Setting up Windows SharePoint Services as a Collaborative File Store

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Published: August 1, 2003 | Updated : March 1, 2006

By Dustin Friesenhahn

On This Page

Introduction
Defining the Structure
Moving the Files
Troubleshooting

Introduction

Storing files in Windows SharePoint Services document libraries provides many advantages over storing files in simple network file shares. These advantages include:

  • Applying custom properties to documents so you can store more information about their content. This allows you to more effectively store, organize, and retrieve large groups of documents.

  • Using shared or personal views to sort and filter documents that are of interest.

  • Discussing documents online by using Web Discussions.

  • Using content approval so site managers can approve or reject which documents get added to a document library.

To learn about these features, refer to Windows SharePoint Services online Help. This document provides guidelines for moving files from existing network file shares and into document libraries.

Defining the Structure

The first step to migration is to define the structure for the new collaborative file store. This structure will determine when to create a new site collection, site, document library, or folder for containing the files. You must consider these factors when defining the structure:

  • Server performance and required throughput

  • Content organization

Performance and Usability

To maintain optimum server performance and ease navigation of the document libraries and folder structures, use the following guidelines as the upper limits when organizing your files:

  • 1,000 files in a folder

  • 1,000 folders per document library

  • 1,000 document libraries per site

When a site is maintained within these parameters, typical throughput is as follows:

Organizing Your Content

When organizing your content, you must decide how many site collections, sites, and document libraries you need.

Site Collections

A site collection is a set of Web sites on a virtual server where all subsites have the same owner and share all settings specified in SharePoint Central Administration. A site collection contains a top-level Web site that can contain multiple subsites. There can be multiple site collections on each virtual server.

All sites within a site collection use the same content database. If the expected traffic for the combined sites in a site collection exceeds the available throughput, separate the sites into multiple site collections. The site with heavy traffic can then be moved to a separate content database. If throughput is not an issue, it is not necessary to use more than one site collection for related files. Managing related files within one site collection allows easier navigation and control of security.

Note: You must be a member of the Administrators group on the local server or a member of the SharePoint administrators group to create a site collection. Alternatively, if you have enabled Self-Service Site Creation, you can allow end users to create their own site collections to which they can migrate files.

Sites Within a Site Collection

In general, create sites so you can place documents and lists that are related in the same site. This makes navigation more convenient and ensures that all related documents will be included in search results. However, if a site contains more than 1,000 document libraries and lists, performance begins to degrade.

Note: If Self-Service Site Creation is enabled for a virtual server, you must belong to a site group that has the Use Self-Service Site Creation right to create a site collection. That right is turned on in all default site groups. If Self-Service Site Creation is not turned on, you must belong to a site group that has the Create Subsite right to create a site. The Create Subsite right is included by default in the Administrator site group.

Document Libraries Within a Site

Document libraries can contain custom properties that store metadata about the files in the libraries. Document libraries also provide fine-grained security for granting access to files. Any files that can use the same set of properties and security settings can be stored in the same document library. (You can use views and filters to allow users to display any set of properties that they want to.) However, if a set of files requires a unique set of properties, it will need a separate document library. Similarly, if a set of files requires unique user permissions, that set will also require a different document library. Other settings that are per document library include file versioning, content approval, the default document template, and any event code written for the document library.

Note: You must be a member of a site group with the Manage Lists right to create and change document libraries. The Manage Lists right is included by default in the Web Designer and Administrator site groups.

Folders Within a Document Library

The folder structure of a document library is usually similar to the folder structure of a typical file store. For optimal performance, it is recommended that each folder contain fewer than 1,000 files. Performance and ease of navigation will degrade as the number of files in a folder increases. The depth of the folder structure might also be limited by the number of characters in the file and folder name. There can be no more than 260 total characters in the URL for a file in a document library. The maximum file or folder name length is 128 characters, including the extension.

If a folder structure has few files but lots of subfolders, consider adding properties to the document library. Views can then be added to the document library instead of subfolders. For example, create a property named Team member for a Team Documents folder instead of a subfolder for each team member.

Note: You must be a member of a site group with the Add Items right to add files to a document library. The Add Items right is included by default in every built-in site group except the Reader site group.

Moving the Files

After you have created the new site collections, sites, and document libraries, you can use one of the following methods to copy files onto the server:

  • Dragging files into the Explorer View of a document library

  • Creating a network place (Web folder) shortcut to the document library

  • Using a tool in another application compatible with Windows SharePoint Services, such as the Upload Multiple Files control provided with Microsoft Office 2003

No matter which method you use, keep security issues in mind. Permissions settings for the files on the file server are not transferred to the document library automatically. Decide what level of permissions you want to give users in your organization in the new document library, and set those permission levels before you begin moving files into the document library. If you move documents into a document library that uses default security settings, you might be giving access to users who should not have access.

Moving Files by Using Explorer View

The simplest method for moving files to the new site is to drag files or folders into the Explorer View of a document library.

Drag files by using Explorer View

  1. On the top link bar, click Documents and Lists.

  2. Click the document library to which you want to add files.

  3. In the Select a View list, click Explorer View.

  4. Open a Windows Explorer window, and then find the folder with the files that you want to copy to the document library.

  5. Select the files you want, and then drag them into the document library in the browser window.

If you receive any error messages while copying the files, see the Troubleshooting section later in this article.

Moving Files by Using Network Places

It is also possible to add a network place for the document library. The steps for creating a network place and copying the files to a Windows SharePoint Services document library vary, depending on the operating system you use.

Microsoft Windows XP

Move files by using My Network Places in Windows XP

  1. On the Windows desktop, click My Network Places.

  2. Double-click Add a Network Place.

  3. Follow the instructions in the Add Network Place Wizard to add a shortcut to the server that is running Windows SharePoint Services.

  4. After you create the new network place, open a Windows Explorer window, and then find the folder with the files that you want to copy to the document library.

  5. Select the files you want, and then drag them into the document library in the network place.

Microsoft Windows Server 2003

Move files by using My Network Places in Windows Server 2003

  1. Click the Start menu, click All Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Windows Explorer.

  2. In the Folders list, click My Network Places.

  3. In the right pane, double-click Add Network Place.

  4. Follow the instructions in the Add Network Place Wizard to add a shortcut to the server running Windows SharePoint Services.

  5. After you create the new network place, open a Windows Explorer window, and then find the folder with the files that you want to copy to the document library.

  6. Select the files you want, and then drag them into the document library in the network place.

If you receive any error messages while copying the files, see the Troubleshooting section later in this article.

Moving Files by Using Other Applications

For uploading a smaller number of files, some applications compatible with Windows SharePoint Services allow you to save files to document libraries by using the file management tools in those applications. An example is the Upload Multiple Files feature that is included in Microsoft Office 2003. To use this feature, the client computer you are using must have Office 2003 installed.

Move files by using Upload Multiple Files

  1. On the top link bar, click Documents and Lists.

  2. Click the document library to which you want to add files.

  3. Click Upload Document.

  4. Click Upload Multiple Files.

  5. In the left pane, navigate to the folder that contains the files you want to copy to the document library.

  6. In the right pane, select each file that you want to copy to the document library.

  7. Click Save and Close.

If you receive any error messages while copying the files, see the Troubleshooting section later in this article.

Moving Files by Using a Mapped Network Drive

Another method for adding files to the site is to map a network drive.

Move files by mapping a network drive

  1. On the Start menu, click My Computer.

  2. On the Tools menu, click Map Network Drive.

  3. In Drive, select a drive letter.

  4. In Folder, type the name of the Web server and document library in the form \\Server_Name\Site_Name\Document_Library\.

    The mapped network drive opens in Windows Explorer to show the contents of the document library.

  5. Open a Windows Explorer window, and then find the folder with the files that you want to copy to the document library.

  6. Select the files you want, and then drag them into the document library in the mapped network drive.

Troubleshooting

I Get the Error Message: Cannot Copy <Filename>. The Parameter is Incorrect

  • Does the file name contain illegal characters? The following characters are not allowed in SharePoint document libraries: / \ : * ? " < > | # <TAB> { } % ~ &

    Note: Temporary file names often begin with ~ and must be deleted before copying other files in the folder.

  • Does the file name end in a period or contain two or more consecutive periods? You must rename files that end in a period or have two or more consecutive periods.

  • Does the document have a file extension that is blocked by the server? Check the list of blocked file extensions in SharePoint Central Administration to verify.

    Note: You must be a member of the Administrators group on the local computer or a member of the SharePoint administrators group to access the SharePoint Central Administration pages.

  • Is the file or folder name too long? File and folder names cannot be longer than 128 characters. Also note that the complete URL for the file or folder cannot be longer than 260 characters.

I Get the Error Message: Unable to Create Scrap/Shortcut File.

Do you have sufficient permissions to copy files to the document library? To add files to a list or document library, you must belong to the Contributor site group, or any site group that has the Add Items right.