You use TechNet/MSDN? Did you activate Office 2010 before May 1st? You need a new key...

I had to stop by and let any of my readers who are using TechNet or MSDN product keys for Office 2010 know: I just received an email from Microsoft (apologizing for the inconvenience of course) saying that if you got your product key for Office 2010 earlier than May 1st, 2010, you need to get another one.

It appears that if you activated Office 2010 with a PID key pre-dating May 1st, "certain product features may not be enabled."

For a list of the features that won't work with the pre-May 2010 key, see KB article:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/983473

So if you've got Office 2010 installed and activated using your MSDN or TechNet key, and you simply can't get features to work-- get a new key from your subscription, and try again.

Edited to add: BTW, to change the product key of an Office 2010 product, go to Programs and Features in the Control Panel. Select the Office 2010 product you have installed, and click Change. This should trigger an Office 2010 installer screen. One of the options listed is to Enter a product key. This will give you the opportunity to enter your new product key. Good luck.

I tell ya, if ain't one thing, it's another.

Found something odd with documented SharePoint Foundation URL limits

I haven't had time to post much, as everything I am writing about SharePoint Foundation is going into the Mastering book, but I've discovered something that can't go in the book that I've just got to get off my chest.

It's about Microsoft's published limits for URLs (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff919562.aspx). I've seen the info all over the web-- "SharePoint can only support 260 character URLs."

It's supposed to include the protocol, server name, path (with folders and file name), and parameters (stuff added after a question mark to the end of the path).

Well, just messing around with subfolders, file names, and views, I've discovered something.

If I just open a file (with a long file name) deep in a nested subfolder structure, the URL fails to open the file after 340 characters. I am using IE 8 on Server 2008 R2. I am sure that, instead of folders, I had a long path of subsites, or a combo of both in the path, it would amount to the same thing. The point, I think, is maxing out the characters.

If I have a URL with parameters appended to it, like opening the create view page on a library in a subsite with a long name, it can exceed 1600 characters and be fine.

So I think SharePoint's limit for URLs without parameters is actually 340 characters to see a file, and with parameters it depends on the browser you are using-- IE supports more than 1660 (actually more than 2000 characters for IE 7 & 8).

This is just my experience using SharePoint Foundation 2010 RTM, on a Server 2008 R2 VM, using the built in IE 8 32 bit.

If anyone could check this, I'd like to know if you got similar results.

EDITED TO ADD: Just got a chance to test the URL limit on a Windows 7 Ultimate client (IE 8), and found something interesting that didn't happen on the 2008 R2 server using IE 8. I can browse to a file that is well past 260 characters. I got to the file that was at a 340 character URL (with filename), and tried to open it.

This time I got an error of sorts. It warned me that the URL to the file had too many characters, that it could cache it to the local computer and then I could save it under a different name.

Interesting. When I clicked OK, it opened the file in the browser as it was supposed to. No problems. So my 2008 R2 server was opening the file without the error, Windows 7 showed the error, but opened the file- albeit after caching.

When I took the characters out of the file name to get its URL back down to 260, the same thing happened. However, at 259 characters, there was no error on the Windows 7 box using IE8, and the file opened as it is supposed to.

So now you know. The bottom line, the server doesn't seem to mind going over 260 characters for a URL. The Windows client however, wants URLs just under 260 characters.

Something else to keep in mind (that I did put in the book), if you are going to use Send To for libraries or the Links list, or any other list or library field that contains URLs-- the single line text field limit for characters is 255. Making that the practical character limit for URLs on your site. Regardless of whether you're opening something on the server or client. 255 is all a single line of text field can take (like the Links URL field or the Send To Destination field).

This may not be a show stopper, but I just had to say it somewhere. Thanks for listening.

(and yes, this is what I do with my time. Click every button and challenge everything I can. It's my job. ; P)

SharePoint and Office 2010 Official Launch-- May 12, 2010

Just wanted to remind everyone that tomorrow, May 12th, is the official launch date of SharePoint/Office 2010. There is going to be an online launch event at www.the2010event.com. If you want to check it out.

I know that a lot of us actually downloaded the release to manufacturer copy of SharePoint Foundation around April 22th, but for the rest of the world (that doesn't have TechNet or MSDN), this will be the day they can run out and buy SharePoint server or Office 2010 for the first time.

This date is also significant because it is the date that a whole lot of data about SharePoint should start trickling out of Microsoft, like reporting services for SharePoint Foundation (at least, that's what I am hoping).

Be sure to check out the online launch event, and try to catch the live, in-person launch events in your area. I am sure they are going to have insider info that may not be available online or in book form yet.

MVP chats

Hey all,

Just wanted to stop by for a quick blurb before the event.

The SharePoint MVPs are currently hosting live SharePoint chat sessions over at the MSDN online chats (yes, for your IT Pros, it is suspiciously hosted at the developer site): http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/chats/default.aspx.

Even though it is at MSDN, there are going to be a number of IT Pro/IT Pro-Dev. combo MVPs (as well as many developers) there who can answer your questions about SharePoint past and future.

These chats are going to be regularly scheduled, the most current ones are tonight at 7pm Eastern (4pm Pacific), with another one running tomorrow at noon Eastern (9am Pacific).

Remember, these chats are live, the MVPs are just sitting there waiting to answer questions. This is a great time to ask things you want real answers to.

There's a big line up of MVPs who will be answering questions at the chats this evening and tomorrow. Also, if these events are well attended, it just makes it more likely that they will hold them again and again. So, for more information about what MVPs will be at the chat, and more information about upcoming chats in the future, go to the the MVP award blog at:
http://blogs.msdn.com/mvpawardprogram/archive/2010/04/23/join-28-sharepoint-mvps-in-a-live-chat.aspx.

SharePoint Foundation RTM (and Designer too) available from public Microsoft download site

I told you that I'd let you know when the SPF bits would be available for download.

Oddly, although they are currently not available for paying TechNet subscribers, the whole world can download--

SharePoint Designer (32bit) (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=d88a1505-849b-4587-b854-a7054ee28d66)

SharePoint Foundation (only comes in 64bit) (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=49c79a8a-4612-4e7d-a0b4-3bb429b46595). Remember to check the system requirements on the download page to be sure you're ready to install.

I'll wait a few days for everyone to get the bits, then I will probably start posting bits and pieces about new things, things that bother me, gotchas, and general stuff about the book. : )

Mind you, I am going to be super busy trying to get all my chapters changed over to the RTM version of SPF, so bear with me if I lag here. I am probably going to be fairly distracted...

Edited to add--- By the way, SharePoint Designer comes in 64 bit or 32 bit flavors. That is important, since if you install SPD on a machine that is also running Office, the architecture has to match.

Right now the title of the page for both versions of SharePoint Designer is the same.

Here is the link for the 64 bit as it is at the time of this edit (4/22/10).  http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=566d3f55-77a5-4298-bb9c-f55f096b125d.

The installer for the 32bit  version of SharePoint Designer is 254.1 MB.
The installer for the 64bit version is 279.0 MB.

Edited to add again (the day after): They have fixed the SharePoint Designer download page titles. They now read SharePoint Designer 2010 (XXbits-- depending on the page you go to).

It's the little things. : )

Some 2010 RTM (RTW) bits and bobs available right now on TechNet

Hi there ladies and gents,

I thought I'd give those of you with TechNet subscriptions a heads up. Although I am sadly still waiting on SharePoint Foundation and SharePoint Designer, the RTW (or release to web, kind of like release to manafacturer without having to burn DVDs, lol) version of SharePoint Server 2010 and Office 2010 (Professional Plus) are available as of today for download.

Feel free to download now. : )

For those of you still waiting for SharePoint Designer 2010 and SharePoint Foundation, I feel your pain.

As soon as they are up, I'll post about it...

Office/SharePoint 2010 Launch Events

So, SharePoint Foundation 2010 is releasing in mid-May (as are SharePoint Server 2010, Office 2010, and Visual Studio 2010). And to celebrate the release, as they always do, Microsoft is having Launch events.

Unlike they always do, and possibly in response to the economy, the locations where the day long events, full of swag and experts, will be sadly limited.

To see the planned agenda for the event and get your seat first (before they run out), go to https://microsoft.crgevents.com/Register2010/Content/Event_Selection.aspx. You'll find a list of the cities hosting launch events. To sign up you'll need to pick a track, IT Pro or Developer.

And, what about the folks who don't live anywhere near these lucky cities (like myself)?

Well, I found out today that there is a scaled down, half day, less stuff, less content, but still Launch focused "Launch 2010 Highlights" launch event being held at other, less popular cities.

--Basically look at it as the Tier 1 cities, with the higher population, the ones that spend the most money with Microsoft, get the full day real Launch events, and lower tiers get the "highlight" reel. Money's tight everywhere.--

Nonetheless, to register for at least the short (fun sized) version of the 2010 Launch event, go to http://www.microsoft.com/business/2010events/Highlights.aspx. That's what I did.

Besides, I'm am a little busy writing a book. Maybe I shouldn't spend a whole day away from my desk. Maybe a half day event is perfect for me.

Here's hoping, whichever event you can get to, that it'll be perfect for you too.