By default SharePoint pages are ghosted pages, store their content in the content database but for the look & feel  and layouts they referred to file system pages ( master pages, css, user controls etc..).If you modify any page in SharePoint Designer then if will become un-ghosted pages. All the data related to this page will get stored in the database. Any modification you do to the look and feel of this page will not be affected on the complete site.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Text;
using Microsoft.SharePoint;

namespace GhostFinder
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            if (args == null || args.Length < 1)
            {
                PrintUsage();
                return;
            }

            bool hasUrl = false;
            string url = null;
            for (int i = 0; i < args.Length; i++)
            {
                if (args[i] == "-url" && i + 1 < args.Length)
                {
                    url = args[i + 1];
                    hasUrl = true;
                }
            }

            if (!hasUrl)
            {
                PrintUsage();
                return;
            }

            using (SPSite site = new SPSite(url))
            {
                using (SPWeb web = site.OpenWeb())
                {
                    SPFile file = web.GetFile(url);
                    if (file == null)
                    {
                        Console.WriteLine(string.Format("File '{0}' not found.", url), url);
                    }
                    else
                    {
                        SPCustomizedPageStatus page = file.CustomizedPageStatus;
                        Console.WriteLine("Status : " + page.ToString());
                    }
                }

            }
        }

        private static void PrintUsage()
        {
            Console.WriteLine(@"This is command line tool.");
            Console.WriteLine(@"Usage: To know customized page status, please provide the full page address i.e : -url [http://navdeepm1/sites/TeamSite/default.aspx]");
        }
    }
}

Announcements list template in SharePoint is installed as a feature with feature id 00bfea71-d1ce-42de-9c63-a44004ce0104. If you run the following command, the announcements section will get eloped from "Communications" section

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\12\BIN>stsdm -o deactivatefeature -id 00bfea71-d1ce-42de-9c63-a44004ce0104 -url "http://brs2r04-16:7000/sites/TestSite"

If you would like to bring it back , then you need to run the command stsadm command with activate feature :-

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\12\BIN>sts

dm -o deactivatefeature -id 00bfea71-d1ce-42de-9c63-a44004ce0104 -url "http://brs2r04-16:7000/sites/TestSite"

Here are the feature IDs of other List Templates :-

RESOLUTION/WORKAROUND:

==========================

Replace the Page directive with the following statement.

<%@ Page language="C#" MasterPageFile="~masterurl/custom.master" Inherits="Microsoft.SharePoint.WebPartPages.WebPartPage,Microsoft.SharePoint,Version=12.0.0.0,Culture=neutral,PublicKeyToken=71e9bce111e9429c" meta:webpartpageexpansion="full" meta:progid="SharePoint.WebPartPage.Document" %>

STEPS TO REPRO:

====================

1. Create cutom search Page and add the following Page directive

<%@ Page language="C#" Inherits="Microsoft.SharePoint.Publishing.PublishingLayoutPage,Microsoft.SharePoint.Publishing,Version=12.0.0.0,Culture=neutral,PublicKeyToken=71e9bce111e9429c" %>

2. Install it as a feature.

3. Add any advanced search Web Part on this Page and Change any property in edit mode of the page.

4. Nivigate to another Page in the site. An alert message will pops-up to store the page changes.

4. After you press the ok button, you will see the following error.

"The following error was encountered while attempting to save the Page: Save operation failed with the following exception : Invalid item data -- missing FileRef."

you need to set the "ItemContext" and "RenderContext" of the BaseFieldControl. If you create a SPContext only onetime,  assign to BaseFieldControl's "ItemContext" and "RenderContext" properties. First time when you add a webPart it a page, you will get all the control are rendering perfectly and providing you the correct data. But if you add the second instance of the same WebPart, the data of Links and Notes column are not comming repeating by the last row of the list. If you debug in the Visual Studio, you will get the error message "Operation is not valid due to the current state of the object"

using System;
using System.Web;
using System.Web.UI;
using System.Web.UI.HtmlControls;
using System.Web.UI.WebControls.WebParts;
using Microsoft.SharePoint;
using Microsoft.SharePoint.WebControls;

namespace ApplicationPages
{
    public class ControlTesterWebPart : WebPart
    {
        private SPList linksList;

        protected override void CreateChildControls()
        {
            base.CreateChildControls();
            this.GetListInstance();
            this.BuildTable();
        }

        private void BuildTable()
        {
            HtmlTable table = new HtmlTable();
            HtmlTableRow row = null;
            HtmlTableCell fieldNameCell = null;
            HtmlTableCell fieldValueCell = null;
            SPField field = null;
            BaseFieldControl fieldControl = null;
            LiteralControl fieldValueControl = null;

            foreach (SPListItem linkItem in this.linksList.Items)
            {
                foreach (string fieldName in this.linksList.DefaultView.ViewFields)
                {
                    // Makle a new row
                    row = new HtmlTableRow();

                    // Get the SPField instance
                    field = linkItem.Fields.GetField(fieldName);
                    // Field Name
                    fieldNameCell = new HtmlTableCell();
                    fieldNameCell.InnerHtml = string.Format("{0}:&nbsp&nbsp", field.Title);
                    row.Cells.Add(fieldNameCell);

                    // Field Value
                    fieldValueCell = new HtmlTableCell();
                    fieldControl = field.FieldRenderingControl;
                    fieldControl.ID = Guid.NewGuid().ToString();
                    fieldControl.FieldName = field.InternalName;
                    fieldControl.ListId = this.linksList.ID;
                    fieldControl.ItemId = linkItem.ID;
                    fieldControl.ControlMode = SPControlMode.Display;
                    SPSite site = new SPSite(SPContext.Current.Site.ID);
                    SPWeb web = site.OpenWeb();
                    SPContext Context = SPContext.GetContext(HttpContext.Current, linkItem.ID, this.linksList.ID, web);
                    fieldControl.ItemContext = Context;
                    fieldControl.RenderContext = Context;
                    fieldValueControl = new LiteralControl(fieldControl.GetDesignTimeHtml());
                    fieldValueCell.Controls.Add(fieldValueControl);
                    row.Cells.Add(fieldValueCell);
                    if (web != null)
                        web.Dispose();

                    // Add the row to the table
                    table.Rows.Add(row);
                }

1.    Create a feature to add the custom menu in the Feature and set the redirection to your custom Page. Create a feature.xml to add it as a feature.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<Elements xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/">
                <CustomAction
                                Id="UserInterfaceLightUp.ECBItemToolbar"
                                RegistrationType="List"
                                RegistrationId="101"
                                Location="EditControlBlock"
                                Sequence="106"
                                Title="MY ECB DELETE ITEM">
                                <UrlAction Url=”/_layouts/DeleteItem.aspx?ListId={ListId}&amp;ItemId={ItemId}"/>
                </CustomAction>
</Elements>

2.    Create the DeleteItem.aspx and add the functionality to delete the List Item.

DELETEING THE ECB MENU
====================

The ECB menu item are rendered by the javascript file CORE.JS. By modifying the respective functions in this javascript file you can hide the ECB menu item from the item level menus. Modifying the CORE.JS file is not supported so it’s always recommended to create the custom core.js file and render it through the custom master page. The following are the steps to create a custom core.js file and render it through the custom master page

1. Copy the core.js file from C:\program files\common files\Microsoft shared\web server extensions\12\Template\layouts\1033 and copy it to the same folder with the name customcore.js. Make the respective changes in the customcore.js file.
2. Copy the default.master page and create the custom master page as custom.master.

3. In the custom master page Add the following line to render the core2.js file

<SharePoint:ScriptLink language="javascript" name="core.js" Defer="true" runat="server"/>
<SharePoint:ScriptLink language="javascript" name="customcore.js" Defer="true" runat="server"/>

4. Save the custom.master page and upload it to the master pages gallery of the site. Apply the custom.master page as the default master page for the site.

When you upgrade your SharePoint environment from SPS2003 to MOSS 2007 and if you have a “General Discussion” list, you will get “null” in the “Last updated” field because is SPS2003 there is no such field named “Last Updated” exists.  You will get “Modified” in field “General Discussion” List of the older version of SharePoint.  If you add a new item in the list, you will get the latest values in both the column. So if you would like to replace “Last Updated” column values with “Modified” values, you can use the following code:-

   1:  using System;

   2:  using System.Collections.Generic;

   3:  using System.Text;

   4:  using Microsoft.SharePoint;

   5:   

   6:  namespace UpdateDiscussionListColumn

   7:  {

   8:      class Program

   9:      {

  10:          static void Main(string[] args)

  11:          {

  12:              Console.WriteLine("Enter your SharePoint site URL :");

  13:              string strUrl = Console.ReadLine();

  14:   

  15:              Console.WriteLine("Enter your Discussion List name :");

  16:              string strDListName = Console.ReadLine();

  17:   

  18:              SPSecurity.RunWithElevatedPrivileges(delegate()

  19:              {

  20:                  using (SPSite oSite = new SPSite(strUrl))

  21:                  {

  22:                      using (SPWeb oWeb = oSite.OpenWeb())

  23:                      {

  24:                          SPList oList = oWeb.Lists[strDListName];

  25:   

  26:                          foreach (SPListItem oItem in oList.Folders)

  27:                          {

  28:                            

  29:                              if(oItem["Last Updated"] == null)

  30:                              {

  31:                                Console.WriteLine("old values");

  32:                                oItem["Last Updated"] = oItem["Modified"];

  33:                                oItem.Update();

  34:                                Console.WriteLine("New values" + oItem["Last Updated"].ToString());

  35:                              }

  36:                          }

  37:                          oList.Update();

  38:                      }

  39:                  }

  40:              });

  41:   

  42:              Console.WriteLine("Operation completed successfully");

  43:              Console.ReadLine();

  44:   

  45:          }

  46:      }

  47:  }

If you are creating the windows application to export the data from Excel 2003 files to MOSS 64 bit environment, the following solution will help to achieve this functionality. we have to adopt this approach because till now there is no 64 bit version of the Microsoft.JET.OLEDB.4.0 driver available. So If you compile you assembly by choosing the "Any CPU" option in Visual Studio for windows application, you will not be able to connect and read the data from 32 bit of "Microsoft.JET.OLEDB.4.0" drivers. First create a custom web service in SharePoint, which add the reference of 64 bit API to export the data to SharePoint's List. Choose the Compilation options of "Any CPU"

   1:   

   2:  using System;

   3:  using System.Web;

   4:  using System.Web.Services;

   5:  using System.Web.Services.Protocols;

   6:  using System.Collections.Generic;

   7:  using System.Collections;

   8:  using Microsoft.SharePoint;

   9:  using System.Data;

  10:   

  11:  namespace ServiceLogic

  12:  {

  13:      [WebService(Namespace = "http://tempuri.org/")]

  14:      [WebServiceBinding(ConformsTo = WsiProfiles.BasicProfile1_1)]

  15:      public class Service : System.Web.Services.WebService

  16:      {

  17:          public Service()

  18:          {

  19:   

  20:              //Uncomment the following line if using designed components 

  21:              //InitializeComponent(); 

  22:          }

  23:   

  24:          [WebMethod]

  25:          public string UpdateList(DataSet dataSet)

  26:          {

  27:              

  28:              using (SPSite site = new SPSite("http://blr3r07-19c:5794/sites/TestSite"))

  29:              {

  30:                  using (SPWeb web = site.OpenWeb())

  31:                  {

  32:                      SPList list = web.Lists["test"];

  33:                      SPListItem listItem = list.Items.Add();

  34:                      listItem["Title"] = dataSet.Tables[0].Rows[0][0].ToString();

  35:                      listItem.Update();

  36:                      return "Data Inserted";

  37:                  }

  38:              }

  39:          }

  40:   

  41:      }

  42:  }

Once you completed with programming & installation of your custom web service in you SharePoint 64 bit environment, move towards your exporting utility. Create a windows or console project in visual studio, which ever you like, I choose windows application. Add the web reference of your custom web service. Use the Microsoft.JET.OLEDB.4.0 to read the excel data and rapped it in a DataSet then pass to your SharePoint custom web service's web method.

   1:  using System;

   2:  using System.Collections.Generic;

   3:  using System.ComponentModel;

   4:  using System.Data;

   5:  using System.Drawing;

   6:  using System.Text;

   7:  using System.Windows.Forms;

   8:  using System.Data.OleDb;

   9:   

  10:  namespace ConsumeWebServiceWindows

  11:  {

  12:      public partial class Form1 : Form

  13:      {

  14:          public Form1()

  15:          {

  16:              InitializeComponent();

  17:          }

  18:   

  19:          private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)

  20:          {

  21:              HelloService.Service lobjService = new HelloService.Service();

  22:              lobjService.Credentials = System.Net.CredentialCache.DefaultCredentials;

  23:              string lstrMessage = lobjService.HelloWorld();

  24:              MessageBox.Show(lstrMessage);

  25:          }

  26:   

  27:          private void button2_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)

  28:          {

  29:              string DBLocation = txtFilePath.Text.Trim();

  30:              string TableName = "GSIS";

  31:              string FileNames = "GSIS16.xls";

  32:   

  33:              string connectionString = "Provider=Microsoft.JET.OLEDB.4.0;data source=" + DBLocation + FileNames + ";Extended Properties=\"Excel 8.0;HDR=YES;\"";

  34:              MessageBox.Show("Processing File: " + FileNames + " at: " + DateTime.Now.ToString());

  35:              OleDbConnection conn = new OleDbConnection(connectionString);

  36:   

  37:              string sql = "SELECT * FROM " + TableName;

  38:              OleDbCommand cmd = new OleDbCommand(sql, conn);

  39:              conn.Open();

  40:   

  41:              OleDbDataReader reader = cmd.ExecuteReader();

  42:              int Count = 0;

  43:              while (reader.Read())

  44:              {

  45:                  string VendorId = Convert.ToString(reader["VENDOR_ID"]).Trim();

  46:                  if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(VendorId))

  47:                  {

  48:                      try

  49:                      {

  50:                          string lstrMessage = Convert.ToString(reader["VENDOR_NAME_LINE1"]).Trim();

  51:                          DataSet lobjSet = new DataSet();

  52:                          DataTable lobjtable = new DataTable();

  53:                          lobjSet.Tables.Add(lobjtable);

  54:                          DataColumn column = new DataColumn("Title",typeof(string));

  55:                          lobjtable.Columns.Add(column);

  56:                          DataRow row = lobjtable.Rows.Add();

  57:                          row["Title"] = lstrMessage;

  58:                          

  59:   

  60:                          HelloService.Service lobjService = new HelloService.Service();

  61:                          lobjService.Credentials = System.Net.CredentialCache.DefaultCredentials;

  62:                          string lstrMessage1 = lobjService.UpdateList(lobjSet);

  63:   

  64:                          MessageBox.Show(lstrMessage1);

  65:   

  66:   

  67:                      }

  68:                      catch (Exception ex)

  69:                      {

  70:                          MessageBox.Show(ex+ "VendorID:");

  71:                      }

  72:                  }

  73:              }

  74:   

  75:              MessageBox.Show("End Processing File: " + FileNames + " at: " + DateTime.Now.ToString());

  76:              reader.Close();

  77:              conn.Close();

  78:          }

  79:      }

  80:  }

A duplicate name "<string>" was found. at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPFieldCollection.AddFieldToWeb(String strXml, Boolean checkDisplayName) at
Microsoft.SharePoint.SPFieldCollection.AddFieldAsXmlInternal(String schemaXml, Boolean addToDefaultView, SPAddFieldOptions op) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.FieldTemplateSerializer.CreateField(SPWeb web, SerializationInfoHelper infoHelper) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.FieldTemplateSerializer.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()" Time="2008-07-22T22:37:58.4082752Z"
Severity="Error" Phase="ImportInProgress"

To resolve this issue, you need to deactivate & uninstall the Feature the feature and modify the Fields.xml. You need to change the one of the Site Column name. Activate & Install  the feature again.

Steps to Deactivate & Uninstall the Feature
=======================================

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\BIN>stsadm -o DeactivateFeature -name {FeatureName} -url {SiteCollection’s Url}

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\BIN>stsadm -o uninstallFeature -name {FeatureName}

Steps to Install and Activate the Feature
=====================================
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\BIN>stsadm -o installFeature -name {FeatureName}

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\BIN>stsadm -o ActivateFeature -name {FeatureName} -url {SiteCollection’s Url}

Note :- If your site is highly customized and it could be possible that you are referring these column in the object model. If anywhere the code is referring to “InternalName” Property of the these Site Column, then these changes could break your Business logic. I would strongly recommend that before doing these change, please check the source code of your customized “.dll” installed on the site .

First, When you try to create custom links WebPart and render all the fields (Type, Edit, URL & Notes) by instantiating the BaseFieldControl  class, you will get Type & Edit field value's correctly including the images. But the Notes & URL fields gives you first record for all records.

   1:   // Field Value

   2:   fieldValueCell = new HtmlTableCell();

   3:   fieldControl = field.FieldRenderingControl;

   4:   fieldControl.ControlMode = SPControlMode.Display;

   5:   fieldControl.ID = Guid.NewGuid().ToString();

   6:   fieldControl.FieldName = field.InternalName;

   7:   fieldControl.ListId = this.linksList.ID;

   8:   fieldControl.ItemId = linkItem.ID;

   9:   fieldValueCell.Controls.Add(fieldControl);

Once you created this WebPart and add in the page it's works fine. Wow !!!!!!!!!!!!

Add another instance of the WebPart, you will see that in second instance of the WebPart, you are getting  last records for the records' in URL and Notes field. When you debug the source in the Visual Studio, you will get the error message "Operation is not valid due to current state of an object"

You need set the "ItemContext" and "RenderContext" of the BaseFieldControl. If you create a SPContext only onetime,  assign to BaseFieldControl's "ItemContext" and "RenderContext" properties. First time when you add a webPart it a page, you will get all the control are rendering perfectly and providing you the correct data. But for the second instance of the same WebPart, the data of URL and Notes column are repeating by the last row of the list. If you debug in the Visual Studio, you will get the error message "Operation is not valid due to the current state of the object".

    

   1:        HtmlTable table = new HtmlTable(); 

   2:        HtmlTableRow row = null; 

   3:        HtmlTableCell fieldNameCell = null; 

   4:        HtmlTableCell fieldValueCell = null; 

   5:        SPField field = null; 

   6:        BaseFieldControl fieldControl = null; 

   7:        LiteralControl fieldValueControl = null; 

   8:        foreach (SPListItem linkItem in this.linksList.Items) 

   9:        { 

  10:             foreach (string fieldName in this.linksList.DefaultView.ViewFields) 

  11:             { 

  12:                  // Create a new row 

  13:                  row = new HtmlTableRow(); 

  14:   

  15:                  // Get the SPField instance 

  16:                  field = this.linksList.Fields.GetField(fieldName); 

  17:   

  18:                  // Field Name 

  19:                  fieldNameCell = new HtmlTableCell(); 

  20:                  fieldNameCell.InnerHtml = string.Format("{0}:&nbsp&nbsp", field.Title); 

  21:                  row.Cells.Add(fieldNameCell); 

  22:   

  23:                   // Field Value 

  24:                   fieldValueCell = new HtmlTableCell(); 

  25:                   fieldControl = field.FieldRenderingControl; 

  26:                   fieldControl.ControlMode = SPControlMode.Display; 

  27:                   fieldControl.ID = Guid.NewGuid().ToString(); 

  28:                   fieldControl.FieldName = field.InternalName; 

  29:                   fieldControl.ListId = this.linksList.ID; 

  30:                   fieldControl.ItemId = linkItem.ID; 

  31:                   fieldValueControl = new LiteralControl(fieldControl.GetDesignTimeHtml()); 

  32:                   fieldValueCell.Controls.Add(fieldValueControl); 

  33:                   row.Cells.Add(fieldValueCell); 

  34:                   // Add the row to the table 

  35:                   table.Rows.Add(row); 

  36:                 } 

  37:         } 

  38:        

For more Information, please visit  Operation is not valid due to the current state of the object

Using BDC Editor Tool we can generate metadata xml file for connecting BDC with Sybase database. For this we can either use ODBC or OLEDB connection type. To use ODBC we need to first create DSN. The DSN name along with login credentials needs to be used in the connection string. Once this is done the connection gets established with Sybase database and the tables get populated and subsequently create an instance out of it. But, when we try to execute any of the method instances it doesn't work. It fails saying "The LobSystemInstance Property 'AuthenticationMode' has a value that requires 'Trusted_Connection' in the connection string". The same error is shown even if we add Trusted_Connection in the connection string. The same application definition file when used in SharePoint also doesn't work.

 The issue is because of the XML file that is generated through the editor tool. As we are using ODBC connection, we need to manually make few changes in the XML file in order to make it work.

- First to connect BDC with Sybase Database using BDC editor tool, we need to use ODBC / OLEDB as connection type.

- The connection string should essentially look like this - Dsn=dsnname;uid=username;pwd=password;Trusted_Connection=yes;integrated security=true

- Create an instance of it and then export the file and save it locally as a XML file.

The following changes has to be done manually in the Application Definition file

1. As ODBC is used, do not put quotation marks on the SQL query. The quotation marks are generated by BDC Editor and we need to remove them.

For e.g.: Instead of Select "ProductId", "ProductName" from Products - use Select ProductId, ProductName from Products.

2. Do not put parameters like @pk. This is not accepted by ODBC Driver. It only accepts parameter using ?

For e.g.: Instead of Select "ProductName" from Products where ProductId=@pk use Select ProductName from Products where ProductId=?

3. Trusted connection should be in title case. It should be Trusted_Connection and not trusted_connection.

For e.g.: Instead of <Property Name="rdbconnection trusted_connection" Type="System.String">yes</Property> use

<Property Name="rdbconnection Trusted_Connection" Type="System.String">yes</Property>

4. If the Application definition file is to be used in BDC Data List web part then make sure that there is at least one method instance of type "Finder". By default, BDC editor tool doesn't generate method instance of finder. It generates method instance of type "IdEnumerator". So, change "IdEnumerator" to "Finder".

5. Possibilities are there when we map the Application definition file with BDC web part, it might throw an error saying "unable to connect to abc_instance". In this case change User DSN to System DSN as System DSN is globally available to all users.