In my current project, we have 10% of the pages which does not follow the site's look and feel. For the 90% of the pages, I have created one master page and create individual pages based on that master page. I am not sure how to create a page which does not use the default master page (the master page designed for the site).
In other words, please suggest how do I create multiple type of pages with different look and feel in WSS 3.0 website.
You can have two master pages in wss 3.0 but you have to use Sharepoint designer. MOSS have masterpages gallery, but wss does not. So you create your masterpage, add it to masterpages folder and then if you want your new master page to be default just right click it and set it as default. Any new Page you create in Sharepoint designer, if you choose "Create from master page" you will be asked what masterpage you want to use: default one or your custom. I test this on wss 3.0 with minimal master page template and default and it works.
Proposed as answer byDrasko.PopovicTuesday, December 23, 2008 9:35 AM
I do not think you can make two different pages in the same SharePoint site use two different master pages.
But I think you can override the default content for the content placeholder that is supplied by the master page. Content placeholder controls indicate regions of replaceable content on the master page.
I tried the same thing and found out once we create our own master page and try to implement SharePoint site,it will trow errors because by default sharepoint is expecting lot of area to place controls and all. For example top bar for sharepoint site.
So it would be better to make copy of default master page and make needed deletion and bring more changes in look and feel through themes and all.
If you open the site page in Sharepoint Designer, you can change the Master Page for a single page within a site.
It could be difficult to maintain a site where several masterpages are in use, but it is possible. I would consider placing all pages that uses the same masterpage in a subsite. Then you could set your custom masterpage as the default for that subsite.
You can have two master pages in wss 3.0 but you have to use Sharepoint designer. MOSS have masterpages gallery, but wss does not. So you create your masterpage, add it to masterpages folder and then if you want your new master page to be default just right click it and set it as default. Any new Page you create in Sharepoint designer, if you choose "Create from master page" you will be asked what masterpage you want to use: default one or your custom. I test this on wss 3.0 with minimal master page template and default and it works.
Proposed as answer byDrasko.PopovicTuesday, December 23, 2008 9:35 AM
Good answer. What do you mean by "wss does not"?, do you mean that wss does not have a masterpage gallery? when i open my site in sharepoint designer, i do see a masterpage gallery in my folders list.
What was meant was just that - there is no Gallery containing Masterpages in WSS 3.0 UI in the same way that WSS 3.0 just like MOSS 2007 has List and Site Template Galleries.
Instead you need as Drasko said to open the site in SPD 2007 and work your way down via the _catalogs folder to the masterpages folder which is where all Master Pages are stored. (Aside: they are also stored there in MOSS - and by default more of them - the difference is just that the MOSS UI provides a way to get at the list of Master Pages and the WSS 3.0 UI doesn't).
Sorry, I meant on masterpage gallery in web browser (Site Settings). You can't manipulate masterpages in wss in web browser. In Sharepoint Designer you can, as i said.
