Summary

Site definition templates provide a default look and function to a newly created site. They function very similarly to custom site templates, except that they provide significantly more customizations and are more complicated to author.

Site definitions are a collection of site definition templates in a single package. They exist as physical files on the SharePoint server's hard disk. For instance, the STS site definition contains the Team Site, Blank Site, and Document Workspace site definition templates. By default, it is installed in the C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\60\TEMPLATE\1033\XML\STS folder.

All files that take the form WEBTEMP.XML, which are found in the C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\60\TEMPLATE\1033\XML folder, are parsed by SharePoint to determine which site definition templates are presented as choices to users. These WEBTEMP files provide the physical folder and the specific configuration identifier defined within ONET.XML of a site definition template.

There is one ONET.XML per site definition, and it is physically located within the site definitions folder. ONET.XML defines the major elements of the site definition and defines which of these elements are used for the various site definition templates. This methodology fosters reuse between the site definition templates within a single site definition.

The major elements within ONET.XML include NavBars, ListTemplates, DocumentTemplates, BaseTypes, Configurations, and Modules. NavBars defines various navigation bars. ListTemplates defines the general function and properties of lists and libraries. DocumentTemplates defines the default document created when a user clicks a document library's new toolbar button. BaseTypes defines list and library schemas. Configurations define the site definition templates and their composition. Modules define functional file groups.

Rendering a site definition requires the interaction of multiple layersWEBTEMP files, ONET.XML, various SCHEMA.XML files, data from the SharePoint database, and several other components. A single problem in the chain will cause an error, which has a direct affect on the complexity of debugging and maintaining site definitions. We concluded this chapter with some debugging and maintenance best practices for SharePoint site definitions.