PortalSiteMapProvider

Hi all,

Everytime I instantiate a PortalSiteMapProvider instance it always defaults to the Root Web Site Collection.

I want to be able to acquire a site map from a different collection from an application page.

Because of this, the context defaults to the root web since this application page resides under _layouts and is not hosted under any site collection.

How do I acquire an instance to a site collection other than the root web from an application page?

Thanks.

From stackoverflow

• You can't read another site collection's hierarchy through a PortalSiteMapProvider. E.g., if you are in Site Collection A, PSMP will only traverse A's tree, not B. You have to be in B to traverse B.

  A workaround I implemented was to write a simple web service that runs in a site collection and takes a path as a parameter. It reads its own PSMP and writes an XML tree from that point in the hierarchy. Calling the web service living in SC-B from code running in SC-A is extremely fast, especially since the PSMP can rip through B's structure so quickly.

  Edit:

  Here are instructions for creating a web service in WSS3/MOSS.

  Here is some totally non-functional code to get you headed in the right direction:

  //method exposed through the web service
  public XmlDocument GetTree(string path)
  {
      PortalSiteMapProvider psmp = PortalSiteMapProvider.GlobalNavSiteMapProvider;
      SiteMapNode node = psmp.FindSiteMapNode(path);
      return BuildXmlFromNode(node);
  }
  
  private XmlNode BuildXmlFromNode(SiteMapNode node)
  {
      XmlDocument xml = new XmlDocument();
      reutrn BuildXmlFromNode(node, xml);
  }
  
  //recurses down the sitemapnode children
  private XmlNode BuildXmlFromNode(SiteMapNode node, XmlNode xml)
  {
      XmlElement element = doc.CreateElement("Node")
      element.SetAttribute("title", node.Title);
      element.SetAttribute("url", node.Url);
  
      xml.AppendChild(element);
  
      foreach(SiteMapNode childNode in node.ChildNodes)
      {
          BuildXmlFromNode(childNode, element);
      }
  
      return xml;
  }
  

  Please note if you don't set a limit on the number of recursions and your site map hierarchy is very deep and/or wide, this could produce a HUGE xml document. Use with caution!

  LB : You mind helping me out with writing a simple webservice? I've never done it before. Any pointer to steer me in that direction? Thanks!

  Rex M : @LB no problem; see additions to the answer above.

  LB : Thanks a lot! Much Appreciated! This should get me started.