Web Part Package Installer for Windows SharePoint Services 2003
Mark Wagner
http://blogs.crsw.com/mark
June 20, 2005
Article source: http://blogs.crsw.com/mark/articles/1100.aspx
For those of us who are familiar with installing and removing SharePoint web parts, it’s a pretty easy process. However, for those individuals who spend more time using SharePoint than installing and configuring it; locating and using the STSADM command can be a bit tedious. To help simplify the installation of web parts, I have created a simple Web Part Package Installer program.
The purpose of this program is to make the installation of web part packages much easier for less-technical people. Web Part Packages are stored in files having a .CAB file extension. The nice thing about a web part package is that a package can define some initial properties and configuration settings for the web part being installed. This is where my Web Part Package Installer program may be useful.
The Web Part Package Installer program will only install web part packages. The Web Part Package Installer will not install a web part using a web part description (.dwp) file, or a web part assembly (.dll) file. If you only have a web part assembly file, I highly recommend using the InstallAssemblies program by Blue Dog Limited.
Use At Your Own Risk
There is no warranty express or implied. You may use it free of charge.
Download
Web Part Package Installer setup program
Installing the Web Part Package Installer
Before you can use the Web Part Package Installer program, you must download and run the Web Part Package Installer Setup program. The Web Part Package Installer must be installed on your SharePoint web server.
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Logon directly to your SharePoint web server with administrator access. If you do not have administrator access to your SharePoint web server, then you need to contact your SharePoint administrator before you may proceed.
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Run the Web Part Package Installer Setup program and follow the setup dialogs until the setup process is done.
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You should now have a new program on your Start > All Program > Castle Rock Software menu with the name of Web Part Installer.
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Your Web Part Installer is now ready for use.
Using the Web Part Package Installer
The Web Part Package Installer is a very simple program. Before you can install any web parts you must make sure you are logged on to your SharePoint web server as a user with full rights to administer SharePoint.
Start the Web Part Package Installer program. To do this, go to the Start > All Programs > Castle Rock Software > Web Part Package Installer menu option.
The installer form is very simple.
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Select the web part package (.cab) file to install to clicking the ellipse (…) button.
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The “Overwrite an existing Web Part Package” option is usually not needed. You should normally leave this option un-checked. You only need to check this option if you want to replace the existing web part. This is usually only needed when an older version of a web part already exists on this web server.
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When you are ready click the “Install Web Part Package” button.
The web part has been successfully installed when you receive a message saying the web part is “Deploying”.
Here is an example of the success message.
Your message will be slightly different depending on the name of your server.
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If you receive a message like this instead, your web part package was not installed.
This message is indicating that a copy of the web part you are trying to install already exists on this server. You can replace the existing web part package by selecting the “Overwrite..“ option.
The web part should now be available to add to your page(s) using the standard drag-and-drop normally used in SharePoint.