An Unfortunate `API access` UI in the SharePoint Admin Center

Orchestry is a partner of ours at Sympraxis. (Ask us about them anytime!) We love their toolset and recommend them frequently to our clients to improve their governance and provisioning activities. The stuff they build is incredibly powerful – and reliable. That’s why I was really surprised when I added the Orchestry People List Web…

SharePoint Online Search Isn’t Displaying What I Expect – Part 1 – Trimmed Duplicates

This entry is part 1 of 2 in the series SharePoint Online Search Isn't Displaying What I Expect

For years, I’ve been skeptical about search indexing in SharePoint, especially in SharePoint Online in Office 365. The fact that we can’t know when a search crawl has run – thus updating the indices – is a huge part of the problem. In the early days, before Content Search Web Parts (CSWPs) were available in…

Moving from SPServices to REST, Part 6: Converting UpdateListItems to REST

This entry is part 6 of 6 in the series Moving from SPServices to REST

While the majority of calls using SOAP with SPServices use GetListItems to get items from lists, changing data with UpdateListItems is probably a close second. In this case, we’re altering data based on some user action. In a way, it’s like repainting your car (which I’ve never done). The shape and structure of the car…

Moving from SPServices to Rest, Part 5: Using Promises with SOAP and REST

This entry is part 5 of 6 in the series Moving from SPServices to REST

Wouldn’t it be great if we could drive flying cars like the DeLorean in Back to the Future? Unfortunately, even though October 21, 2015 has passed us by, that’s not a reality yet. The science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke famously said, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Sometimes JavaScript promises can feel…

Moving from SPServices to REST, Part 4: Converting GetListItems to REST

This entry is part 4 of 6 in the series Moving from SPServices to REST

Summary: Because of the significant inconsistencies in the SOAP Web Services, converting your calls to REST will be a different process for each of them. In this article, we’ll look at the real workhorse of SPServices: GetListItems. When my mechanic works on my car, sometimes he tells me about some different tires or parts I…

Moving from SPServices to REST, Part 3: JSON vs. XML

This entry is part 3 of 6 in the series Moving from SPServices to REST

Summary: When you move from SOAP to REST, you’ll want to understand the differences between XML and JSON as well. Modern Web developers are most likely to use JSON, and this is a great time to switch. Most auto mechanics understand that there are several different measurement systems – and therefore toolsets – that they…

Moving from SPServices to REST, Part 2: New Patterns for SPServices Development

This entry is part 2 of 6 in the series Moving from SPServices to REST

Summary: You can improve your SPServices-based code today to prepare for converting to REST calls later. In this article, Marc introduces some new patterns for your JavaScript code to make SOAP calls easier to maintain and easier to move to REST when you decide it’s time. Remember that older car I drive? Well, over the…

Moving from SPServices to REST, Part 1: Introduction

This entry is part 1 of 6 in the series Moving from SPServices to REST

In this series, you’ll learn how to transition from the SOAP Web Services – which SPServices supports – to REST. If your organization is making a transition to SharePoint 2013 or Office 365 & SharePoint Online (and anything hybrid in between), this series will help you develop new patterns, migrate your codebase, use OData effectively…

SPServices in the Office 365 Developer Podcast

Today Randy Drisgill (@drisgill) alerted me to the fact that Jeremy Thake (@jthake) and Steve Walker (@sharepointing) were talking about me in the Office 365 Developer Podcast: Episode 018 with Steve Walker on SharePoint UX developer guidance. While they do indeed say some very nice things about me (those payments to Redmond are working out),…