jQuery Library for SharePoint Web Services (SPServices)
Product Summary
SPServices is a jQuery library which abstracts SharePoint's Web Services and makes them easier to use. It also includes functions which use the various Web Service operations to provide more useful (and cool) capabilities. It works entirely client side and requires no server install.
SharePoint's Web Services allow you to interact directly with SharePoint objects such as lists, webs, pages, and permissions without deploying any server-side code. The Web Service operations can be built together into more full-featured functionality that can provide real value to SharePoint users and improve the overall user experience.
SPServices includes not only jQuery "wrappers" for most commonly used Web Services and their operations, but also value-added functions that let you add functionality to forms and pages with very little work.
Some of the most popular value-added functions are:
- $().SPServices.SPCascadeDropdowns - The SPCascadeDropdowns function lets you set up cascading dropdowns on SharePoint forms. What this means is that you can enforce hierarchical relationships between column values, like Site/State or Product Family/Product Code.
- $().SPServices.SPSetMultiSelectSizes - Sets the size of the boxes in a multi-select picker based on the values they contain.
- $().SPServices.SPComplexToSimpleDropdown - Converts a "complex" dropdown (which SharePoint displays if there are 20+ options) to a "simple" dropdown (select).
And many more...
Editor review
Power of SharePoint web services in the Browser
Javascript is a powerful client-side scripting language that allows a developer to do some great things at the presentation layer. jQuery is a robust library that allows a quasi-developer / super user to walk through the DOM with simple commands that wield incredible Javascript power.
The jQuery Library for SharePoint Web Services (SPServices) bundles into jQuery the vast methods and massive amounts of data contained within SharePoint. This box isn't big enough to mine all that wealth the last sentence contains. But, suffice it to say: everything that SharePoint knows about itself is exposed through its built-in web services. SPServices puts that knowledge at the fingertips of the user / site administrator / library maintainer.
Need the profile of the current user? There's a web service for that. Need list data from another site collection? There's a web service for that. Need permissions information, version data, alerts, etc.? There's a web service for that.
Need to WRITE data to a list, UPDATE permissions, MANAGE document workspaces and meetings, CREATE sites? There are web services for that. And they're ALL exposed through this library. Want to create a form that walks a user through creating a site based on your company's governance plan?
You could do that through SPServices. And never touch Visual Studio.
Sliced bread. Pocket on a shirt. Indoor plumbing. A thousand songs in your pocket. Yes, SPServices is that revolutionary.
Product Reviews
Easy to understand
Lightning fast customer service and responsiveness
Robust new functionality rolled into every new release
Incredible reach, even for the barely technical user
User reviews
Average user rating from: 5 user(s)
Sweet
Cascading dropdowns are awesome.
Elegant and powerful
I have been using this library for 3 months, on a project where we were limited to Sharepoint Designer and clientside code.
I stumbled across this library when looking for problem fixes (for multi-select boxes and cascade filtering dropdowns). However the range of Utilities & web service calls available has meant that this has become my most-used Toolset.
This library has enabled us to build and release a 700 user forms-based site (including finding a workable solution for filtering a 5000 row look-up).
Many thanks to Marc and team for providing such a well-documented Codeplex toolset and for the amazing level of support.
Product Reviews
SharePoint Designer-friendly tools
Can even be used if you only have a web browser + designer/site owner level access
Great client-side tool
This is a great tool for those who wish to improve the usability of their sharepoint site or build sharepoint solutions for business needs without having to learn to code. I use it almost every day. Kudos to Marc Anderson for building this.
Product Reviews
Great aid to power users, no code developers
jQuery truly for everyone
I have just started to use some of the parts of the library, but the parts I have been using have made coding so simple even I can do it ;o)
I really like the value-added functions such as SPDisplayRelatedInfo and SPCascadeDropdowns.
Also I am amazed over the great support given by Marc!
Product Reviews
Good documentation
Well supported
Excellent use of core technology
I have used nearly all parts of the library to accomplish one thing or the other. The library has been very useful in producing LOB applications quickly all while allowing the flexibility of avoiding the quagmire of having to go through the Dev team to get the same thing.
I have confidence that Marc will continue to grow the library over time based on his experience and user feedback. I have yet to figure out how he is able to respond so quickly to such a large communities requests/needs.
My hats off!
Product Reviews
Easy to use
Documented nicely