I have been looking for a solution to cleanly limit the output of a SharePoint list field. Most of the time I find solutions that I piece together to make my desired outcome. However, with FirstNWords and the StripHTML templates that Marc shared, there was nothing left to be desired.

For my implementation of his solution: at the beginning of my row template I added the xsl:variable tag, effectively stripping the HTML from the @SRDetails field and placing into $BodyText. Then where I wanted to display the output, I added the xsl:call-template tag for FirstNWords with the appropriate xsl:with-param values. The actual template code was placed directly below the row template, with the only changes being:

1. StripHTML: replace the < sign in the xsl:when to &lt; .
2. StripHTML: replace the other two signs (< and >) as Marc stated.
3. FirstNWords: replace the > signs in the first and second xsl:when to &gt; .

Awesome solution…thanks Marc.

-Aaron Gilbert

Recently I have been doing a significant amount of development in Windows SharePoint Services and I have once again hit a frustrating issue that has incurred long hours trying to resolve. If you remember my article about the {generate()} function and SharePoint Designer, it will come as no surprise that the issue with “Master Page error” relates to SharePoint Designer inserting code that is not necessary or accurate.

<SCRIPT />

To fix the error in your page, search for the tag <SCRIPT /> and remove any tags that do not appear to belong. Click on the design view and the page should work again…

For more information on this issue, check out this MSDN forum post:

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en/sharepointcustomization/thread/184a40da-01f0-44a0-a90b-0e719132eae0

-Aaron Gilbert

Never-the-less, for those that are interested in utilizing SharePoint, go download Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) and the now FREE SharePoint Designer 2007 product – and you have a business worthy Intranet CMS application – all for free.

Download SharePoint Designer 2007

-Aaron Gilbert

If you conform to the options given in SharePoint Designer, you will run into only a few minor issues. However, if you fight the rigor mortis that is SharePoint Designer, you will run into more frustrating issues. One that I had ran into a while back was the {generate_id()} function that is automatically added, at random times mind you, to an XHTML tag id property. Although the idea was to help (force?) less-experienced programmers use unique names in the id property, this “feature” is aggravating to experienced programmers. Even with confusingly complex applications, Microsoft develops for the supposed lowest common denominator, which in some cases seems to be a lab monkey.

Enough… enough… what is the solution?

Solution – XSL Param

As part of the <xsl:template> definition tags, create a new <xsl:param> tag that you will use as an empty parameter on the id properties that you wish SharePoint Designer to leave alone. As an example, you would add this tag immediately following a dvt row:

<xsl:template name="dvt_1.rowedit">
<xsl:param name="Pos" />
<xsl:param name=" SharePointDesignerQuirk " />

Now you may deploy this empty parameter throughout the xsl template as desired. An example shows a custom div tag with an id property:

<div id="commentsDiv{$SharePointDesignerQuirk}">

Data Source Controls Solution – XSL Param

The above trick works for Data Source Controls also, and you may need to use it if you the Data Source Control you inserted into your SharePoint Designer page is using the {generate_id()} function. Without forcing SharePoint Designer to stop “helping” those that are more intelligent than a lab monkey, you will notice that SharePoint fields, such as a DropDownList, will not show fields that you thought were associated with the SharePoint list.

Aaron Gilbert

In one situation I had two querystring variables that were used on one page, with neither querystring variable being contained within the dataset of the other querystring. Example, account_ID and ad_ID, two indirectly related querystrings that were only linkable through a traditional multi-level table join, such as Accounts > Events > Ads. So how would I output the unassociated querystring in the DataForm of the associated querystring – in other words, how do I use {@field} to output ad_ID when I am working in the Accounts table with querystring account_ID. Well, at first, I had a hard time figuring this out. Depending on the day, I am either thinking too big or too small; either way, the solution seems to always be in the middle.

{$parameter}

As one would add a parameter to filter the datasource results, add a parameter sorely for the purpose of outputting the value in the XSL stylesheet. Simple! Now you can output the querystring value in your XSL by using {$parameter_name}.

If you are unfamiliar with creating parameters, click on the little arrow to the right on the DataForm WebPart and choose “Parameters…”. The name you provide for the parameter will be the same name you use in the {$p..} variable.

Anyone that has programmed in web technologies has used URL encoded characters at some point. For those are wondering, one of the purposes of URL encoding is to allow certain characters in a URL string that would otherwise be prohibited as anything other than their original purpose. An example would be =, which is typically used as part of the querystring structure – if you were to add this character to your querystring, not intending it as an equal sign defining another querystring variable, it would break your querystring statement intention. There are many other uses for URL encoding, and as you develop web technologies you will find yourself using them more often than not.

The digits following the % sign is a hexadecimal equivalent of the ASCII decimal number for that character. For an example, visit the ACSII Chart located at cppreference.com.

As a real example, I am using URL encoding in the Source= statement with SharePoint Services. For more information on source= with SharePoint, see my other article.

-Aaron Gilbert

Querystrings

A quick overview… skip to the next section if you under querystrings.

Querystrings are a great/easy method for transferring information from one web page to another. You can transfer more than one “variable” of information by breaking up the querystring statement using the & sign. Here is an example:

http://mysharepoint/mypage.aspx?ID=1

Two querystring variables would be separated by an & sign:

http://mysharepoint/mypage.aspx?ID=1&source=http://mysharepoint/myotherpage.aspx

&amp;

Who would’ve thought – maybe just me – instead of using the & sign in the href statement, you must use “&amp;”. So, a two variable querystring would look like:

http://mysharepoint/mypage.aspx?ID=1&Source=http://mysharepoint/myotherpage.aspx

Source=

The trick is to define a querystring variable when calling the New/Edit form and set the URL of the page you wish to be redirected after the Item is created/modified. The querystring is “source”.

In your hyperlink, set the page similar to the example below and when you click Ok on the form, you will be redirected to that page instead:

<a href="http://mysharepoint/AppPages/custom_edit.aspx?Source=http://mysharepoint/AppPages/custom_list.aspx">Edit</a>

I’m out…

ContentPlaceHolderId

The trick is to add another <asp:Content> tag with the ContentPlaceHolderId set to PlaceHolderPageTitle. This allows you to set a page title for any custom SharePoint page.

<asp:Content ContentPlaceHolderId="PlaceHolderPageTitle" runat="server">
My Custom Page Title!
</asp:Content>

Thats it!

I’m out…

As a recap, we are creating a custom workflow action that allows you to send an email with the attachments from a specified list in your site. The custom workflow action will allow you to configure four user input fields: (a) the Email Content; (b) the Send From Email; (c) the SMTP Host; and (d) the Associated List.

Although this project can be broken down into three sequential steps, these three steps are so closely intertwined that content from all three are required by the other three. With that stated, read all three sections, play around, then begin your actual development. The three steps are:

Step One: Create and Compile your .NET Workflow Activity
Step Two: Modify or Create .ACTIONS file and Add to Authorized Assemblies
Step Three: Deploy to WSS server and GAC

Step Three: Deploy to WSS server and GAC

This step assumes you successfully completed Part 1 of 3 and Part 2 of 3. This Part is considerably shorter than 1 and 2 because you will likely run through the steps in the Part many times as your debug your SharePoint Workflow action DLL.

Copy the Compiled Assembly DLL to WSS

Although some people recommend deploying your DLL to a specific folder under the Windows folder, I recommend for this project and other projects to deploy the DLL into the SharePoint folder structure. Therefore, we will deploy your DLL to the SharePoint folder: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\ISAPI

Let’s copy the latest compile from your Visual Studio project as was in Part 1 of 3 to the SharePoint folder listed above.

Next, we will need to use the gacutil.exe tool to add the DLL to the GAC cache. Run the following commands from a command prompt at the location of the DLL:

C:\…\web server extensions\12\ISAPI>gacutil /I devtrends.EmailAttachments.dll

You should receive a message similar to: “Assembly successfully added to the cache”

If you received a bad command or filename error, then the gacutil.exe application may not be readily available to the command prompt. The gacutil.exe is a tool that is included with the .NET framework, specifically all .NET frameworks. Depending on the level of .NET framework you wrote the program in, you need that level or higher of the gacutil.exe application. For the purpose of this article, the gacutil.exe version is 3.5, and the gacutil.exe was copied to the C:\…\web server extensions\12\ISAPI folder. You may need to search your computer for the gacutil.exe and copy it to the SharePoint folder that you copied your compiled DLL.

Finally, you will need to restart your Information Information Server, so issue the command iisreset:

C:\…\web server extensions\12\ISAPI>iisreset

Open SharePoint Designer, you should now have the custom action in your list of Workflow actions.

I hope this article was helpful. If you have questions please submit them as a comment.