Microsoft SharePoint 2007 Technologies

16.7 Deploying Features using the Solution Framework 493

Chapter 16

ity and increases the likelihood of surviving future upgrades and service

pack releases.

16.7 Deploying Features using the Solution

Framework

The WSS 3.0 solution framework provides a method for collating the various

components that comprise a solution and packaging them together into a

solution file. The solution file is basically a cabinet-based format, with a .wsp

extension instead of a .cab extension. Once the solution file is created, the

solution file can then be used to deploy the contained functionality to a

SharePoint farm. Chapter 11 introduced the concept of the solution frame-

work and described several techniques that you can use to create a .wsp file. If

your solution file requires internal directories, you must use the

Make-

CAB.exe

technique, because Microsoft Visual Studio .NET does not support

creating cabinet files with internal directories. When working with Features

and custom applications in Visual Studio, you create a folder hierarchy that

mimics the

TEMPLATE\FeatureS and TEMPLATE\LAYOUTS folder hierarchy,

which means that you will be working with internal directories; therefore,

the

MakeCAB.exe technique is the method you should use to create your

solution files. Building a solution file using the

MakeCAB.exe involves first

creating a Feature project, then adding the solution manifest file to the

project, copying the files to the SharePoint directories, creating a .ddf file,

and then running MakeCAB.exe to create the solution file (.wsp). The solu-

tion file can then be deployed to the SharePoint farm using stsadm.exe. Let’s

walk through each of these steps using our Hello World example:

1. Using Visual Studio 2005 create a new empty project.

2. Create two folders at the root of the project, named TEMPLATE

and WSP.

3. Add two subfolders to the TEMPLATE folder, named FeatureS

and LAYOUTS.

4. Open the FeatureS folder and add another subfolder named Hel-

loWorld

5. Open the HelloWorld folder and add two XML files named Fea-

ture.xml and AddMenu.xml

6. Add the XML listed in Figure 16.13 to the Feature.xml file,

replacing the GUID with your own unique identifier. You can use

the Visual Studio Create GUID tool for this.

7. Add the XML listed in Figure 16.14 to the AddMenu.xml file.

494 16.7 Deploying Features using the Solution Framework

8. Open the LAYOUTS folder and add another subfolder named

CustomApps.

9. Open the CustomApps folder and create a new Windows Form

(.aspx page) with some simple Hello World text. Save the file as

HelloWorld.aspx.

10. Navigate to the root of the solution and create a new XML file

named manifest.xml.

11. Add the XML listed in Figure 16.26 to the manifest.xml, replac-

ing the

SolutionId GUID with your own unique identifier.

Once again, you can use the Visual Studio Create GUID tool

for this.

12. At the root of the solution, add a new text file and rename the file

HelloWorld.ddf.

13. Add the text listed in Figure 16.27 to the HelloWorld.ddf file.

The files used in the Feature should be referenced by stating both

the source path and the destination path to the files.

Figure 16.26

Manifest.xml.

Figure 16.27

HelloWorld.ddf.

16.7 Deploying Features using the Solution Framework 495

Chapter 16

14. At this point, the content of your Visual Studio project should be

similar to that shown in Figure 16.28.

15. Navigate to the root of the solution and create an install.bat file.

16. Add the code listed in Figure 16.29 to the install.bat file.

17. From the Project menu, click <project> Properties.

18. Navigate to the Build Events tab and enter the commands shown

in Figure 16.30 in the post-build event command line.

19. Save and build the project.

20. Exit Visual Studio.

The install.bat file copies all the Feature and custom application files to

their appropriate directory in SharePoint and creates the solution file using

Figure 16.28

Visual Studio

Project Layout

Figure 16.29

Install.bat