Integrating SharePoint document libraries into an ASP.NET page

Question

Is there any way that I can use SharePoint document library and document sharing functionality from an ASP.NET page?

Answer 1

Hi aK

I assume that your asp.net application is running on another server because if thats not the case the it would probably be easiest to just use the SharePoint functionality directly and maybe include your app into SharePoint

SharePoint exposes a lot of it's functionality through Web Services, so you can get, add, delete and update information through these.

Answer 2

You can include any SharePoint page into a page in another portal using an IFrame. The main issue there is the fact that you will get the MOSS navigation in that IFrame, which typically is not desired. To overcome that, you can create a special MOSS page that hides all those elements and show just the element you want to expose. To accomplish that, you can create a “minimal” master page and a simple layout with a single web part zone.

Answer 3

There's 3 ways you can have your standalone ASP.NET (standalone meaning not integrated into sharepoint) interact with sharepoint.

• 1 using the SharePoint object model (sharepoint APi dll's). This way allows you to control every part of how your ASP.NET site interacts with SharePoint (document security etc.) The major drawback is that you ASP.NET site needs to be running on the SAME SERVER as SharePoint (or if sharepoint is used in a farm any machine that is running sharepoint in that farm). Simply including the SharePoint DLL's will NOT work when run on any other machine (even when that machine also has sharepoint installed but is not part of the farm you want to communicate with!)

• 2 Web Services. These OOTB services can be used from anywhere but are not very extensive functionality wise. They allow you to perform a lot of actions and retrieve a lot of data, but when it comes to more finegrained control they just don't cut it. It might be enough for what you want to do though.

• 3 Use web services and create your own webservice that is deployed to sharepoint for any tasks not doable with the OOTB services. This requires access to the sharepoint machine in the form of deploying custom code / assemblies though.