Cannot read from the source file or disk

The Sitch:
Attempting to move documents from one SharePoint site to another sometimes results in a "Cannot read from the source file or disk" error. Why?


The Issue:
Explorer view uses WebDAV (Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning) for file functions like move and copy and WebDAV doesn't play nicely with SSL secured websites. If only one of the sites is using SSL then you should be ok. Take a look at the address of your source and destination sites- are they both using SSL?

(Hint: If you see an "s" to the right of "http" then the site is secured using SSL.)

If both sites are using SSL then you're going to have trouble "Moving" items using Explorer View. You can still do it. It just takes a little workaround.

A Workaround:
Instead of "Moving" items try "Copying" them. To do so, right-click (and hold) then drag the items you want to move. When you let go of the mouse button (in the destination window, of course) you will be asked "Are you sure you want to copy or move files to this folder?"


Click "Yes." The next thing you're going to see is the dialog box asking what exactly you want to do: Copy Here, Move Here, Create Shortcuts Here, or Cancel. Choose "Copy Here" even though "Move Here" is bolded by default.



All items should copy over without any trouble.

Granted, you'll have to manually delete all of the documents from the source library but that's not hard. And, you can do it in the already opened "Explorer View" for that folder. Just be sure you're deleting from the source and not the destination ;-)

Hope this helps!

CG

Building Dynamic Strings in SharePoint Designer 2010

(In keeping with my New Year’s resolution, here’s my first post!)

As with a lot of things in SP2010, The Build Dynamic String action is still there but it's been changed a bit. I don’t know why but the actual WorkFlow action itself is hidden by default in SPD 2010.

The good news: You can enable the action but you’ll have to have access to the 14 folder and then do an iisreset. (see note at the end)

The BETTER news: You can use the Build Dynamic String action via the “Set workflow variable” action! (You just need to be aware of a little quirk).

Get Started!
Go ahead and open up SPD2010 and create a new WorkFlow. For example purposes, it doesn’t matter if it’s a list or site WF.

Now, choose “Set workflow variable” but don’t name the variable yet. Click the “value” link.



Notice anything missing?



You don’t see the lookup String Builder dialog button (). You can’t build a dynamic string without one.

I’ve found that this button won’t appear unless you’ve created or named the variable already.

Go ahead and click “workflow variable” to create a named variable. I like to prefix my variables with “str”, “num”, or “var” depending on what I’ll be using them for. In this case, “strMyDynString.”



Now when I click “value” the String Builder dialog button is there and I can start building my dynamic string.



Note: If you’re interested in re-enabling the action itself, have a look at Greg Osimowicz’s blog post on it.

Best!

CG