layout and web part
We have a MOss 2007 publishing internet site.We use a customized master page for our site.
currently if I create a new page from browser, I can see two page layout in the create page window. One is (welcome page) Welcome page with summary links, the other is (welcome page) Welcome Splash page. This was setup at the very beginning by some person who helped us to b uild the initial setup of the site.
Both above page layout used web part in web part zone. That's currently all our pages using. BUt recently we realized web part in web part zone couldn't be restored using version history. Apparently this will bring much difficulty in restoring pages if needed. FOr most of our pages use above two page layout which has web parts in web part zones.
Actually I don't think those web part in web partzones are necessary for most pages of the site. Most pages are just need to show some text content.
Then
1. what out of box page layout we should use?
2. Also is there a out of box page layout that we can add a web part without using web part zone? I asked this because I learned web part can be restored in version history, but not web part in web part zone, for 2, if there is not a layout like that, can the designer add a web part from browser, or it has to be done from sharepoint desginer?
we want to still use web part, since we want to use the web part title bar. This way it will make the new pages look the same format with exsiting pages.
Answers
- Anna,
I have come across this situation quite frequently. The problem that you are facing is that the content inside of a web part is not stored in the page. So this content is not restorable. Like other people have suggested, if you need to be able to restore content on a page you should be using field controls on the page layout where users will enter the content directly on the page. This content is stored in version history so that you can roll back to a previous version of a page.
If you absolutely have to use web parts to add the content to a page by using items like a Content Editor Web Part, I have used the following method for doing this. I create a document library and train the user to create word documents for each version of the content that will be placed into the web part. They store the documents in the document library and I can restore content to older versions from this location.
This second method is definitely more tedious and seems like a hassle, but it will give you the ability to easily roll back content. It also gives the user the ability to roll back their own content if they need it simply by using the document library to see the older versions of their content.
Hopefully one of these answers will help you out.- Marked As Answer byAnna2009 Friday, November 06, 2009 2:56 PM
All Replies
Hi,
I think there is no out of box page layout that can add web part without web part zone. When a Web Part is not located inside a Web Part zone, the Web Part properties are stored in the ASPX page and not in the content database in Windows SharePoint Services 3.0, and it will prevent user from interacting with or modifying the Web Part through the browser. In SPD, you can create a page layout which has a default web part, but the web part must be included in a web part zone.
For more information, please refer to: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepointdesigner/HA101513941033.aspx
Hope it helps.
Xue-Mei Chang- Hi, yes there´s no out of box page layout that have add webpart without a zone. When you restore a previous version from the browser, only whats inside the content fields will be restored. If you want to use webparts, I recommended to put them into a zone, otherwise you can not edit the webpart through the browser. You can build a new Pagelayout wihtout zones and put in webparts there if you need to.
Christian Ståhl - www.sharepointdesigners.net Christian,
I guess you use web parts in web part zones a lot in your enviroment. Can I ask how do you backup and restore the page that has web part in web part zone?
Do you have to restore the whole site collection to get the page back?
Apparently the version history will not work with pages with web part in web part zones.
Can you tell me what you use to do page level restore for pages like this?
ThanksHi Anna!
Yes, it´s a common situation to use web parts in web part zones in a page that use Page layout. First, I have not yet have the need to roll back a page with a previous version of what’s inside the page fields and previous for example previous configuration in the the web parts at the page.
Like Xue-Mei says, it is an important difference between Web Parts and Field Controls, and the problem is that the web part configurations stores differently than the items meta data and the page fields data. Therefore is it not possibly to roll back to a previous version of your web part changes.
Do also check
Why do you need to backup and restore? Is it maybe previous configurations for the web parts you want to roll back or do you use web parts in a way that you can use field controls instead?
The recommendation is to only use field controls for your content at the page and use web pars for functionality like consuming news, or rolling up content and things like that.
If you really want to backup & restore everything, take a look at the feature called SharePoint Web part page history at codeplex, maybe that could be helpful for you.
Luck to you! Christian
Christian Ståhl - www.sharepointdesigners.netMost of our pages use the layout that use web part in web part zones.
The reason we want to back up and restore for page with web part in web part zone is the same as all other pages not using web part.
Our web content manager occassionly asked me to retore a previouse page that he edited a page and published it. Or some one needs the older version of that page to restore to another place. or someone accidently deleted the webpart, we hope that we can restore from the older version.
I think this is a very common need.- Anna,
I have come across this situation quite frequently. The problem that you are facing is that the content inside of a web part is not stored in the page. So this content is not restorable. Like other people have suggested, if you need to be able to restore content on a page you should be using field controls on the page layout where users will enter the content directly on the page. This content is stored in version history so that you can roll back to a previous version of a page.
If you absolutely have to use web parts to add the content to a page by using items like a Content Editor Web Part, I have used the following method for doing this. I create a document library and train the user to create word documents for each version of the content that will be placed into the web part. They store the documents in the document library and I can restore content to older versions from this location.
This second method is definitely more tedious and seems like a hassle, but it will give you the ability to easily roll back content. It also gives the user the ability to roll back their own content if they need it simply by using the document library to see the older versions of their content.
Hopefully one of these answers will help you out.- Marked As Answer byAnna2009 Friday, November 06, 2009 2:56 PM
- Thank you very much, it's good to know.
The problem with our publishing site is at the very beginning the consultant who setup the farm, they made only two layouts in the layout template selection window.
Both of them use web part in web part zones. So our web content manager use that layout for all the pages. It turns out that although we turned on version history, it doesn't help at all about those pages.
Also I think this is a really very common need, sharepoint in the future releasse should enhance on this.
