Document properties are clearing out when uploading document to SharePoint site: SharePoint 2010.

Issue: Document properties are clearing out when uploading a Powerpoint document to SharePoint site.

 

Background: We had a user who has an issue where he uploads a PowerPoint document with some predefined properties in place enforced by the clients IT security team.

These properties are nothing was just a categorization of the document in different ways. The issue was when user checkout the document, edit the document and then check in back the document all the properties associated with the document was washed/vanished (you can call it whatever you want…).

Hmm, Interesting. This only happening to PowerPoint document, rest all documents were opening fine without any issue.

Troubleshooting:

It seems to be very heavy issue to me. At first instances it was filling something to be wrong with PowerPoint document on the local desktop.

We cleared all the properties of the document, uploaded on SharePoint check-out, edited it, check-in back but still the problem is same.

We tried the same steps with excel, word type documents and its working fine.

Replicated the issue on a different site by saving the list as a template without content and it was reproduced i.e. properties are getting clearing out again and again.

Uploaded a test PowerPoint on the site and it was working fine.

Uploading new document is working fine but issue is occurring on the old documents.

Resolution:

There was no clear point which could tell why this issue is occurring, however, the one thing which was very basic to check but ignored. The problem document was a password protected. When removed and uploaded it was working fine. Properties was not clearing out.

We tried the reverse on other documents i.e. protected the excel and word documents with password and uploaded to SharePoint, uploading , checkout, editing, check-in back and it again brought issue back.

So it was clear that password protection was giving issue on the documents properties clearing out.

Now the question was why this is happening? Is because password protection use encryption and with the encrypted properties SharePoint doesn't understand the properties values and make then blank.

You have to choose the properties again by editing the document properties to again categories them.

You can educate user of your company by spreading this work in the internal SharePoint forums by creating FAQ’s etc.

If you are not aware how to enable and disable password protection on office documents, below is the link:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/password-protect-documents-workbooks-and-presentations-HA010148333.aspx  

TechNet Wiki Link:

Applies to: MOSS 2007, SharePoint Server 2010, Office 2007, Office 2010.

Exception from HRESULT: 0x80040E07

If I do any customizations/change the look and feel of the template then I usually take the proper backup and archived the structure for future purpose. This time, I took the backup (save site as template method) of Knowledgebase template (one of best template from Fantastic 40) and Uploaded the ‘Knowledge base Template’ .STP to different site collection and I can view the same under ‘Custom Tab’

Tried creating a subsite by using the uploaded template and got the below mentioned error message:

Exception from HRESULT: 0x80040E07

Troubleshoot issues with Windows SharePoint Services.

But when I checked the link: https://SharePoint2007Administrationsite/sites/amoltest/_layouts/viewlsts.aspx  

I can see that site underneath view all site content

When I browsed the system pages then they are still working fine:

https://SharePoint2007Administrationsite/sites/amoltest/AdminKB/_layouts/settings.aspx

But when I browsed this: https://SharePoint2007Administrationsite/sites/amoltest/AdminKB/_layouts/changesitemasterpage.aspx

Then I can see it does not belongs to the approved master page (see the screenshot)

Changed the option back to “Inherit site master page from parent of this site” and site opens successfully without any error messages

https://SharePoint2007Administrationsite/sites/amoltest/AdminKB/default.aspx

Happy SharePoint J

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 J J

Thank you

Error: Spdesign.exe has been denied access to or there is no server on port 443 at .

Today one of my client reported with an issue while browseing some of the SharePoint sites using designer. Accessing sites using SharePoint gives the below error messages. 

Error: Spdesign.exe has been denied access to

 

Clicking Ok produces another error message as below.

Error: There is no server on port 443 at . You have selected the Connect using SSL Option. This connections problem may indicate that the server does not support Secure Socket Layer (SSL) communications, or that it uses SSL communications on a different port number.

 

I was clue less for the issue at the start since the sites were browseable using https//….. Protocol. So I started the troubleshooting based on the troubleshooting related to NIC card, VPN connection suspicion, SSL port disability (prompting for making calls server at 443 ports) from windows firewall. 

Tried to compare the SPD versions on the different machine where it was working not working and didn’t found any issue.

Tried to clear SPD Cache clearance by using the following steps:

1. Close SharePoint Designer.

2. Open My Computer.

3. Go to %System Drive%\Documents and Settings\%user%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\WebSiteCache. 

4. Delete all folders and files there.

5. Open the site using SPD and we still has the issue. 

On further checking for proxy used by SharePoint designer I noticed that actual issue was related to the wrong proxy usage with Designer.

The proxy was not configuring to make connection to the server using Secure Socket Layer at port 443. By changing the proxy settings in Designer we were able to access all of the sites using designer.

Steps to change Proxy using Designer. 

1. Open SharePoint Designer. 

2. Go to tools -> Application Options.

3.On General tab choose to click Proxy Settings. And change the proxy with is configured to use the SSL over http protocol. 

By changing the proxy for the client, we were able to open the sites from the SharePoint Designer. 

Note: This Proxy settings can also be configured via IE and you may be prompted to provide credentials to open the site for the first time in Designer. 

If you have any issue or query please do let me know, I would be more happy to help you answer.

Contributor Settings in SharePoint Designer

Issue:

Client was unable to open a site in SharePoint Designer after the activation of the SharePoint Designer on his site.

Reason:

He is not admin of that site or may not have proper permissions to make changes to site using SPD.

Notice:

- You may be able to open the site on your machine using SPD.

- While trying to open the site using SPD on the client machine you get message “Site is not allowed for editing using SPD”.

- You also notice that a small Icon at bottom right side of the SPD console with “Contribute Authentication”.

- It says the user who is trying to access the site is not a Site manager and has contribute rights to edit the site.

Resolution:

- Being Site Administrators, you can disable the use of contribute settings from the sites.

- To do that, open SPD console -> Sites -> contribute settings -> Under Advance tab -> Click Disable Contributor Settings.

Important: 

Contributor Settings is not a security feature. Contributor mode is a limited access mode for users who open and edit SharePoint sites in Office SharePoint Designer 2007. Contributor mode is designed to be used in an environment where site managers are confident of their users’ intentions. Contributor mode helps to guide users in a particular direction to carry out their tasks, and this guidance prevents accidental changes to the Web site.