SharePoint V3: Subtle Behaviors with Custom Site Tab and Site Column Groups

First one has to do with custom site templates (.stp). Starting from a site, if you navigate to Site Actions > Create > Sites and Workspaces and you look at the Template Selection section you will always see Collaboration, Meetings, Enterprise, Publishing tabs. If you have created at least one custom site template (.stp) then you will see a Custom tab as well. If you navigate to the site template gallery /_catalogs/wt/forms/common.aspx and delete your custom site templates (don't delete the forms folder) then you were to go back to the Create Site page you will see that the Custom tab has disappeared.

A similar behavior exists within the Site Column. From the home page if you navigate to Site Actions > Site Settings > Modify All Site Settings > Site Column Gallery. MOSS 2007 allows you to create new site columns groups when you create new site columns. You may also add a new site column to an existing group. The subtle behavior here is that if you move all of the site columns out of one particular site column group, then that group name will disappear. You need at least one site column to be added to the site column group in order for the group name to exist.