As with Project Web Access (PWA) 2003, PWA 2007 offers a little-known, yet surprisingly simple way to hack the interface through the web browser's address bar… using a parameter called SimpleUI.
Because the latest-and-greatest Project Web Access (PWA) interface included with Project Server 2007 is now built upon the new Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) 3.0 technology, we now have nearly limitless options for customizing the web interface… either through custom programming or configuration directly through the web browser. If you've been granted the appropriate level of permissions, then you can simply crack open PWA 2007 in your web browser, flip a page such as the PWA Home page into "edit mode", then add, remove, or rearrange page content through the use of SharePoint webparts.
However, if we want to modify the non-content parts of the page, such as the header or left-side (Quicklaunch) navigation, then our job can become a bit more difficult. Unless we're familiar with building & editing ASP.NET Master Pages with SharePoint Designer or Visual Studio, then we might think that we're basically stuck with the hand that we've been dealt. Enter SimpleUI.
Getting Started with SimpleUI
SimpleUI is a parameter which can be added to the address of any PWA page, and it's basically used for toggling the main non-content pieces of the page:
Following are the four sections of the PWA page layout which can be toggled on & off:
1. The Breadcrumb & Welcome bar:
2. The Title & Search bar:
3. The Top Link & Site Actions bar:
4. The Quicklaunch menu:
Let's now take a quick look at how to use the SimpleUI parameter to hack the PWA interface…
1. Add "?SimpleUI=1" to the PWA URL to turn off the Breadcrumb & Welcome bar.
For example, if we're at the PWA Home page, add "?SimpleUI=1" to the end of the URL, resulting in http://vpc01/PWA/default.aspx?SimpleUI=1:
Notice that the Breadcrumb & Welcome bar is now hidden. To un-hide the bar, replace "?SimpleUI=1" with "?SimpleUI=0":
2. Add "?SimpleUI=2" to the PWA URL to turn off the Title & Search bar.
For example, if we're at the PWA Home page, add "?SimpleUI=2" to the end of the URL, resulting in http://vpc01/PWA/default.aspx?SimpleUI=2:
Notice that the Title & Search bar is now hidden. To un-hide the bar, replace "?SimpleUI=2" with "?SimpleUI=0".
3. Add "?SimpleUI=4" to the PWA URL to turn off the Top Link & Site Actions bar.
For example, if we're at the PWA Home page, add "?SimpleUI=4" to the end of the URL, resulting in http://vpc01/PWA/default.aspx?SimpleUI=4:
Notice that the Top Link & Site Actions bar is now hidden. To un-hide the bar, replace "?SimpleUI=4" with "?SimpleUI=0".
4. Add "?SimpleUI=8" to the PWA URL to turn off the Quicklaunch menu.
For example, if we're at the PWA Home page, add "?SimpleUI=8" to the end of the URL, resulting in http://vpc01/PWA/default.aspx?SimpleUI=8:
Notice that the Quicklaunch menu is now hidden. To un-hide the menu, replace "?SimpleUI=8" with "?SimpleUI=0".
Notice that when we turn off one of these four areas of the page, the setting remains, even when we visit other pages within PWA:
Once again, to reverse the setting, simply add "?SimpleUI=0" to the end of the web address:
Getting Tricky: Combining SimpleUI Parameters
Want to toggle more than one of the four areas at the same time? No problem… simply add the desired parameters together. For example, if we'd like to turn off the Breadcrumb & Welcome bar (SimpleUI=1) as well as the Top Link & Site Actions bar (SimpleUI=4), we'll add the numbers together (1+4=5) to create the parameter to add to the address:
http://vpc01/PWA/default.aspx?SimpleUI=5
Wanna turn off all four? Use "?SimpleUI=15":
Why Use SimpleUI?
Anyone can do it!
Anyone can add the SimpleUI parameter to the PWA address bar, regardless of the permissions that they've been granted in Project Server (you don't need to be an Administrator).
No programming required!
Because the SimpleUI hack only requires a little bit of simple math and access to the web browser's address bar, no programming knowledge or fancy programming tools are required.
Reclaim some screen real estate!
For those of us who don't have 45" monitors with 16,000 x 12,000 pixel resolution, scrolling is an essential part of life. SimpleUI helps to reclaim some of that precious screen real estate to cut down the scrolling required when viewing large data views.
Get a bigger view of the Project Center. Nice!
Next time, we'll look at an easy way to add a "Show / Hide" function to nearly any PWA page for toggling the fluff and reclaiming some of that precious real estate.
In the meantime, play around with SimpleUI and have some fun!