Creating Custom Masterpage in Share Point2007(MOSS 2007)

I found two ways to create and add a custom masterpage in Share Point 2007(MOSS 2007). They are described below.

First procedure :

1. First go to the folder where masterpages are stored. The path is Local Drive:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\TEMPLATE\FEATURES\PublishingLayouts\MasterPages

2. Now you can create a new masterpage using Sharepoint Designer or make a copy of an existing masterpage. Give it a new name like Test.master

3. Go to the following folder Local Drive:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\TEMPLATE\FEATURES\PublishingLayouts and open the file named ProvisionedFiles.xml

4. Find the OSGMasterPages Module tag and make a copy of any File tag block within this Module tag block. Here is a File tag block for every master page. Suppose you copied BlackSingleLevel.master block

5. In your copied block replace all BlackSingleLevel with Test.

6. Update the description of your master page in MasterPageDescription block.

7. In the next Module, PublishingLayoutsPreviewImages, create an entry for the preview image by copying and pasting and existing FILE tag and updating the properties,I mean the .png file name.


8. Now restart IIS.

9. Now go to your sharepoint site and go to here Site Actions -> Site Settings -> Site collection features and activate Office SharePoint Server Publishing Infrastructure if not activated.

10. Now go to Site Actions -> Site Settings -> Master Page(under Look and Feel) and you will find two dropdown lists of masterpages. Select yours(Test.master) from here.

11. You are done :)

Second Procedure :

1. Create a Masterpage using Sharepoint Designer or by coping an existing one.

2. Now go to your sharepoint site and go to here Site Actions -> Site Settings -> Site collection features and activate Office SharePoint Server Publishing Infrastructure if not activated.

3. Now go to Site Actions -> Site Settings -> Master Page(under Galleries) and upload your masterpage.

4. Now go to Site Actions -> Site Settings -> Master Page(under Look and Feel) and you will find two dropdown lists of masterpages. Select yours from here.

Second one is easy,hah?

Now remember few things when making your own masterpage. There are some things which must be contained in your masterpage. Go to http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa660698.aspx and check the minimal masterpage. Keep in mind that you have to add all the contentplaceholder of this minimal masterpage in your masterpage.