Customizing List Form web parts should be easy but isn't

This is one of those issues that bugs me quite a bit. When you want to customize the NewForm or EditForm.aspx pages on a wss site, you have to live in code (reading CAML or encoded HTML). Or even build something yourself from scratch.

Since the toolbar for these List Forms can't be customized, it is really challenging to make these form look the way you want. Here is a tip for creating a new toolbar. If any of you have better tips or tricks for doing this, let me know!

Open the NewForm.aspx page for any SharePoint List in FrontPage.

Right click the List Form Web Part and choose “Customize SharePoint List Form”

WARNING: You are no longer in WYSIWYG land. Do not delete any of the yellow icons or anything you see.

TO PUT IN A NEW SAVE BUTTON AT THE BOTTOM OF THE FORM:

 

Place the cursor to the Right of the last yellow icon with a question mark in it and type “Save”

Select this text

Insert > hyperlink

ADDRESS: javascript:ClickOnce();

OK

Save the page and preview it. Add some data to make sure this works. If it doesn’t, remember it is case sensitive.

 

If you want to remove a single link from the toolbar, you need to remove the whole toolbar and add the links back manually.

Right click the List Form Web Part and choose “List Form Properties” then uncheck the box to show the toolbar.

Then add back the links from the toolbar by hand

Insert a new Table row above the row with the Title field

Type “Attachment”

Select “Attachment”

Insert > hyperlink

ADDRESS: javascript:UploadAttachment();

OK

Let me know what you all think!

-John