Hi,
I am trying to change the page layout in a Project Server 2013 'Project Site' to a custom 2x2 Web Part Zone Layout, so that I can then save that Project Site as a 'Project Site Template'.
Before asking my question, I thought I should detail exactly what I have been through to this point, so that it is clear what I have found does not work.
The Situation:
As I understand it, the 'Project Site Template' was originally based on a Team Site template with some custom coding added by Microsoft that supports additional functionality provided by Project Server 2013. It is therefore important, when customizing the 'Project Site Template' that certain components that are supported by Microsoft's code are not modified. This has been taken into account with my 'Project Site Template' changes.
Because the foundation template was a Team Site template, I gather this means the 'Page Layout' options that are available in the Ribbon when working with a 'Published' page, for selecting alternate layouts, is not available from the Default page of the 'Project Site', when placed in 'Edit Mode'.
What I need to be able to accomplish is to change out the main content area on the Home Page (default.aspx), of the 'Project Site' to a custom 2x2 zone layout. I then need to save that 'Project Site' as a 'Project Site Template', which I can then use to generate new 'Project Sites' leveraging the custom layout.
Attempted So Far:
The following is what I have already attempted in trying to work out a solution to this issue:
1. Started by generating a new 'Project Site'.
2. Using SharePoint 'Design Manager', created a new 'Page Layout' using the 'Welcome Page' Content Type format.
3. Downloaded the html format file generated by the 'Page Layout' creation process and edited the html mark-up to include a table format to suit my 2x2 zone layout.
4. Used the 'Design Manager' snippet tool to insert the Zone code I needed.
5. Uploaded the html file back to the Master Gallery and set the 'Page Layout' to 'Approved'.
6. Activated the 'SharePoint Server Publishing' feature and created a 'Page' that used the custom 'Page Layout' that I had created.
7. Added the appropriate Web Parts to the newly created 'Page'.
8. Used the SharePoint Designer 'Set as Home Page' option to set the newly created 'Page' as the default page.
9. Confirmed that the newly created 'Page' displayed as Home Page for that site, which it did.
What I then Found Out:
Having done all this, I then found out in a Microsoft article that 'Published Pages' are not supported in 'Site Templates'. I managed to prove this out by doing the following:
1. Switched off the 'SharePoint Server Publishing' feature, as I found that the 'Save As Template' feature is not available, when the 'SharePoint Server Publishing' feature is 'Active'.
2. In SharePoint Designer, with the Site selected, used the 'Site Options' Ribbon option to change the 'SaveSiteAsTemplateEnabled' option value to "true" (this returns the 'Save As Template' option to the 'Site Actions' section in the 'Site Settings' area).
3. Saved the Site as a Template.
The custom Published 'Page' that I had created is not available in the 'Project Site Template'.
Options?
'Published Pages' are obviously not an option for me.
Does anyone know how I would be able to modify the 'default.aspx' page to include a custom Web Part Zone layout?
Any suggestions on either landing page modifications or workarounds that would permit me to present a custom layout on the landing page of a site as well as allow me to save that site as a 'Site Template' would be most appreciated.
Cheers,
Wayne