Learning SharePoint Part IV

I have learned so much in the past few days, I am not sure where to start.  So, here is tidbit to get started with:

    1: <SharePoint:DelegateControl ID="DelegateControl5" runat="server" ControlId="SmallSearchInputBox" />

What is this thing called SharePoint:DelegateControl?  Well, it looks like it is the product group’s version of SmartPart.  Any control that is registered can be instantiated by this syntax:

    1: <SharePoint:DelegateControl ID="[MyUniqueControlId]" runat="server" ControlId="[MyControlName]" />

Here is another tidbit. If you want to deploy a custom master page and use a custom style sheet, create a feature that looks like this:

    1: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

    2: <Feature  Id="e6070a56-757f-4a9c-842c-030e596a08d0"

    3:           Title="IpmMasterPages"

    4:           Description="Installs a custom master page for the Innovation Administration Site"

    5:           Version="12.0.0.0"

    6:           Hidden="FALSE"

    7:           Scope="Web"

    8:           DefaultResourceFile="core"

    9:           xmlns="https://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/">  

   10:     <ElementManifests>

   11:       <ElementManifest Location="elements.xml" />

   12:       <ElementFile Location="Masters\ipmadministration.master" />

   13:       <ElementFile Location="Masters\ipm.css" />

   14:     </ElementManifests>  

   15: </Feature>

Elements.xml looks like this:

    1: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>

    2: <Elements xmlns="https://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/">

    3:   <Module Name="IpmMasterPages" Url="_catalogs/masterpage" Path="Masters" RootWebOnly="FALSE">

    4:     <File Url="ipmadministration.master" Type="GhostableInLibrary" />

    5:   </Module>

    6:   <Module Name="IpmStyles" Url="Styles" Path="Masters" RootWebOnly="FALSE">    

    7:     <File Url="ipm.css" />

    8:   </Module>

    9: </Elements>

NOTE: Remember that the style sheet is NOT a list item, so if you copy the <File> element from the master module and don’t forget to remove the Type=”GhostableInLibrary” attribute, you will get an error when you create the site.    

And add a link to your style sheet in the master page

    1: <link rel="stylesheet" href="../../styles/ipm.css" type="text/css" />

In onet.xml, activate the custom master page feature:

    1: <!-- Custom master page-->

    2: <Feature ID="e6070a56-757f-4a9c-842c-030e596a08d0" />

Setup a feature receiver for the custom master age  and update the master page url on activation:

    1: using (SPWeb web = (SPWeb)properties.Feature.Parent)

    2: {

    3:     web.MasterUrl = web.MasterUrl.Replace("default.master", "ipmadministration.master");                        

    4:     web.Update();

    5: }

Happy SharePointing….