TIP: Restore a Site Collection using PowerShell

Use this simple PowerShell script to backup a site collection:

Backup-SPSite -Identity YourSiteCollectionURL -Path YourBackupFilePath

And use this simple Powershell script to restore a site collection:

Restore-SPSite -Identity YourSiteCollectionURL - Path YourBackupFilePath

There are a number of additional parameters you can specify.  The one I use most commonly is the -Force option, which allows me to overwrite an existing site.

Notes

• I use this script frequently to maintain a mirror for testing and development purposes.

References

• Technet: Restore-SPSite
• Technet: Backup-SPSite

TIP: Get Query String Values Using JavaScript

Use the following simple script to pull values from the query string:

function getQueryStrings() { 
  var assoc  = {};
  var decode = function (s) { return decodeURIComponent(s.replace(/\+/g, " ")); };
  var queryString = location.search.substring(1);
  var keyValues = queryString.split('&');
  for(var i in keyValues) {
    var key = keyValues[i].split('=');
    if (key.length > 1) {
      assoc[decode(key[0])] = decode(key[1]);
    }
  }
  return assoc;
}
var qs = getQueryStrings();
var myParam = qs["myParam"]; 

Notes

• There are number of variations on this script, but this was the simplest that I could find - but I can't recall from whom I obtained this script!  I just wrote it down and forgot about it.  If you know, please enter a comment so that I can properly attribute this great script.  UPDATE: found it: proper credit goes to: How to get the query string by javascript?
• I use this script for pulling values from query strings used to build dashboards.

TIP: Change Site Collection Search Results Page

To change the page that displays search results:

1) On the root site of your site collection, click the Site Actions dropdown

2) Look for the Site Settings option on this menu, and then click it.

3) On the Site Settings page, look for the Site Collection Administration section, and then click Search Settings.

4) In the Site Collection Search Results Page box, you'll see the relative URL to the default search results page.

5) Enter into this box, the relative URL to your custom search page.  For example, if you have created your own themed page, "Results.aspx," and you placed this file in the Site Pages folder, your URL would be:

/SitePages/Results.aspx

6) Leave the other settings at their default, and then click OK.

References

• How to get the site collection search results page in Sharepoint 2010
• Technet: The final guide to SharePoint 2010 Site Settings

SharePoint 2010 Shortcuts and General Aids

Introduction

The following are some shortcuts that can help you troubleshoot and administer SharePoint 2010.

Some Useful Administraton URL Shortcuts

Function	URL (http://[your site]/...)	Comments
Add web parts to any page	?PageView=Shared&ToolPaneView=2	append to any user page
Add Web Part Galleries to the Site	_layouts/webpartgallerypickerpage.aspx
Configure and Deploy New Web Parts	_layouts/NewDwp.aspx	Use this page to add or remove web parts from the site collection
Configure Site Directory	_layouts/SiteDirectorySettings.aspx
Configure site-wide navigation settings	_layouts/SiteNavigationSettings.aspx
Create New Alert	_layouts/SubChoos.aspx
Create New Dashboard Page	_layouts/spnewdashboard.aspx
Create New Site Content	_layouts/Create.aspx
Create New Site or Workspace	_layouts/NewsbWeb.aspx
Create New Web Part Page	_layouts/spcf.aspx
List Template Gallery	_catalogs/lt/Forms/AllItems.aspx
Master Page Gallery	_catalogs/masterpage/Forms/AllItems.aspx
Manage your Alerts	_layouts/SubEdit.aspx
Manage Site Collection Administrators	_layouts/MngSiteAdmin.aspx
Manage Sites and Workspaces	_layouts/MngSubWebs.aspx
Manage People	_layouts/People.aspx
Manage User Permissions	_layouts/User.aspx
Configure Site Navigation Link Bars	_layouts/AreaNavigationSettings.aspx
Recycle Bin	_layouts/AdminRecycleBin.aspx
Save Site as Template	_layouts/SaveTmpl.aspx
Site Settings	_layouts/Settings.aspx
Site Template Gallery	_catalogs/wt/Forms/Common.aspx
Site Column Gallery	_layouts/Mngfield.aspx
Site Content Types	_layouts/Mngctype.aspx
Site Content and Structure Manager	_layouts/SiteManager.aspx
Site Usage Summary	_layouts/SpUsageWeb.aspx
User Alerts	_layouts/SiteSubs.aspx
View All Site Content	_layouts/Viewlsts.aspx
Web Part Gallery	_catalogs/wp/Forms/AllItems.aspx
Web part maintenance mode	append ?contents=1 to the URL of the page
Open the page in Edit Mode	just type "javascript:MSOLayout_ToggleLayoutMode();" or "javascript:MSOTlPn_ShowToolPane(’2′);" in the Address bar

These and other shortcuts can be found in the TEMPLATE folder on the 14 hive of your SharePoint 2010 Server:

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\14\TEMPLATE\


References

• TechNet: Configure and deploy Web Parts (SharePoint Server 2010)
• The Most Useful Undocumented SharePoint 2007/2010 Shortcuts
• Salaudeen Rajack's SharePoint Diary: SharePoint URL Shortcuts
• Heather Solomon: SharePoint URL Quick List
• MSDN: Modifying the User Interface for Web Parts and Web Parts Pages

Copying Visio Shape Loses Formatting

Problem

When you copy a Visio shape from one file to another or even from one sheet to another, the copied shape loses the original formatting.

Solution

This can occur when Visio automatically applies the current them to the new instance of the shape.  When this occurs:

1) Right-click on the pasted shape

2) Point to Format, and then

3) Select Remove Theme.

The original formatting will return.

References

• Remove a theme from a shape