Workflow in SharePoint Server 2013

SharePoint Server 2013 Preview brings a major advancement to workflow: enterprise features such as fully declarative authoring, REST and Service Bus messaging, elastic scalability, and managed service reliability.

SharePoint Server 2013 Preview can use a new workflow service built on the Windows Workflow Foundation components of the .NET Framework 4.5. This new service is called Windows Azure Workflow and it is designed to play a central role in the enterprise. Processes are central to any organization and workflow is the orchestrator of processes.

Two SharePoint workflow platforms

The SharePoint 2010 Workflow platform has been carried forward to SharePoint Server 2013 Preview. All of your workflows that were built by using SharePoint Server 2010 will continue to work in SharePoint Server 2013 Preview.

In SharePoint Server 2010 the workflow engine installed automatically with the product. This continues to be the case with the SharePoint 2010 Workflow platform in SharePoint Server 2013 Preview. If you simply install SharePoint Server 2013 Preview and do not install and configure Windows Azure Workflow then you will have a nearly identical experience with building workflows as you did in SharePoint Server 2010.

The SharePoint 2013 Workflow platform only becomes available to you, and your tools, after you download and install the new Windows Azure Workflow service and configure it to communicate with your SharePoint Server 2013 Preview farm.

SharePoint Designer enhancements

SharePoint Designer 2013 Preview includes new functionality designed specifically for Windows Azure Workflow. In SharePoint Designer 2013 Preview this new platform is known as the SharePoint 2013 Workflow platform. These new features include:

- A visual workflow development experience that uses a Visio 2013 Preview add-in
- A new action that enables no-code web service calls from within a workflow
- New actions for creating a task and starting a task process
- New coordination actions that let you start a workflow built on the  SharePoint 2010 Workflow platform from a workflow built on the SharePoint 2013 Workflow platform
- A new Dictionary type
- New workflow building blocks such as Stage, Loop, and App Step

When you create a workflow in SharePoint Designer 2013 Preview, you have the option of choosing the platform on which you wish to build a workflow in the workflow creation dialog

Windows Azure Workflow capabilities

Windows Azure Workflow brings a new class of workflow to SharePoint Server 2013 Preview. Workflows built by using Windows Azure Workflow can take advantage of several new capabilities. These include enterprise features such as:

- High Density and Multi-Tenancy
- Elastic Scale
- Activity / Workflow Artifact Management
- Tracking and Monitoring
- Instance Management
- Fully Declarative Authoring
- REST and Service Bus Messaging
- Managed Service Reliability

Windows PowerShell cmdlets that manage workflow

As a SharePoint Server 2013 Preview workflow administrator you should be familiar with Windows PowerShell. After you have installed the Windows Azure Workflow service you will need to configure it to communicate with your SharePoint Server 2013 Preview farm. This pairing is accomplished by using Windows PowerShell cmdlets. Windows PowerShell is used exclusively when you manage and monitor Windows Azure Workflow.

This document could not be registered. It will not be possible to create links from other documents to this document

Problem Description:

Consider the Following situation:

You create a file or have a file that has the maximum allowed characters in the filename of that file on a Microsoft Windows 7 computer.

Note: This size limitation incudes the path to the file as well as the filename.

When you try and open the file with Microsoft Word 2003, 2007 or 2010 you get the error "This document could not be registered. It will not be possible to create links from other documents to this document" 

Probable cause:

The filename and path is too large. The maximum filename and path size is 255 characters.

Resolution:

To work around this issue the filename will have to modify to a shorter length. This issue occurs because of a 255-character limitation on creating and saving files in the Office products. Also, you receive an error message when you save or open a file if the path of the file meets the following condition for the appropriate program.

This will be applicable for word2003, word2007 as well as word2010.

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 J

Cloud Computing Bulletin

Below are some links on the Cloud Computing Bulletin for your reference.

Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid When Becoming a Cloud Superhero

To become your organization’s cloud superhero, you’ll need to evaluate the fundamental differences between available cloud offerings, their distinct advantages, disadvantages and the mistakes to avoid.

The cloud is continuing to gain popularity, but is it the right choice for all of your applications? How can you leverage the full benefits of the cloud?

This eBook will explain the top five mistakes to avoid in cloud adoption.

EBook: Download » 

Free 52-page Guide: Building a Windows Private Cloud     

An increasingly global and mobile workforce is changing the way IT needs to support the business. Worker demographics are also changing, resulting in different expectations on how IT delivers data and applications. Rather than try to meet the needs of this new business paradigm with an old computing model, many companies have found a much simpler, more flexible and secure solution: virtualize the desktop.

This 52-page guide, sponsored by HP and Intel, outlines the hardware and software needed as well as the process to create a Windows virtualized network with VMware

Ebook: Download » 

The Owner’s Manual for the Cloud

Cloud computing is this year's hot new sports car and lots of companies are kicking the tires. It's easy to understand the appeal. But with concerns about security, privacy, and compliance, enterprises are too often keeping their foot on the brake pedal.

This webinar will give you an insider's view of what you should ask for and expect, when adopting cloud services.

Register » 

Smart Cloud in 2012: Key Ways to Reap the Benefits  

Some enterprises are finding that their investment in cloud computing -particularly for email storage - can be at odds with their in-house eDiscovery strategies.

Cloud computing makes IT operations fast and nimble, but it doesn’t necessarily make electronically stored information easier to discover or legal holds easier to enforce.

Read this paper to get advice on how to evaluate cloud service providers and how to define SLAs that meet the business, legal and IT goals of your organization.

WhitePaper: Download »

   
The 2012 Cloud Checklist - Pricing, Packaging & Strategy Compared 

Running your business in the cloud has many advantages, including constant access to information and scalability.

Get this checklist and learn what you need to know if you're considering a cloud-based business model

CheckList: Download » 

Your beta software has expired. Use Add or Remove Programs in Control Panel to remove the beta software from your computer

Problem Description:

When you try to start a Microsoft Office 2010 application, you receive the following message:

Your beta software has expired. Use Add or Remove Programs in Control Panel to remove the beta software from your computer.

Probable cause:

This issue occurs because the beta version of the Office 2010 application that you are using has expired. The beta 1 and beta 2 versions of the Office 2010 applications expire on the following dates:

• 2010 Microsoft Office Beta 1: October 31, 2010 

• 2010 Microsoft Office Beta 2: November 1, 2010 

Resolution:

To resolve this issue, follow these steps to uninstall the beta Office 2010 versions from your computer before installing the release version:

For Windows 7, Windows Vista (with Service Pack 1) and Windows Server 2008:

1.  Click Start, and then click Control Panel. 

2.  Click Programs and select Programs and Features. 

3.  In the Currently installed programs list, select the beta (1 or 2) version of the Office 2010 application installed on the computer, and then click Uninstall. 

4.  When you are prompted, click yes to remove the program. 

5.  Restart the computer if you are prompted. 

For Windows XP (with Service Pack 3) and Windows Server 2003 R2:

1.  Click Start, and then click control panel. 

2.  Double-click Add or Remove Programs. 

3.  In the Currently installed programs list, select the beta (1 or 2) version of the Office 2010 application installed on the computer, and then click Remove. 

4.  When you are prompted, click yes to remove the program. 

5.  Restart the computer if you are prompted. 

When all beta versions are uninstalled, install the release version of Office 2010. For more information, visit the following Microsoft website: http://office.microsoft.com

Need to disable word breaker in the SharePoint 2010 search engine

A word breaker is a component that is used to break strings of text into individual words during the indexing and querying processes. During the indexing process, text is extracted from content items as an unbroken string of characters. Word breakers reestablish where each word in the string of characters begins and ends. Additionally, word breakers separate compound words so that users receive a query result on a portion of the original compound word and also on the individual terms that compose the compound word. Word breakers also convert numbers and dates from content items into a standard form.

Each language has a different word breaker. The indexing engine determines which word breaker to use and, if more than one language is detected, can use more than one word breaker for text that comes from a single document. If a word breaker does not exist for a particular language, the neutral word breaker is used.

Problem Description:

Need to disable word breaker in the SharePoint 2010 search engine.

Note: No such OOB feature available in SPS 2010

 

Resolution:

1)   On the SharePoint Server(s) open Registry Editor (Start -> type “Regedit” and hit enter).

2)   Point to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office Server\14.0\Search\Setup\ContentIndexCommon\LanguageResources\Default\Swedish

3)   Rename string WBreakerClass to e.g.: WBreakerClassOLD, WBreakerClassSWE or any other name which will remind you of the original string.

4)   Point to Edit -> New -> String Value and name it; WBreakerClass

5)   Double click this string and paste {9DAA54E8-CD95-4107-8E7F-BA3F24732D95} as Value data and click OK

6)   Close the Registry Editor

7)   Point to Start -> Administrative Tools -> Services

8)   Right click on SharePoint Server Search 14 and click on Restart

9)   Close the Services window

v  Open Central Admin and point to:

§  General Application Settings

§  Farm Search Administration

§  open the Search Service Application

§  click Content Sources from the left navigation menu

10. Click on the content source and hit Start Full Crawl

11. Wait for the Full Crawl to complete and try searching again.

Note:

You can always revert to old search behavior by renaming the string WBreakerClass to WBreakerClassOLD (or just delete it) and rename the original WBreakerClassSWE back to WBreakerClass.

Of course you have to repeat step 6 to 9.