My presentation from March 2011 at the San Diego SharePoint User Group. Some of the tools presented here can be downloaded from the SharePoint User Toolkit
http://usermanagedsolutions.com/SharePoint-User-Toolkit/default.aspx
A live demo of the matrix view is available here (click on a state):
http://usermanagedsolutions.com/Demos/Pages/StatesMap.aspx?IsDlg=1&mobile=0
2. Get a grasp of how client side scripting can
enhance the user experience
Be aware of the risks that come with such
solutions
3. Demos
Rendering Web Pages:
The traditional approach: server/browser
Client side scripting:
▪ AJAX
▪ Progressive enhancement
The demos explained
Advantages/shortcomings
Step by step: Easy Tabs installation
4. Name Christophe Humbert
Title SharePoint “functional” consultant
Mission Make the most of the OOTB features
Field Gear Calculated Columns
Content Editor Web Part
Data View Web Part (SharePoint Designer)
Workflows (SharePoint Designer)
Country eFrance, eU.S.A., eChina
Latest News Started “User Managed Solutions LLC” in 2011
(San Diego, 92127)
5. The solutions presented here apply to all
flavors of SharePoint 2007 and 2010
They can be installed via the standard
SharePoint UI
They rely on custom code, and are not
available out of the box.
However, many of them:
Are packaged, and can easily be installed by end
users or power users
Are available for free
9. Image Rotator
Slideshow
Slideshows or sliders are obviously a popular trend
right now in the web design world – and for good
reason. It’s an effective way to highlight something
important and create some visual interest. [Source]
12. Server Browser
User enters URL
Retrieve Page
information
Retrieve content
from database
Build HTML
Render HTML
page
User action
13. Server Browser
User enters URL
Retrieve Page
Asynchronous information
JavaScript Retrieve content
And from database
XML
Build and send
HTML
Render HTML Page
Web services
Request additional
RSS
content
owssvr
html
Retrieve and send
REST
content
Build HTML
User action
Format: html,
xml, JSON
14. Server Browser
User enters URL
Retrieve Page
information
Retrieve content
from database
Build and send
HTML
Render HTML
Page
Modify and render
HTML
User action
15. SharePoint 2007:
events are added on the server side
Full page refresh for new date
SharePoint 2010:
events are added on the client side (progressive
enhancement)
Partial page refresh for new date (AJAX)
Works well for rich display, or for content
updates
17. Page template
Top navigation
Web Part Web Part
Quick
Launch
Web Part Web Part
Scripts can be added to the page template, or via a
Web Part (usually a Content Editor Web Part)
20. Custom Web Part
Users’ needs
OOTB Web Parts
Progressive
enhancement
21. Easy Tabs
Color coded calendar
PivotTable
22. High flexibility
Example: color coded calendar
Lighter to test and install
Easy to remove – back to the OOTB behavior
Client side interaction works offline
Leverages resources outside the SharePoint
world
Benefits from the active JavaScript community (e.g.
jQuery plugins)
Great way to empower the users and encourage
user adoption
23. Risk: users gone wild
Solution: educate the users
Method or hack (example: HTML Calculated
Column)
Doesn’t solve everything (permissions, access
other domains)
Issues with older browsers, or if the user turns
off client side scripting
Dependent on the original, OOTB Web Parts
If the original HTML content is modified, the
script needs to be executed again
24. Get the script
Upload the script to the Site Assets library
Tagging
Add a Content Editor Web Part
Link the CEWP to the script
[optional] Export the CEWP, upload it to the
Web Part gallery
25. Client side scripting is a powerful addition to
your SharePoint toolbox
See it as a complement to server side
options, rather than a competitor
It is code that requires attention and
maintenance, don’t be fooled by its apparent
ease of use
26. SharePoint User Toolkit
http://sp2010.pathtosharepoint.com/sharepoint-
user-toolkit/
SharePoint User Managed Solutions (SUMS)
LinkedIn open group (everybody has read access)
27. Sites regularly updated with fresh, up-to-date
content:
jQuery Library for SharePoint Web Services –
Marc Anderson, SharePoint MVP
SharePoint JavaScripts – Alexander Bautz
Path to SharePoint
Search the Web for “SharePoint JavaScript”
or “SharePoint jQuery”
28. Allows users to embed custom html in a
SharePoint page
HTML includes <script> and <link> tags
Best practice: store the script in a central
library and link to it
29. jQuery is a popular JavaScript library
Built on JavaScript
Strengths:
▪ Offers AJAX in a packaged, user friendly interface
▪ Addresses cross-browser inconsistencies
▪ Has prebuilt animation functions (fade, etc.)
30. Recognition of AJAX as a standard way to
interact with the browser
Development of JavaScript libraries that
address cross-browser issues
New generation of browsers with JavaScript
engines that boost performance
New standards that increase the features of
client side scripting (e.g. canvas element)