Just installing the Application Templates that were released last month on a new server farm. Installing these application templates is pretty straight forward. Let me walk you through the installation as there are steps to do, I have broken down the installation into sections:

• Application Template Core Installation Walkthrough
• Application Template Install Walkthrough
• How To Implement Application Templates
• Application Template Uninstall Walkthrough

Many of the these examples are from the Knowledge Base articles, the documentation from the downloads and also from numerous blog posts. I have linked in as many references and inspirations for this post and I hope you find that its worthwhile to have all the information in one spot.

Application Template Core Installation Walkthrough

Before installing any Application Template, you must first install the Application Template Core (download link below) solution. Launch the command prompt and browse on over to

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\BIN

1. To add the solution to Solution Management,

   stsadm –o addsolution –filename ApplicationTemplateCore.wsp

2. Now you want to create a timer job for the Application Template core using

   stsadm –o deploysolution –name ApplicationTemplateCore

3. Once you have complete the above,

   stsadm -o copyappbincontent

Application Template Install Walkthrough

Here are the steps required to install any of the application templates. You will need to do the following for each application template that you would like to deploy:

1. Add Application Template to Solution store

   stsadm -o addsolution -filename applicationTemplateName.wsp

2. Deploy Application Template using a Timer Job

   stsadm -o deploysolution -allowgacdeployment -immediate -name applicationTemplateName.wsp

3. Once you have deployed all application templates you would like, restart IIS

   iisreset

How To Implement Application Templates

1. From the Site Actions drop-down menu in the top right, select Site Settings.
2. Under the Site Administration section, select Sites and Workspaces.
3. Select the Create button to create a new site using a site template.
4. Fill in all appropriate information for the new site and in the Template Selection section, select the Application Templates tab, select the template to use for this site and click Create.

That should do the trick. A new site has been created. Now go ahead and play around with it.

Application Template Uninstall Walkthrough

This installation was simple. The uninstallation is just as straight forward.

1. First and foremost you need to retract a solution (not allow SharePoint sites from using it)

   stsadm –o retractsolution –name ApplicationTemplateCore

2. To remove a solution from the server

   stsadm –o deletesolution –name ApplicationTemplateCore

3. The Application Template is now unavailable to SharePoint sites and the solution has been removed from the solution store.

References

• Dustin - Having problems installing the latest 20 sample SharePoint applications?
• SharePoint Team Blog - Updated Installation Guide for the 20 server admin Application Templates for WSS 3.0
• Alpesh - SharePoint: Installation Guide for Application Templates
• Beginner to STSADM? - Powerful Command Line Administration for SharePoint

Downloads

• Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 Application Templates: All Templates
• Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 Application Templates: All Server Admin Templates
• Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 Application Template: Application Template Core