This online class runs Monday through Friday for 3.5 hours each day from 12:00pm until 3:30pm Eastern Time (GMT -0500). Each day consists of two lectures with follow up Q/A time. Each day we provide students with take-away lab exercises which we expect students to complete on their own time before the next day of class.
Daily Schedule
All times Eastern Time (GMT -0500)
- Lecture: 12:00pm - 1:15pm
- Q/A time: 1:15pm - 1:30pm
- Break: 1:30pm - 2:00pm
- Lecture: 2:00pm - 3:15pm
- Q/A time: 3:15pm - 3:30pm
Module 1 - Module 1 - Introduction to SharePoint Branding
Anatomy of a WSS Team Site
Configuring a Site Icon
Applying A SharePoint Theme
Master Pages and the Master Page Gallery
Anatomy of a MOSS Publishing Portal
Switching the Master Page in a publishing portal
Module 2 - CSS Primer for SharePoint Designers
CSS Fundamentals: Cascade and Specificity
Overview of CSS rules defined in CORE.CSS
Discovering CSS class names using FireBug and IE Developer Toolbar
Adding custom CSS to a master page
Adding the HTML 4.01 DocType to a master page
Designing for a cross-browser experience
Module 3 - Creating and Customizing Themes
How Themes work in SharePoint
Creating a new Theme based on an existing Theme
Customizing a Theme using the SharePoint Designer
Finalizing and deploying a Theme in a production farm
Tips and Tricks for working with Themes
Module 4 - Working with Master Pages
Overview of ASP.NET syntax used with Master Pages
Understanding the standard SharePoint Master Page (default.master)
Customizing Master Pages using the SharePoint Designer
Overriding standard placeholders from default.master
Understanding how to use delegate controls
Module 5 - Designing a Brand for Publishing Portals
Understanding the MOSS Publishing features
Overview of Page Layouts and the Pages library
Designing page layouts using content types and field controls
Uploading CSS files and images to the Style Library
Starting a design using a minimal master page
Deciding between field controls and web parts
Module 6 - Migrating a Professional Branding Design into SharePoint
SharePoint design considerations
Moving from a wire frame into the design phase
Creating a design using Expressions Design 2
Creating a design using Adobe Photoshop
Moving design assets into SharePoint
Module 7 - Deployment using Features and Solution Packages
Developing SharePoint features using Visual Studio
Using features to deploy master pages, page layouts and custom CSS files
Linking to custom CSS files using the AlternateCssUrl property
Best practice deployment using solution packages
Walkthrough of a complete SharePoint branding solution
Module 8 - Lighting up a SharePoint site using SilverLight 2
Understanding the Silverlight deployment and execution architecture
Deploying a .xap files using the Content Editor Web Part
Designing SilverLight components using Expressions Blend 2
Using SilverLight to host video playback
Programming SilverLight components using Visual Sudio
Best practices in deployment using custom SilverLight components
Module 9 - Using XSLT to Generate Formatted Output
World's Fastest Primer on XSLT
Working with the XML Web Part
Working with the DataView Web Parts
Working with the Content Query Web Part
Formatting MOSS Search Results using XSLT