SharePoint 2010 Client Side Object Model

1. SharePoint 2010 Client Side Object Model

2. Agenda • Introduction • The Problem • Client side vs Server Side • Client Side Object Model • How it works • What can it do? • Limitations • Possibilities • REST Interface • Demonstration – REST + CSOM • Questions

3. Introductions • Who am I? • Who are you? • “Customisation Possibilities”

4. The Problem • SharePoint does so much! • But not exactly what I want  • I know – I’ll customise it!

5. The Problem • Custom development • Too Risky ? • Data issues? • Too Expensive ? • Initial development • Maintenance • Upgrade? • More often than not, custom development requires installation of components on the Server • Promotion through environments • Time and costs associated with downtime

6. The Problem Customise!

7. The Problem $@#%$*&!

8. The Problem • A lot of organisations simply don't allow server side coding • A lot of hosting situations don’t allow server side coding • BPOS / Office 360 / SharePoint Online • Web Central • Shared Tenancy / Security Issues • Team based SharePoint development rarely performed • TFS • Proper Build Servers

9. Client side vs Server Side Server Side Client side

10. Client side vs Server Side Client Side • Code running on client computer • Can only interact with SharePoint via web services • Hard to do anything of any complexity Server Side • Code running on server • Can use SharePoint object model directly • Requires installation on server

11. Client side vs Server Side Designer * Server Side Web Part Development Generic Feature Development UI Menu Feature Development SharePoint Event Handlers Custom Web Services Custom Field Types Custom Page Development / Code behind Custom Windows Applications / Utilities Custom STSADM commands Business Connectivity Services (BCS)(2010) InfoPath Forms Custom Timer Jobs Custom Workflows / Custom Workflow Actions Branding / Design User controls Workflows Advanced configuration …

12. Client side vs Server Side Client Side ?

13. Client side vs Server Side • So previously the ‘real’ client side options were: • Web Services • Very low level • A bit complex (security) • Scripts on page • Mainly for UI change (hiding fields, UI improvements) • “Can call web services” – yuck • VB can do some interesting things • SharePoint designer modifications • OK – if you don’t delete everything • Customisations not as portable as would like • Know your boundaries!

14. Client side vs Server Side • Some client side work-arounds got quite popular: • JPoint – series of JavaScript functionality in web parts • HTML Calculated column –using the ‘calculated column’ to conditionally output HTML • JavaScript web-service libraries – still yuck

15. What’s New Already?! • SharePoint 2010 has two major areas of functionality in this area • Client Side Object Model (CSOM) • REST Services

16. Client Side Object Model • Abstraction layer • Results returned as recognizable SharePoint objects • Client Object Model provides complete API • .NET • ECMAScript • Silverlight Consistent developer experience across platforms • What does the client object model enable? • Provide powerful ways to interact with SharePoint Online data remotely without web services – providing access to objects at the site-collection level and lower within the SharePoint hierarchy.

17. Client Side Object Model • In a nutshell - the client side object model provides an ‘object model’ to client technologies • .NetApplications • Silverlight • JavaScript (ECMAScript) • Each of these have a separate .dll to work with, but have very similar code

18. Client Side Object Model • Each of these have work with the Client web-service under the hood to provide the functionality on the server CSOM

19. Client Side Object Model

20. Client Side Object Model • Example - Delete List ( .net ):

21. Client Side Object Model • Example - Delete List ( JavaScript ):

22. Client Side Object Model Demo – CSOM

23. Client Side Object Model • JavaScript? • Yes – JavaScript • SharePoint 2010 Ribbon • Custom Links • Content Editor Web Parts • Added into Forms pages for lists and libraries • Scriptlets

24. Client Side Object Model Demo – JS

25. Client Side Object Model • Security • Windows Credentials by Default • Can use Forms Authentication • Permission level setting

26. Client Side Object Model Tips and Tricks? • Minimise what you need to retrieve • Know what is loaded in context and what isn’t… • Beware of IQueryablewith ListItem • JavaScript only has a-sync calls…. Ouch • Use the JavaScript “Item Table” • Holds data for the current item context

27. Summary • Before • Client side coding was very difficult • Either via web services or very limited in functionality • After • Client side coding much easier • “Object Model” - like coding on the server • Similar for JavaScript, Silverlight, .Net Applications • Don’t need to develop on the server! • New Possibilities with Rest and the CSOM

28. Reading: Using the SharePoint Foundation 2010 Managed Client Object Model http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee857094.aspx Managed Client Object Model http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee537247.aspx Common Programming Tasks http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee537013.aspx Praveen Battula http://praveenbattula.blogspot.com/

29. Questions?