SPSource: Reverse engineering tool for SharePoint

New Post: Import 2007 solution package(wsp) using SPSource tool

CHANDU123 — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 06:51:07 GMT

Hello Experts,

Can we import 2007 solution packages(.wsp files) using SPSource Tool. Actually I need to upgrade my 2007 wsp to 2010 wsp. Anyone earlier had such experience? Please guide me.

Please treat this urgent. Thanks,your help would be appreciated.

Source code checked in, #99885

Project Collection Service Accounts — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 21:24:31 GMT

Upgrade: New Version of LabDefaultTemplate.xaml. To upgrade your build definitions, please visit the following link: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=254563

Source code checked in, #99884

Project Collection Service Accounts — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 21:16:08 GMT

Checked in by server upgrade

New Post: "Cannot complete this action" when provisioning a ListInstance from a ListTemplate

mwherman2000 — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:17:48 GMT

Any idea what the root cause was? ...what is different in the new list definition vs. the old, for example?

New Post: SPSource for SharePoint 2010

russgove — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 01:30:32 GMT

Has anything come of this? are there any plans to implement SPSource functionality in CKSDev, or have a 2010 version of SPSource?

New Post: SPSource 0.6.2 GetListItems View

zedekiah — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:37:17 GMT

Hello,

Is there a way to specify a view to use when calling GetListItems?

Thanks

New Post: Content Type

zedekiah — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 12:33:43 GMT

I have a list for which this is a contenttype. I did not create either the list or the contenttype. Unfortunately the contenttype does not show up under _layouts/mngctype.aspx at either at the site or site collection level. It only shows up under _layouts/listedit.aspx. As I understand it, this is because this contenttype has a parent. How can I force it to show up under _layouts/mngctype.aspx? I want to reverse engineer the content type using SPSource and in order to do that the CT must be found under _layouts/mngctype.aspx

Commented Issue: SPSource List Schema never generates BaseViewID=0 + OOB Content Type Issues [25938]

panoone — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 02:04:11 GMT

PLEASE HELP ME UNDERSTAND THIS, and please provide an affirmation or workaround to what I'm about to point out.

If I create a list based on an existing template such as a Calendar, Task, Picture Library, you name it - and add/remove/edit fields without actually creating a content type (I just want to generate a schema.xml to use) then SPSource runs and creates a list that is essentially an "Unusable Dead End"

What I mean by this, is that when you run SPSource to generate the list schemas and feature for lists that do not have custom content types, the tool creates a list definition that when deployed will use its own crazy content type as opposed to the original OOB content type. Example ensues:

1) create a calendar list, and add a few columns at the list level, maybe play with the view a bit to customize the list
2) run spsource as directed to generate a list definition for this customized calendar
3) deploy the list definition for this calendar

Observe that the new list "appears" to be the same and "appears" to have saved you time by creating all the xml you need. However all items you enter in this generated calendar will not be of type "Calendar Item" so you will not be able to roll up the generated list contents via CQWP or any other programmatic approach that checks for the list to be of Calendar type. Instead a new content type is assigned to the generated list of type "List Name" which inherits from the System content type (not even the Item content type).

There are several other issues like not generating a BaseViewID="0" for each list definition the tool creates, which renders them unable to be used as list view web parts.

I am very sad to have trusted this tool because it has a lot of potential, and yet it totally screwed me over at the last minute while using it to generate list definitions for my current project.
I cannot complain much more given the tool is free, but these issues I point out are show-stoppers and in my case made me lose a lot of time - roughly 2 weeks worth - of unusable code I had to scrap.
Comments: ** Comment from web user: panoone **

OK, OK. Adding the contenttyperef for Unknown Document Type to the source still breaks Content And Structure. :\

Here's the error as it appears in sitemanager.aspx which definitely points to a content type issue.

<error><message>Cannot complete this action. Please try again.</message><full>Microsoft.SharePoint.SPException: Cannot complete this action. Please try again. ---> Microsoft.SharePoint.SPException: Cannot complete this action. Please try again. ---> System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException (0x80004005): Cannot complete this action. Please try again. at Microsoft.SharePoint.Library.SPRequestInternalClass.UpdateField(String bstrUrl, String bstrListName, String bstrXML) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Library.SPRequest.UpdateField(String bstrUrl, String bstrListName, String bstrXML) --- End of inner exception stack trace --- at Microsoft.SharePoint.Library.SPRequest.UpdateField(String bstrUrl, String bstrListName, String bstrXML) at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPField.set_SchemaXml(String value) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.ContentTypeSerializer.UpdateContentTypeFields(SPContentType sourceContentType, SPContentType targetContentType, String contentTypeXml, ImportObjectManager importObjectManager) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.ContentTypeSerializer.UpdateContentType(SPContentType sourceContentType, SPContentType targetContentType, String contentTypeXml, ImportObjectManager importObjectManager) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.ContentTypeSerializer.ProcessContentType(SPContentType sourceContentType, String contentTypeXml, ImportObjectManager importObjectManager, Boolean IsParentSystemObject) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.ContentTypeSerializer.SetObjectData(Object obj, SerializationInfo info, StreamingContext context, ISurrogateSelector selector) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.XmlFormatter.ParseObject(Type objectType, Boolean isChildObject) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.XmlFormatter.DeserializeObject(Type objectType, Boolean isChildObject, DeploymentObject envelope) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.XmlFormatter.Deserialize(Stream serializationStream) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.ObjectSerializer.Deserialize(Stream serializationStream) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.ImportObjectManager.ProcessObject(XmlReader xmlReader) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.SPImport.DeserializeObjects() at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.SPImport.Run() at Microsoft.SharePoint.Publishing.Internal.DeploymentWrapper.Copy(String[] sourceSmtObjectIds, String destSmtObjectId) --- End of inner exception stack trace --- at Microsoft.SharePoint.Publishing.Internal.DeploymentWrapper.Copy(String[] sourceSmtObjectIds, String destSmtObjectId) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Publishing.Internal.WebControls.CopyObjects.Copy()</full><customData>Operation to Copy 'All selected items' to '/ImageGallery' Failed</customData></error>

Commented Issue: SPSource List Schema never generates BaseViewID=0 + OOB Content Type Issues [25938]

panoone — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 23:24:55 GMT

Hi Jeremy, I've performed a few more tests and am providing some screenshots to better explain the problem with list content types.

I've compared the XML between the src and dest in SharePoint Manager and with the exception of the list CT there is no difference at all. Yet the list CT on the destination list contains no data when viewed through the UI. [attach1.png]

Despite this, the DispForm still displays the correct order and required fields made in my original modifications. [attach2.png]

However the Context and Structure tool is unable to move/copy items from dest->src and throws a lengthy but meaningless error. Neither could I copy/paste items via Explorer view. Refreshing the list in the UI displayed no items. What's odd is that I could Upload Multiple items from src->dest via Office Picture Manager.

Adding the Unknown Content Type to the dest list resolved the problem with Content and Structure but also did something very interesting to the Picture content type. The DispForm for this CT now displays nothing but a Content Type dropdown. [attach3.png]

I'm wondering if the list content type ID, or version params in the XML are causing these problems, or if SharePoint is storing additional info somewhere else.

As a last curiosity, when activating the list feature, the logs show the following while creating the list instance. Not sure if this is in any way relevant.

- Creating list "Image Gallery" in web "http:..." at URL "/ImageGallery", (setuppath: "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\12\Template\Features\ImageGallery\ImageGallery")

- Failed to find generic XML file at "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\12\Template\xml\onet.xml", falling back to global site definition.

Thanks for a great product and hope this helps some!

Commented Issue: BuildViewsNode method needs to change fileUrl for Document and Forms Library [26553]

panoone — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 21:40:23 GMT

the fileUrl string in the BuildViewsNode method should change to "Forms/fileUrl" for Document library and Forms library. This will ensure that all files (template files like newForm.aspx, editform.aspx and the ViewName.aspx views of the library go inside the 'Forms' folder that every document and forms library has). Basically the code should be changed to

fileUrl = urlAttr.Substring(lastIndexOfSlash, urlAttr.Length - lastIndexOfSlash); //just after this statement
//Check for BOTH Doc Library and Form Library (for infopath forms)
if (list.BaseTemplate == SPListTemplateType.DocumentLibrary || list.BaseTemplate == SPListTemplateType.XMLForm)
{
fileUrl = string.Format("Forms/{0}", fileUrl);
}
Comments: ** Comment from web user: panoone **

+1 Currently list views get placed in the library root which seems to cause odd behaviour with Content and Structure moves. Errors basically.

Commented Issue: Missing Web Parts [31554]

panoone — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 05:15:11 GMT

I've noticed that customised list forms lose any dataform web part(s) that were added. The destination file just strips it.

Is this usual? I haven't tried with OOTB web parts yet.
Comments: ** Comment from web user: panoone **

Managed to resolve this by substituting ListName for ListId within the DVWP XML.

It's ugly - and I'm pretty sure it'll break as soon as anyone changes the Display Name - but it works. :)

I also spelled this out in the List Description.

Commented Issue: Missing Web Parts [31554]

panoone — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 04:14:47 GMT

And now I see why. The ListID doesn't get modified to to match the new list. :(

I suppose this could be done programatically? But I have no idea where to start.

Commented Issue: Missing Web Parts [31554]

panoone — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 04:02:21 GMT

That should read "List Views" where the default web part has been converted to a dataview.

Created Issue: Missing Web Parts [31554]

panoone — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 04:01:30 GMT

I've noticed that customised list forms lose any dataform web part(s) that were added. The destination file just strips it.

Is this usual? I haven't tried with OOTB web parts yet.

Commented Issue: SPSource List Schema never generates BaseViewID=0 + OOB Content Type Issues [25938]

panoone — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 02:17:03 GMT

For anyone else who hits the same issue and wants to use their list as a List View Web Part, perform the following steps.

- Open schema.xml and locate the AllItems view (NB: this should never be deleted).
- Change the BaseViewId to 0 (it's probably at 1).

Additionally, I've you've specified a custom list form as the default view, you can also run into trouble with moving content via the Content and Structure tool. If in doubt, keep the default view.

Created Issue: ListInsatnce Url path [31553]

panoone — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 00:03:40 GMT

I've noticed that the Url for ListInstance always includes "Lists/[listanme]" even for libraries, which exist in the site root. Is this by design or a bug?

New Post: SPSource tip: subsite content

panoone — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 23:49:56 GMT

I discovered this by accident after inadvertently creating all my source content in a subsite.

The -designsite parameter will accept a path to a susbite. Nice! :)

Commented Issue: Exception occurred: Guid should contain 32 digits with 4 dashes [31552]

panoone — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 23:43:12 GMT

Hi Jeremy,

I made some changes to a list I'd alr5eady successfully run SPSource on - enabled content types, change column order, views etc.

When re-running SPSource I now receive the following exception.

An exception occured while running SPSource:Guid should contain 32 digits with 4 dashes (xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx).

I've tried undoing the changes but the exception persists. Using v1.2.0, which still displays 1.1.1.0 in file properties version.

It's a Picture library with a custom list form which was already present in first run.

Any ideas what GUID it's referring to, or where I might start looking? The ListId complies and nothing in the logs.

Regards,

Paul
Comments: ** Comment from web user: panoone **

RESOLVED: The feature ID was somehow incorrect. Off considering it hadn't changed. Go figure! :)

Created Issue: Exception occurred: Guid should contain 32 digits with 4 dashes [31552]

panoone — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 23:23:59 GMT

Commented Issue: SPSource List Schema never generates BaseViewID=0 + OOB Content Type Issues [25938]

panoone — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 22:52:02 GMT

Hi Jeremey, I can confirm ( using 1.1.1.0) that the BaseViewID issue is not restricted to Calendar lists. Having finally identified the problem I was able to manually modify the schema.xml but it's not a walk in the park! :)

I downloaded 1.2.0 and noticed that SPSource.exe still shows a version of 1.1.1.0 and the same modification date I previously had installed. Is this the latest release?