SharePoint Web Parts


Table of Contents

What is a Web Part?

Web Parts are server-side controls that run inside the context of special pages (that is, Web Part Pages) within an ASP.NET application or a Windows SharePoint Services site. They are the "building blocks" of pages in Windows SharePoint Services. Windows SharePoint Services includes out-of-the-box Web Parts that you can use as soon as you have installed the product. In addition, you can build your own Web Parts and deploy them to the server.
MSDN - Web Parts Overview

Developing a Custom Web Part

As well as all the out of the box web parts (below) you can create your own web parts too.

Deploying a Custom Web Part

Creating Web Part Instances on pages

  Pro Con
AllUsersWebPart
  • Can use export XML from Web UI and paste into CDATA to save building XML from scratch
  • CDATA used so hard to read XML code used
  • will not clean up after themselves if unactivated without writing custom code in a FeatureReceiver
SPLimitedWebPartManager
  • Add/Delete in same location in FeatureReceiver
Web UI
  • No need for farm access with Features
  • No automation
  • No version control
Tutorials
[How to create Web Part instances on pages using Features - Elements - Module - File - AllUsersWebPart]
How to create Web Part instances on pages using Features - FeatureReceiver - SPLimitedWebPartManager
How to create Web Part instances on pages using PowerShell and SPLimitedWebPartManager
[How to create Web Part instances on pages using the SharePoint Web UI]
How to delete Web Part instances on pages using Feautures - FeatureReceiver - SPLimitedWebPartManager
[How to delete Web Part instances on pages using the SharePoint Web UI] - ie. not close, but delete!
Deploying SharePoint Web Parts as a part of PageLayouts in MOSS 2007

Connecting Web Parts

Tutorials
[How to connect Web Part instances on a page using Features ]
[How to connect Web Part instances on a page using the SharePoint Web UI]

Leveraging the SharePoint Web Parts

SharePoint provides a suite of web parts out of the box that can be configured to Leverage the SharePoint Platform. It is a common mistake to start writing a custom web part from scratch rather than leveraging what is already available out of the box. This section of the wiki should communicate what each web part can do, it's limitations and how to extend it if possible.

Web Part List WSS MOSS Standard MOSS Enterprise
Content Rollup


[Site Aggregator]
x x
Miscellaneous


[Content Editor] x x x
List View x x x
Data Form (Data View) x x x
[Image] x x x
[Page Viewer] x x x
[Relevant Documents] x x x
[Site Users] x x x
[User Tasks] x x x
[XML Web Part] x x x
[Contact Details]
x x
Default


Content Query
x x
[I need to]
x x
RSS Viewer
x x
[Summary Links]
x x
[Table of Contents]
x x
[This Week in Pictures]
x x
Outlook Web Access


[My Calendar]
x x
[My Contacts]
x x
[My Inbox]
x x
[My Mail Folder]
x x
[My Tasks]
x x
Search


[Advanced Search Box]
x x
[People Search Box]
x x
[People Search Core results]
x x
[Search Action Links]
x x
[Search Best Bets]
x x
[Search Box]
x x
[Search Core Results]
x x
[Search High Confidence Results]
x x
[Search Paging]
x x
[Search Statistics]
x x
[Search Summary]
x x
Site Directory


[Categories]
x x
[Sites in Category]
x x
[Top Sites]
x x
Business Data


[Business Data Actions]

x
[Business Data item]

x
[Business Data Item Builder]

x
[Business Data List]

x
[Business Data Related List]

x
[Excel Web Access]

x
[Iview Web Part]

x
[WSRP Consumer Web Art]

x
DashBoard


[Key Performance Indicators]

x
[KPI Details]

x
Filter


[Business Data Catalog Filter]

x
[Choice Filter]

x
[Current User Filter]

x
[Date Filter]

x
[Filter Actions]

x
[Page Field Filter]

x
[Query String (URL) Filter]

x
[SharePoint List Filter]

x
[SQL Server 2005 Analysis Services Filter]

x
[Text Filter]

x

Table Data Source: blogs.MSDN.com

External References

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  1. May 28, 2009

    Anonymous says:

    I believe the Web Part List is "broken" after the Business section. A new table ...

    I believe the Web Part List is "broken" after the Business section. A new table started and I don't think you wanted one.
    Also -- where is Data View Web part?
    Are you showing for SharePoint 2007?
    Major thanks for the list

    1. May 29, 2009

      Jeremy Thake says:

      Thanks for the heads up. The Data View Web Part is also known as the Data Form W...

      Thanks for the heads up.
      The Data View Web Part is also known as the Data Form Web Part...just to keep everyone on their toes

  2. May 29, 2009

    Anonymous says:

    Thanks Jeremy -- What about the "x's" after Business Data , DashBoard , ...

    Thanks Jeremy --
    What about the "x's" after Business Data , DashBoard , and Filter?

    Are the entries in the appropriate boxes. I found another source that had ALL of those were only available via Enterprise edition. Can you confirm?

    1. Apr 02

      Paul Wright says:

      I think the table has been corrected.  These features are only included wit...

      I think the table has been corrected.  These features are only included with MOSS Enterprise.  However, without too much difficulty, you can create dashboards within MOSS Standard or WSS by wrapping ASP.NET controls into SharePoint web parts.  You should be able to connect your web part to pretty much any data source (e.g. SharePoint list, relational DB, API, etc.), including web services like Google Analytics, Twitter, Facebook, ,etc.).  DMC in Chicago has some good examples of a <a href=www.dmcinfo.com/Services/SharePoint-Consulting-Services/SharePoint-Solution-Packages/SharePoint-Dashboards.aspx>SharePoint Dashboard</a> that is built on WSS.  The dashboards can be AJAX enabled as well.

  3. Jun 16, 2009

    Anonymous says:

    Other than designing/developing a webpart by writing "lines of code" is there a ...

    Other than designing/developing a webpart by writing "lines of code" is there a way to "drag and drop" controls in Visual Studio just like we do in developing asp.net applications?

    Thanks in advance.


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