Sharepoint WebPart

Question

I'm new to developing in SharePoint and would like some tips please. I want to develop a WebPart. I understand that I effectively need to do this on a machine with SharePoint Server installed and create the web part as an ASP control. Once the control is created, how do I link it into SharePoint?

Answer 1

If you're using the Microsoft Provided WebPart Visual Studio template...it will automatically be deployed to your site when you build it.

If you need to deploy to a test/production environment, you need to create a SharePoint Feature and then deploy the Feature to the server.

Answer 2

I would read though this: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms452873.aspx

It will answer a lot of your questions about creating a web part, deploying etc.

Answer 3

I would recommend you to take a look at the WSP Builder extensions for Visual Studio. It will simplify the development and deployment process for you, since it contains both templates for web parts, features and it will also package it up in a WSP solution for you.

Answer 4

http://www.allaboutmoss.com/index.php/2010/03/22/hello-world-sharepoint-webpart-for-beginners/ helps you to create simple webpart and shows how it deploy in server.

Answer 5

You are able to build Web Parts in a number of different ways, through Visual Studio .NET using either the SharePoint Web Part Namespace or the normal ASP.NET Web Part Namespace further you are able to build Web Parts in SharePoint Designer using a combination of different technologies, such as XML Web Services.

XML Web Services will allow you to hook directly into SharePoint using SharePoint's Native Web Services, you can then create a Data View Web Part which will enable you to view, collate, filter and group List Items. This, of course, will also allow you to mingle normal HTML as well as XSLT syntax, allowing you to build logic into the Web Part.

The good thing about doing it this way is there is no "real' coding, i.e. no Code Behind page etc as there would normally be in ASP.NET. This also allows you keep things more or less SharePoint Centric, which is important because you may or may not have access to Central Admin or SSP nor indeed the Server itself, the 12 hive or the GAC.

How you decide to develop Web Parts should include thinking about all of the above, you may have a very restricted development environment. Further, you can also use Namespaces provided directly from GAC assemblies provided by Sharepoint, you may either need access to a development environment which has a MOSS or WSS Server on it or the PIA's or Assemblies from a MOSS/WSS Server.

I am a software developer, however, it is important for me to develop applications which are as SharePoint centric as they can be, which is why I decided to develop my Web Parts in SharePoint Designer. However, there have been times when using full VS.NET is the way to go, I would suggest you look at SharePoint Designer first, get a feel for the interface, XML Web Services, XSLT and HTML once you have created a SharePoint Designer Web Part and Provided this Web Part exists within a Web Part Zone, you can export the Web Part and reimport it into any number of Site Collections.

I must add that the above relates to SharePoint Lists and Libraries but it gives you a grounding to understand how it all fits together. it helped me understand more and made development of more coded Web Parts easier, It may not suit your individual requirements, SharePoint is a huge environment offering many paths.

Hope this Helps you out, search for SharePoint Designer... at least as a starting point.

Cheers