Web Parts: Content pages vs. Web part Page
In previous versions of SharePoint, web parts were added to pages via predefined web part zones. Customization of this predefined layouts for displaying we parts were very difficult and tedious to do.
The current SharePoint 2010 server provides the ability to add web parts into content areas and positioned by modifying the html view of the content area. Customization and personalization efforts could be achieved within minutes using this technique.
Good news is that the old web part page templates still exist and could be utilized for small to medium jobs that do not require a lot reorganizing and customizing.
In create an empty content page in SharePoint 2010, follow these steps
- Navigate to the specific site you wish to add the new page
- Go to the Site Actions Menu, Select New Page
- Enter name for the new page and then click create
- Click the web part button on the Ribbon
- Select the web part by drilling down to category
- Select where to add the web part
- Click Add button
The page could then be modified by navigating to the html view of the content area.
However, if you wish to create a web part page with predefined web part zones, see below for the steps. Remember that it is not easy to modify the layout of web part pages once created so it is advisable to select a template that has 4 or more columns and has several more zones. This will provide a lot more possible combinations. Upon page request, an empty web part zone is not rendered as part of the page. Therefore, a four column web part page with one unused column will be rendered with only three columns. This behavior affects performances in a very positive way.
The steps are as follows:
- Navigate to the site where you wish to add the page
- Select View All Site Content from the Site Action drop-down
- Click on create at the top of All the Site Content page
- Chose page from the filter
- Select the web part page icon
- Click the create button
- Name the web part page
- Choose a layout template
- Select the document library to save the page
- Click create button
- Click the add web part button in the zone you wish to add the web part into
- Select web part by drilling down category
- Click the Add button