Q&A

Q. Can we create SharePoint packages without Visual Studio 2010?

A. Yes. Since a SharePoint package is a .cab file you can use the makecab command to build a SharePoint package manually. You need to have a valid manifest file. However, it is recommended to go with Visual Studio 2010 as the manual process can get complex.

Q. If sandboxed solutions have so many restrictions, how can we achieve functionality through them when we need to call the restricted API?

A. You can build sandboxed proxies and call them in sandboxed solutions to achieve functionality that requires calling the restricted APIs.

Q. How do we debug SharePoint 2010 applications if Visual Studio is not installed?

A. Multiple options are available. If you are finished logging in your code, the logs at <14 Hive>Logs will be of great help. You can also use tools such as DebugView to check for any exceptions occurring in the code. Finally you can try remote debugging if you have the required privileges.