Introduction

1. Introduction Gayan Peiris Technical Architect Unique World Group gayanp@uniqueworld.net Wednesday 19 October 2005

2. Agenda • Collaboration And Tracking Features (WSS V3) • Extending The User Interface (WSS V3)

3. SharePoint lists are frequently used for ‘tracking’. This can include tracking issues, tasks, contacts, documents, etc. SharePoint Services “V3” adds many core ‘list’ features to enabled users/developers to build great ‘tracking’ applications Feature areas List history and versioning Project Tasks list Email support Distribution list support Sync APIs and Outlook synchronization UI extensibility Alerts and RSS Collaboration And Tracking Features Overview

4. List History And Versioning • Core improvements to ‘list’ architecture to support tracking • Version history for all SharePoint items • Shows changes to the item for each version • Multi-valued lookup fields • Large list indexing support • Applications built on SharePoint lists get functionality for ‘free’. • Updated ‘Issue tracking’ template • Integration with Windows Workflow Foundation for approval or custom workflows

5. Project Tasks List • Lightweight project management functionality • Gantt charts for visualization of project plan • Gantt view generic functionality available for any list type with date fields

6. Email Integration • SharePoint Lists can now receive e-mail • Discussion Boards, Calendars, Document Libraries, Announcements accept incoming email • Discussion boards maintain email threading and full HTML messages • Calendars process incoming iCals • Document libraries map attachments to documents • Extensible support for custom ‘e-mail handlers’ • Custom lists can support email by writing a ‘handler • SharePoint handles routing of email, your code can map email data to list data

7. Example Email Handler namespace TaskHandler { public class SimpleHandler:SPEmailEventReceiver { public override void EmailReceived(SPList list, Microsoft.SharePoint.Utilities.SPEmailMessage emailMessage, string receiverData) { SPListItem item = list.Items.Add(); item["Title"] = emailMessage.Headers["Subject"]; item["DueDate"] = System.DateTime.Parse(emailMessage.Headers["Date"]).AddDays(21); item["Description"] = emailMessage.HtmlBody; item.Update(); } } }

8. Distribution List Support • SharePoint site groups can have an associated ‘distribution list’ • Create a distribution list for members upon site creation • SharePoint sites will talk with directory services to create / manage distribution lists • Interface with directory service is pluggable through SharePoint directory management Web service interface • AD directory management Web service provided in SharePoint • Example: Plug into existing directory management tools – apply policy on allowed naming for distribution lists

9. Outlook And Synchronization APIs • Outlook allows user to work with personal and team data in one place • Read/Write access to SharePoint datatypes • Calendar, tasks, contacts, discussions, and documents • Synchronization for offline support • Change Log APIs optimized for synchronization • GetListItemChangesSinceToken – Web service method that returns list of items that changed (adds, updates, deletes, etc)

10. Keeping Informed • Alerts • Filters for more relevant alerts • Richer information about item that has changed in the alert • Platform for custom formatting, events, and alerts • RSS • All SharePoint lists provide RSS feeds

11. UI And Navigation • Breadcrumb • Site bread crumb provides user navigational context • Security Trimmed UI • Only show UI to users to which they have access • Quick Launch and top navigation • Present on view pages • Customizable in the browser UI • View Improvements • Paging Backwards • Better Filter/Sort UI

12. Extending The User Interface • Extensible Toolbars, Menus, Settings Pages • Link to pages • Can use ASP.NET controls on toolbars • Associate by • List type • Content type • File Type

13. Central Admin Site Settings Content Type Settings

14. Site Actions Display Form ToolBar View ToolBar Welcome Menu “ECB”

15. Custom Field Types • Developer Scenario • Create a new type with custom input and rendering • ASP.NET controls for edit, display, new form • Define complex server side data validation • Examples • Ratings • Address • External data lookup

16. Field customization UI { Auto-generated field property input form based on field PropertySchema

17. The content was taken from session Windows SharePoint Services “v3”: Developing Collaboration And Tracking Applications (OFF310) PDC05