Daniel Webster

Microsoft Search Server 2008 Does Support Global Scopes

When I first began working with Microsoft Search Server 2008 during the beta, I immediately missed the ability to create and manage global scopes at the SSP level. Exploring the various interfaces, it seemed that the default, All Sites, was the only one available and there was no link in the Search Administration page to create and manage other scopes that would be global across the SSP.

Digging around in the 12 hive layout files, I found the page that Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 uses to manage SSP level scopes. By manually typing the URL, I discovered that MSS does indeed support global scopes. Someone simply forgot to add the link in the Search Administration page.

So, if you need additional global scopes, the URL is

<server>/SSP/Admin/_layouts/viewscopesssp.aspx?mode=ssp

or

<server>/SSP/Admin/_layouts/viewscopes.aspx?mode=ssp

Either one will open the management page for SSP-level (Global) scopes.

Have fun!

posted @ 11:41 AM | Feedback (5)

My SharePoint Server 2007 Document Library has no NEW button!

When I access my document library, I do not get a NEW button.

How do I troubleshoot this problem?

First determine the scope:

·         Did it ever appear before?

·         Does it appear for other users?

·         Is it just this single document library or all libraries on this application?

Next, understand the requirements for the New button to appear:

·         Use Client Integration Features permission must be enabled for the application in  

 Central Administration > Application Management > User Permissions for Web Application 

·         Client must not be authenticated with Forms Based Authentication.

·         User must have permission to add items which is part of the CONTRIBUTE permissions template by default.

·         The library must be configured to create something new:

·         If you have Display "New Folder" command on the New menu enabled, it will expose the option to add a new folder under the New button dropdown menu.

·         If you have at least one template URL configured it must point to a valid template. If you have more than one template URL configured, the dropdown menu obviously is longer.

Unfortunately, the NEW button does not interact with the client to determine if the appropriate application is installed before offering the option to create the document.  For instance, the Create New Word document  menu option appears even if no version of Word is installed on the client and then presents an error message when chosen, frustrating the users.

Maybe it isn’t broken but an intentional configuration. Here are two scenarios when you might not want the New button to appear:

·         If you have a library where you only want documents to be uploaded.

·         If you have significant number of users who do not have the necessary client applications installed.

·         If you have a library which should only receive documents via email.

So, following the points above, to disable the New button across the entire application, remove the Use Client Integration Features permission from the application. To remove it at the library level, remove the template settings.

Credits: Thanks to Dan Holme for the email thread that started this thought process. You will find his blog at http://community.officesharepointpro.com/blogs/danholme/default.aspx.

posted @ 5:18 PM | Feedback (5)

Microsoft Search Server 2008 Express Only Supports One Shared Service Provider

But it does not tell you soon enough!

I certainly can expect that a free product will have limitations. Frequently documentation on these limitations is limited in itself. I just found that to be true with MSSX in a most irritating wasy.

To avoid irritating yourself, do not bother trying to create a second SSP in MSSX.

The “Manage Shared Service Providers” page looks exactly like Office SharePoint Server including a “New” button.

And, much to my surprise, when I clicked on the button, the Create New SSP page opened. It permitted me to create a new application and application pool for the new SSP and configure all the accounts and database names. Everything seemed perfectly normal. . . until I clicked OK.

The little green wheel took a couple of turns and launched a page that told me the operation failed because I already had a SSP, but would continue to try unless I deleted the new SSP.

Of course, I had no SSP to delete, so I deleted the application that the process created successfully.

Realizing that only the Beta is available at this point, I can only hope that either the Manage Shared Service Providers page is modified to indicate that only one SSP is possible with the product or at least the New button disappears.

posted @ 7:58 AM | Feedback (7)

Think Before You Leap: Planning Your Search Server 2008 Implementation

One of the biggest drawbacks to Microsoft products, in my mind, is how easy it is to install them. So easy that one frequently forgets to think about the long range implications of one's choices during installation.

This is very much true with the new Microsoft Search Server 2008 Express installation. In this case, however, the planning starts with the installation on the prerequisite, Windows SharePoint Services 3.0.

If WSS 3.0 was installed using SQL 2000 or 2005, then you will get more choices during the installation of MSSX. See Bill English's blog at http://admincompanion.mindsharp.com/BillBlog/default.aspx.

Remember Search Server 2008  (MSS or MSSX) is built on WSS 3.0. Installing on a Windows SharePoint Service 3.0 server will:

·         Upgrade WSS 3.0 to Search Server

·         Enable existing WSS 3.0 site search to be flipped on a per site basis to use Search Server search

·         Allow you to continue to use WSS 3.0 as before

·         Enable cross-site search in WSS 3.0

A clean install of Search Server will:

·         Install WSS 3.0

·         Allow you to use all the features of WSS 3.0

·         Automatically enable cross-site search in WSS 3.0

Your choices will also impact your upgrade paths later. Here is some information to help you plan for upgrades:

Suppported upgrade paths:

From	To
Windows SharePoint Services v3.0 with Full SQL Server	Search Server 2008 or Search Server 2008 Express with Full SQL Server
Windows SharePoint Services v3.0 with Windows Internal Database	Search Server 2008 or Search Server 2008 Express with Windows Internal Database
Search Server 2008 Express with Full SQL Server	Search Server 2008 with Full SQL Server SharePoint Server 2007 with Full SQL Server
Search Server 2008 Express with Windows Internal Database	Search Server 2008 with Windows Internal Database
Search Server 2008 with Full SQL Server	SharePoint Server 2007 with Full SQL Server

Unsupported Upgrade Paths:

From	To
SharePoint Server 2007 for Search Enterprise or Standard Edition	Search Server 2008 or Search Server 2008 Express
Search Server 2008 or Search Server 2008 Express RC	Search Server 2008 or Search Server 2008 Express RTM
SharePoint Server 2007 or any previous versions of SharePoint	Search Server 2008 or Search Server 2008 Express
Search Server 2008 or Search Server 2008 Express with Windows Internal Database	SharePoint Server 2007
Search Server 2008 or Search Server 2008 Express with Windows Internal Database	Search Server 2008 or Search Server 2008 Express with Full SQL Server

DO NOT attempt to install MSSX on an existing MOSS07 implementation.

You may install it on a separate server and use the Federated Queries by adding tabs to your sites or wait for the patch later in 2008 which will upgrade your MOSS07 search functionality. This upgrade will also be included in MOSS07 SP2.

posted @ 11:06 AM | Feedback (6)