Comments on: Developer awareness and the bad reputation of ‘SharePoint Designer’ – A post to all developers. http://agiledirect.wordpress.com/2007/11/10/developer-awareness-and-the-bad-reputation-of-sharepoint-designer-a-post-to-all-developers/ All things SharePoint Tue, 26 May 2009 11:01:59 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Development with SharePoint Designer « SharePoint Knowledge Base http://agiledirect.wordpress.com/2007/11/10/developer-awareness-and-the-bad-reputation-of-sharepoint-designer-a-post-to-all-developers/#comment-47 Development with SharePoint Designer « SharePoint Knowledge Base Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:55:50 +0000 http://agiledirect.wordpress.com/2007/11/10/developer-awareness-and-the-bad-reputation-of-sharepoint-designer-a-post-to-all-developers/#comment-47 [...] http://agiledirect.wordpress.com/2007/11/10/developer-awareness-and-the-bad-reputation-of-sharepoint... [...] [...] http://agiledirect.wordpress.com/2007/11/10/developer-awareness-and-the-bad-reputation-of-sharepoint... [...]

]]> By: rharbridge http://agiledirect.wordpress.com/2007/11/10/developer-awareness-and-the-bad-reputation-of-sharepoint-designer-a-post-to-all-developers/#comment-46 rharbridge Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:41:51 +0000 http://agiledirect.wordpress.com/2007/11/10/developer-awareness-and-the-bad-reputation-of-sharepoint-designer-a-post-to-all-developers/#comment-46 Absolutely Correct! SPD has amazing power, and I would actually say that 95% of the work needed for any solution can be done with out of the box SharePoint webparts or SharePoint Designer. It's the special scenarios that you want to build code for. I am always amazed in working with different companies how little they look at the tools and power available to them. I can't count the number of times I have seen developers build a webpart that already exists in SharePoint. I have even done it once. Mind you I only did it once, then read and learned everything I could about SharePoint designer and the built in SharePoint components so I wouldn't duplicate my efforts again. I hope everyone else sees the value you do in SharePoint Designer, Richard Absolutely Correct!

SPD has amazing power, and I would actually say that 95% of the work needed for any solution can be done with out of the box SharePoint webparts or SharePoint Designer.

It’s the special scenarios that you want to build code for. I am always amazed in working with different companies how little they look at the tools and power available to them. I can’t count the number of times I have seen developers build a webpart that already exists in SharePoint.

I have even done it once. Mind you I only did it once, then read and learned everything I could about SharePoint designer and the built in SharePoint components so I wouldn’t duplicate my efforts again.

I hope everyone else sees the value you do in SharePoint Designer,
Richard

]]> By: agiledirect http://agiledirect.wordpress.com/2007/11/10/developer-awareness-and-the-bad-reputation-of-sharepoint-designer-a-post-to-all-developers/#comment-28 agiledirect Sun, 27 Jan 2008 20:17:18 +0000 http://agiledirect.wordpress.com/2007/11/10/developer-awareness-and-the-bad-reputation-of-sharepoint-designer-a-post-to-all-developers/#comment-28 @HB: Well, actually i am not woried (anymore) that im losing my edge. Since I still do a lot of custom application development on top of SharePoint itself. I am just using SharePoint designer as a tool for my SharePoint factoring process. Actually, since i've been using SharePoint Designer i've become even more of an developer since i've been building an huge toolset to export functionality from sharepoint designer to features and solution packages (thus allowing modifications from Sharepoint designer to be compatible in traditional WSP packaging) But since i've been using SharePoint designer, i am far more agile in a way that i can create rapid prototypes and workflows and get feedback from the customer early. Also when something doesn't come out of the box i create functionality that i can re-use in SharePoint designer. The things i like best in SPD: - DataFormWebPart customization (XSLT) - CSS, masterpage, styles en layoutpages customizations - Workflow functionality But your comment does certainly ring a bell, and i think that this also i one of the major things with developers, they feel sharepoint designer is degrading yourself to a simple click-dummy. However, since i am able to give feedback and prototypes to the customer early in the process. and give better indications on what is custom and what's not, i see the clear advantage. Also, i still create custom webparts, and custom workflow activities and so on, i just make sure that i can use them from withing SharePoint designer aswell. If you mail me, i can give you more information on the proces. @HB: Well, actually i am not woried (anymore) that im losing my edge. Since I still do a lot of custom application development on top of SharePoint itself. I am just using SharePoint designer as a tool for my SharePoint factoring process.

Actually, since i’ve been using SharePoint Designer i’ve become even more of an developer since i’ve been building an huge toolset to export functionality from sharepoint designer to features and solution packages (thus allowing modifications from Sharepoint designer to be compatible in traditional WSP packaging)

But since i’ve been using SharePoint designer, i am far more agile in a way that i can create rapid prototypes and workflows and get feedback from the customer early. Also when something doesn’t come out of the box i create functionality that i can re-use in SharePoint designer.

The things i like best in SPD:

- DataFormWebPart customization (XSLT)
- CSS, masterpage, styles en layoutpages customizations
- Workflow functionality

But your comment does certainly ring a bell, and i think that this also i one of the major things with developers, they feel sharepoint designer is degrading yourself to a simple click-dummy. However, since i am able to give feedback and prototypes to the customer early in the process. and give better indications on what is custom and what’s not, i see the clear advantage.

Also, i still create custom webparts, and custom workflow activities and so on, i just make sure that i can use them from withing SharePoint designer aswell. If you mail me, i can give you more information on the proces.

]]> By: HB http://agiledirect.wordpress.com/2007/11/10/developer-awareness-and-the-bad-reputation-of-sharepoint-designer-a-post-to-all-developers/#comment-27 HB Fri, 25 Jan 2008 18:33:03 +0000 http://agiledirect.wordpress.com/2007/11/10/developer-awareness-and-the-bad-reputation-of-sharepoint-designer-a-post-to-all-developers/#comment-27 You say "I’ve always been an developer, and still am!", but this doesn't sound like development to me. In fact, it doesn't sound like a satisfying experience. I'd be concerned that I'd lose my edge... like I'm demoting myself to a power user. It sounds more like assembly and a lot of pointing and clicking. Maybe it's just outside my comfort zone as you say, but I'm concerned that I won't like the experience. What is it about the the SharePoint Designer experience that helps you like it (as a developer)? You say “I’ve always been an developer, and still am!”, but this doesn’t sound like development to me. In fact, it doesn’t sound like a satisfying experience. I’d be concerned that I’d lose my edge… like I’m demoting myself to a power user. It sounds more like assembly and a lot of pointing and clicking.

Maybe it’s just outside my comfort zone as you say, but I’m concerned that I won’t like the experience. What is it about the the SharePoint Designer experience that helps you like it (as a developer)?

]]> By: Joseph http://agiledirect.wordpress.com/2007/11/10/developer-awareness-and-the-bad-reputation-of-sharepoint-designer-a-post-to-all-developers/#comment-22 Joseph Wed, 05 Dec 2007 03:29:27 +0000 http://agiledirect.wordpress.com/2007/11/10/developer-awareness-and-the-bad-reputation-of-sharepoint-designer-a-post-to-all-developers/#comment-22 Nice article, I'm not sure SharePoint Designer is "very sexy" as the last comment assesed, :) but the latest version of SharePoint designer is a windows explorer,an expressions Studio, a workflow wizard, a black belt nija, and much more. I used the first version of SharePoint designer in 1997 and it left deep scars. The latest version is helping to heal those wounds. Nice article, I’m not sure SharePoint Designer is “very sexy” as the last comment assesed, :) but the latest version of SharePoint designer is a windows explorer,an expressions Studio, a workflow wizard, a black belt nija, and much more. I used the first version of SharePoint designer in 1997 and it left deep scars. The latest version is helping to heal those wounds.

]]> By: Wai http://agiledirect.wordpress.com/2007/11/10/developer-awareness-and-the-bad-reputation-of-sharepoint-designer-a-post-to-all-developers/#comment-21 Wai Wed, 28 Nov 2007 23:13:08 +0000 http://agiledirect.wordpress.com/2007/11/10/developer-awareness-and-the-bad-reputation-of-sharepoint-designer-a-post-to-all-developers/#comment-21 Oh hell yeah!!!!! I totally agree with you! Sharepoint Designer 2007 is very sexy! I am totally in love with it! No more custom development for every little thing (except WF activities, site creation, etc.)! It is fast and easy! I just love it! ^-^ Oh hell yeah!!!!!

I totally agree with you! Sharepoint Designer 2007 is very sexy! I am totally in love with it! No more custom development for every little thing (except WF activities, site creation, etc.)! It is fast and easy! I just love it!

^-^

]]> By: Colin http://agiledirect.wordpress.com/2007/11/10/developer-awareness-and-the-bad-reputation-of-sharepoint-designer-a-post-to-all-developers/#comment-20 Colin Wed, 28 Nov 2007 12:33:12 +0000 http://agiledirect.wordpress.com/2007/11/10/developer-awareness-and-the-bad-reputation-of-sharepoint-designer-a-post-to-all-developers/#comment-20 Hey Emile, As you know, this article fits me like a glove. I've come to really like SPD, and have even come to like NOT writing any code (ok, some...). SharePoint is a wonderful product, if used the way it should be (i.e. not in the way of building an ASP.NET app and then hacking it in SP... ). Thanx!! Hey Emile,

As you know, this article fits me like a glove. I’ve come to really like SPD, and have even come to like NOT writing any code (ok, some…).
SharePoint is a wonderful product, if used the way it should be (i.e. not in the way of building an ASP.NET app and then hacking it in SP… ).
Thanx!!

]]> By: Luuk http://agiledirect.wordpress.com/2007/11/10/developer-awareness-and-the-bad-reputation-of-sharepoint-designer-a-post-to-all-developers/#comment-19 Luuk Wed, 21 Nov 2007 14:07:02 +0000 http://agiledirect.wordpress.com/2007/11/10/developer-awareness-and-the-bad-reputation-of-sharepoint-designer-a-post-to-all-developers/#comment-19 good article! I have done several SharePoint 2007 projects now and have never met a developer who used SPDesigner... You are right that custom development for SharePoint is tricky and I have found that many assumptions turned out really bad. There is a guy at the company I work for who is advocating the use of SPD (he is an analist) and I think I will join him. At least to stimulate the devs to investigate the possibilities. good article!
I have done several SharePoint 2007 projects now and have never met a developer who used SPDesigner…
You are right that custom development for SharePoint is tricky and I have found that many assumptions turned out really bad.
There is a guy at the company I work for who is advocating the use of SPD (he is an analist) and I think I will join him. At least to stimulate the devs to investigate the possibilities.

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