Error occurred in deployment step 'Install app for SharePoint'

Everybody is busy enjoying the weekend but our team faced one critical issue during this weekend and working together we were able to resolve this issue after debugging it for many hours…

Farm configuration:

·         Windows Server 2012

·         Office 2013

·         SharePoint 2013

·         Visual Studio 2013

·         SQL Server 2008 R2

Error Message:

“Error occurred in deployment step 'Install app for SharePoint': Failed to install app for SharePoint. Please see the output window for details."

Troubleshooting done:

1)   Developer site is selected or not

2)   service applications (App Management Service and Subscription Service) are configured and running

3)   App domain setup is performed (records in host file or DNS)

4)   Loopback Check is disabled

5)   IE is configured for your app domain

Best Practice:

I would recommend you to check the SP logs first and it will give you the clear picture as where exactly it’s failing.

I really wanted to appreciate this article which helps me a lot and gives me clear directions:

http://www.sharepoint-journey.com/app-development-in-sharepoint.html

Million Thanks once again to SharePoint Journey J J

If you have any queries/questions regarding the above mentioned information then please let me know, Thank you.

Cannot upload files with Extension. Blocked file types

Need not get Panic if at all you are not able to upload a file with these extensions . There are some of them which are blocked by default . and changes can be made easily.

Why Are these files Blocked ?
Its nothing but security Threats to confidential Data .

By default, many file types are blocked, including file types that are treated as executable by Internet Explorer. Files, whose names include braces, (for example, filename.{doc}) are also blocked by default.

The following table shows the file types that are blocked by default and their corresponding file name extensions.

File name extension	File type
.ade	Microsoft Access project extension
.adp	Microsoft Access project
.app	Application file
.asa	ASP declarations file
.ashx	ASP.NET Web handler file. Web handlers are software modules that handle raw HTTP requests received by ASP.NET.
.asmx	ASP.NET Web Services source file
.asp	Active Server Pages
.bas	Microsoft Visual Basic class module
.bat	Batch file
.cdx	Compound index
.cer	Certificate file
.chm	Compiled HTML Help file
.class	Java class file
.cmd	Microsoft Windows NT command script
.com	Microsoft MS-DOS program
.config	Configuration file
.cpl	Control Panel extension
.crt	Security certificate
.csh	Script file
.dll	Windows dynamic-link library
.exe	Program
.fxp	Microsoft Visual FoxPro compiled program
.hlp	Help file
.hta	HTML program
.htr	Script file
.htw	HTML document
.ida	Internet Information Services file
.idc	Internet database connector file
.idq	Internet data query file
.ins	Internet Naming Service
.isp	Internet Communication settings
.its	Internet Document Set file
.jse	JScript Encoded script file
.ksh	Korn Shell script file
.lnk	Shortcut
.mad	Shortcut
.maf	Shortcut
.mag	Shortcut
.mam	Shortcut
.maq	Shortcut
.mar	Shortcut
.mas	Microsoft Access stored procedure
.mat	Shortcut
.mau	Shortcut
.mav	Shortcut
.maw	Shortcut
.mda	Microsoft Access add-in program
.mdb	Microsoft Access program
.mde	Microsoft Access MDE database
.mdt	Microsoft Access data file
.mdw	Microsoft Access workgroup
.mdz	Microsoft Access wizard program
.msc	Microsoft Common Console document
.msh	Microsoft Agent script helper
.msh1	Microsoft Agent script helper
.msh1xml	Microsoft Agent script helper
.msh2	Microsoft Agent script helper
.msh2xml	Microsoft Agent script helper
.mshxml	Microsoft Agent script helper
.msi	Microsoft Windows Installer package
.msp	Windows Installer patch package file
.mst	Visual Test source files
.ops	Microsoft Office profile settings file
.pcd	Photo CD image or Microsoft Visual Test compiled script
.pif	Shortcut to MS-DOS program
.prf	System file
.prg	Program source file
.printer	Printer file
.pst	Microsoft Outlook personal folder file
.reg	Registration entries
.rem	ACT! database maintenance file
.scf	Windows Explorer command file
.scr	Screen saver
.sct	Script file
.shb	Windows shortcut
.shs	Shell Scrap object
.shtm	HTML file that contains server-side directives
.shtml	HTML file that contains server-side directives
.soap	Simple Object Access Protocol file
.stm	HTML file that contains server-side directives
.url	Uniform Resource Locator (Internet shortcut)
.vb	Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition file
.vbe	VBScript Encoded Script file
.vbs	VBScript file
.ws	Windows Script file
.wsc	Windows Script Component
.wsf	Windows Script file
.wsh	Windows Script Host settings file

 Add or remove blocked file types


Use this procedure when you want to prohibit files of a specific type from being saved or retrieved from any Web application on a server.

To add or remove blocked file types by using Central Administration

1. Verify that you have the following administrative credentials.
   
   • You must be a farm administrator on the server.
     
2. In Central Administration, click Security.
   
3. On the Security page, in the General Security section, click Define blocked file types.
   
4. On the Blocked File Types page, if you want to change the selected Web application, on the Web Application menu, click Change Web Application. Use the Select Web Application page to select a Web application.
   
5. Do one of the following:
   
   • To block an additional file type, scroll to the bottom of the Type each file extension on a separate line text box, type the file extension you want to block, and then click OK.
     
   • To stop blocking a file type, select a file type from the list, press the Delete key, and then click OK.
     
     
     Note : You do not have to type a file extension in the list in alphabetical order. The next time you open the list, the file extension you added will be correctly sorted in alphabetical order.
     
     Reference : http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc287701%28v=office.14%29.aspx

Time card list template in SharePoint 2010

Time card list template is available in SharePoint 2010 .But it is hidden by default .

You need to activate the Group Work Lists feature of the site .

Choose Site Settings =>Manage site features =>Activate Group Work Lists feature. After activating this feature ,you can create a Time Card list in SharePoint Designer :

    Open the site in SharePoint Designer .
    

Choose File => Add Item => More Lists =>Time Card .
  

  The Time Card list will be created with a default view called My Time Card .This is the MyTCard.aspx page .You can edit it in SharePoint Designer or in browser .

Or you can use Timecard Management Template:

http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/office/SharePoint-Server-2010-63fd8b62#content

Instructions for trying out the Timecard Management Template solution:

Download and build the solution

1. Insure you have your SharePoint 2010 Development environment setup.
2. Download the Visual Studio solution and unzip it.
3. Specify the URL to the SharePoint site you would like to debug with in the project properties.
4. Click build to the Visual Studio solution.

Install and activate the sandbox solution

1. From a page in the site collection, click Site Actions, and then select Site Settings.
2. On the Site Settings page, click Solutions under the Galleries heading.
3. On the Solutions tab of the Server ribbon, click Upload Solution.
4. In the Upload Solution dialog box, click Browse, and browse to the sandboxed solution package (.wsp file). Click Open.
5. The solution package is now in the site collection's solution gallery, but it is not yet deployed.
6. In the Activate Solution dialog box, click Activate to activate the solution.

To deactivate and delete the sandbox solution

1. From a page in the site collection, click Site Actions, and then select Site Settings.
2. On the Site Settings page, click Solutions under the Galleries heading.
3. Select the solution to deactivate and then select Deactivate.
4. If you would like to Delete the solution then, click Delete after deactivation.

Microsoft SharePoint Designer 2010 Download

SharePoint Designer 2010 is the tool of choice for the rapid development of SharePoint applications. Using SharePoint Designer, advanced users and developers alike can rapidly create SharePoint solutions in response to business needs. Advanced users can compose no-code solutions that encompass a variety of common scenarios, from collaborative sites and web publishing to Line-Of-Business data integration, business intelligence solutions, and human workflows, leveraging the building blocks available in SharePoint in an easy to use environment. In addition, developers can use SharePoint Designer 2010 to get a quick start on SharePoint development projects.​

This is the 32-bit edition of SharePoint Designer 2010. It is the recommended configuration for most users

http://www.microsoft.com/en-in/download/details.aspx?id=16573


This download is the 64-bit edition of SharePoint Designer 2010. The 32-bit edition is suggested for most users

http://www.microsoft.com/en-in/download/details.aspx?id=24309

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The local farm is not accessible

Problem Description:

I have my SharePoint development environment and recently install some security updates of Windows Server 2008 R2. When I try to run SharePoint Shell Command i get the error: "The local farm is not accessible.

Error Message:

The local farm is not accessible

I was shocked to see this message and started checking the farm – web applications, site collections, SQL server is accessible or not …so many things...But let me tell you this is a generic error message and nothing to do with the farm availability.

Reason:  This is happening because you tried running the PowerShell with a user account that is not an administrator in SharePoint.

Resolution:  use your farm account by which you have installed SharePoint.

How to change and use the farm account?

-start

-All Programs

-Microsoft SharePoint 2010 Products

-Shift+Right click on SharePoint 2010 Management PowerShell

-You will get the option named as “Run as different user”

-enter the credentials and you are good to go :)

If you have any queries/questions regarding the above mentioned information then please let me know.

List tools tab missing SharePoint 2010

Today I have seen a very strange issue, where one my client said that he has the ‘List Tools’ tab missing from his List.

Issue: Unable to see list tools tab from the SharePoint Document Library and List.

Troubleshooting:

Checked the list on other site and it has the List tools tab.

Edited the page list tools tab is available. Stop editing it again disappears.
Checked various option in the List view webpart.
Enabled the summary tool bar, full tool bar. It still does’t appears on the list menu.

Resolution:  This is the default behavior of the SharePoint 2010, that if we have more than two web parts (especially Content Editor) added on the List view page then 'List Tools' menu will not appear.

As a fix you either need to remove the Content editor webpart form the List view page.

As a work around I have selected the Full Toolbar option by editing the List Webpart. If you click on any section such as New, Action, Settings, you will get 'List Tools' option to work with.

Reference: http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/sharepointadminprevious/thread/f77442bc-daa1-4571-bf85-0034adc3eca8

http://spjsblog.com/2012/01/12/bring-back-the-missing-list-tools-menu-in-list-view-with-multiple-webparts/

http://sanketinfo.blogspot.com/2012/02/list-tools-menu-disappear-in-sharepoint.html

If you have any queries/questions regarding the above mentioned information then please let me know.

I would be more than happy to help you as well as resolves your issues, thank you.

Hide the quick launch bar in SharePoint 2010

Today one of our clients asked a query if we can hide the quick launch bar from the site or sub-site. Informed him that he can hide the quick launch options (like Documents/Lists etc.) in SharePoint 2010 for site/subsite by going to

Site Actions - Site Settings - Tree View

Uncheck the box for “Enable Quick Launch”

But he says he wants to hide it and completely and would like to shift the page to the left to utilize the space of quick launch?

Add following script to the content editor webpart in HTML editor on the page:

If you have any queries/questions regarding the above mentioned information then please let me know.

I would be more than happy to help you as well as resolves your issues, thank you.

Finding site template names and ID’s in SharePoint 2010

Every now and then we talks about sites, site templates, more technically- the site ID’s etc…

There might be a requirement that you have deployed any solution package with respect to site definition and that will be available under custom tab while creating the site by means of central administration. 

We all know that every site template contains a specific ID associated with it and has multiple benefits with respect to requirement arises.

If you wanna find out the site template ID of all the templates which are installed in your farm then it might be a hectic task.

It’s quite easy if we follow the following article and Million Thanks to Phil Childs who has published this article for the SharePoint Community. 

Very useful article and valuable too as its saving tons of efforts. Thank you Phil :)

http://get-spscripts.com/2011/02/finding-site-template-names-and-ids-in.html

not able to activate the feature in SharePoint 2010

Problem Description: not able to activate the feature in SharePoint 2010

I was facing the following error messages while activating the feature at the site level.

Where exactly:

-Site actions

-Site settings

-Manage site features

Error Message:

Site

The feature being activated is a Site scoped feature which has a dependency on a Site Collection scoped feature which has not been activated. Please activate the following feature before trying again: SharePoint Server Publishing Infrastructure f6924d36-2fa8-4f0b-b16d-06b7250180fa

Web

The Site scoped feature being activated has a dependency on hidden Site scoped feature 'FeatureDefinition/22a9ef51-737b-4ff2-9346-694633fe4416' (ID: '22a9ef51-737b-4ff2-9346-694633fe4416'). Hidden features cannot be auto-activated across scopes. There may be one or more visible Site scoped features that auto-activate the dependent hidden feature.

From the above error message, it is quite clear regarding the resolution we need to apply to get rid of this message.

Resolution:

Let me explain in details, step by step:

-Open the site on which you are facing this problem

-site actions

-site settings

-site collection administration

-site collection features

-activate the appropriate feature as per your requirements.

Note: if you are not able to see the ‘site collection administration then you don’t have appropriate rights to activate that feature.

What you need to do in such situations? - Please contact your site collection administrators and mention the complete details so that they can activate the feature for you / tell them to assign you site collection admin rights -(this is sometimes difficult if they follow the policy)

Product Applies to:

-SharePoint Server 2010

-SharePoint Foundation 2010

If you have any queries/questions regarding the above mentioned information then please let me know.

I would be more than happy to help you as well as resolves your issues, thank you.

Logparser: Calculate No. of hits for different Browser type from IIS Logs

In our organization we had a request to know how many requests are coming to our SharePoint webservers form different browsers.

While working on this, I got a nice post form Mr. Jaskis 
Why you need to know this:

To figure out what kind of browser(IE, Firefox, Safari) requests are coming for your application.So that you can make sure your application is compatible with that browser type.

To read complete article, please follow http://blogs.msdn.com/b/jaskis/archive/2008/11/13/logparser-calculate-no-of-hits-for-different-browser-type-from-iis-logs.aspx

Known issues when you install Office 2010 SP1 and SharePoint 2010 SP1

Found this KB should be easily available for all my users .

This article lists the known issues and behavior changes that you may experience when you install Service Pack 1 (SP1) for Microsoft Office 2010, Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010, Microsoft SharePoint Foundation 2010, and Office server products.

Resolution:

The following are issues that you may experience when you install these service packs:

• SharePoint Server 2010 SP1 has an issue that causes workflow tasks to become locked and unrecoverable, as follows. Assume that you have a running out-of-box (OOB) workflow task (for example, an "Approval – SharePoint 2010," "Collect Feedback – SharePoint 2010," or "Publishing Approval" task). When a task assignee edits the workflow task (for example, by approving or rejecting the trial), the task is locked and cannot be recovered. For more information about this issue, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
  2737435 "In Progress" Workflow tasks are locked after updating to SharePoint 2010 SP1
  
  To resolve this issue, install the hotfixes that are provided in the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
  2687614 Description of the SharePoint Server 2010 hotfix package (Coreservermui-xx-xx.msp): October 30, 2012
  2687557 Description of the SharePoint Foundation 2010 hotfix package (Wss-x-none.msp): October 30, 2012
  Note You must install these hotfixes after you install SharePoint 2010 SP1.
• Before you install the SP1 packages, make sure that you have sufficient disk space. For caching, the packages may require up to four times their file size in remaining disk space during installation.
• You must restart the computer at the end of the installation process.
• If Office Web Apps will be used in a mixed version environment, where Office Web Apps has SP1-or-later applied while SharePoint Server 2010 remains on the RTM version, you must install the following two updates before you install SP1 for Office Web Apps:
  • 2510639 Description of the SharePoint Server 2010 update: April 12, 2011
  • 2510648 Description of the Office Web Apps update: April 12, 2011
• Install the service packs in the following order on every server in the farm:
  1. Service Pack 1 for SharePoint Foundation 2010
  2. Service Pack 1 for SharePoint Foundation 2010 Language Pack (if applicable)
  3. Service Pack 1 for SharePoint Server 2010
  4. Service Pack 1 for SharePoint Server 2010 Language Pack (if applicable)
• After you install Service Pack 1 you must run the SharePoint 2010 Products Configuration Wizard or the psconfig –cmd upgrade –inplace b2b -wait command one time on every server in the farm. This step updates the farm to the latest version and is required in order to have full SharePoint functionality. If you do not run the wizard, the farm will run with reduced capacity. For example, Search will not be able to index content.
• You must restart the User Profile Synchronization service after installing Service Pack 1. For more information about how to start the service, see the "Start the User Profile Synchronization service" section of the following Microsoft website:
  Configure profile synchronization
• After SharePoint Server 2010 SP1 is installed, the Workflow feature is disabled when a new site collection is created. To use the Workflow feature in a new site collection, enable it in the Site Collection Settings page.
• After you install SharePoint Foundation 2010 SP1 and SharePoint Server 2010 SP1, we strongly recommend that you install the install the June 2011 Cumulative Update refresh package. The June Cumulative Update includes several important security and bug fixes that are not included Service Pack 1. For more information about these updates, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
  2536601 Description of the SharePoint Foundation 2010 cumulative update package (SharePoint Foundation server-package): June 30, 2011
  
  2536599 Description of the SharePoint Server 2010 cumulative update package (SharePoint server-package): June 30, 2011

  Applies to

  • Microsoft Office Home and Student 2010
  • Microsoft Office Home and Business 2010
  • Microsoft Office Professional 2010
  • Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010
  • Microsoft Office Standard 2010
  • Microsoft Office Starter 2010
  • Microsoft SharePoint Foundation 2010
  • Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010

  
  Reference : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2532126