SharePoint V3 Error: The search request was unable to connect to the Search Service

Description:
After modifying SharePoint service account identities, searching results in the error: "The search request was unable to connect to the Search Service."

Solution:
* IIS Manager > Application Pools > App Pool Properties > Identity Tab:
Set the user name and password to the SharePoint Service Account identity
* Start > Run > IISRESET /noforce

SharePoint V3: A MOSS 2007 Extranet Scenario of an Internal Parent Site Having Multiple Extranet Sub-Sites

One common extranet configuration of MOSS 2007 is when an organization sets up an internal-only site collection but has multiple external facing sub-sites (perhaps for clients or projects). I have created a sample configuration for this design using a fictitious company called “Wharf Technologies.” This example assumes the following:

* There is one set of internal users (e.g. Wharf employees)
* There are multiple sets of external users (e.g. clients)
* Users and groups are managed in Active Directory
* There is one root site collection called “Wharf Technologies Portal”
* There are many client sub-sites, one per client
* Wharf employees are supposed to have access to the Wharf Technologies Portal, plus all of the client sub-sites
* Wharf clients are not supposed to have access to the Wharf Technologies Portal; they should only have access to their client site
* For demonstration purposes, one of the client organizations is called Awesome Computers
* The Site Collection Administrators and Portal Owners have already been provisioned on the Wharf Technologies Portal
* The URL for the Wharf Technologies Portal is http://portal.wharf.com
* The Awesome Computers sub-site has already been created, the URL is http://portal.wharf.com/sites/awesomecomputers
* Each client site should have its own URL, available outsidse the Wharf network

Setting up something like this requires several network and SharePoint configurations. Below are steps outlining one approach to achieving these configurations in a sample environment. Keep in mind that there are many different approaches achieving the requirements and this is just one example. In real life you need to consider information security and corporate compliance policies and procedures of both the company hosting the web site and the client companies.

From Active Directory Users and Computers:
Create an AD security group called Wharf Technologies Users
Create an AD security group called Awesome Computers Users

From the Wharf Technologies Portal Site:
Actions > Site Settings > Modify All Site Settings > Advanced Permissions > New > Add Users
Add the Wharf Technologies Users AD group
Give Permissions Directly (Contribute)
Uncheck the option to send welcome e-mail to the new users
Click OK

From the Awesome Computers Sub-Site:
Site Actions > Site Settings > Advanced Permissions > Actions > Edit Permissions
Click OK to the warning message regarding unique permissions
New > Add Users
Add the Awesome Computers Users AD groupGive Permissions Directly (Contribute)
Uncheck the option to send welcome e-mail to the new users
Click OK

At this point the Awesome Computers have access to their site, but not the root site collection.

From Internet Information Services Manager:
Create a new web site called Awesome Computers
On the Web Site tab, provide a host header, awesomecomputers

On the web site tab, set the “content for this resource should come from:” option to “A redirection to URL”
For the “client will be sent to” option, check off “the exact URL entered above”
Set the “redirect to:” field to http://portal.wharf.com/sites/awesomecomputers/default.aspx

From Active Directory DNS:
Create an alias record mapping awesomecomputers host name to the host name of the Wharf Technologies Portal (e.g. portal.wharf.com)

From Internet Explorer:
Test the redirection web site, awesomecomputers.wharf.com should resolve to the Awesome Computers sub-site

From SharePoint:
If any custom branding has been applied, ensure that NT Authenticated Users group or a similar group has permission to the master page and css files. This will ensure that the branding is visible to the client users.

At this point users should be able to point their browser to http://awesomecomputers.wharf.com and be redirected directly to the Awesome Computers sub-site of the Wharf Technologies Portal.

The next configuration is to establish public facing access to the Wharf Technologies Portal ip address, port number, and establish external name resolution to the Awesome Computers host name. The configuration requirements of public ip address and name depend on the network hardware that is being used on the network perimeter and therefore vary from organization to organization. External DNS Name propagation make take several hours to complete since it must be updated at the service provider.

The end result is that each client site that is configured is accessible from outside the network, each having their own unique URL, and SharePoint permissions is set up such that client users can only access their own sites.

SharePoint V3: Configure BDC Search Scope, Add Search Tab, Modify Search Scopes Drop Down

In Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 search scopes allow you to define a portion of an index according to content sources and content types. MOSS also supports searching line of business data, such as structured data that exists in a SQL Server database.

The instructions below explain how to create a custom search scope for the Adventure Works DW SQL Database, how to add an Adventure Works search tab, and how to add Adventure Works to the search scopes drop down. This example assumes that the Adventure Works database has already been defined in the Business Data Catalog.

Create and Configure the Adventure Works Search Scope

SSP > Search Settings > Scopes > View Scopes > New ScopeTitle: Adventure WorksTarget Results Page: Use the Default Search Results Page (for now)Click OK
Adventure Works Search Scope > Edit Properties and Rules > Rules > New RuleScope Rule Type: Content SourceContent Source: AdventureWorksDWBehavior: IncludeClick OK

Create Adventure Works Search and Search Results Pages

Navigate to the Search Center
Site Actions > View All Site Content > Pages > New > Page
Title: aw.aspx
URL: Pages/aw.aspx
Page Layout: Search Page
Click Create

Site Actions > View All Site Content > Pages > New > Page
Title: awresults.aspx
URL: Pages/aw.aspx
Page Layout: Search Results Page
Click Create

Configure the Adventure Works Search and Search Results Pages

Open the aw.aspx pageSite Actions > Edit PageSearch Box Web Part > Edit > Modify Shared Web Part > Miscellaneous
Target Search Results Page URL: awresults.aspx
Click OK

Open the awresults.aspx page
Site Actions > Edit PageSearch Core Results Web Part > Edit > Modify Shared Web Part > Miscellaneous
Scope: Adventure Works

Create and Configure the Adventure Works Search Tabs

Open the search.aspx page
Site Actions > Edit Page > Tabs > Add New Page
Tab Name: Adventure Works
Page: aw.aspx

Open the searchresults.aspx
Site Actions > Edit Page > Tabs > Add New Page
Tab Name: Adventure Works
Page: awresults.aspx



Update the advanced search links on each custom search page

Modify the Search Scopes Drop Down

Home > Site Actions > Site Settings > Modify All Site Settings > Site Collection Administration > Search Scopes
Click "Display Group: Search Dropdown"
Edit Scope Display Group
Enable the Adventure Works scope by checking it and assigning it an order number

SharePoint V3: How the Site Directory Works

When you create a site collection using the Collaboration Portal template, a site called "Sites" is created by default and it comes wired with a site directory. The out-of-box site directory includes three tabs: Categories, Top Sites, and Site Map.

Categories and Top Sites rely upon information stored in the Sites list while the Site Map is automatically rendered.

When you click the Categories tab, you are viewing the categories.aspx page. When you click the link for a category, you are brought to the categoryresults.aspx page. When you click on the Top Sites tab, you are brought to the topsites.aspx page. When you click on the Site Map tab, you are brought to the sitemap.aspx page.

The aspx pages are stored in the Pages document library (Sites > View All Site Content > Pages).

The Categories Tab

The default categories that appear in the site directory are Division, Region, and Tasks and Tools. These are column names in the Sites custom list (Sites > View All Site Content > Sites > Settings > List Settings). The sub-categories (e.g. beneath Region there is Local, National, and International) are column values for the column. In the case of Region, Region is a choice column in the Sites custom list and Local, National, and International are available values for that column.

The Sites custom list has several views. The Categories view defines what is shown on the Categories.aspx page. For example, if you open the Categories view (Sites > View All Site Content > Sites > Settings > List Settings > Views > Categories) you will see that the three columns that are checked are Division, Region, and Tasks and Tools. These represent the categories that are visible on the Categories.aspx page.

Another important view in the Sites custom list is the Site Creation Categories view. This view defines what categories appear when a new site is created. For example, if you click Site Actions > Create Site you will see that the bottom of the new site page includes check boxes for Division and Region. This is because Division and Region columns are checked in the Site Creation Categories view.

Listing Sites in Site Directory

When you create a new site and indicate that you want it to be listed in the site directory, and you specify which categories you want it listed under, a new list item is created in the Sites custom list. For example, if you click Site Actions > Create Site and you create a site called Test Site 1, listing it under all possible site categories, then a new list item is created in the Sites custom list.

The Division and Region values you specified when you created the site appear as properties data for that list item. Since you selected all of the possible Division and Region values when you created Test Site 1, you can test the way the site directory works by clicking on one of these categories in the site directory.

Navigate to Sites and click on the Local subcategory beneath Region. You will see Test Site 1 listed in the results.

You can add previously created sites to the site directory by creating new list items in the Sites custom list.

Specifying a Different Site Directory

If you delete the default Site Directory site and create a new one you will notice that the site creation options for listing new sites in a site directory are no longer available. In order to associate site creation to a Site Directory other than the default one, you need to specify this new Site Directory.

Navigate to Home > Site Actions > Site Settings > Modify All Site Settings > Site Collection Administration > Site Directory Settings. Here you can define the location of the Site Directory. You can also enforce site creation options from this screen.

Under Promise and Over Deliver

When project sponsors for business application projects are gearing up for a new project they are exposed to products, lingo, marketing material, and all the things that create a buzz. Often times they see demonstrations or presentations that glorify the technologies (that is how these things are sold, right?). Sponsors are sold on ideals. They see a fine tuned demo and are convinced they can have the same thing.

Its great to experience the hype and the excitement of a new project, however, when a project is set in motion a reality check can quickly screech the record player...a message that there are technical limitations preventing a particular goal to be achieved as it was initially designed.

A big part of being satisfied at the completion of a project, is having accurate expectations when the solution design is established. This means being educated about the limitations and obstacles you will face along the way, before you even begin constructing. It also means being cautious about making promises.

SharePoint V2: ERROR: CREATE DATABASE permission denied in database 'master'. (Error code: 262).

Description:

From SharePoint Central Administration, attempting to create a new configuration database results in an error: "Error CREATE DATABASE permission denied in database 'master'. (Error code: 262)."




Solution:

* Start > Programs > Administrative Tools > IIS Manager > SharePoint Central Administration Web Site Properties > Home Directory Tab: Note the Application Pool Name (e.g. StsAdminAppPool).

* Start > Programs > Administrative Tools > IIS Manager > StsAdminAppPool Properties > Identity Tab: Set the user name and password to be the same as the database service account.

* Start > Run > IISRESET

SharePoint V3: Enabling PDF File Type in Office SharePoint Server 2007

For 32 bit:

* Download Adobe PDF IFilter located at:
http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=2611

* Stop the IIS Admin service.

* Start > Settings > Control Panel > Add Remove Programs: Deinstall previous versions of Adobe PDF IFilter.

* Run the PDF IFilter install executable (e.g. ifilter60.exe). The default install directory is:
C:\Program Files\Adobe\

* Download the 17X17 PDF icon as PDFICON_SMALL.GIF, located at:
http://www.adobe.com/misc/linking.html

* Copy the gif file to:
Program Files\Common Files\microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\12\Template\Images

* Backup the DOCICON.XML file, located in:
Program Files\Common Files\microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\12\Template\XML

* Edit DOCICON.XML, adding a Mapping key for PDF (e.g. mapping value=" PDFICON_SMALL.GIF" key="PDF")

* Start > Run > IISRESET

* Shared Services Administration: SSP > Search Settings > File Types: Add PDF

* Shared Services Administration: SSP > Search Settings > Content Sources: Start a Full Crawl


For information on 64 bit, refer to Mauro's blog post:
http://blogs.officezealot.com/mauro/archive/2007/05/15/20352.aspx