SPD Workflow "Error Updating List Item" while setting the value of people/user field

Problem: I was calling a SPD workflow on a custom list. Whenever workflow is called upon new list item creation, following error error logged in the workflow history in & workflow inrterrupted:

2/22/2009 1:30 PM Error System Account Error updating a list item Unknown error
2/22/2009 1:30 PM Error System Account An error has occured in Expert Contact Request.

Cause: In the workflow I was setting the value of the people/group field by picking up the workflow creator's value. If I remove this action then workflow is working fine. Means, SPD workflow is unable to set the value of Person/Group field.

Solution: While setting the value of People/Group field, don't set the value of person/people field directly, instead build a dynamic string and append -1;# to the People/Group name. Finally set the output of the dynamic string to people/group field.
Example:
-1;#domain\username

So, if you are setting the field value to “company\MyUser1”, instead set the value to:
“-1;#company\MyUser1”. The -1 is constant.

How to change DNS or URL of a MOSS 2007 site ?

Scenario:
I developed a sharpoint site on server[server1] having default URL "http://server1:1515/sites/site1". Sharepoint server machine is member of a domain xyz.com. End user of this intranet site is member of another domain in the intranet. When user is trying to browse this intranet site FQDN [http://server1.xyz.com:1515/sites/site1], then s/he is getting sharepoint error saying "File not found".

Solution:

• Open Sharepoint Central Admin & go to Operations tab
• Under Global configuration heading select Alternate access mappings.
• Select the desired web application i.e. http://server1:1515 (in this example)
• On Edit Internal URLs page set the change the value of "http://server1:1515" to "http://server1.xyz.com:1515".
• Now this site[http://server1.xyz.com:1515] will be accessible throughout the intranet from any domain.

How to edit publishing portal pages?

I was trying to edit the portal web part pages using the sharepoint designer, but every time I select Edit with Microsoft Office Sharepoint Designer, I got following message:

This page can not be edited in sharepoint designer. You can edit the content in the browser, or edit he corresponding page layout in Sharepoint Designer.

Solution: Explore the site in Sharepoint Designer and navigate to Page library(Pages) & locate the page you want to edit. Right click on the desired page and Select Detach from Page Layout. Now you have page ready to be edited. Once, you finish the page editing then do the reverse operation i.e. Reattach to Page Layout.

Caution: Edit page layout will lead to change the Layout of every page using same layout.

Trick to edit sharepoint ListViewForm using browser

Here is trick for editing the sharepoint new item form/edit form/display form using browser.

Add Web Parts/Browse ToolPaneView=2
Add Web Parts/Search ToolPaneView=3
Edit Mode mode=edit
View Mode mode=view
Shared Mode PageView=Shared
Personal Mode PageView=Personal

example:
1. To edit default new item form/edit form/ display form e.g. NewForm.aspx use this:
/sitepath/newForm.aspx?ToolPaneView=2

2. To edit default new item form e.g. NewForm.aspx use this:
/sites/SCEM/Pages/Default.aspx?mode=edit&pageview=Shared

regards,
Mohd. Shamim

I Joined SABIC...

I joined the SABIC(Saudi Basic Industries Corporation) on 17/01/09 as Sharepoint Consultant.