Configure Outgoing E-Mail Settings for SharePoint 2010 / 2013 to using Office 365 or GMail Relay

Any SharePoint Client, User, or Developer need an SMTP server to send e-mails to Internal or External SharePoint site users from a Workflow, Alerts, Request Site Access, and/or Any custom Apps that use SharePoint Outgoing e-mail setting to send e-mails.

SharePoint cannot be configured to send e-mail over encrypted port to the e-mail service. And Office 365 and Gmail required an SMTP connection that supports TLS encryption .

Fortunately, Windows Server (2008-2012) supports an SMTP relay for Office 365 and Gmail by install a local SMTP Rely Server that supports an encrypted connection (over TCP Port 587) .

The Steps are easy and forward:

1. Install SMTP Role (Windows Server 2008 and 2012)
2. Configuring SMTP Service to Relying to Office365/Gmail SMTP
3. Testing the SMTP Service Connection
4. Configuring Outgoing E-Mail settings in SharePoint Servers
5. Test Sending an E-mail from SharePoint Site

The following is the detailed steps:

 

Hiding a SharePoint 2010/2013 Disabled Ribbon Buttons By User Permissions Using CSS

Many SharePoint users asking “Can we hide Ribbon buttons for current login user (by his permissions) rather than show it as disabled button !?

The answer is YES. When user did not have contribute permissions (like Add Item, Edit Item …etc.), these buttons will be shown in the Ribbon, but not active (Disabled), so the Ribbon button will not be clickable as following:

In SharePoint 2010

In SharePoint 2013 / Online

So, to hide these buttons in easy and simple way, we will use an existing CSS class in SharePoint 2010, 2013, and Online version. The CSS class name is “.ms-cui-disabled”, and this CSS class is added to all disabled buttons in the Ribbon?!? So the idea is to override the behavior of this CSS class in Master Page and hide any button that use this CSS class.

 

Error: The Products Preparation Tool in SharePoint Server 2013 may not progress past “Configuring Application Server Role, Web Server (IIS) Role”

When you try to install Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013 on some Windows Server 2012 configurations, the Products Preparation Tool may be unable to correctly configure and install the required Windows Features for SharePoint. If this occurs, the tool will continuously try to configure and install the required features and then restart.

When this problem occurs, the Products Preparation Tool does not progress past the “Configuring Application Server Role, Web Server (IIS) Role” stage.

To work around this issue, use one of the following methods in this article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2765260, in my case, i used Method 2 – offline method 

Also, please to note that: Currently, Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013 is not supported for installation on computers running the Windows Server 2012 R2 operating system. SharePoint Server 2013 with Service Pack 1 and SharePoint Foundation 2013 with Service Pack 1 will offer support for Windows Server 2012 R2.

for more information about SharePoint support for Windows Server 2012 R2, read the following articles:

SharePoint 2013 Support for Windows Server 2012 R2

Microsoft Support: SharePoint 2013 support for Windows Server 2012 R2

I Hope this useful for you,
Thanks.

 

Step by Step: Install, configure, and Deploy Project Server 2013 – Part 5: Deploy Project Web App with a new site collection – Project Server 2013

This is the Fifth and Final part for Step by Step: Install, configure, and Deploy Project Server 2013 Article,

Article Content’s Index:

1. Part 1: Overview and Prepare for a deployment of Project Server 2013
2. Part 2: Install and Configure Project Server 2013
3. Part 3: Configure Project Server 2013 Application Service
4. Part 4: Deploy Project Web App with a new site collection – Project Server 2013
5. Part 5: Deploy Project Web App in an existing site collection – Project Server 2013

Deploy Project Web App in an existing site collection – Project Server 2013

For this post I create a Web Application with Top-Level Site collection. In Top-Level site, there is no link for PWA Setting in Site Action Menu. We want to enable PWA for this site collection

Deploying an instance of Project Web App to an existing site collection consists of the following:

1. Enable the Project Web App site collection features
2. Create a Project Web App site in an existing site collection

These steps will be created using PowerShell Script.

 

Step by Step: Install, configure, and Deploy Project Server 2013 – Part 4: Deploy Project Web App with a new site collection – Project Server 2013

This is the Fourth part for Step by Step: Install, configure, and Deploy Project Server 2013 Article,

Article Content’s Index:

1. Part 1: Overview and Prepare for a deployment of Project Server 2013
2. Part 2: Install and Configure Project Server 2013
3. Part 3: Configure Project Server 2013 Application Service
4. Part 4: Deploy Project Web App with a new site collection – Project Server 2013
5. Part 5: Deploy Project Web App in an existing site collection – Project Server 2013

Deploy Project Web App with a new site collection

In this part, we will deploy an instance of Project Web App along with a Project Web App site in a new site collection.

Not all steps in this post are required, such as create Web Application, and/or create Top-Level site collection, but I covered these steps in post for more usability and as a general reference.

 

Step by Step: Install, configure, and Deploy Project Server 2013 – Part 3: Configure Project Server 2013 Application Service

This is the Third part for Step by Step: Install, configure, and Deploy Project Server 2013 Article,

Article Content’s Index:

1. Part 1: Overview and Prepare for a deployment of Project Server 2013
2. Part 2: Install and Configure Project Server 2013
3. Part 3: Configure Project Server 2013 Application Service
4. Part 4: Deploy Project Web App with a new site collection – Project Server 2013
5. Part 5: Deploy Project Web App in an existing site collection – Project Server 2013

Configure Project Server 2013 Application Service

After Project Server 2013 is installed, the following configuration steps are required before creating a Project Web App site and using Project Server:

 

Step by Step: Install, configure, and Deploy Project Server 2013 – Part 2: Install and Configure Project Server 2013

This is the second part for Step by Step: Install, configure, and Deploy Project Server 2013 Article,

Article Content’s Index:

1. Part 1: Overview and Prepare for a deployment of Project Server 2013
2. Part 2: Install and Configure Project Server 2013
3. Part 3: Configure Project Server 2013 Application Service
4. Part 4: Deploy Project Web App with a new site collection – Project Server 2013
5. Part 5: Deploy Project Web App in an existing site collection – Project Server 2013

Install and Configure Project Server 2013

This Part describes how to install Project Server 2013. The basic procedure is as follows:

 

Step by Step: Install, configure, and Deploy Project Server 2013 – Part 1: Overview and Prepare for a deployment of Project Server 2013

There are many distributed articles and posts to install and/or deploy Project Server 2013, and I desire to write a full instructions for how to install, configure, and deploy Project Server 2013 step by step using best practices and testing what’s on the internet on my server. And put it all in one place to make it an easy reference for me and my followers.

This Article contains 5 Parts as following:

1. Part 1: Overview and Prepare for a deployment of Project Server 2013
2. Part 2: Install and Configure Project Server 2013
3. Part 3: Configure Project Server 2013 Application Service
4. Part 4: Deploy Project Web App with a new site collection – Project Server 2013
5. Part 5: Deploy Project Web App in an existing site collection – Project Server 2013

Overview

Project Server 2013 enables organizations to get started, prioritize project portfolio investments, and deliver with the intended business value. It’s the flexible solution for project portfolio management (PPM) and everyday work.

 

Open Pages and Forms in Modal Dialog For SharePoint 2013

Some times you need to open an internal or external pages inside an OOB modal dialog of SharePoint, such as New Task Form, Upload File Form. Or maybe you want to open external pages and sites.

I create a template functions to open pages in dialog, upload it to a central place, and use it any where I need it in my site collection.

In this post, I write how the JavaScript work and how to use it.

JavaScript File Overview

I have a JS file (SP15ModalDialog.js) that contains the modal dialog functions as following code:

1. OpenInDialog function:
   This function will be called in you links (onClick) or buttons (onClientClick). And it takes the following parameters:
   • dlgWidth: Dialog width (ex: 600)
   • dlgHeight: Dialog height (ex: 800)
   • dlgAllowMaximize: Show maximize button in Dialog (true or false)
   • dlgShowClose: Show close button in Dialog (true or false)
   • needCallbackFunction: determine if you want to register call back function or not for Dialog (true or false)
   • pageUrl: the URL of target page or site
2. CloseDialogCallback function:
   This function contains the logic of work to be done after you close, save, or cancel the dialog box, the main idea here is if you open a form in dialog and save data, you need to refresh the parent page to see changes that done. it contains 3 conditions
   • If user click on OK or SAVE button – if(dialogResult == SP.UI.DialogResult.OK):
     It will refresh the parent page (if needCallbackFunction is true)
   • If user click on CANCEL or CLOSE button – else if(dialogResult == SP.UI.DialogResult.cancel)
     Do nothing or add your custom code
   • If dialogResult return other value – else : Do nothing or add your custom code

 

OOB: Creating Your Own Custom Tiles in SharePoint 2013

When you open SharePoint 2013 Team Site, you will see a Metro Tiles Menu on home page.

The good news you can create your own custom tiles menu by using a new OOB List/App template that called : Promoted Links.

Create “Promoted Links” List

To do that, follow the steps:

1. Go to Site Content
   
2. Click on “Add an App”
   
3. Select “Promoted Links”  list template from available lists
   
4. After creating the list click new item to add a new link and details
   
5. Fill data about the link as below (and make sure you upload Tiles images in picture library):
   
   • Title: the link title text
   • Background image location: the image URL and alternative text
   • Description: description text that will be shown when you mouse over the Tile
   • Link Location: the target URL.
   • Lunch Behavior: determine if you want to open URL in current page, new tab, or in modal dialog
   • Order: order number of the tile
6. Repeat step 4 to add more links