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SharePointFav 1.0

I've finally got something that I'm ready to release as SharePointFav version 1.0. SharePointFav is a client side application designed to allow you to add an Internet Explorer Favorite URL to a SharePoint list.

First of all, I'll give a bit of background on why I decided to write this program. As I've been working on various parts of the SharePoint platform I've inevitably come across all kinds of helpful web site links. Often, I'll take a URL and forward it to people on the team or add it to our SharePoint Developer Center links list. When I was adding a favorite to a links list one day, I thought, "I should be able to do this directly from Internet Explorer, just like I subscribe to an RSS feed in Newsgator." Thus was born SharePointFav.

Adding a URL to a SharePoint list has several obvious benefits:

  • Your links are now portable - no longer tied to your PC.
  • Your links are searchable using the powerful SharePoint engine. They are searchable for you and your colleagues.
  • You can add links to any SharePoint links list. If you have multiple sites covering multiple topics, this tool is for you.
  • You can share URLs with team members.
  • You can be alerted to new URLs on sites that you're interested in.

    Here's how it works. From Internet Explorer, you right-click anywhere on the page that you want to add and select "Add to SharePoint List" from the Internet Explorer context menu. Optionally you can select a snippet of text on the page that can act as a description.

    SharePointFav will open with the URL, page title, and your selected Description text already entered.

    Select a Category (which represents a SharePoint list that you configure) and click "Add Link". That's it!

    The link is now on your SharePoint list ready for you or anyone with permissions to find in SharePoint.

    Usage and configuration instructions are included with the installed app.

    Requirements

  • Windows 2000/XP (Only tested in XP, should work in 2000, may work in earlier versions of Windows)
  • Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 (haven't tested in 1.0, but may work)
  • Access to SharePoint Portal Server or Windows SharePoint Services
  • Access to at least one SharePoint Links list

    Download
    Update Version 1.1 is available here

    I've never distributed an application to the general public before, so please give me feedback. I'll be starting on version 2.0 right on the heels of this release with some more advanced functionality. It would be nice to have some nice ideas to add to the pool of options for v.next. Please feel free to email or message me. My email and Messenger are both steve@infotechcanada.com.

    • Posted by Steve on April 18, 2004 09:39 PM |

    Comments

    Cool tool , nice Job !

    Posted by: Michael Greth | April 19, 2004 12:28 PM

    Very nice! Any chance you'll open up the source code?

    Posted by: MDS | April 20, 2004 07:45 PM

    Yes, that is planned as soon as I get it cleaned up a bit. I've already created a Workspace on gotdotnet.com for it.

    Posted by: Steve Clarke | April 20, 2004 08:10 PM

    Nice. One suggestion for categories, I don't create a list for each category of links. I create a custom list of categories and use this as a lookup in my Links list so that I can use the 'group by' view (as on my WSS Demo site).
    In you app it would be nice if I could just specify the list that contains the categories.

    Posted by: Ian Morrish | April 20, 2004 11:59 PM

    You are too great! :-)

    Thank you!!

    Posted by: Arnold Gao | April 22, 2004 08:28 AM

    aha... so I'm not the only one that stays up 24X7 thinking about how it would be nice "IF....". Anyway.. it appears to be a great application... and something that would be useful to many people. I also create my categories list in the same way as Ian above.

    Posted by: Stan | April 29, 2004 01:39 PM

    I agree with Ian about having at least one extra field to serve as a category. I also tend to use a Yes/No field that I use in custom data view web parts to define whether or not the link should open in a new window, so it would be nice if your app asked you for this too (if present).

    Great work! I look forward to v2

    Posted by: Rohan Cragg | May 5, 2004 07:19 AM

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