Monday, March 28, 2011

FAST Ampersands in Custom Property Extraction Dictionary

If you are creating a Custom Property Extractor for FAST for SharePoint 2010 be careful because careful to set up your Extraction Dictionary correctly. I recently had a colleague create a new extraction dictionary like in here - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff795797.aspx

Unfortunately I do not have the logs but my colleague was telling me that FAST was just hanging when trying to execute the FAST crawl. I looked at the modifications he made and took a guess that the ampersands he had throughout the custom property extraction dictionary XML definition could be the issue. I recommended he remove the ampersands and replace with &amp. Well that took care of the issue.

Run Office Web Apps with Word on Domain Controller

Background

I recently ran into the following issue with installing Office Web Apps on my development VM. I have actually never had a reason to install it on my development VM and I had installed Office Web Apps successfully in other environments with no issues. Well I installed and configured it correctly however I when I clicked on a Word document, all the resources on the VM would be consumed and I would have to do an iisreset to get the machine back. It was locking up.

I went into the logs and would see stuff like the following which was not very helpful. It was basically just saying it was timing out.

Office Viewing Architecture chm3 Medium AppManager returning InProgress: Timed out waiting for conversion. QueuePosition: 0, Document: F02b4c7ef340141e298462b60da796b79m71b525a303cb49139385d0a0eb96c7a8m4501bccac02f49b3bb49ff9e8e22ccd7m, Format: _v00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000101, RequestId: 9a372be4-3ee8-4854-a8a3-b22ab2ac0f57 442b152e-8b89-4a90-b252-4ef2f24bc6b6

Office Viewing Architecture 2uu1 Unexpected ConvertingServiceProxy exception System.TimeoutException: The HTTP request to 'http://win-osd73bv7a62:32843/f0746a013b45414a8d41ad579bc16cf0/Conversion.svc' has exceeded the allotted timeout of 00:00:20. The time allotted to this operation may have been a portion of a longer timeout. ---> System.Net.WebException: The request was aborted: The request was canceled. at System.Net.HttpWebRequest.EndGetResponse(IAsyncResult asyncResult) at System.ServiceModel.Channels.HttpChannelFactory.HttpRequestChannel.HttpChannelAsyncRequest.CompleteGetResponse(IAsyncResult result) --- End of inner exception stack trace --- Server stack trace: at System.ServiceModel.AsyncResult.End[TAsyncResult](IAsyncResult result) at System.ServiceModel.Channels.ServiceChannel.SendAsyncResult.End(S... 442b152e-8b89-4a90-b252-4ef2f24bc6b6

Office Viewing Architecture 2uu1 Unexpected ...endAsyncResult result) at System.ServiceModel.Channels.ServiceChannel.EndCall(String action, Object[] outs, IAsyncResult result) at System.ServiceModel.Channels.ServiceChannelProxy.InvokeEndService(IMethodCallMessage methodCall, ProxyOperationRuntime operation) at System.ServiceModel.Channels.ServiceChannelProxy.Invoke(IMessage message) Exception rethrown at [0]: at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.HandleReturnMessage(IMessage reqMsg, IMessage retMsg) at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.PrivateInvoke(MessageData& msgData, Int32 type) at Microsoft.Office.Web.Conversion.Framework.Remoting.IConvertingService.EndProcessRequest(IAsyncResult asyncResult) at Microsoft.Office.Web.Conversion.Framework.Remoting.ConvertingServiceProxy.EndProcessReques... 442b152e-8b89-4a90-b252-4ef2f24bc6b6

Office Viewing Architecture 2uu1 Unexpected ...t(IAsyncResult asyncResult) 442b152e-8b89-4a90-b252-4ef2f24bc6b6

Office Viewing Architecture b4vx Unexpected Call to the backend http://win-osd73bv7a62:32843/f0746a013b45414a8d41ad579bc16cf0/Conversion.svc failed: System.TimeoutException: The HTTP request to 'http://win-osd73bv7a62:32843/f0746a013b45414a8d41ad579bc16cf0/Conversion.svc' has exceeded the allotted timeout of 00:00:20. The time allotted to this operation may have been a portion of a longer timeout. ---> System.Net.WebException: The request was aborted: The request was canceled. at System.Net.HttpWebRequest.EndGetResponse(IAsyncResult asyncResult) at System.ServiceModel.Channels.HttpChannelFactory.HttpRequestChannel.HttpChannelAsyncRequest.CompleteGetResponse(IAsyncResult result) --- End of inner exception stack trace --- Server stack trace: at System.ServiceModel.AsyncResult.End[TAsyncResult](IAsyncResult result) ... 442b152e-8b89-4a90-b252-4ef2f24bc6b6

Office Viewing Architecture b4vx Unexpected ... at System.ServiceModel.Channels.ServiceChannel.SendAsyncResult.End(SendAsyncResult result) at System.ServiceModel.Channels.ServiceChannel.EndCall(String action, Object[] outs, IAsyncResult result) at System.ServiceModel.Channels.ServiceChannelProxy.InvokeEndService(IMethodCallMessage methodCall, ProxyOperationRuntime operation) at System.ServiceModel.Channels.ServiceChannelProxy.Invoke(IMessage message) Exception rethrown at [0]: at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.HandleReturnMessage(IMessage reqMsg, IMessage retMsg) at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.PrivateInvoke(MessageData& msgData, Int32 type) at Microsoft.Office.Web.Conversion.Framework.Remoting.IConvertingService.EndProcessRequest(IAsyncResult asyncResult) at Microsoft.Office.W... 442b152e-8b89-4a90-b252-4ef2f24bc6b6

Office Viewing Architecture b4vx Unexpected ...eb.Conversion.Framework.Remoting.ConvertingServiceProxy.EndProcessRequest(IAsyncResult asyncResult) at Microsoft.Office.Web.Conversion.Viewing.RequestDispatcher.OnResponseReceived(IAsyncResult ar) 442b152e-8b89-4a90-b252-4ef2f24bc6b6

Office Viewing Architecture e6cq Medium SharepointServiceLoadBalancer.ReportFailedUri: http://win-osd73bv7a62:32843/f0746a013b45414a8d41ad579bc16cf0/Conversion.svc 442b152e-8b89-4a90-b252-4ef2f24bc6b6

Office Viewing Architecture b4vw Medium RequestDispatcher: dispatching request for document F02b4c7ef340141e298462b60da796b79m71b525a303cb49139385d0a0eb96c7a8m4501bccac02f49b3bb49ff9e8e22ccd7m to http://win-osd73bv7a62:32843/f0746a013b45414a8d41ad579bc16cf0/Conversion.svc. 442b152e-8b89-4a90-b252-4ef2f24bc6b6

Resolution

I stumbled across a resolution here - http://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/ScriptCenter/44ac3193-e7cc-4428-ae14-98177b5feab2/

The problem was Office Web Apps does not like to be installed on the same machine where a Domain Controller is installed. Well since this is a local development environment, I have a self-contained domain controller installed. Go figure. You will NOT get this on MSDN as part of the SharePoint 2010 install instructions.

BCS Column and Document Set Limitations

Just figured I capture another little tidbit about an environment that I was creating. I wanted to add a column to a central content type that would connect to an external data source using the Business Connectivity Services (BCS). Right now with SP 2010, I cannot achieve this because a BCS column can only be defined at the list level and not at the Site Collection level. So I cannot centrally create the column definition.

This had a cascading effect because I wanted to define this column on a Document Set Content Type I created. There is no problem with adding the external data column to my Document Set definition at the list level. However I have set up rules on my Document Set definition at the site collection level to synchronize the data to all content types within the Document Set. So I will not be able to get that to work unless I define that rule on the Document Set definition at the list level.

Document Sets and Records Center

Document Set Sent to Records Center Issue


It has been very easy for me to connect a Document Library to a Records Center by going to the Document Library settings. In SharePoint 2007 there was a limitation that you could only set up one of these. Now in SharePoint 2010 you can set up multiple through Central Admin >> General Application Settings >> Configure Sent to Connections.


With a Document Set when I select the Action Menu for the item the new and convenient Send To sub menu does not appear like it does for regular documents. The only option I have is to “Sent to Other Locations” which is configured through Central Admin.


Resolution


Seems the only want to configure Send To configurations for a Document Library is through Central Administration. No big deal in grand scheme.


Document Set Drop Off Library at Records Center Issue


I recently ran into something weird when messing around with Document Sets and Records Center. I wanted to route a Document Set to a Records Center but when the Document Set arrived, it was a zip file in the Drop Off Library.


I had expected a Document Set to be there. Then I download the zip file, opened it up and all the files within the Document Set were there. I had followed all the right steps to create a connection between my document library and the records center so I was confused. Plus the zip file was not being picked up by the rules that I had set up in the Content Organizer in the Records Center.


Resolution


The resolution was pretty simple, I had to go into Center Admin >> Monitoring >> Review Job Definitions >> Content Organizer Processing job.


When I run the job immediately the zip file will be picked up, turned into back into a Document Set and then routed correctly based on the Content Organizer.


I also modified the interval to run more often.


Reference - http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/sharepoint2010general/thread/8245b2fd-6465-43ad-b117-320405cbb967

Start Workflow on Item Change Issue

Issue

I recently ran into a rather weird issue with creating workflows with Visio and SharePoint Designer 2010. I basically wanted to create a workflow that would be initiated when the item was modified. So in the workflow configuration I checked “Start this workflow when an item is changed”. However the workflow would NEVER start and was driving me a little nuts.

Resolution

I do not have a good reason why however the reason apparently because I was logged in as a System Account. Once I logged in with as a normal user everything started to magically work. I was on a development machine and was doing work as a system admin. Needless to say I lost lots of time for no good reason.

Reference - http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/sharepoint2010customization/thread/d29447aa-9509-42a8-b3ff-94288656d440

Friday, March 18, 2011

FAST QRProxyService Dead

Issue

I was recently installing FAST for SharePoint 2010 and when I went to check the status after the initial configuration it was saying the QRProxyServices was dead.

Module Name Process Name PID Status

------------------------------ -------------------- -------- --------------

Browser Engine browserengine Running

Config Server configserver 4048 Running

Content Distributor contentdistributor 2464 Running

Enterprise Crawler crawler 5516 Running

FDMWorker fdmworker 5084 Running

RTS Indexer indexer 3792 Running

Indexing Dispatcher indexingdispatcher 3048 Running

Name Service nameservice 2652 Running

Document Processor procserver_1 5584 Running

Document Processor procserver_2 5604 Running

Document Processor procserver_3 5640 Running

Document Processor procserver_4 5664 Running

QRProxy Service qrproxy Dead

QRServer qrserver 4928 Running

SAM Admin samadmin Running

SAM Worker samworker Running

RTS Search search-1 3672 Running

Automatic spellcheck tuning spelltuner 5452 Running

SPRel sprel 5384 Running

RTS Top Dispatcher topfdispatch 4460 Running

WALinkStorerReceiver walinkstorerreceiver 5140 Running

WALookupDB walookupdb0 5076 Running

WebAnalyzer webanalyzer 5232 Running

Error

I then went to the event logs and say the following error.

Service cannot be started. System.IO.FileNotFoundException: Could not load file or assembly ‘Microsoft.IdentityModel, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35’ or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified

Solution

The resolution was pretty simple, I had to re-install WIF.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=eb9c345f-e830-40b8-a5fe-ae7a864c4d76&displaylang=en

Friday, March 11, 2011

SharePoint 2010 Gov to Gov Event

Over the past several years US Federal Agencies have highly adopted SharePoint as a platform to address numerous enterprise needs.  SharePoint 2010 has significant features and capabilities that are tightly integrated in areas of Collaboration, Enterprise Content Management, Enterprise Search, Business Intelligence, Social Computing, Enterprise Applications and Systems Integration to name a few. 

You are invited to come listen to presentations by Treasury.gov and USDA present how they are using SharePoint 2010 today to meet their business needs.  Come join the community of Federal Agencies for engaging discussions about SharePoint Internet and Records Management implementations.  Microsoft will also provide a demonstration on TeleWork; enabling you to change where you work and not how you work.

These sessions will provide insight for your SharePoint initiatives.  The intended audience is US Federal IT Professionals (both business and technical).   We encourage insightful and meaningful conversation during these presentations with your peers.

When:

Thursday April 14, 2011

· Event Registration - 8:30 to 9:00 AM

· Sessions - 9:00 AM to 2:30 PM

· Lunch - Due to Federal Gift Giving policies lunch will not be provided.  Lunch purchase options will be available onsite or short walk away.

Registration:

Please go to register for the event - https://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032480489&Culture=en-US

Where:

Microsoft Chevy Chase Office

5404 Wisconsin Ave, Suite 700

Chevy Chase, Maryland 20815

Phone: (301) 771-8000

Microsoft Chevy Chase Office Web Site

Metro Train – Red Line Friendship Heights

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) – Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS)

AMS has developed an electronic records center built on SharePoint 2010 technology.  The records center allows AMS employees to use Office applications to store official electronic records in an Enterprise Content Repository.  The repository allows end users to search for records they have created or to which they have viewing permission.  A custom built records management ribbon for the Office suite allows users to designate a records category, document title, audience and keywords before filing the document in the repository.

Fariba Tacoukjou

Senior Developer – USDA – AMS - Information Technology Services

Department of Treasury Public Internet

Treasury.gov is built utilizing SharePoint 2010 and FAST search on the Amazon Cloud environment with an Akamai content delivery network cloaking the infrastructure.  This platform is a fully managed cloud hosting solution that is built to scale and accommodate many IIS and SharePoint websites. Currently this environment hosts Treasury.gov, FinancialStability.gov, MakingHomeAffordable.gov, MyMoney.gov, SigTarp.gov, Tigta.gov and IRSOversightBoard.gov.  Come learn how Treasury.gov was able to meet aggressive timelines and successfully deliver a highly scalable solution.

Greg Galipeau

Enterprise Architect - Department of Treasury, Office of Chief Information Officer, HRConnect Program Office and Web Team

Microsoft TeleWork Solution for US Federal

Under the 2010 TeleWork Enhancement Act (H.R. 1722), Federal Agencies aggressive timelines to establish a policy on working outside the office, identify eligible employees and inform them of the option.  Come see how Microsoft provides secure business productivity solutions for TeleWork.  Microsoft will demonstrate how to change Where You Work, not How You Work.

Bob Straker and Jason Apergis

Microsoft SharePoint Technical Solution Professionals

Registration:

Please go to register for the event - https://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032480489&Culture=en-US