Features are a major enhancement to the template framework of MOSS 2007. It
allows you to develop, test, deploy and activate custom functionality in
your MOSS environment and provides a way to make the functionality available
across your server farm. Examples of features are custom workflows, content
types, templates of lists and libraries, etc.
Features are typically stored on the SharePoint server at C:\Program
Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server
extensions\12\TEMPLATE\FEATURES. Each features has its own folder and
contains a header file called Feature.XML.
The Feature.XML points to a manifest that tells SharePoint where to find the
code and XML that defines the feature. It contains the location of
assemblies, files, dependencies or properties that support feature.
Optionally, the Feature element may point to an XML file that contains an
Element which defines the components and types that make up the Feature.
*Creating Your Own Custom Feature*
For example, i want to create a content type for lists that defines columns
for storing informations about RFQ (Request For Quote).
The columns are
-RFQ No.
-Purchase Order No.
-Description
-Vendor
-RFQ Close Date
Although we can create a list template and use it inside the site, creating
this content type as a Feature allows Site Administrators to make the type
available to all sites in the server farm without adding the content type
manually.
*To create the list column definition file*
*1.* Create a folder called fieldsRFQ to hold the files defining the feature
and elements.
*2.* Then create the XML file inside the folder that contains the list
column definitions. An easy way is duplicate the column definition file of
SharePoint itself, which is located at C:\Program Files\Common
Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\TEMPLATE\FEATURES. You can
copy the folder C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server
extensions\12\TEMPLATE\FEATURES\fields and rename it with the new name. The
folder contains two xml files, feature.xml and fieldswss.xml. I have copied
and duplicated the folder with the new name "RFQColumns" and rename the file
inside the folder fieldswss.xml as "fieldsrfq.xml.
*3.* Here is my fieldsrfq.xml, the element file that defines the columns. I
have modified the copied file by defining my own column definitions.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Elements xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/">
<Field ID="{2ABC0796-E9B5-4288-B8D9-F1A66B87E61C}"
Name="RFQNo"
SourceID="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/v3"
StaticName="RFQNo"
Group="RFQ Content Type"
RowOrdinal="0"
Type="Text"
Hidden="FALSE"
DisplayName="RFQ No.">
</Field>
<Field ID="{10F319FD-87EA-413a-9C00-A8EAE1C7E3E3}"
Name="PONo"
SourceID="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/v3"
StaticName="PONo"
Group="RFQ Content Type"
RowOrdinal="1"
Type="Text"
Hidden="FALSE"
DisplayName="Purchase Order No.">
</Field>
<Field ID="{DDD9DA23-DFE5-4de6-9D12-5231A8499998}"
Name="Description"
SourceID="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/v3"
StaticName="Description"
Group="RFQ Content Type"
RowOrdinal="2"
Type="Text"
Hidden="FALSE"
DisplayName="Description">
</Field>
<Field ID="{0844729B-2146-4593-844E-DB5762BAEAC1}"
Name="Vendor"
SourceID="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/v3"
StaticName="Vendor"
Group="RFQ Content Type"
RowOrdinal="3"
Type="Text"
Hidden="FALSE"
DisplayName="Vendor">
</Field>
<Field ID="{AFF26D81-88F9-433b-ACCE-F0C836F62698}"
Name="RFQCloseDate"
SourceID="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/v3"
StaticName="RFQCloseDate"
Group="RFQ Content Type"
RowOrdinal="4"
Type="Text"
Hidden="FALSE"
DisplayName="RFQ Close Date">
</Field>
</Elements>
All the attributes in the above file is self explanatory. You have to map
the sharepoint native columns against your each columns in the list.
*4.* Next step is to finalize the feature.xml file and paste it inside the
fieldsRFQ folder. The feature XML file will look like this after the
moficitation.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Feature Id="3313208E-36E6-481e-BCE8-96CA777FF5F1"
Title="Request For Quote (RFQ) Columns"
Description="Installs columns designed to manage RFQ data."
Version="12.0.0.0"
Hidden="FALSE"
Scope="Site"
DefaultResourceFile="core"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/">
<ElementManifests>
<ElementManifest Location="fieldsrfq.xml"/>
</ElementManifests>
</Feature>
The following metadata is contained in the element in this XML file.
*ID*: The GUID that uniquely identifies the Feature. This value must be
unique across the server farm. The easiest way to create a GUID is with the
guidgen.exe utility that comes with Microsoft Visual Studio.
*Title*: The name of the Feature. In an actual scenario, you will see the
name of the Feature displayed on the Site Features web page inside the Site
Settings section for a given SharePoint site.
*Description*: The description of the Feature.
*Version*: The version of the Feature. This value can be incremented for
successive versions of the Feature.
*Scope*:Web or Site are the typical values. The scope defines the context in
which the Feature can be activated or deactivated. Setting the scope equal
to Web means that the Feature can be activated or deactivated within the
context of the site. A setting of Site means that the Feature can be
activated or deactivated within the scope of a site collection. The scope is
set to the site collection displayed to the administrator in the Site
Collection Features page. There are also WebApplication and Farm values.
*Hidden*:TRUE or FALSE are allowable values here. This setting specifies if
the Feature is visible in the list of Features on the Site Features web
page. Setting the attribute to TRUE makes the Feature visible to users who
want to activate it. Hidden Features must be activated either from the
command line, in custom code, or through the dependency of another Feature.
*DefaultResourceFile*: Specifies the central location for settings and other
items that may change frequently.
*ImageUrl*: Points to an image file that will be displayed next to the
Feature in the user interface.
*element*: The container element for elements
*element*: Contains the location of the manifest file that contains the
different elements that this Feature implements. The path to sub-directories
and files is a relative path.
*5.* Now that defining the site columns for the Feature is completed, you
need to create 2 files for the Feature content types that specify the
components of the Feature. Create a new folder in "ctypesRFQ" folder in the
path C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server
extensions\12\TEMPLATE\FEATURES. You can create the ctype.xml by duplicating
the file ctypeswss.xml from C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft
Shared\web server extensions\12\TEMPLATE\FEATURES\ctypes and the feature.xml
file format remains the same. Here is my ctypeRFQ.xml.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<Elements xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/">
<ContentType ID="0x01001EF379E5-F202-434f-8DA6-3401E94E291E"
Name="RFQ Content Type"
Group="RFQs"
Description="Designed to facilitate the storage of RFQ information."
Version="0">
<FieldRefs>
<FieldRef ID="{2ABC0796-E9B5-4288-B8D9-F1A66B87E61C}" Name="RFQNo" />
<FieldRef ID="{10F319FD-87EA-413a-9C00-A8EAE1C7E3E3}" Name="PONo" />
<FieldRef ID="{DDD9DA23-DFE5-4de6-9D12-5231A8499998}" Name="Description" />
<FieldRef ID="{0844729B-2146-4593-844E-DB5762BAEAC1}" Name="Vendor" />
<FieldRef ID="{AFF26D81-88F9-433b-ACCE-F0C836F62698}" Name="RFQCloseDate" />
</FieldRefs>
</ContentType>
</Elements>
The above ctypeRFQ.xml file details the fields with GUID of the content type
involved.
*6.* Create another file called feature.xml inside the folder ctypesRFQ and
paste the code below. Please note the format is similiar to one we created
before. A new GUID has to be created for the ID attribute in the file below.
Also add the feature id of the content type
(one created before) in the tag as below.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<Feature Id="060EB007-9D6C-40c5-ABBE-901171CD04FF"
Title="RFQ Data Content Types"
Description="Installs content types designed to manage information about
RFQ."
Version="12.0.0.0"
Hidden="FALSE"
Scope="Site"
DefaultResourceFile="core"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/">
<ElementManifests>
<ElementManifest Location="ctypesRFQ.xml" />
</ElementManifests>
<ActivationDependencies>
<!-- Installs the site columns that hold RFQ data -->
<ActivationDependency FeatureId="3313208E-36E6-481e-BCE8-96CA777FF5F1"/>
</ActivationDependencies>
</Feature>
*7.* Now we are good to go for feature deployment. Open command prompt and
type cd "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server
extensions\12\BIN". Now execute the command in below sequence,
a) stsadm –o installfeature –filename fieldsRFQ\feature.xml
b) stsadm –o installfeature –filename ctypesRFQ\feature.xml
*8.* Now the feature is implemented. Next step is to activate the feature.
Execute the following command in sequence below (in the same location)
a) stsadm –o activatefeature –name fieldsRFQ -url "http:\\localhost"
b) stsadm –o activatefeature –name ctypesRFQ -url "http:\\localhost"
where the URL http://localhost should be the top level site collection url
where you want to deploy the feature
9. Restart the IIS
allows you to develop, test, deploy and activate custom functionality in
your MOSS environment and provides a way to make the functionality available
across your server farm. Examples of features are custom workflows, content
types, templates of lists and libraries, etc.
Features are typically stored on the SharePoint server at C:\Program
Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server
extensions\12\TEMPLATE\FEATURES. Each features has its own folder and
contains a header file called Feature.XML.
The Feature.XML points to a manifest that tells SharePoint where to find the
code and XML that defines the feature. It contains the location of
assemblies, files, dependencies or properties that support feature.
Optionally, the Feature element may point to an XML file that contains an
Element which defines the components and types that make up the Feature.
*Creating Your Own Custom Feature*
For example, i want to create a content type for lists that defines columns
for storing informations about RFQ (Request For Quote).
The columns are
-RFQ No.
-Purchase Order No.
-Description
-Vendor
-RFQ Close Date
Although we can create a list template and use it inside the site, creating
this content type as a Feature allows Site Administrators to make the type
available to all sites in the server farm without adding the content type
manually.
*To create the list column definition file*
*1.* Create a folder called fieldsRFQ to hold the files defining the feature
and elements.
*2.* Then create the XML file inside the folder that contains the list
column definitions. An easy way is duplicate the column definition file of
SharePoint itself, which is located at C:\Program Files\Common
Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\TEMPLATE\FEATURES. You can
copy the folder C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server
extensions\12\TEMPLATE\FEATURES\fields and rename it with the new name. The
folder contains two xml files, feature.xml and fieldswss.xml. I have copied
and duplicated the folder with the new name "RFQColumns" and rename the file
inside the folder fieldswss.xml as "fieldsrfq.xml.
*3.* Here is my fieldsrfq.xml, the element file that defines the columns. I
have modified the copied file by defining my own column definitions.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Elements xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/">
<Field ID="{2ABC0796-E9B5-4288-B8D9-F1A66B87E61C}"
Name="RFQNo"
SourceID="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/v3"
StaticName="RFQNo"
Group="RFQ Content Type"
RowOrdinal="0"
Type="Text"
Hidden="FALSE"
DisplayName="RFQ No.">
</Field>
<Field ID="{10F319FD-87EA-413a-9C00-A8EAE1C7E3E3}"
Name="PONo"
SourceID="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/v3"
StaticName="PONo"
Group="RFQ Content Type"
RowOrdinal="1"
Type="Text"
Hidden="FALSE"
DisplayName="Purchase Order No.">
</Field>
<Field ID="{DDD9DA23-DFE5-4de6-9D12-5231A8499998}"
Name="Description"
SourceID="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/v3"
StaticName="Description"
Group="RFQ Content Type"
RowOrdinal="2"
Type="Text"
Hidden="FALSE"
DisplayName="Description">
</Field>
<Field ID="{0844729B-2146-4593-844E-DB5762BAEAC1}"
Name="Vendor"
SourceID="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/v3"
StaticName="Vendor"
Group="RFQ Content Type"
RowOrdinal="3"
Type="Text"
Hidden="FALSE"
DisplayName="Vendor">
</Field>
<Field ID="{AFF26D81-88F9-433b-ACCE-F0C836F62698}"
Name="RFQCloseDate"
SourceID="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/v3"
StaticName="RFQCloseDate"
Group="RFQ Content Type"
RowOrdinal="4"
Type="Text"
Hidden="FALSE"
DisplayName="RFQ Close Date">
</Field>
</Elements>
All the attributes in the above file is self explanatory. You have to map
the sharepoint native columns against your each columns in the list.
*4.* Next step is to finalize the feature.xml file and paste it inside the
fieldsRFQ folder. The feature XML file will look like this after the
moficitation.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Feature Id="3313208E-36E6-481e-BCE8-96CA777FF5F1"
Title="Request For Quote (RFQ) Columns"
Description="Installs columns designed to manage RFQ data."
Version="12.0.0.0"
Hidden="FALSE"
Scope="Site"
DefaultResourceFile="core"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/">
<ElementManifests>
<ElementManifest Location="fieldsrfq.xml"/>
</ElementManifests>
</Feature>
The following metadata is contained in the element in this XML file.
*ID*: The GUID that uniquely identifies the Feature. This value must be
unique across the server farm. The easiest way to create a GUID is with the
guidgen.exe utility that comes with Microsoft Visual Studio.
*Title*: The name of the Feature. In an actual scenario, you will see the
name of the Feature displayed on the Site Features web page inside the Site
Settings section for a given SharePoint site.
*Description*: The description of the Feature.
*Version*: The version of the Feature. This value can be incremented for
successive versions of the Feature.
*Scope*:Web or Site are the typical values. The scope defines the context in
which the Feature can be activated or deactivated. Setting the scope equal
to Web means that the Feature can be activated or deactivated within the
context of the site. A setting of Site means that the Feature can be
activated or deactivated within the scope of a site collection. The scope is
set to the site collection displayed to the administrator in the Site
Collection Features page. There are also WebApplication and Farm values.
*Hidden*:TRUE or FALSE are allowable values here. This setting specifies if
the Feature is visible in the list of Features on the Site Features web
page. Setting the attribute to TRUE makes the Feature visible to users who
want to activate it. Hidden Features must be activated either from the
command line, in custom code, or through the dependency of another Feature.
*DefaultResourceFile*: Specifies the central location for settings and other
items that may change frequently.
*ImageUrl*: Points to an image file that will be displayed next to the
Feature in the user interface.
*element*: The container element for elements
*element*: Contains the location of the manifest file that contains the
different elements that this Feature implements. The path to sub-directories
and files is a relative path.
*5.* Now that defining the site columns for the Feature is completed, you
need to create 2 files for the Feature content types that specify the
components of the Feature. Create a new folder in "ctypesRFQ" folder in the
path C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server
extensions\12\TEMPLATE\FEATURES. You can create the ctype.xml by duplicating
the file ctypeswss.xml from C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft
Shared\web server extensions\12\TEMPLATE\FEATURES\ctypes and the feature.xml
file format remains the same. Here is my ctypeRFQ.xml.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<Elements xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/">
<ContentType ID="0x01001EF379E5-F202-434f-8DA6-3401E94E291E"
Name="RFQ Content Type"
Group="RFQs"
Description="Designed to facilitate the storage of RFQ information."
Version="0">
<FieldRefs>
<FieldRef ID="{2ABC0796-E9B5-4288-B8D9-F1A66B87E61C}" Name="RFQNo" />
<FieldRef ID="{10F319FD-87EA-413a-9C00-A8EAE1C7E3E3}" Name="PONo" />
<FieldRef ID="{DDD9DA23-DFE5-4de6-9D12-5231A8499998}" Name="Description" />
<FieldRef ID="{0844729B-2146-4593-844E-DB5762BAEAC1}" Name="Vendor" />
<FieldRef ID="{AFF26D81-88F9-433b-ACCE-F0C836F62698}" Name="RFQCloseDate" />
</FieldRefs>
</ContentType>
</Elements>
The above ctypeRFQ.xml file details the fields with GUID of the content type
involved.
*6.* Create another file called feature.xml inside the folder ctypesRFQ and
paste the code below. Please note the format is similiar to one we created
before. A new GUID has to be created for the ID attribute in the file below.
Also add the feature id of the content type
(one created before) in the tag as below.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<Feature Id="060EB007-9D6C-40c5-ABBE-901171CD04FF"
Title="RFQ Data Content Types"
Description="Installs content types designed to manage information about
RFQ."
Version="12.0.0.0"
Hidden="FALSE"
Scope="Site"
DefaultResourceFile="core"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/">
<ElementManifests>
<ElementManifest Location="ctypesRFQ.xml" />
</ElementManifests>
<ActivationDependencies>
<!-- Installs the site columns that hold RFQ data -->
<ActivationDependency FeatureId="3313208E-36E6-481e-BCE8-96CA777FF5F1"/>
</ActivationDependencies>
</Feature>
*7.* Now we are good to go for feature deployment. Open command prompt and
type cd "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server
extensions\12\BIN". Now execute the command in below sequence,
a) stsadm –o installfeature –filename fieldsRFQ\feature.xml
b) stsadm –o installfeature –filename ctypesRFQ\feature.xml
*8.* Now the feature is implemented. Next step is to activate the feature.
Execute the following command in sequence below (in the same location)
a) stsadm –o activatefeature –name fieldsRFQ -url "http:\\localhost"
b) stsadm –o activatefeature –name ctypesRFQ -url "http:\\localhost"
where the URL http://localhost should be the top level site collection url
where you want to deploy the feature
9. Restart the IIS
No comments:
Post a Comment