SharePoint Client Side Customization – Part 1 (Rude Awakening)

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For the past few months, I have been working at a client site, on which Developers are not granted access to the Servers (SQL & IIS). After a few talks with the people in charge of the servers, I understood the reason as to why these restrictions where put in place. However, at the same time, they understood that limitations will arise, when it comes to Customizing SharePoint. After a few months of arguments, we both agreed that we will try our best to Customize SharePoint by using client side scripting, Microsoft FrontPage and CorasWorks Web Parts

One of the biggest issues that I encountered at the beginning of this project was my own experience. On previous projects, I was always granted full access to all servers (I was god, don’t mean to offend anyone). My first inclination would always be, “Yes, let’s create a custom Web Part”. I would launch Visual Studio 2003 and spend a few hours developing a Custom Web Part. Once the Web Part was deployed onto my Virtual PC image, I would test it out and after a few iterations (days or weeks) I would be done.

HOWEVER, on the project that I am currently working on, this is NOT allowed.

After contemplating for a few hours on all the restrictions that have been imposed on me, I decided that it was time to get creative. Here are a few things to keep in mind in regards to SharePoint (you should know all of these, however, it is always good to write them up)

  1. SharePoint is a Collaborating Environment
  2. SharePoint is just Web Application, hence, containing .ASPX files, XML files and DLLs
  3. SharePoint stores all of its information onto a Database (SQL or MSDE)
  4. SharePoint uses Web Parts to display data from lists information, web services, databases, xml files, etc…
  5. SharePoint uses Client Side Scripting (JScript, JavaScript) to render input fields, validation, context menu, and other items.

With these things in mind, I asked myself, “Why not customize SharePoint using JScript/Javascript along with SharePoint DataViews, Web Part Connections, CAML, and most importantly Web Services. Calling Web Services by using Client Side Scripting will provide me an invaluable key onto SharePoint”. All of the previously mentioned have allowed me to heavily customize SharePoint, and I will share some of my experiences through this blog.

Posted on May 1st, 2006 in Our Culture, Technology, Tips & Tricks.