The default value that you specify for a custom column is not applied when you upload a document to a document library in Windows SharePoint Services (909452)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003
  • Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services

SYMPTOMS

Consider the following scenario. You add a custom column to a document library in a Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services Web site. You specify a default value to use for the column. You connect to the document library from a client computer on which the WebClient service is running. You switch to Explorer View, and then upload a document.

When you switch to All Documents view and then view the properties of the document, you notice that the default value that you specified for the column is not applied to the document.

CAUSE

The WebClient service uses the Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV) protocol. This behavior occurs because the WebDAV protocol is not aware of the additional Web collaboration features and functionality that are supported in Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003 and Windows SharePoint Services. The WebDAV protocol processes the upload operation to the document library as a typical WebDAV-enabled file system operation. Therefore, only the basic set of properties is applied to the document.

WORKAROUND

To work around this behavior, disable the WebClient service on the client computer. If the WebClient service is not running, Explorer View uses the Web Extender Client (WEC) protocol instead of the WebClient service to provide connectivity.

To disable the WebClient service, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Manage.
  2. Expand Services and Applications, and then expand Services.
  3. Double-click WebClient, and then click the General tab.
  4. Click Disabled in the Startup type box, and then click OK.
The WEC protocol is aware of the additional Web collaboration features and functionality that are supported in SharePoint Portal Server 2003 and Windows SharePoint Services. Therefore, the default value that you set for a custom column is applied to the document.

MORE INFORMATION

The WebClient service does not support a port other than the default port for HTTP (port 80). If you connect to the document library by using a port other than port 80, Explorer View uses the WEC protocol instead of the WebClient service to provide connectivity.

For example, you do not experience the behavior that is mentioned in the "Symptoms" section when you connect to the document library by using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). SSL uses port 443. Port 443 is the default port for HTTPS. For more information about the WebClient service and the WEC protocol and how they work with SharePoint Portal Server 2003 and Windows SharePoint Services, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

909451 Commands are missing when you right-click an item in a library in SharePoint Portal Server 2003 and in Windows SharePoint Services

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:4/27/2006
Keywords:kbnofix kbBug kbtshoot kbExpertiseInter KB909452 kbAudKnowledgeWorker
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