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Final thoughts on creating a SharePoint blog [Post 3/3]
Posted on 9/29/2004 10:46 AM by Maurice Prather
Update 9/29:
 - Added question about the complexity of the working templates
 - Added question on how to customize a ListFormWebPart
 - Demo files updated: added NewComment.aspx, corrected ViewPost.aspx, added readme.txt, and simplified file names. 
---
 
This is the last post in the blogging series.  The previous post was focused on the core steps required to get a couple of pages working together.  In looking at my blog as a fully operational SharePoint blog, a few more questions come to mind... :)
 
Can you format DataViewWebParts without FP2003?
Yes, but you will absolutely need to be willing to get your hands dirty.  In the demo zip file, you'll find a DVWP dwp... if you know what you're doing; you can easily adjust the display, query and filter characteristics.
 
Can you really build a blog system w/o FP2003?
Absolutely, but using FP will make the task much more palatable.

What about search functionality?
If your SharePoint server is using SQL server as the backend, you can easily use the built-in search mechanism.  If you’re using WMSDE or MSDE, then you will need to create a DataViewWebPart which filters its display based on the parameters provided to the web part from a SimpleFormWebPart.

How did you create the Recent Referrers list?
The referrer lists is a manual work item.  My server produces site usage charts 3x a day -- I pull the information from those charts and push into a links list.  See my previous post on using a 3rd party tool to create super cool usage charts (http://www.bluedoglimited.com/SharePointThoughts/ViewPost.aspx?ID=8).
 
How do you produce an RSS feed for you blog?
That’s simple – I used the Syndication Generator!  Download it from http://www.bluedoglimited.com/Downloads/pages/SyndicationGenerator.aspx.
 
Do you have samples or working templates?
Yes.  There are two files you can download from http://www.bluedoglimited.com/Downloads.  Check out the fully functioning templates... they add more features and serve as great learning tools.
File: WebLog_Model_1.fwp
Description:
A fully functioning model 1 blog with customized search.

Usage:
You can use FrontPage or smigrate.exe to create a working site based on the web package.
File: Model_1_Demo_Files.zip
Description:
Zip file containing two demo files which represent the work in the "fundamentals" post 2/3.

Usage:
Not intended for use, but with some tweaking the demo files can be made to work on your site.

What about a template for model #2?
FrontPage 2003 has a template for a blog based on model #2.  Go to File | New | New Web Site | Web Package Solutions.  Select the Packages tab.  Select Web Log.
 
Are the working templates more complex?
Yes. They add more functionality and often times you will find pages created to handle just one task (i.e. NewComment.aspx) so that user only sees what is relevant to that one task.  As you work with your own blog, you may find this page-separation approach helpful.
 
How do I customize the new item form's display?
If you open the default NewForm.aspx for a list, you will find that the input form is a ListFormWebPart.  To customize the display using FP2003, right click on the web part, select "Customize SharePoint List Form".  From there, use the FP's design view to customize the display.

How has the SharePoint Thoughts blog evolved?
Like I said in the previous post, building and maintaining a blog is a labor of love. Here's a quick rundown of how my blog came to be where it is today...
  • I started with the built-in blog template provided by FP2003
  • then, I ripped out all cross page web part connections
  • updated the ui
  • converted over to a model 1 blog
  • updated the ui
  • decided that I didn’t like the moderation requirement and converted everything back to model 2
  • updated the ui (again for like the umpteenth time)
  • and, finally changed the search mechanism to use the oob functionality instead of the customized search (simply because I got tired of tweaking everything).
Am I done tweaking?
Nah... I'm sure there is something else I will want to change in the coming days!  :)
 
Closing comments...
SharePoint is a great blogging tool.  It has the necessary data structures and permissioning systems in place... all you need to do is put together a couple of pages and you're well on your way to establishing your presence in the blogspace.
Post 3/3 - you're reading it!
 
 
re: Final thoughts on creating a SharePoint blog [Post 3/3]
Outstanding articles. Thank you for taking the time to document and share...
 
Greg
Greg @ 9/28/2004 7:40 AM
re: Final thoughts on creating a SharePoint blog [Post 3/3]
Just what I needed, great articles on customizing based on the DVWP. Many thanks for sharing this with us!
 
I have run into one problem, after adding the script this error:
 
The page contains server script, which is not supported on this server.
 
Now, I've put the aspx-pages in a document library, is that correct, or should they go somewhere else?
 
Hope you can point me in the right directions, TIA
 
Ed
 
 
Ed Richard @ 9/29/2004 4:25 AM
re: Final thoughts on creating a SharePoint blog [Post 3/3]
Sorry, found it: Removing runat=server fixed it.
Ed Richard @ 9/29/2004 4:53 AM
re: Final thoughts on creating a SharePoint blog [Post 3/3]
Maurice, the next difficult hurdle was how to make the Newform actually call LoadID, that isn't clear in your article.  I just downloaded the FWP and that helps a lot!
It would be nice to have some comments though on the work you did on NewComment.aspx.
 
Still, very greatful ;-)

Ed
Ed Richard @ 9/29/2004 6:44 AM
re: Final thoughts on creating a SharePoint blog [Post 3/3]
Articles and demo files have been updated to include information about editing the new item form.
Maurice Prather @ 9/29/2004 3:38 PM
re: Final thoughts on creating a SharePoint blog [Post 3/3]
Ed,
I'm trying to put a Respone.Write in the top-navigation section of an webpartpage that I put in a document library.  When I call the page, I get the same error you were getting.  "The page contains server script, which is not supported on this server." Can you give a little more detail on how you solved this problem.  Thanks,
Wil
Wil Peck @ 12/2/2004 11:09 AM
re: Final thoughts on creating a SharePoint blog [Post 3/3]
I've created a custom Blog site difinition.
Jim Duncan @ 12/8/2004 2:03 PM
re: Final thoughts on creating a SharePoint blog [Post 3/3]
Maurice,
 
I've got the SharePoint blog installed and running, and I love it. The only thing I'm struggling with now is the security. I haven't been able to get all the pieces together to properly allow anonymous users to read posts and create comments, yet only allow my administrator create posts. If they have permissions to create comments, don't they have permissions to create posts?
 
Thanks,
Ron
 
 
Ron Hostetter @ 5/2/2005 12:23 PM
re: Final thoughts on creating a SharePoint blog [Post 3/3]
Ron,
 
How did you set up your blog?  If you go back to the first article in the series, the differences between the two "models" is discussed.  In one, you are forced to set moderation on because all information is stored in one list.  In two, there two lists and thus each list will have different security settings.
 
-Maurice
 
Maurice @ 5/2/2005 11:39 PM
re: Final thoughts on creating a SharePoint blog [Post 3/3]
Maurice,
 
Using your samples, I've been able to create a SharePoint based blog that meets most of my client's needs (Model 1). There is one more piece that I'm struggling with, however.
 
In the default.aspx page, the dataview web part that displays the posts with the "View Comments (x)" link for each post. The requirement is that this page displays only the last x posts, or the posts for the last x days.
 
I approached this a couple of different ways. First, I changed the query to set a RowLimit for the query, but the limit includes comments as well. For example, if I set the limit to 10, and the first post has 15 comments, I'll only see one post on the page.
 
I tried setting the DVWP to only display 10 items at a time, which creates the "Next/Previous" functionality, but again, this counts comments as well as posts.
 
I could fix this by only selecting Posts in the query, but then I can't get the comment count.
 
I'm in a quandry. Any ideas?
 
Thanks,
Ron
Ron Hostetter @ 5/19/2005 6:45 PM
re: Final thoughts on creating a SharePoint blog [Post 3/3]
Off the top of my head, I think you may have bumped up against a limitation of the query mechanism (with respect to how your data is stored) and not so much the blog template.  The only way to get X posts is to setup a filter that pulls down only items with category=post.  Then alternatively, use another dvwp to pull down just comments.
 
I recently added a comments counter ot my blog (which is model #2 based) by having a dvwp which creates an array counter.  The "main" dvwp, which displays the posts, then prints out the corresponding count for each post.
 
Hope this helps...
Bluedog @ 5/24/2005 10:27 AM
re: Final thoughts on creating a SharePoint blog [Post 3/3]

Maurice,

Great series of articles.  I am new to SharePoint and am in the process of creating a Blog site using the one that is packaged with FP 2003 (model #2 based).  I would like to have the comments counter but am not sure on how to get it done.  You refered to creating "a dvwp which creates an array counter.  The "main" dvwp, which displays the posts, then prints out the corresponding count for each post".  Could you please elaborate on how this would be accomplished.  A step-by-step similar to this one would be perfect.  Thanks in advance for you assistance,

NewB

Anonymous User @ 8/15/2005 1:12 PM
re: Final thoughts on creating a SharePoint blog [Post 3/3]
For example, on the main page of my blog, I have a DVWP that spits out the following...
<script>
var counter = new Object();
function C(postID) {
  if (counter[postID] == null) {
    counter[postID] = 1;
  } else {
    [postID] = counter[postID]+1;
  }
}
 
C(193);C(193);C(193);C(191);C(191);C(191);C(190);
 
function CC(postID) {
  var number = 0;
  if (counter[postID] != null) {
    number = counter[postID];
  }
  document.write (number);
}
</script>
Then the "main" dvwp (which displays the item) simply calls into the "CC" method like this...
<script>CC(193)</script>
Please note this the final rendered script output.  The DVWPs will need to contain the appropriate XSL to generate this output.
 
 
Maurice Prather @ 9/3/2005 5:49 PM
re: Final thoughts on creating a SharePoint blog [Post 3/3]
Thanks for the great tutorial on how to build a blog on Sharepoint!  I just have a curious question...about the calendar view...is there a way to create a mini-calendar that lists the days with available blogs and link them appropriately?
 
 
Anonymous User @ 10/21/2005 8:41 AM
re: Final thoughts on creating a SharePoint blog [Post 3/3]
No.  The only way to get a calendar is to build a custom control.
 
Anonymous User @ 10/24/2005 9:39 PM
re: Final thoughts on creating a SharePoint blog [Post 3/3]
Is there any guides or example I can take a look at for this custom control?
Anonymous User @ 10/25/2005 6:56 AM
re: Final thoughts on creating a SharePoint blog [Post 3/3]
The control is something you would have to create on your own.  I am not aware of any samples that are available.
 
-Maurice
 
Anonymous User @ 10/29/2005 12:06 PM
re: Final thoughts on creating a SharePoint blog [Post 3/3]
For your calendar you could use the roll up from CSEG (http://www.ideseg.com/default.aspx). Check out the calendar format.
Matthew @ 11/17/2005 3:16 PM
Microsoft SharePoint Transporter 2006 Domino
<b>This is crap</b>.
<p>
After migrating discussion board from LN to SPS, the resulting discussion board only resembles the original one, right until you start deleting/adding new posts.
The <b>WHOLE</b> hierarchy is lost, replies will fly around everywhere and be added to every each post except for your intended one.
When deleting the parent post, all replies refering to that post will be re-attached to another post (instead of full deletion).
</p>
SharePoint Hater @ 6/9/2006 1:15 PM
re: Final thoughts on creating a SharePoint blog [Post 3/3]
Thanks for the great series.  It suited my needs perfectly.
DKS @ 8/22/2006 1:33 PM
re: Final thoughts on creating a SharePoint blog [Post 3/3]
Help! I used the SharePoint Blog and when comments are approved, it replaces the sender's name with the approver's name. Do you have any suggestions on how to fix this? Any help is appreciated.
Lisa Coombs @ 9/25/2006 6:13 AM
re: Final thoughts on creating a SharePoint blog [Post 3/3]
hi this is rakesh L
rakesh @ 3/20/2007 5:19 AM
creating a SharePoint blog site
Hi
 
I wanted create blog site for my company internal use .
 
default template provide by microsoft has very less featuers
 
can you help or provide information to create site
with rating on blog
 
Thanks
Narsinh @ 4/3/2008 3:59 AM
re: Final thoughts on creating a SharePoint blog [Post 3/3]
Narsinh,
 
Building a ratings system will require custom code.  You will need to build a interface to display/accept a rating and most likely use a list to store the data.
 
-Maurice
 
Maurice Prather @ 5/12/2008 2:55 PM
re: Final thoughts on creating a SharePoint blog [Post 3/3]
I really liked the thoughts put out in this article. I am sure I am going to benefit from having read this article.
 
Regards,
Ram J.
Ram @ 7/11/2008 9:13 AM
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The contents of this site represent thoughts and opinions of the authors , not those of anyone else - such as past, present and future employers.  This a forum of the exchange of ideas centered on SharePoint technologies.  It is not a support channel.  :)

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