Can't open SharePoint 2013 site in SharePoint Designer 2013

SharePoint Designer is a very advanced tool which we use for customization purposes like creating SPD workflows, changing master pages, creating customized pages, master page customizations, GUI operations, changing locks etc. But let me tell you, please use this tool very carefully i.e. design and plan every change by taking proper backup. If anything goes wrong then you should be able to revert it back with the default settings.

SP entities:-

OS- Windows 7 32 bit

Designer version- Microsoft SharePoint designer 2013, 32-bit

Browser Status- Fine, site is opening in IE without any issues.

IE version- IE 10 32 bit

SP version- SharePoint 2013

Let me share some troubleshooting steps that I have performed on one of the issue which has been reported by one of the business owners.

Today’s article is completely based on workstation specific i.e. client specific and no need to troubleshoot anything from the server side.

Problem description:-

When I am trying to access my SharePoint site from the SharePoint Designer 2013 then I am getting the following error message.

Error message:-

Server error: The version of Microsoft SharePoint Foundation running on the server is more recent than the version of SharePoint Designer that you are using. You need a more recent version of SharePoint Designer.

When I checked the users’ machine then I found out that he was using multiple office versions for different purposes. – Very strange as one office version can deliver everything that you want then what’s the need of mixed versions.

99%- This issue happens because of multiple office versions installed on the same machine. Microsoft recommends to use the same version of office as well as SPD that corresponds to SharePoint version i.e. if you are using SharePoint 2013 then please make sure that you have the SharePoint Designer 2013 and Office 2013 is a part of the machine i.e. your client machine/desktop/laptop/workstation.

This is not just only one issue because of mixed versions, there are so many with respect to office so best recommendation is as explained above.

Resolution:-

It’s a two-step resolution and not difficult too-

1.    Uninstall all versions of SharePoint Designer on workstation.

2.    Reinstall Microsoft SharePoint Designer 2013

Download link- http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=35491

Applies to: SharePoint Server 2013

Publish InfoPath form to SharePoint 2013 document library

Publish InfoPath form to SharePoint 2013 document library

The following article demonstrates how to integrate an InfoPath form with a SharePoint form library, using a centralized template stored in a SharePoint document library and linked to a site Content Type. The form is set up to submit to a SharePoint form library.

InfoPath offers options to enable you to create forms for collecting information from users or displaying information from a data source. In this article I am going to explain about creating a form as a SharePoint list, steps to get started, design, setup, and publish an InfoPath form.

Assumed consideration: - I am assuming that you already have an InfoPath form ready and in this article, we will see how to publish it on your SharePoint 2013 site.

Here are the details:-

1.   Open your InfoPath form

2.   Click on ‘File’

3.   Select Publish

4.   Select the SharePoint Server option

5.   Type the URL of the SharePoint site (without default.aspx)

6.   Click on Next

7.   Make sure the option ‘Enable this form to be filled out by using a browser’

8.   Select Form Library

9.   If you already have a form library then please select ‘Update’ option, otherwise select ‘create a new form library’

Click on add, select next and finally click on Publish.

That’s it- You are done.

Go back to your SharePoint site and check the form library!

Some Common Issues& Online Resolutions:-

Error Message- the SOAP message cannot be parsed

Resolution- http://sharepoint.stackexchange.com/questions/61330/infopath-form-services-publish-the-soap-message-cannot-be-parsed

Error Message- InfoPath cannot connect to the server. The server may be offline, your computer might not be connected to the network, or InfoPath Forms Services 2010 might not be enabled on the server. To fix this problem, start by checking your network connection, and then trying again

Resolution- Thanks to Brent Hafner’s Blog http://brenthafnersblog.wordpress.com/2013/01/15/cannot-publish-infopath-forms-or-cutomized-list-forms-in-sharepoint-lists-2010/

Error Message- InfoPath failed to publish because the default content type in the document library is not based on the Form content type.

Resolution- Mostafa has mentioned a detail resolution on the following article http://wmostafaw.wordpress.com/2012/11/19/publish-infopath-form-issue-infopath-failed-to-publish

Error Message- The following URL is not valid

Resolution- Nice research by Jenkins

http://www.linkedin.com/groups/When-I-try-publish-InfoPath-44371.S.5803139149573668864

References:-

http://community.office365.com/en-us/forums/172/t/198959.aspx

http://community.office365.com/en-us/forums/154/t/187791.aspx

http://community.office365.com/en-us/forums/154/t/79249.aspx