Jason Noble

Microsoft Online and Neudesic’s Document Canvas Go Live

2008-11-18T17:25:37Z

On Monday Microsoft officially launched the initial release of the Business Productivity Online Suite(BPOS) that includes SharePoint Online, Exchange Online, and Live Meeting Online. As part of the launch, Neudesic worked with one of our clients to extend Word to include SharePoint Online based document assembly into something we called Document Canvas.

Neudesic designed Document Canvas, a custom add-in for Microsoft Office Word, that integrates with Business Productivity Online Suite. SharePoint Online is used to host an online library of approved and versioned document fragments, and geographically distributed sales team in remote offices can work in Microsoft Word and access these online pieces of documents to quickly stitch together complete, pre-approved corporate documents.

Benefits

Reduced legal fees
Time savings
Standardized documentation
Business agility

More about this solution: Word | XPS | Video (large) | Video (small)

How To: Add User Profile Properties to the My Site Profile Page

2008-09-24T21:22:55Z

Summary

Adding properties to the profile page on a user's My Site is done through the Shared Services Administration site. The following is a walkthrough on how to add the Department property to the profile page for each user.

Open Central Administration and click the Shared Service provider that hosts the My Sites
Click User profiles and properties

Click View profile properties

Locate the property you wish to have displayed and click Edit

Select the checkbox next to Show in the profile properties section of the user's profile page

Click OK

Note:

If the property does not appear on the Profile page the value may be empty for the active user.

Programmatically Setting Multi-User Columns in SharePoint

2008-09-07T00:41:06Z

Scenario

You want to be able to programmatically set a Mult-User column of an SPListItem. The trick is to build a string that represents the users in the following format

SPUser user1 = {some SPUser};

SPUser user2 = {another SPUser};

string multiUser = user1.ID + ";#" + user1.Name + ";#" + user2.ID + ";#" + user2.Name

So your string should look like this

string multiuser = "1;#Jason Noble;#2;#Administrator";

Then you can use the standard syntax for setting the SPListItem's column…For example

myListItem["AMultiUserColumn"] = multiUser;

Hope this helps…

Office Canvas: Overriding the Master Page for View.asp and TaskView.aspx

2008-08-30T21:22:06Z

To use a custom master page with view.aspx or taskview.aspx perform the following:

Copy the desired master page into the C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\TEMPLATE\LAYOUTS\NCF directory.
Update the master page to include the following line after <SharePoint:Theme runat="server"/>
1. <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_layouts/ncf/styles/ncf.css"/>
If you master page does not contain a Form digest ensure the following is included
<asp:ContentPlaceHolder id="PlaceHolderFormDigest" runat="server">
<SharePoint:FormDigest runat=server/>
</asp:ContentPlaceHolder>
Navigation to the Canvas Configuration list and locate the MasterPage key. Note: You can specify a custom master page for all Views, a specific View Instance, or a specific View/View Instance. To change the setting globally, change the item that is of type NCF Configuration
Edit the MasterPage key to specify the new master page

Example

Office Canvas: Error executing child request for view.aspx

2008-08-20T02:35:51Z

Symptoms

When attempting to render a Canvas View you receive one of the following error:

Error 1:

Error executing child request for view.aspx. at System.Web.HttpServerUtility.ExecuteInternal(IHttpHandler handler, TextWriter writer, Boolean preserveForm, Boolean setPreviousPage, VirtualPath path, VirtualPath filePath, String physPath, Exception error, String queryStringOverride)

at System.Web.HttpServerUtility.Execute(String path, TextWriter writer, Boolean preserveForm)

at System.Web.HttpServerUtility.Transfer(String path, Boolean preserveForm)

at Neudesic.CollaborationFramework.Pages.ContentTypeForm.OnPreInit(EventArgs e)

at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint)

Error 2:

Unknown Error

Resolution

This error is typically caused by an invalid License Key. Please contact customer support for a valid license key

HOW To: Change a Narrative Template

2008-08-19T15:47:07Z

HOW To: Change a Narrative Template

ACES provides the ability to create Microsoft Office Word 2003 documents that are integrated with the ACES Control Environment. By default, the document contains generic header and footer information that you may want to customize. The "How To" outline the process for customizing, what is commonly referred to as, a narrative template.

Figure 1: Unprotect Dialog

Locating the Narrative Template

By default, all narrative templates are located in the directory, C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\TEMPLATE\LAYOUTS\SOX\TEMPLATES.

Note: To perform this operation you must have Microsoft Office Word 2003. If the server does not have Word installed you will need to create a copy of the process.doc to a machine with Word 2003 installed

Unprotect Process.doc

Located the document process.doc
Create a backup copy of the file called process.org
If you are using Word on a machine other than the server, create a local copy of process.doc.
Right-click on the process.doc you are working with and select Edit
Once Word open, click Tool…Unprotect Document
When prompted for a password, type in Secure. ACES uses this password simply to prevent the user from accidentally changing a file. It does not provide any true security and changing this in not supported.
Click OK
Process.doc is not unprotected and you are free to make changes. Once you have made the required changes you will need to perform the steps in the section Protect Document.

Note: You must perform the steps in Protect Document to ensure proper functionality

Important: The XML tag of Narrative must be a part of the document or editing narratives will not work. Removing the Narrative tag is unsupported

Protect Document

After you have made the required changes to the process.doc file, you will need to use the Protect Document feature of Microsoft Office Word 2003 to ensure proper functionality. The following is a step-by-step process for protecting process.doc

From Microsoft Office Word 2003, select the region of editable text between the 2 Narrative tags. See screenshot below. Note, if you have ACES Narrative Composer installed you will receive a error that states Value cannot be null. This is expected and you can ignore the error. For more information refer to the article Editing XML Data with Microsoft Office Word 2003 and Microsoft Office Excel 2003 at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa159889(office.11).aspx

Figure 2: Selecting the editable region of process.doc

Click Tools…Protect Document
Click Yes, Start Enforcing Protection
In the Start Enforcing Protection dialog, you must enter the password of Secure in the Enter new password and Reenter password to confirm
Click OK
Click File…Save

Figure 3: Start Enforcing Protection

Additional Steps

If you created a local copy of process.doc you will need to copy it to each Front End Server.

Copy process.doc to the directory C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\TEMPLATE\LAYOUTS\SOX\TEMPLATES
Repeat step 1 on each Web Front End

ACES Live: Unable to add new documents

2008-06-05T16:01:46Z

If you are unable to save files in ACES live this is likely a result of the SQL Server being out of disk space…You may also receive the following error Web server is busy. Please try again

ACES: Security Changes Not Being Reflected In Control Environment

2008-05-20T01:13:33Z

In certain situations security changes made in CSAT will not be reflected and users will appear to have no access to nodes within the Control Environment. If this occurs do the following ensure the ACES Add Copy, ACES Read Only, ACES Assign and ACES Read Edit Permission Levels include the Enumerate Permissions site permission

ACES: SQL Bulk Load Failing

2008-05-14T16:49:56Z

Error Message:

System.ApplicationException: The SQLXML Bulk Load COM object failed to insert th
e records into the database. Retrieving the COM class factory for component with
CLSID {19AA7334-069C-437F-BFE4-CC9894DB8504} failed due to the following error:
80040154. at Microsoft.Solutions.InformationWorker.Sox.SoxReport.BulkLoadXmlI
ntoDatabase(Object xmlFileName)

Fix:

The fix for this is to install SQLXML 4.0 that is available on the SQL 2005 Setup CD.

fn_ncf_BuildListSql

2008-05-05T21:19:09Z

Office Canvas Version 1 will include a new capability for generating SQL statements that can be used for advanced reporting on SharePoint data. These statements include SELECT, SELECTINTO, and CREATEVIEW. Using the function fn_ncf_BuildListSql will return a SQL statement can be executed against a SharePoint Content Database to return list data. The following are usage examples:

SELECT INTO

declare @s varchar(max)

exec @s = fn_ncf_BuildListSql 'SELECTINTO', '', 'Canvas Tasks', '##MyTempTable', ''

exec(@s)

SELECT

declare @s varchar(max)

exec @s = fn_ncf_BuildListSql 'SELECT', '', 'Canvas Tasks', '', ''

exec(@s)

CREATE VIEW

declare @s varchar(max)

exec @s = fn_ncf_BuildListSql 'CREATEVIEW', '', 'Canvas Tasks', '', 'CanvasTasks'

exec(@s)

ACES: Evidence not attaching

2008-04-11T16:17:34Z

Problem: Evidence does not get attached to the template.

Description: When attaching a file (size > 70KB) as evidence, the file does not get attached and the SOX template form refreshes, deleting any previous unsaved attachments.

Solution: Make the following changes to the ACES web.config file:

Browse to C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\wss\VirtualDirectories\[ACES directory]
Open the web.config file and change the httpRuntime tag to the following:

Do an IISRESET
Refresh (Ctrl + F5) the Control Environment.

ACES: Error When Loading Narrative Composer

2008-02-26T00:48:36Z

The following error can occur if the location of SoxItemsUIAssembly.dll is incorrectly referenced in the metadata that was imported. To resolve this issue do the following

Open the IBF Meta data file that was imported
Search for the following line <Port xsi:type="PortAssembly" Name="Asm.UI.SoxItemsUIAssembly"
In the Location attribute of that line, ensure the value points to the actual location of the SoxItemsUIAssembly.dll" For example, C:\Program Files\AVIVA Consulting Group\Narrative Composer\2.1\bin
Import the updated Metadata using the IBF Settings Manager

Error Message:

The specified assembly failed to load the Aviva.Aces.Narratives.SoxItemsTree control.

Stack Trace:

Microsoft.InformationBridge.Framework.Interfaces.UIException: The specified assembly failed to load the Aviva.Aces.Narratives.SoxItemsTree control. ---> Microsoft.InformationBridge.Framework.ExecutionEngine.EngineException: MetadataScope[Aviva.Solutions.IBF.Narrative].Port[IBFNarrativeSolution:Asm.UI.SoxItemsUIAssembly]: Cannot load specified assembly. ---> System.IO.FileNotFoundException: File or assembly name SoxItemsUIAssembly.dll, or one of its dependencies, was not found.

File name: "SoxItemsUIAssembly.dll"

at System.Reflection.Assembly.nLoad(AssemblyName fileName, String codeBase, Boolean isStringized, Evidence assemblySecurity, Boolean throwOnFileNotFound, Assembly locationHint, StackCrawlMark& stackMark)

at System.Reflection.Assembly.InternalLoad(AssemblyName assemblyRef, Boolean stringized, Evidence assemblySecurity, StackCrawlMark& stackMark)

at System.Reflection.Assembly.Load(AssemblyName assemblyRef, Evidence assemblySecurity)

at Microsoft.InformationBridge.Framework.ExecutionEngine.Utility.LoadAssembly(AssemblyName assemblyName)

at Microsoft.InformationBridge.Framework.ExecutionEngine.AssemblyPort.get_Assembly()

=== Pre-bind state information ===

LOG: Where-ref bind. Location = C:\Aviva Solutions\src\narrative composer\Version 1.0.0.1\IBFNarrative_ControlLib\bin\Debug\SoxItemsUIAssembly.dll

LOG: Appbase = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Information Bridge\1.5\Framework\

LOG: Initial PrivatePath = NULL

Calling assembly : (Unknown).

===

LOG: Policy not being applied to reference at this time (private, custom, partial, or location-based assembly bind).

LOG: Attempting download of new URL file:///C:/Aviva Solutions/src/narrative composer/Version 1.0.0.1/IBFNarrative_ControlLib/bin/Debug/SoxItemsUIAssembly.dll.

--- End of inner exception stack trace ---

at Microsoft.InformationBridge.Framework.ExecutionEngine.AssemblyPort.get_Assembly()

at Microsoft.InformationBridge.Framework.ExecutionEngine.CustomOperation.get_Assembly()

at Microsoft.InformationBridge.Framework.UI.GlobalHelpers.TryCreateInstanceFromPort(String typeName, IPort port, IMediator mediator, String targetInstance, Boolean fullTrustCheck, Boolean& errorHandled)

--- End of inner exception stack trace ---

OnTaskChanged Not Firing

2007-11-30T00:13:13Z

SharePoint, Workflow, Timer

Found this patch solved our OnTaskChanged event not firing

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=6096ce0f-d21e-47ac-afe2-d4e1c2fce670

ACES 2007 SP1 Installation Instructions

2007-11-02T19:12:00Z

Software Installation

Uninstall previous version of ACES
From a command prompt in the c:\program files\Neudesic\Aces\Server\SharePoint directory execute the following
- Stsadm –o upgradesolution –name Neudesic.Aces.wsp –filename Neudesic.Aces.wsp –local –allowGacDeployment
From a command prompt in the c:\program files\Neudesic\Aces\Server\bin directory execute the following
- Soxreg –o setinstalldir –dir "C:\Program Files\Neudesic\ACES\Server

Post Install Steps

Run the ACES Configuration Manager
- Click All Programs…Neudesic…Aces…ACES Server Configuration Manager
- Click Reporting
- Specify values for SQL Reporting Services integration
- Click Apply

Configuring Automated Report Export

Open c:\windows\system32\jobs.xml in notepad
Add the following line to the Jobs element. This will run every 10 minutes

<Job interval="600000" filename="C:\Program Files\Neudesic\ACES\Server\bin\soxjobs.exe" arguments="-o reports" nowindow="false" useshell="false" useserviceaccount="true"/>

ACES: Neudesic Job Server

2007-11-02T14:48:51Z

The following error is cause by the account the Neudesic Job Service is running as does not have the required access to SharePoint. It is recommended you use a domain account

Details

Access is denied at System.Diagnostics.Process.StartWithCreateProcess(ProcessStartInfo startInfo)

at System.Diagnostics.Process.Start()

at System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(ProcessStartInfo startInfo)

at Neudesic.Aces.TimerService.TimerService.OnExecuteJob(Object sender, ElapsedEventArgs e)

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.