SharePoint 2010 Tags and Notes Head Scratcher

ByMarc D Anderson

Bjorn’s rules aside ;-) , here’s an oddity that I wanted to post to see if anyone else has run across it or has any ideas.

image

In SharePoint 2010 the Tags and Notes dialog, which is available at the upper right of most pages by default, is supposed to show *everyone*’s tags and notes on a particular page. I’ve spotted quite a few oddities with this, but for this post, I’m focused on one in particular.

Try this at home. Using a vanilla SharePoint 2010 installation (meaning no custom branding or anything, just to keep other variables out of the way):

  • Create a site using the Team Site template
  • Create a site using the Blank Site template

In both sites, post notes on the default.aspx page using several different user accounts.

I’ve found that in the former case (Team Site), any user can see the notes created by any other user. In the latter case (Blank Site), users can only see their own notes.

image

I’ve worked on this with someone else who’s very sharp, and neither of us can see anything about our settings anywhere that would cause this anomaly to be the case. We’ve made sure that full crawls run after posting the content, the users have the right permissions, etc. We’ve also tried the test in several different VMs to be sure that our settings aren’t just off in one place.

I’ve also tried to look under the covers using the SocialDataService Web Service and SPServices, but to no avail. I get the same results.

Is there something different about the Blank Site template which would cause this? Are there other templates where this would be the case? Is this by design, and if so, why? Is there any way for a poor user to understand the difference?

Any ideas?

p.s. The other possibility is that, by posting the question, it’ll stop happening. You know, asking the support question makes the problem go away. Sigh. Probably not this time.

<UPDATE 2010-11-29 13:50:00>Using a variation of the Powershell script Chris gave me below, here are the features that are enabled per site in the scenario I describe above. Here’s the Powershell:

# add the sharepoint plugin
Add-PsSnapin Microsoft.SharePoint.PowerShell
enable-SPFeature -id 73EF14B1-13A9-416b-A9B5-ECECA2B0604C -URL "[servername]"

get-SPFeature -site "[servername]" | ft DisplayName, ID, Hidden

Get-SPSite | Get-SPWeb -Limit ALL |%{
if ($_.Url -eq "http://[servername]/IndexMeTeamSite"
{
  Get-SPFeature -Web $_  | Select DisplayName,ID, Hidden
}
}

Get-SPSite | Get-SPWeb -Limit ALL |%{
if ($_.Url -eq "http://[servername]/IndexMeBlankTemplate")
{
  Get-SPFeature -Web $_  | Select DisplayName,ID, Hidden
}
}

Note that I have also enabled the TaxonomyFieldAdded feature, as described in Derek’s comment.

Site Collection Features

DisplayName Id Hidden
AccSrvSolutionGallery 744b5fd3-3b09-4da6-9bd1-de18315b045d True
BaseSite b21b090c-c796-4b0f-ac0f-7ef1659c20ae False
BasicWebParts 00bfea71-1c5e-4a24-b310-ba51c3eb7a57 True
BizAppsCTypes 43f41342-1a37-4372-8ca0-b44d881e4434 True
BizAppsFields 5a979115-6b71-45a5-9881-cdc872051a69 True
BizAppsSiteTemplates 4248e21f-a816-4c88-8cab-79d82201da7b True
CTypes 695b6570-a48b-4a8e-8ea5-26ea7fc1d162 True
DocumentRoutingResources 0c8a9a47-22a9-4798-82f1-00e62a96006e True
ExcelServerSite 3cb475e7-4e87-45eb-a1f3-db96ad7cf313 True
ExcelServerWebPart 4c42ab64-55af-4c7c-986a-ac216a6e0c0e True
ExpirationWorkflow c85e5759-f323-4efb-b548-443d2216efb5 False
FastEndUserHelpCollection 6e8f2b8d-d765-4e69-84ea-5702574c11d6 True
Fields ca7bd552-10b1-4563-85b9-5ed1d39c962a True
IPFSSiteFeatures c88c4ff1-dbf5-4649-ad9f-c6c426ebcbf5 True
IssueTrackingWorkflow fde5d850-671e-4143-950a-87b473922dc7 False
LocalSiteDirectoryControl 14aafd3a-fcb9-4bb7-9ad7-d8e36b663bbd True
MossChart 875d1044-c0cf-4244-8865-d2a0039c2a49 True
OffWFCommon c9c9515d-e4e2-4001-9050-74f980f93160 True
PortalLayouts 5f3b0127-2f1d-4cfd-8dd2-85ad1fb00bfc True
PremiumSite 8581a8a7-cf16-4770-ac54-260265ddb0b2 False
RecordResources 5bccb9a4-b903-4fd1-8620-b795fa33c9ba True
ReviewWorkflowsSPD b5934f65-a844-4e67-82e5-92f66aafe912 True
ReviewWorkflowsSPD1033 3bc0c1e1-b7d5-4e82-afd7-9f7e59b60409 True
SearchExtensions 5eac763d-fbf5-4d6f-a76b-eded7dd7b0a5 True
SignaturesWorkflowSPD c4773de6-ba70-4583-b751-2a7b1dc67e3a True
SignaturesWorkflowSPD1033 a42f749f-8633-48b7-9b22-403b40190409 True
TaxonomyFieldAdded 73ef14b1-13a9-416b-a9b5-ececa2b0604c True
TranslationWorkflow c6561405-ea03-40a9-a57f-f25472942a22 True
VisioWebAccess 9fec40ea-a949-407d-be09-6cba26470a0c True
WACustomReports af6d9aec-7c38-4dda-997f-cc1ddbb87c92 True
WAMaster c04234f4-13b8-4462-9108-b4f5159beae6 False
WAReports 2acf27a5-f703-4277-9f5d-24d70110b18b True
WAWhatsPopularWebPart 8e947bf0-fe40-4dff-be3d-a8b88112ade6 True
WebPartAdderGroups 2ed1c45e-a73b-4779-ae81-1524e4de467a True
Workflows 0af5989a-3aea-4519-8ab0-85d91abe39ff False

Team Site Template Features

DisplayName Id Hidden
AnnouncementsList 00bfea71-d1ce-42de-9c63-a44004ce0104 True
BaseWeb 99fe402e-89a0-45aa-9163-85342e865dc8 False
BizAppsListTemplates 065c78be-5231-477e-a972-14177cc5b3c7 True
ContactsList 00bfea71-7e6d-4186-9ba8-c047ac750105 True
CustomList 00bfea71-de22-43b2-a848-c05709900100 True
DataConnectionLibrary 00bfea71-dbd7-4f72-b8cb-da7ac0440130 True
DataSourceLibrary 00bfea71-f381-423d-b9d1-da7a54c50110 True
DiscussionsList 0bfea71-6a49-43fa-b535-d15c05500108 True
DocumentLibrary 00bfea71-e717-4e80-aa17-d0c71b360101 True
EventsList 00bfea71-ec85-4903-972d-ebe475780106 True
ExternalList 00bfea71-9549-43f8-b978-e47e54a10600 True
GanttTasksList 00bfea71-513d-4ca0-96c2-6a47775c0119 True
GridList 00bfea71-3a1d-41d3-a0ee-651d11570120 True
IssuesList 00bfea71-5932-4f9c-ad71-1557e5751100 True
LinksList 00bfea71-2062-426c-90bf-714c59600103 True
MetaDataNav 7201d6a4-a5d3-49a1-8c19-19c4bac6e668 False
MobilityRedirect f41cc668-37e5-4743-b4a8-74d1db3fd8a4 True
NoCodeWorkflowLibrary 00bfea71-f600-43f6-a895-40c0de7b0117 True
ObaSimpleSolution d250636f-0a26-4019-8425-a5232d592c01 False
PictureLibrary 00bfea71-52d4-45b3-b544-b1c71b620109 True
PremiumWeb 0806d127-06e6-447a-980e-2e90b03101b8 False
RelatedLinksScopeSettingsLink e8734bb6-be8e-48a1-b036-5a40ff0b8a81 True
ReportListTemplate 2510d73f-7109-4ccc-8a1c-314894deeb3a True
SlideLibrary 0be49fe9-9bc9-409d-abf9-702753bd878d True
SurveysList 00bfea71-eb8a-40b1-80c7-506be7590102 True
TasksList 00bfea71-a83e-497e-9ba0-7a5c597d0107 True
TeamCollab 00bfea71-4ea5-48d4-a4ad-7ea5c011abe5 False
WebPageLibrary 00bfea71-c796-4402-9f2f-0eb9a6e71b18 True
WikiPageHomePage 00bfea71-d8fe-4fec-8dad-01c19a6e4053 False
WorkflowHistoryList 00bfea71-4ea5-48d4-a4ad-305cf7030140 True
workflowProcessList 00bfea71-2d77-4a75-9fca-76516689e21a True
XmlFormLibrary 00bfea71-1e1d-4562-b56a-f05371bb0115 True

Blank Template Site Features

DisplayName Id Hidden
AnnouncementsList 00bfea71-d1ce-42de-9c63-a44004ce0104 True
BizAppsListTemplates 065c78be-5231-477e-a972-14177cc5b3c7 True
ContactsList 00bfea71-7e6d-4186-9ba8-c047ac750105 True
CustomList 00bfea71-de22-43b2-a848-c05709900100 True
DataConnectionLibrary 0bfea71-dbd7-4f72-b8cb-da7ac0440130 True
DataSourceLibrary 00bfea71-f381-423d-b9d1-da7a54c50110 True
DiscussionsList 00bfea71-6a49-43fa-b535-d15c05500108 True
DocumentLibrary 00bfea71-e717-4e80-aa17-d0c71b360101 True
EventsList 00bfea71-ec85-4903-972d-ebe475780106 True
ExternalList 00bfea71-9549-43f8-b978-e47e54a10600 True
GanttTasksList 00bfea71-513d-4ca0-96c2-6a47775c0119 True
GridList 00bfea71-3a1d-41d3-a0ee-651d11570120 True
IssuesList 00bfea71-5932-4f9c-ad71-1557e5751100 True
LinksList 00bfea71-2062-426c-90bf-714c59600103 True
MobilityRedirect f41cc668-37e5-4743-b4a8-74d1db3fd8a4 True
NoCodeWorkflowLibrary 00bfea71-f600-43f6-a895-40c0de7b0117 True
ObaSimpleSolution d250636f-0a26-4019-8425-a5232d592c01 False
PictureLibrary 00bfea71-52d4-45b3-b544-b1c71b620109 True
PremiumWeb 0806d127-06e6-447a-980e-2e90b03101b8 False
RelatedLinksScopeSettingsLink e8734bb6-be8e-48a1-b036-5a40ff0b8a81 True
ReportListTemplate 2510d73f-7109-4ccc-8a1c-314894deeb3a True
SlideLibrary 0be49fe9-9bc9-409d-abf9-702753bd878d True
SurveysList 00bfea71-eb8a-40b1-80c7-506be7590102 True
TasksList 00bfea71-a83e-497e-9ba0-7a5c597d0107 True
TeamCollab 00bfea71-4ea5-48d4-a4ad-7ea5c011abe5 False
WebPageLibrary 00bfea71-c796-4402-9f2f-0eb9a6e71b18 True
WorkflowHistoryList 00bfea71-4ea5-48d4-a4ad-305cf7030140 True
workflowProcessList 00bfea71-2d77-4a75-9fca-76516689e21a True
XmlFormLibrary 00bfea71-1e1d-4562-b56a-f05371bb0115 True

</UPDATE>

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15 Comments

  1. I haven’t made a test as you did but did you try activating the relevant features? I remember reading, out of the box a blank site template has no activated features like the Teamsite or the publishing template.

    Reply

  2. Marc,

    I agree with Astatke, there is a hidden feature that needs to be activated for the Managed Metadata Service to run properly (the service required for social tags).

    Try comparing active features on both sites using this PowerShell script:

    Get-SPSite | Get-SPWeb –Limit ALL |%{ Get-SPFeature –Web $_ } | Select DisplayName,ID -Unique

    Reply

  3. The previous 2 posts make sense to me. Chris’s comment about Managed Metadata has caught me out when setting up a Content Type hub on new site collection and using a blank site instead of team site. Doing this means that the required (hidden) feature doesn’t get activated – and you need to do it manually – http://www.sharepointanalysthq.com/2010/06/the-taxonomy-feature-feature-id-73ef14b1-13a9-416b-a9b5-ececa2b0604c-has-not-been-activated/

    Doesn’t happen if you create the site collection with a team site so maybe something similar is happening here.

    Reply

    1. @workerthread: This is a great tip re: the hidden feature. The 73ef14b1-13a9-416b-a9b5-ececa2b0604c GUID maps to the TaxonomyFieldAdded feature, BTW. Enabling it allows me to add Managed Metadata columns to lists. Why on earth this feature isn’t enabled by default is beyond me, as Managed Metadata is one of the best new things in SharePoint 2010 (IMO). It certainly makes no sense to hide it like this. In any case, it doesn’t solve this specific issue.

      @cquick: Thanks for the Powershell script. I’ve looked at the fetures on the two sites, and while they are different, there’s nothing obvious to me which might cause the issue.

      @bsimser said in a tweet that he has a solution for this (“Hey Marc, got a fix for your notes and tags issue. Ran over this myself last week, just haven’t got a post out on it yet ;)”). I’ll certainly post here when I have any details.

      M.

      Reply

  4. Hi Marc,

    Re this particular issue on a blank site I think this has to be relatd to the features activated, but other than activating them one by one I can’t think of a way to help you narrow it down :)

    One other interesting thing with the Tags & Notes though that also caught me out is that you can add a Tag or Note to an external web site, and this will be visible in your own Tags and Notes on your My Site; however by default these tags are security trimmed – and therefore nobody else can see them! I’m still looking at this but I’ve been told it’s ‘by design’ which would be a real shame if it turns out to be true.

    Thanks,

    Reply

  5. I agree with everyone else, this reeks of something similar with manually activating the ratings feature. I think the community lacks a list that spells out exactly what each site template actually activates so that when someone selects blank site template they know exactly what features they need to manually activate. (maybe this does exist and I’m missing it?)

    Reply

    1. Andrew et al:

      I just updated the post with a list of the active features at the Site Collection, Team Site, and Blank Template site levels. Hopefully this will be helpful.

      Glyn: On the external Web site thing, yeah, another oddity. I’m making a list of all of the things I run into. Watch for a longer article about all of this!

      M.

      Reply

    1. Jim:

      That’s an interesting idea, but it doesn’t let me get to the root cause of what I’m seeing. I also don’t know what those missing features are! I’d like to understand exactly what is *supposed* to be happening so that I know if I’ve run into a bug or have simply not set something necessary for this to work.

      M.

      Reply
  7. Pingback: Tracking Down the Elusive Quick Launch Draggable Border in SharePoint 2010 « Marc D Anderson's Blog

  8. Hi
    Did you ever get to the bottom of this? we are having a similar issue with one User test farm but not the development one.
    Brett

    Reply

    1. Brett:

      If you read through all of the comments, I think the issue has to be some missing feature, either by bug or design.

      Not using the Blank Site template seems to be a solution, but I have no idea if that’s the “right” answer.

      M.

      Reply

  10. this happens due to security trimmer component, it uses the crawler to decide if the user has permission to the item related to the notes. if the security trimmer didn’t find enough information to make a decision, it defaults to not displaying the comment.
    this happened with me in the publishing template as well.
    you can fix this by changing the Security Trimming Options in the Setup My Sites: make sure Show all links regardless of permission is selected.
    hope this fixes your issue, if you found another solution please keep us updated.

    Reply

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