Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites

One question I get quite often and see in various forums is "can you specify a default Web Part(s) to include in a Web Part Zone on a particular page layout in a Publishing site when a new page is created off that page layout?" The answer is yes... yes you can most certainly can.

If you are adding your page layouts to the Master Page Gallery by provisioning the files into the gallery using Features, you can very easily specify the default Web Part to include in a Web Part Zone. The first step is to make sure you have a Web Part Zone in the page layout... such as the following zone I've added to my page layout's PlaceholderMain content placeholder:

Then, within the element manifest file where you are provisioning the page layout into the Master Page Gallery as an uncustomized file, use the <AllUsersWebPart> node to specify the Web Part as follows:

Click image for a larger resolution

In the CAML shown in the previous image, the DivisionArticleImageLeft.aspx file is being provisioned as an uncustomized instance in the Master Page Gallery. After setting a handful of fields such as the PublishingAssociatedContentType, PublishingPreviewImage, ContentType and Title, the next thing to do is specify what will go in the Web Part Zone. This is done by using some XML to specify the assembly and full name of the Web Part class as well as any default values to set on the public properties. In the case above, the Image Web Part is added to the Main Web Part Zone and the image URL is set to the SharePoint green "spinner" animated image. Then, when new pages are created, they will automatically start out with this one Web Part as you can see below:

There... now I finally have something I can point people to!

Technorati tags: sharepoint, moss, publishing site, wcm, page layout, web part

posted on Sunday, October 07, 2007 11:03 PM

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# re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 10/8/2007 9:35 AM Mikhail Dikov

AC How about V3 WebParts? I recall I had some issues making it work with the generic ASP.NET WebPart. Does this work the same way if we include the *.webpart in the CDATA block or do you know of alternatives.

# re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 10/8/2007 10:04 AM AC [MVP MOSS]

Mikhail-
All Web Parts in SharePoint, including those created using the WSS v2 / v3 WebPart class within the SharePoint assemblies should work as they all inherit directly from the ASP2 WebPart class. You can't just use the *.webpart definition because that contains a 5-part name to the Web Part where this approach splits the assembly full name and Web Part class name into two parameter sand as you'll need to qualify custom properties with a namespace as the ImageLink property is set.

# re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 10/17/2007 3:58 AM bertrick karsten

I have some new advanced things I want to dit in this scenario.

1. Our team wants to insert a DataView/DataForm webpart standard into the Web part zone. For sofar we know do we use Sharepoint Designer to insert a dataview and set the properties.

Is it possible to do this in the same way as has done above ? I mean can I set properties for this webpart in the xml file section AllUsersWebpart ?

2. We have an issue with wepparts in webpartzones when the page layout changes.

How do we handle upgrades of the Pagelayout ? I mean can we deploy changes through features so we don;'t have to change the whole site definition ?

For now we change the pagelayout in sharepoint designer and when we publish this to the gallery old pages stay the same. How can we upgrade the old pages to the new pagelayout ?

And with webparts in webpart zones we loose the webpart. The webpart zone stays empty. Can some onde explain this behavior ?

A lot of questions but our major question is how to handle pagelayourt upgrades to upgrade old pages. And why do we loose webparts in webpart zones.

# re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 10/17/2007 7:22 AM AC [MVP MOSS]

Bertrick-
#1 - yes, same deal as all those things you're doing in SPD are just setting public properties on the Web Part.
#2 - I recommend using Features to deploy page layout templates and then provision them to into the site. When the underlying template is updated, it ~shouldn't~ cause the loss of WP's.

re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 10/26/2007 10:22 AM Trevor

I have followed your instructions to add the web parts into the web part zones in WCM Page Layouts, and I am able to make it work with your example using the Image Viewer web part.

I am unable to make it work with my own selected web parts, however, and am unsure how you got the code to add the Image Viewer part in the first place. The 3 specific web parts I need to add are the XML Viewer web part, the Search Box web part, and the Page Viewer web part.

I was hoping you could explain in a little more detail how you came up with what you have between the <![CDATA[ and the ]]>. I am not much of a .NET developer, but have been able to get the hang of the XML and CAML stuff in your blog entries. I have the feeling more .NET experience would clear up some of this confusion - but am still hoping you can help me figure this piece of the puzzle out.

# re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 10/26/2007 10:36 AM AC [MVP MOSS]

Trevor-
The XML is just the Web Part definition contents. The code in my article uses the Web Part definition v2 schema. You can use the v3 schema just as easily. Add a Web Part to the page and export it using the Export item in the Web Part's verbs menu to get the WP definition. The contents of that can then be used when provisioning a file.

re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 10/26/2007 11:07 AM Trevor

AC - that was the missing piece for me. Thank you so much!

re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 10/28/2007 11:10 PM Trevor

New issue -

If I deploy some page layouts by a feature... then want to change the feature to add more page layouts or make another modification, the second iteration of the feature will deploy the web parts listed twice each. The third iteration results in 3x of each web part listed in the XML, etc.

Is there a better way to be modifying the feature to re-deploy for adding more page layouts? I am using stsadm.exe -o installfeature -name foldername -force to "redeploy" once a change is made (e.g. another <file> node under OSGPageLayouts).

Seems to work ok with page layouts otherwise, besides this specific issue. Any advice?

re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 10/31/2007 9:19 AM Trevor

More about my issue above -

Let's say I have a page layout deployed via a feature. There are no <AllUsersWebPart> web parts deployed. The feature is installed and activated, and the page layout works.

Then I go back later and decide I want all new instances of a page using that page layout to add some web parts with the <AllUsersWebPart> nodes in the XML. I make the changes necessary within the XML, and re-install using the -force option. (I run iisreset, then stsadm .... -force, then disactive and reactivate the feature.)

When I go to create a new page using this layout, it still looks like the 'old' way. None of the new changes have been implemented - web parts or any other changes I made (description for a page layout or preview image, etc).

Comes back to - is there a better way I should be modifying an existing feature to redeploy changes to a page layout?

Seems like if I don't get it perfect the first time, I'm SOL. Also seems like using the feature method to deploy is counterproductive in an enterprise WCM environment where you may want to update every page layout with the wave of a hand. What am I doing wrong?

Thanks

re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 1/11/2008 3:53 PM Chris

I'm having the same issue as Trevor.
Everything works great until I make any change to any of the AllUsersWebParts.
Once I do that I get:
Whatever I had before +
Whatever is in the updated AllUserWebParts.
Any ideas?

re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 1/11/2008 4:47 PM Chris

We ended up going into the database on dev and removing from the Webparts table the entries that were associated with the page layout. And then deactivated/activated the feature.
The next page created had the appropriate web parts with no duplicates.
We plan on doing this through the object model as part of the feature deployment sometime in the future, since deleting from the db is clearly not supported.

re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 1/11/2008 7:10 PM Chris

OK here's the object model way to re-roll out changes to pagelayouts that use AllUsersWebPart to deploy webparts on page creation. Note this will not affect pages already created only new ones:

protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
SPWeb oWeb = SPControl.GetContextWeb(Context);
//have to allow this to delete wp and to revert to stream
oWeb.AllowUnsafeUpdates = true;
//send in the name of your page layout
SPFile oFile = oWeb.GetFile("_catalogs/masterpage/" + Request.QueryString["page"]);
Response.Write(oFile.Name);
//have to check it out and in (which DOES cause it to unghost, we fix this at the end)
oFile.CheckOut();
//the following section grabs all the Shared webparts and deletes them (annoyingly undocumented by MS)
SPLimitedWebPartManager oMan = oFile.GetLimitedWebPartManager(PersonalizationScope.Shared);
SPLimitedWebPartCollection oWPColl = oMan.WebParts;
List<string> wps = new List<string>();
foreach (Microsoft.SharePoint.WebPartPages.WebPart wp in oWPColl)
{
wps.Add(wp.ID);
}
foreach (string guid in wps)
{
oMan.DeleteWebPart(oMan.WebParts[guid]);
Response.Write("<BR>Deleted " + guid);
}
oFile.CheckIn("auto checkin");
oFile.Publish("publishing is cool");
oFile.Approve("fine");

//the final step is to point it back to the file system (uncustomize/ghost)
oFile.RevertContentStream();
}

Now when you create a new page based on the page layout there will be NO web parts.
So the final step is to deactivate and then reactivate your feature.
What a nightmare...

Chris

# re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 1/31/2008 12:29 PM Ram

hi andrew,

i would like to have a CUSTOM WEBPART TO the ALLITEMS.ASPX Page and to the DISPFORM.ASPX page, at the same time i would like to hide the default web part on these above pages.

E.g. i would like to hide the default LISTVIEWWEBPART on the above pages.

I could add custom web part to the DISPFORM.ASPX page int he schema.xml file int he <form> tags at the end of the schema.xml.

But how do you add the webpart to the allitems.aspx page and also hide the default ones.

Ram

# re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 2/1/2008 10:23 PM AC [MVP MOSS]

Ram-
Check out my SPClientUtilities tool: http://andrewconnell.com/blog/archive/2007/05/02/6034.aspx

re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 2/21/2008 2:40 PM Egholm

This is just a comment to Trevors first issue. The one where he can't get his custom made web parts to show as default in a web part zone.

I had the same problem. Inside the <AllUsersWebPart> element I had inserted the wrong web part definition xml. I got this xml from the web part gallery (Site Settings -> Web Part). Inside the gallery I clicked my custom made web part and then click "Export XML". This was the wrong xml, and I got an error when I tried to create a new page containing the web part zone.
As AC writes, you get the correct XML when you add the custom made web part to a web part zone and then click Export in the verb menu. Insert this xml inside the <AllUsersWebPart> element. That worked for me after two hard days of work:o)

Please help me in creating features for my custom lists 4/14/2008 10:15 AM Yasotha

Hi Andrew,
I am great fan of your blog and now i am in need of your help/guidance/suggestion.
I have this requirement and I am trying a lot to achieve this.
1. I need to create a feature to deliver my custom list or custom list template (either would do)
2. The specs for my custom list is, I need to customise the NewForm.aspx and EditForm.aspx of my custom list to add additional functionality like preview the data before submitting.
3. The approach I have taken is created a 2 pages saying NewFormCustom.aspx and EditFormCustom.aspx based on NewForm.aspx and EditForm.aspx. using SPD.
4. Using SPD pointed to these new pages on the New and Edit.
5. Taken the back up of customisedpages. Created template from my list.
6. Extracted manifest.
7. I created one feature to deliever this listtemplate. For schema I have taken the schema.xml from Custom List and copied Fields, ViewFields,ContentTypes from my manifest.xml
8. It delivers template and I am able to create list from this.
9. Now the problem is on New and Edit action I am not able to open NewForm.aspx and EditForm.aspx since I gave the names as NewFormCustom.aspx and EditFormCustom.aspx .
10. I create another feature which will create List based on above template and will provision my custom pages to ListName/Forms location.
11. On new click instead of going to http://server:port/ListName/Forms/NewFormCustom.aspx it is redirecting to http://server:port/Lists/ListName/NewFormCustom.aspx.
10. I made the below entried in my schema and elements.xml.
Forms in schema.xml
<Form Type="DisplayForm" Url="DispForm.aspx" SetupPath="pages/form.aspx" WebPartZoneID="Main" />

<Form Type="NewForm" Url="NewFormCustom.aspx" SetupPath="pages\form.aspx" WebPartZoneID="Main" Template="10002" />

<Form Type="EditForm" Url="EditFormCustom.aspx" SetupPath="pages\form.aspx" WebPartZoneID="Main" Template="10002" />

element.xml in 2nd feature to create list

<Elements xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/">
<Module Name="CustomForms" List="10002" Url="Daily News\Forms">
<File Url="NewFormCustom.aspx" Type="GhostableInLibrary"></File>
<File Url="EditFormCustom.aspx" Type="GhostableInLibrary"></File>
</Module>
</Elements>
11. Please tell me whether I am going in right direction or not.
If I am write how to resolve my problem otherwise what could be the best practise to achieve this

Thanks and Regards,
Yasotha

re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 5/8/2008 11:12 AM Dirk

Thanks, I have added my custom page to the master gallery by following your guide.

Can you please tell me how I would then add this aspx page to my site?

Thanks

# re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 5/8/2008 11:30 PM AC [MVP MOSS]

Dirk-
Instead of setting the type go GhostableInLibrary, set it to Ghostable and change the paths in the <Module> element where you want to page to be provisioned to. Everything else is the same.

re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 5/9/2008 3:29 AM Dirk

Thanks again,

So I just set the URL to where I want to use the page. e.g. http://servername/sitename.

Will it then be availible when I select create page from the dropdown menu on that site?

re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 5/9/2008 5:24 AM Dirk

Ok sorry I just realised that I needed to have the Office SharePoint Server Publishing feature turned on to use this.

But I am now getting a error when I select my new page:

The file or folder name contains characters that are not permitted. Please use a different name.

Do you have any ideas what that error is related to? I have a custom master page installed by the way.

# re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 5/9/2008 9:24 AM AC [MVP MOSS]

Dirk-
Wait... you're trying to create Publishing pages? That's different... see this post: http://andrewconnell.com/blog/archive/2006/11/15/5168.aspx

I was talking about provisioning a file into a SharePoint site that is NOT a Publishing page. Your first response is not correct... the paths are relative to the site.

re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 5/9/2008 10:21 AM Dirk

Sorry for the confusion.

Iam not trying to create a publishing page. I thought that might be the only way that I could get this to work. I am glad it is not though :)

When I don't have publishing turned on the I can only see the page in the master gallery but it is not availble to me when I click create from the site actions.

So from your previous post I need to edit this line:

Url="_catalogs/masterpage" Path="" RootWebOnly="TRUE">

Can you tell me which bit I need to set and then how I can add that page to the site?

Thanks again!!

# re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 5/9/2008 10:10 PM AC [MVP MOSS]

Dirk-
If you want to provision an ASPX page into the root of the site, just use something like this:

<module><File url="somepage.aspx" type="ghostable"/></module>

The URL attribute on the <module> node will default to put the page in the root of the site. The type="ghostable" will provision the file without putting it in a library.

re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 5/10/2008 2:31 AM Dirk

Thanks again Andrew sorry that I am being so dense about this!

So if I do the above I will then be able to select my page from the create action dropdown menu?

# re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 5/10/2008 9:28 AM AC [MVP MOSS]

Dirk-
No... that only adds a file to the site, like adding an image to a library via SharePoint Designer. To add menu items, you need to look at the SPWeb.Navigation property for the SharePoint content navigations or the <CustomAction> node in the Feature element manifest schema.

re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 5/11/2008 3:52 AM Dirk

So is this the recommended way to use the file in the site?

The good news is I already have the file in the master gallery so I guess all I need to do know is hook up the menus?

# re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 5/11/2008 12:09 PM AC [MVP MOSS]

Dirk-
Um, why are you creating menus to point ot files in the Master Page Gallery. The files in there are only used for layout purposes, so I don't get why you want to give people an easy link to those. In addition, those files in the MPG will ikely have different permissions assigned to them. Pages, the content ASPX ones you are provisioning into the site (not in the libraries), can get links.

I'm not saying you can't do it, i just don't understand the motive and think you're missing the point.

re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 5/11/2008 5:59 PM Dirk

Thanks for bearing with me on this one!

I have a ASPX page that I would like to be able to use as a template for the users on my site.

So in this senario they would go to create page then select the custom page from the drop down menu.

This page contains web parts already layed out into web part zones for use.

Using the above techniques I can get the page into the MPG and from there I can view it alter the web parts etc but I want to be able to add it from a menu or something similar.

The only thing that I have seen that is close to what I want is when I had publishing turned on. Then when I selected create my page was avaialble from the list. I don't want to use publishing though!

I am pretty sure from what you have been saying that there is a way for me to accomlish what I want. I just can't quite figure it out.

Thanks again for bearing with me.

Dirk

# re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 5/12/2008 9:27 AM AC [MVP MOSS]

Dirk-
OK, now I see what you're trying to do. What you want is a way, without using MOSS Publishing, to create a new page similar to the Create -> Web Part Page option. Correct? Unfortunately I'm not aware of a way to add your own templates to that list (but I'm sure it's possible, I'm just not sure how it's done).

You can certainly create a process that lets you create ASPX pages on the fly and add Web Parts, but you won't do this using a Feature because you'd have to make changes to the Feature each time (different file names, different Web Parts, etc). You need to programatically create pages... think there's a Visual How To on MSDN on how to do this (not sure though).

In short, you don't want to look at the provisioning of pages... you want to create pages programatically and then add Web Parts programatically using the LimitedWebPartManager.

re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 5/12/2008 10:53 AM Dirk

Yes that what I am trying to achieve.

I think I might be able to by the way of a compromise do what I wnat to by provisioning the page into a Document library and then altering the navigation menus to point to the newly created aspx page.

But like you say using this method I will end up with one feature per provisioned page which I guess is not ideal.

Sorry about spamming your blog BTW.

re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 5/21/2008 10:12 PM Mo

Hi Andrew,
Would really appreciate your help on this.

Am using the above method to add a Content Query Web Part by default and it gives the error as shown below. However if I use any other web part it works ok.

I even tried plain CQWP without setting any property, exported to .webpart file and add to element manifest but still the same error. Could it due to some property that can be set in the .WebPart file which can fix the constructor error or is it that CQWP will not work using this technique?

Looking forward to some suggestions please...

Thanks,
Mo

------ Error message below when creating a new web page ---
No parameterless constructor defined for this object. at System.RuntimeTypeHandle.CreateInstance(RuntimeType type, Boolean publicOnly, Boolean noCheck, Boolean& canBeCached, RuntimeMethodHandle& ctor, Boolean& bNeedSecurityCheck)
at System.RuntimeType.CreateInstanceSlow...

re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 6/9/2008 6:00 PM CH

AC -

I've been able to add some default web parts to a page layout with no problems. The pages have been provision and customized via a feature and placed in the Master Page Gallery. The issue I'm running into is when new pages are provision based off of the page layouts via a site definition. The web parts (or lack thereof) listed in the onet.xml for the provisioned file always overwrite the web parts specified in the elements manifest.

Is there anyway to stop this from happening? The web parts in the page layout are exactly what I need and have been customized via a feature receiver.

re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 6/10/2008 4:22 AM Gary Yerby

I am having the same problem. It keps telling me No parameterless constructor defined when I try to place a cewp in the module.xml of for my page layout. any help would greatly be appreciatated.

re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 9/22/2008 9:26 AM Jainath

Hi Andrew,

I have a doubt about the webpart.In a team site(for instance) there is an Announcement webpart and my link webpart. It is nothing but the lists. when we drag and drop in the webpart zone it different manner(with a link "Add an Announcement" and " created By" fields). How is the gimmick of that? I tried creating a custom web part I could not display like that.

Please reply me . I could find this answer anywhere.

Thanks,
Jainath H J

re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 10/18/2008 3:02 PM ronie

Hi Andrew,

wher does the default.aspx get stored on the file system, the setuppath does not show the correct file with web parts and i cant see the web parts ids in the file.

_ronie

# re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 12/21/2008 8:00 AM Martin Buus

Hi there.
I've noticed that some of you have problems with the "No parameterless constructor defined for this object". I've solved this and documented my solution on my own blog:
http://blog.zkiifreak.dk/post/Default-webparts-in-sharepoint-pagelayouts.aspx
NOTE: I don't think, it works for the standard webparts (as you can't modify the code behind them), but it solved the problem for me when using custom ("homemade") webparts.

Andrew, if you feel like taking a look at it sometime (if you ever get time ;-) ), please comment on it if you do not agree with me.

Regards
/Martin Buus

# re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 12/22/2008 7:44 AM AC [MVP MOSS]

Martin-
Nice tip in the post... I'd suggest including an example in your blog post though to make it more clear for readers.

re: Having Default Web Parts in new Pages Based Off Page Layouts in MOSS 2007 Publishing Sites 1/3/2009 12:35 AM Praful

Hi AC: I have a custom page layout with custom webpart and many pages created out of it. Now I am deleting this custom webpart and adding one new custom webpart but it is not reflecting into my existing pages. Though if I create a new page I can see the change. What is reason of that.

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