SharePoint Feature and Solution upgrading Bram de Jager | Lead SharePoint Developer | Macaw

About Bram Lead SharePoint developer / architect for Information Worker Solutions center of Macaw Started with SharePoint 2003 Worked on projects for Shell, Hogeschool INHolland, Library of Rotterdam and Univé. Contact –

Agenda Basics Solution Upgrade Feature Upgrade Summary

Why? Creating / updating a content type in 1 site collection is easy But having 20 site collections and 10 content types changes the game

When to use a feature? Isolated/ autonomous piece of functionality Distributed deployment Scoping where XML or custom code runs

Initial build (trade-off) Custom code vs. XML Code: –Ability to DEBUG –More control –Upgrade artifact requires code XML: –Site definitions, list template, delegate controls, custom actions…

How was it done in 2007? Solution deployment: deploy and retract –Upgrade was supported but did not install new features Feature events: (un)install and (de)activate –No upgrade support, you would deactivate and active the feature to trigger any logic

Solution package Single file with extention.wsp Contains: –Assemblies (+CAS policies) –Application Pages –User Controls –Features –… Site template is a WSP, no more STP

Deployment life-cycle Add Solution Solution added to Solution Store Deploy Solution Files deployed to File System on all servers Feature install event fires Activate Feature(s) Element files are executed Feature active event fires

DEMO Create solution with choice field, deploy via PowerShell

SOLUTION UPGRADE SharePoint Feature and Solution Upgrading

Farm vs. User solutions Farm solutions supports granular upgrade User solutions will automatically upgrade all features to the latest version

Farm solution upgrade Update-SPSolution –Identity DevDays.wsp – LiteralPath C:\DevDays.wsp –GACDeployment Farm wide –psconfig -cmd upgrade -inplace b2b Granular –QueryFeatures() & Feature.Upgrade()

Granular upgrade QueryFeatures() –Guid featureId –Guid featureId, bool needsUpgrade –Guid featureId, Version featureVersion –SPFeatureScope scope, bool needsUpgrade Available for SPWebService (farm), SPWebApplication, SPContentDatabase, SPSite Feature.Upgrade()

Upgrade life-cycle Upgrade Solution Files updated on File System on all servers Upgrade Feature(s) Upgrade actions executed for specified version Feature upgrading event fires

Replacement or Update Retract & Deploy –Only on initial deployment! –Replaces all feature instances with definition Does not trigger upgrade actions No feature upgrade possible! Update –On new version of the solution –Deploys to file system Doesnt trigger install for new feature :-S

User solution upgrade Upload new solution package in Solution Gallery Press Upgrade button Solution and features are upgraded Its all or nothing

FEATURE UPGRADE SharePoint Feature and Solution Upgrading

Versioning Version attribute On activation a feature instance is created Deploy new version, feature definition gets updated Easy tracking of feature definition and associated feature instances

Feature Upgrade Upgrade according to upgrade actions Based on VersionRange with Begin & End versions –Actions for – –Other actions for –

Multiple versions scenario v –Create Contacts list instance v –Add creation Events list instance v –Add creation Issues list instance

DevDays.wsp Feature DevDays v Feature DevDays v DevDays.wsp Feature DevDays v DevDays.wsp Feature DevDays v Site ASite BSite C Feature DevDays v Feature DevDays v Feature DevDays v Feature DevDays v

Dependencies Child-child element of feature.xml element –New MinimumVersion attribute

UIVersion attribute New UIVersion attribute of feature.xml Specifies UI version for this feature with operators (=,, =, ;) Based on SPWeb.UIVersion (3 or 4) Example: Ribbon custom actions

Declarative upgrade actions New child element in feature.xml element –

DEMO Versioning scenario

CustomUpgradeAction Child element of – New feature receiver FeatureUpgrading() Support for parameters

DEMO Adding field to content type, copy contents, hide old field

SUMMARY SharePoint Feature and Solution Upgrading

Upgrade approach Solution update instead of retract/deploy New feature –Staple to existing site definition for new sites –Script activation on existing sites Upgrade existing feature –Farm wide or granular upgrade

Gotchas BeginVersion inclusive but EndVersion not Solution upgrade does not trigger (un)install event feature –When adding new feature after initial deployment, no (un)install event. Manual Install-SPFeature. Quit PowerShell when building (out of sync) Enable ULS logging, change setting to Verbose –Feature Infrastructure, Fields, General

Q&A SharePoint Feature and Solution Upgrading

Resources MSDN – Packaging and DeploymentPackaging and Deployment Chris OBrien Nuts and Bolts-blogChris OBrien