SPBook
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Introduction When we first proposed this book, we set a goal of writing a different kind of SharePoint book. We did not want a reference that repeated the software development kit, nor did we want a how-to book that explained how to configure the out-of-the-box functionality. Instead, we envisioned a book that helped developers apply the Microsoft Office platform to customer problems. Since Susie and I work at the Microsoft Technology Center in Virginia, we have a unique opportunity to work with a wide variety of customers, in both the commercial and public sectors, who are trying to realize a benefit from incorporating Office technologies into their enterprises. Many of these customers are not just seeking installation or configuration advice. The focus is on how the Microsoft Office platform will make their workers more efficient, their processes more repeatable, and their businesses more profitable. For these customers, the technology must be applied to their specific challenges. With the release of Office 2007, Microsoft provides the developer with a complete plat- form (both client and server) for generating documents, automating processes, enhancing collaboration, and integrating line-of-business data. This platform not only includes the latest releases of SharePoint products and technologies, but also a new set of desktop applications. More importantly, these applications are more extendable by .NET developers than in any previous release. This book will walk through solutions to common customer challenges. It will utilize both the client and server technologies of the Office 2007 platform, including Microsoft Office 2007, Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, and Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Tools for Office SE. Since we too are developers, we recognize that often you buy a book just for that one code sample or chapter you need to complete a project. Unfortunately, many books don’t support that approach and have a huge example that builds throughout the book. As much as possible, we have designed our solutions to be self-contained within their own chapters. We anticipate that you will see something that you can immediately relate to or something that has a high priority for you. Go ahead and skip to that chapter and read that solution. Make sure you come back, though; the other chapters are just as interesting! After the first few chapters, which introduce the technologies and outline the book, the remaining chapters each present a real-world customer problem and its solution. In every chapter we will introduce the problem, give you examples of customers who typically have this problem, provide you with an overview of the solution, and a complete walk-through. Accompanying this text is a download of completed solutions on the Apress web site (in the Source Code/Download section of http://apress.com). In each chapter we will also highlight some of the key concepts that you will likely use again and list extension points for enhancing the solution. Finally, each chapter contains a set of links for further reading on the topics included in the solution. So what are we going to build? The solutions combine the familiar interface of the desk- top applications with the server capabilities of SharePoint. The solutions include items such as custom web parts, Office add-ins, SharePoint features, forms, workflow, the Business Data xix www.it-ebooks.info
description
SP
Transcript of SPBook
Introduction
When we first proposed this book, we set a goal of writing a different kind of SharePointbook. We did not want a reference that repeated the software development kit, nor did wewant a how-to book that explained how to configure the out-of-the-box functionality. Instead,we envisioned a book that helped developers apply the Microsoft Office platform to customerproblems. Since Susie and I work at the Microsoft Technology Center in Virginia, we have aunique opportunity to work with a wide variety of customers, in both the commercial andpublic sectors, who are trying to realize a benefit from incorporating Office technologies intotheir enterprises. Many of these customers are not just seeking installation or configurationadvice. The focus is on how the Microsoft Office platform will make their workers more efficient,their processes more repeatable, and their businesses more profitable. For these customers,the technology must be applied to their specific challenges.
With the release of Office 2007, Microsoft provides the developer with a complete plat-form (both client and server) for generating documents, automating processes, enhancingcollaboration, and integrating line-of-business data. This platform not only includes the latestreleases of SharePoint products and technologies, but also a new set of desktop applications.More importantly, these applications are more extendable by .NET developers than in anyprevious release. This book will walk through solutions to common customer challenges. Itwill utilize both the client and server technologies of the Office 2007 platform, includingMicrosoft Office 2007, Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, and Microsoft Visual Studio2005 Tools for Office SE.
Since we too are developers, we recognize that often you buy a book just for that one codesample or chapter you need to complete a project. Unfortunately, many books don’t supportthat approach and have a huge example that builds throughout the book. As much as possible,we have designed our solutions to be self-contained within their own chapters. We anticipatethat you will see something that you can immediately relate to or something that has a highpriority for you. Go ahead and skip to that chapter and read that solution. Make sure youcome back, though; the other chapters are just as interesting!
After the first few chapters, which introduce the technologies and outline the book, theremaining chapters each present a real-world customer problem and its solution. In everychapter we will introduce the problem, give you examples of customers who typically havethis problem, provide you with an overview of the solution, and a complete walk-through.Accompanying this text is a download of completed solutions on the Apress web site (in theSource Code/Download section of http://apress.com). In each chapter we will also highlightsome of the key concepts that you will likely use again and list extension points for enhancingthe solution. Finally, each chapter contains a set of links for further reading on the topicsincluded in the solution.
So what are we going to build? The solutions combine the familiar interface of the desk-top applications with the server capabilities of SharePoint. The solutions include items suchas custom web parts, Office add-ins, SharePoint features, forms, workflow, the Business Data
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