Re: Access to _layouts folder in SPS 2003 through FrontPage 2003

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From: Bryan Hart (bryan_at_bryan-hart.com)
Date: 11/29/04 

Date: Mon, 29 Nov 2004 14:05:03 -0800

An addition as to the "why" of it being unsupported. The _layouts folder,
besides being global is also allow to execute server script. Making this
editable via FrontPage would be a huge security hole. This is the main
reason that you need to edit via the file system location (meaning you must
have local admin rights on the server). To the best of what I've been
hearing, this is unlikely to ever be changed.

Bryan

"Korolenko" <Korolenko@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:24618F63-3C04-4697-A4CD-F18539FE2EEF@microsoft.com...
> Any new status on this topic (KB's or whatnot..)?
>
> I'm in the process of customizing our portal, get most of what I want done
> up, then run into files such as Dladvot.aspx, Checkin.aspx, UserDisp.aspx
> and
> so on that are in this _layouts area.
>
> Very frustrating stuff. Specially when you download them off the server
> onto
> your desktop to edit in Frontpage (cause you can't open them directly) and
> its a total mess cause it's looking for relative links to css, images and
> such.
>
> Also what's the best way to go about editting these things and minimizing
> and damage from updates down the road... any helpful hints?
>
>
> Thanks..
>
> ~korolenko~
>
>
> "Roger Cormier" wrote:
>
>> Alright Leo,
>>
>> Sorry for the limitation,
>>
>> Good luck with everything else Sharepoint Related, remember to keep
>> checking
>> Technet, it's a great resource.
>>
>> -Roger
>>
>> "LeoB" <leobrito@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
>> news:589035C0-8D94-45DA-B0B7-54EB9FF38CA4@microsoft.com...
>> > Thanks for the answer. I guess we'll have to "live with the
>> > unsupported
>> > feature".
>> >
>> > Leo
>> >
>> > "Roger Cormier" wrote:
>> >
>> >> Hello Leo,
>> >>
>> >> I looked into what you were experiencing (after that second posting,
>> >> it
>> >> was
>> >> much clearer). After working about it, and reading over that article,
>> >> and
>> >> speaking to our developper support team, it seems like being able to
>> >> edit
>> >> the default.aspx page that you wanted to edit
>> >> (http://>/_layouts/1033/default.aspx) is not supported. If
>> >> you
>> >> do
>> >> open that page, all you will get is a Web Control.
>> >> I've been told that there currently is no KB article stating that it
>> >> is
>> >> unsupported, but there is a plan to have one released based on the
>> >> number
>> >> of
>> >> questions we receive about this topic. There is currently no solid
>> >> date
>> >> on
>> >> its release.
>> >> The article you are referring to is simply for making modifications to
>> >> the
>> >> CSS files, which should work through frontpage. The least problematic
>> >> method I could find was to ensure that all "webs" were closed, go
>> >> File->Open
>> >> (not open web) and just type in the URL
>> >> (http://>/_layouts/1033/styles/cssfile.css).
>> >> The reason I've been given for those pages not being supported is that
>> >> those
>> >> pages are global, and directly editing the code of a global page is
>> >> "patently unsupported"
>> >>
>> >> Thanks,
>> >>
>> >> -Roger
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> "John Eikanger [MSFT]" <johnei@online.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> >> news:gu1BhIDnEHA.3636@cpmsftngxa06.phx.gbl...
>> >> > Hi, Leo
>> >> >
>> >> > Roger has received your response and is currently researching.
>> >> >
>> >> > Thank you for choosing the MSDN Managed Newsgroups,
>> >> >
>> >> > John Eikanger
>> >> > Microsoft Developer Support
>> >> >
>> >> > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
>> >> > rights.
>> >> >
>> >> > --------------------
>> >> > From: "=?Utf-8?B?TGVvQg==?=" <leobrito@nospam.nospam>
>> >> > Subject: Re: Access to _layouts folder in SPS 2003 through FrontPage
>> >> > 2003
>> >> > Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2004 11:59:02 -0700
>> >> > X-Tomcat-NG: microsoft.public.sharepoint.portalserver.development
>> >> >
>> >> > Actually, certain folders with an underscore(/_) are available for
>> >> > browsing
>> >> > and editing through FrontPage. For example, when I open the portal
>> >> > site
>> >> > with
>> >> > FrontPage, the folders _catalogs and _private are available.
>> >> >
>> >> > With regards to the _layouts folder, I'm trying to access it per the
>> >> > following instructions from a Microsoft posting:
>> >> > http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/sppt/reskit/c3261881x.mspx,
>> >> > section Changing Styles:
>> >> >
>> >> > "The easiest way to create a new style *** is to start with one of
>> >> > the
>> >> > existing style sheets and then make edits to it. You can open a copy
>> >> > of
>> >> > the
>> >> > server-based style sheets in FrontPage 2003 by clicking Open on the
>> >> > File
>> >> > menu, typing the URL for the style *** in the File Name box, and
>> >> > then
>> >> > clicking Open.
>> >> > The default URL for sps.css is
>> >> > http://>/_layouts/1033/styles/sps.css, and the URL for
>> >> > ows.css
>> >> > is
>> >> > http://>/_layouts/1033/styles/ows.css.
>> >> > The style *** opens in FrontPage 2003. Save the style *** with a
>> >> > new
>> >> > name in the portal site opened in FrontPage 2003 by clicking Save As
>> >> > on
>> >> > the
>> >> > File menu. Make edits to the style *** as desired, and then save
>> >> > the
>> >> > new
>> >> > style ***. Next, browse to your website created with SharePoint
>> >> > Portal
>> >> > Server 2003 and then click the Site Settings link. To apply the new
>> >> > style
>> >> > *** to other SharePoint Portal Server 2003 areas and subordinate
>> >> > sites,
>> >> > you
>> >> > should open the site in FrontPage 2003 and use the Style *** Links
>> >> > dialog
>> >> > box, which can be selected from the Format menu.
>> >> > If you have a custom Theme you want to apply to a site created
>> >> > with
>> >> > SharePoint Portal Server 2003, you can browse to the style *** it
>> >> > uses
>> >> > (at
>> >> > the default location of
>> >> > http://>/_layouts/1033/styles/ows.css),
>> >> > save
>> >> > it with a new name, and then apply it to the SharePoint Portal
>> >> > Server
>> >> > 2003
>> >> > site by using the technique just described."
>> >> >
>> >> > It seems apparent from that article (I also have the book that the
>> >> > article
>> >> > was excerpted from) that in fact the _layouts folder should be
>> >> > available
>> >> > through FrontPage.
>> >> >
>> >> > We are trying to edit not just the CSS files (which I can get to
>> >> > from
>> >> > the
>> >> > physical path in the server), but specifically the
>> >> > http://>/_layouts/1033/default.aspx page. When I open it
>> >> > from
>> >> > the
>> >> > physical file on the server, it just shows me code and not the
>> >> > design
>> >> > elements.
>> >> >
>> >> > By the way, I tried using the toolbar button to edit that page in
>> >> > FrontPage
>> >> > (as you suggested) without success.
>> >> >
>> >> > Please let me know if additional information would be helpful.
>> >> > Thank
>> >> > you,
>> >> > Leo
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>>
>>
>>

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