SharePoint 2013 Manager released

SharePoint 2013 manager got released. You can check and download SP2013 manager in codeplex.(http://spm.codeplex.com/releases/view/97332). SharePoint manager is one of the necessary tool for share point developers/administrators. SharePoint manager is also upgrading from share point 2007 to share point 2013. currently SPM 2013 is stable.

here is the screen shot for SharePoint 2013 manager,

While running the share point manager i got an error, the requested service http://localhost:32843/SecurityTokenServiceApplication/SecurityToken.svc not been activated. 

we'll get this error, if Secure Token Service Application pool not started in share point server, or permissions for .net service application pool not set to full trust. For more details check this url http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2520344.
Go to central administration, check secure store service is activated or not. And do iisreset.

Audit log reports in SharePoint 2013

Audit log reports in SharePoint, used to check who did what. We can check, sort, filter, and analyze the data in sites, lists, libraries, content types, list items, and library files in the site collection. It is very helpful for the organization. We can also save the audit log report as excel work book in specified site collection document library
Following events are available for auditing log reports to check who did what,

• Viewed and downloaded items/documents
• Checked In/ checked out items, moved and copied items in list/libraries
• Deleted, restored items
• Work flow and custom events in site collection
• User permission changes at site collection level
• Content type and column changes

Following are the reports available in share point auditing

• Content Viewing -> shows all events where a user viewed content in this site.
• Content modifications -> shows all events that modified content in this site.
• Content deletion -> shows all events that caused content in this site to be deleted or restored from the Recycle Bin.
• Content type and list modifications -> shows all events that modified content types and lists in this site.
• Information management policy modification -> shows all events related to the creation and use of information management policies on content in this site.
• Information management policy Expiration and disposition -> shows all events related to the expiration and disposition of content in this site.
• Security and site settings Auditing -> shows all events that change the auditing settings of Microsoft SharePoint Foundation.
• Security and site settings Security -> shows all events that change the security configuration of Microsoft SharePoint Foundation.
• Custom report -> shows specified filters for audit report

We can view the audit log reports by clicking on the “Audit log reports” in Site collection Administration group in Site settings.

Configure auditing:

We have option to configure track which users have taken what actions on the sites, content types, lists, libraries, list items, and library files of site collections. In Site settings we can configure the audit logging by clicking on “Site collection auditing settings” in "Site Collection Administration" section.

Configure trimming:

When we select to audit an event in site collection, it will audited each time the event occurs. It will cause to generate a large number of audit log. This could cause degrading the performance and fills the memory in hard drive. To prevent this, we need to enable the audit log trimming in site collection. We can do this in site settings -> Site collection Administration -> Site Collection audit log settings.

Select “yes” for “Automatically trim the audit log for this site?” in “Audit Log Trimming” section. Specify number of days that audit log remain.

Deploy solutions in share point 2013

SharePoint 2013 supports backward compatibility, for the sites created in SharePoint 2010. We can achieve this by using 14 layout folder. In SharePoint 2013 server we can have both 14 and 15 layout folders

If we want same features in SharePoint 2010 as well as 2013, we need to use SharePoint product version for solution properties. In the image below we are assigning 15 for SharePoint Product version. Means solution will deployed to 15 folder.

manifest.xml file shown below, here I have set the SharepointProductVersion as 15, so that file will deployed to 15 folder.

<Solution xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/" SolutionId="7b9510ed-0926-4692-8afd-76fe5f629b00" SharePointProductVersion="15.0">

  <Assemblies>

    <Assembly Location="MySharepointProject.dll" DeploymentTarget="GlobalAssemblyCache">

      <SafeControls>

        <SafeControl Assembly="$SharePoint.Project.AssemblyFullName$" Namespace="MySharepointProject" TypeName="*" />

      </SafeControls>

    </Assembly>

  </Assemblies>

  <FeatureManifests>

    <FeatureManifest Location="MySharepointProject_Feature1\Feature.xml" />

  </FeatureManifests>

</Solution>

By deploying through stsadm commands Install-SPSolution command, we have a new parameter called CompatabilityLevel. By providing the options to compatabilty parameter we can specify the deployment target. CompatabilityLevel is an optional parameter. If we are not specified any value, deployment target will depends on solution cabinet manifest.xml file. Install Solution command only deploys the installed solution in SharePoint server.

Following are the options for compatabilityLevel parameter.

“14” -> Installs solution in 14 hive

“15” -> installs solution in 15 hive

“14,15” -> Installs solution to both 14 and 15 directories “AllVersions” or “All” -> Installs solution to both 14 and 15 directories “OldVersions” or “Old” -> Installs solution to 14 directories only “NewVersion” or “New” -> Installs solution to 15 directories only

"The Content has expired and can no longer be used" error in share point 2013

While accessing a SharePoint site, I got an error “The Content has expired and can no longer be used” as shown below.

I have check the error in log files, it has been logged as,

System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException: The context has expired and can no longer be used. (Exception from HRESULT: 0×80090317), StackTrace:

 at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPGlobal.CreateSPRequestAndSetIdentity(SPSite site, String name, Boolean bNotGlobalAdminCode, String strUrl, Boolean bNotAddToContext, Byte[] UserToken, SPAppPrincipalToken appPrincipalToken, String userName, Boolean bIgnoreTokenTimeout, Boolean bAsAnonymous)

 at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPSite.get_Request()

The basic cause for this error, the clock settings for SharePoint is not sync with the clock settings for server. To fix this go to Central Administration -> Application Management -> select Web application -> on the ribbon General settings tab -> select General settings -> update the time zone with the share point server as shown below.

Disable/ Increase the “Web page Security validation” in general settings for SharePoint web application. Central Administration -> Application Management -> Manage Web Application -> Select Web application -> on the ribbon select “General settings” -> Off the Security validation/Increase security validation expire time as shown below. Disabling the "Web Page Security Validation" will not be preferred option. 

"there are no addresses available for this application" error in SharePoint managed metadata service

In SharePoint 2013, After Configuring the managed metadata service app in SharePoint 2013, when click on “Properties” on the top ribbon for managed metadata service app, it is showing a popup box with the message “there are no addresses available for this application” as shown below.

For Managed metadata service app properties, it is showing the error message “The managed Metadata Service or Connection is currently not available. The Application Pool or Managed Metadata Web Service may not have been started. Please Contact your Administrator”.

In the error message itself SharePoint providing the solution. I was checked the Managed Metadata service (Central Administration -> manage Services on server -> Managed metadata service). It was stopped. Started the service.

Check the application pools in IISManager, started the Application pools in IISManager.

If still getting the same issue, just do IISRESET.  

Finally managed metadata service is working like charm.

Sharepoint 2013- app prompting for credentials

I have developed an app in app in office 365 site and every thing went well for app in office 365 site. I have developed same app for share point 2013, using visual studio office development tools. Before deploying app in share point server, we need to check the following list of things in share point server,

• Create an App Domain-- Done
• Run Shared Service Instances-- Done
• Check App Service and SharePoint Subscription services are running in the server-- Done
• Create Subscription Settings Service Application, Subscription Settings Service Application Proxy through Power shell-- Done
• Create App Management Service, App Management Service Proxy-- Done
• Add App prefix-- Done
• Add App Domain to the List of Intranet Sites in Internet Options-- Done 

Deployed the app in share point site, while accessing the app through share point site, it is prompting for credentials. I have tried many times with different credentials, Redeployed app to share point site and restarted my machine, No luck.. :(

I have googled for the same issue and in Microsoft forums i got some clue on the issue. The issue here is we need set the value for DisableLoopbackCheck registry key.

What is Loop Back Check
From Server 2003 SP1, There is feature called Loop back check related to security. It will makes server can't call by itself through the host name, that share point does. So that share point will prompts us to enter credentials.

i have followed following steps to fix this error,

Go to Registry Editor (Run-->regedit)

Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa

Right-click Lsa--> New--> DWORD Value.

Type DisableLoopbackCheck, and then press ENTER.

Right click on DisableLoopbackCheck--> Modify,

Change value form 0 to 1 and click on OK.

Quit Registry editor and restart computer.

That's it. My issue got fixed and i am able to see my custom app. Hope this help you.