Current.Web

    // fails with a HandleAccessDenied Exception

    // because SPContext is loaded with the site,

    // not within this delegate block.

});

• So to get actual elevated privileges, you have to reload the context:

SPSecurity.RunWithElevatedPrivileges(delegate()

{

    using (SPSite site = new SPSite(this.Page.Request.Url.ToString()))

    {

        using (SPWeb thisWeb = site.OpenWeb())

        {

            // do something with thisWeb

        }

    }

});

Event Receivers in SharePoint

Event Receivers

The event is nothing but action, which will fire something happened within the SharePoint is called event.

There are 2 types of event handlers are there.

1. Synchronous event handler
2. Asynchronous event handler

What is the difference between Synchronous and Asynchronous event handler?

• The synchronous event handler will be fire before the action is performed.
• Example :- Item Adding, Item Deleting, Item Updating.
• The asynchronous event handler will be fire after the action is performed.
• Example: - Item Added, Item Deleted, Item Updated.

In SharePoint 5 types of event, handlers are there.

1. List-item event handlers
2. List event handlers
3. Web event handlers
4. Workflow event handlers
5. Email event handlers

    Workflow event handler and Email event handler added in SP-2010 server, these do not exist in SP-2007 server.

Your class inherited from which class in Event Receivers?

• Inherited from below classes.

1. Microsoft.SharePoint.SPItemEventReceiver
2. Microsoft.SharePoint.SPListEventReceiver
3. Microsoft.SharePoint.SPSecurityEventReceiver
4. Microsoft.SharePoint.SPWebEventReceiver
5. Microsoft.SharePoint.Workflow.SPWorkflowEventReceiver

What are the abstract methods in event receivers?

• ItemAdding()
• ItemUpdating()
• ItemDeleting()

Which class are you used to get the Properties?

• SpItemEventProperties class

How do you redirect to custom error page using Event receivers?

When a custom validation error occurs in SharePoint event receiver from your code and you cancel the event, the user will see the error in an ugly default error page!


So in these steps, we will view a custom error page that contains a friendly error, our example is to validate the input data in “Title” column and view an error if the “Title” is not equal “Hello”.

Event Receiver Cancellation Implementation Steps

1. In your event receiver, ItemAdding method creates your validation condition that will return the error.
2. we will use “properties” collection if validation condition error true to cancel the event and redirect the user to a custom page and send the error message to this page “see the code in the image below” SharePoint Custom error Event receiver code.
3. you will find the path to an error page that the event will redirect the user to it for creating a custom error page follow the next part steps

BeforeProperties / AfterProperties in Event Receivers

These are facts we need to consider while working with an Event Receiver.

1. We should not use Before properties for accessing change of value at the List level.
2. Before properties are available only with Document Library.

Below is the context in SharePoint event receiver

• BeforeProperties
• AfterProperties
• properties.ListItem

List:

List	BeforeProperties	AfterProperties	properties.ListItem
ItemAdding	No value	New value	Null
ItemAdded	No value	New value	New value
ItemUpdating	No value	Changed value	Original value
ItemUpdated	No value	Changed value	Changed value
ItemDeleting	No value	No value	Original value
ItemDeleted	No value	No value	Null

Library:

Library	BeforeProperties	AfterProperties	properties.ListItem
ItemAdding	No value	No value	Null
ItemAdded	No value	No value	New value
ItemUpdating	Original value	Changed value	Original value
ItemUpdated	Original value	Changed value	Changed value
ItemDeleting	No value	No value	Original value
ItemDeleted	No value	No value	Null

Here one more scenario we need to consider before we conclude this topic.

I have one example where I need to prevent the user from entering the same value for a column.

Ex: Suppose column called Description and its initial value is "Test" and user go to the list and update the item for that column with the same value we need to prevent this. How to achieve this?

So if we observe carefully with the above table then we have the answer available immediately.
In the ItemUpdating Event, we can check the condition like

if(properties.ListItem["Description"] != properties.AfterProperties["Description"])
{
         //Cancel the event
         properties.Cancel = true;
         properties.ErrorMessage = "The column is having same original value";
}