SharePoint Feature Receivers

In SharePoint, a feature receiver is used to add event handlers. Feature receivers derive from SPFeatureReceiver.

The following events are useful when activating a feature:

FeatureInstalled – runs after feature installed

FeatureActivated – runs after feature activated

FeatureDeactivating – runs before feature deactivated

FeatureUninstalling – runs before feature uninstalled
 

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Element Manifest.xml File

In SharePoint the element manifest file gives instructions for when the feature is activated. Common items to do in a feature:

ClientWebPart – create a client webpart

ContentType – create a content type

CustomAction – create new link or menu command

Field – create a site column

ListTemplate – create a custom list type

Workflow – create a workflow template

WorkflowAssociation – associate a workflow template with a list

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Features in SharePoint

A SharePoint feature is a feature definition.

-          Allows for design and implementation

-          Step for creating a SharePoint solution

-          Features can include: links, menu items, list types, web-parts, application pages, content types, site columns, master pages, etc.

-          Features can also include event handlers – which need a feature receiver class to operate

-          Feature.xml is the feature manifest file. It provides metadata information about the feature.
 

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SharePoint Farm Solutions

A farm solution is a special kind of code set used in SharePoint. Some items to be aware of:

-          It is used as a server side code which runs against the SharePoint server side object model.

-          It is only available for an on-premise deployment.

-          It is used for branding solutions, central administration customizations, application pages, custom services and timer jobs, etc.

-          A farm solution is deployed with:

Add-SPSolution   to upload the package

Install-SPSolution to deploy the solution package

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SharePoint Solution Package

A solution package is a deployment mechanism for code in regard to SharePoint.

-          The package allows for the reuse, deployment and versioning of code.

-          The package is a set of files that has a manifest that contains the needed installation instructions.

-          The package is a *.cab file with a *.wsp extension.

Note: sometimes it’s best to change the extension to a .zip so that the contents of the .wsp can be viewed.

-          The solution package can contain:

o   Features definitions

o   Images

o   Assemblies

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Registering a New App Principal

Five pieces of information are needed to register an app principal used by a cloud-hosted SharePoint app. Navigate to http://<SharePointWebsite>/_layouts/15/AppRegNew.aspx on the farm then:

ClientID – identifying GUID for the app. Example: b044e104-7de2-4a05-aacf-63119009c55e

Client Secret – base64 encoded string which encrypts and decrypts messages between Windows Azure Access Control Service (ACS). Example: xyZpG0AgVIJfch6ldu4dLUlcZyysmGqBRbpFDu6AfJq=.

Title – caption that appears for a registered app principal. Example: KMO Video Uploader

App URI – base URL used to access the cloud-hosted app. Example: www.kmo.name

Redirect URL – optional items for a landing page SharePoint can use for additional requests (example a callback to another site for information the app was need). Must use https:// Example: https://www.kmo.name/RedirectAccept.aspx

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OAuth and SharePoint Overview

The following are some quick bullet points that review OAuth:

OAuth – Internet protocol for authenticating apps and authorizing such apps – to access content on behalf of a specific user.

OAuth – allows SharePoint 2013 and greater versions to typically authenticate a cloud hosted app – which is calling to a SharePoint site – from across a network and to establish an identity for the app.

SharePoint 2013 and greater use OAuth to authenticate apps and establish app identity.

Windows Azure Access Control Services (SCS) is a requirement for using OAuth.

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