What should be scope of masterpage feature?

Question

Here is my code on feature activated:-

    SPWeb topLevelSite = properties.Feature.Parent as SPWeb;
    if (topLevelSite != null)
    {


        // Calculate relative path to site from Web Application root.
        string WebAppRelativePath = topLevelSite.ServerRelativeUrl;
        if (!WebAppRelativePath.EndsWith("/"))
        {
            WebAppRelativePath += "/";
        }

        // Enumerate through each site and apply branding.

        topLevelSite.MasterUrl = WebAppRelativePath +
                             "_catalogs/masterpage/InternalM1.master";
        topLevelSite.CustomMasterUrl = WebAppRelativePath +
                                   "_catalogs/masterpage/InternalM1.master";

        topLevelSite.Update();


    }

The scope of feature if set to 'WEB' then masterpage gets applied to the site. However, I want to set the scope to SITE COLLECTION ('SITE') so that all the subsites belonging to that site collection inherit the masterpage. If I do this then the masterpage doesn't get applied.

Am I doing any mistake?

Answer 1

If it is a Publishing web site then you can use SetInherit so that subsites will inherit the custom master page. Example:

SPWeb web = SPContext.Current.Web;
PublishingWeb publishingWeb = PublishingWeb.GetPublishingWeb(web);
publishingWeb.CustomMasterUrl = "/_catalogs/masterpage/mycustom.master";
publishingWeb.CustomMasterUrl.SetInherit(true, true);
publishingWeb.Update();

This is the code I have in one of my projects site collection event receiver for setting the master page:

SPSite site = (SPSite)properties.Feature.Parent;
if (site != null)
{
    SPWeb web = site.RootWeb;           
    Uri masterUri = new Uri(web.Url + "/_catalogs/masterpage/mypractice.master");
    web.MasterUrl = masterUri.AbsolutePath;
    web.CustomMasterUrl = masterUri.AbsolutePath;
    web.Update();
}

Answer 2

I do believe Site Collection scope is correct for a masterpage feature.

The problem is, you cannot force subsites to use this masterpage (even though there's an option to reset all subsites in the UI). EDIT: If it's a publishing web you can do this, look at @Nadeem Yousuf's answer

You will have to iterate over all the current SPWeb subsites and set their masterpage to inherit manually. Something like this:

                // SPWeb web = current subsite in loop
                using (SPWeb parent = web.ParentWeb)
                {
                    web.AllowUnsafeUpdates = true;
                    web.MasterUrl = parent.MasterUrl;
                    web.CustomMasterUrl = parent.CustomMasterUrl;

                    web.SiteLogoUrl = parent.SiteLogoUrl;

                    web.Update();
                    web.AllowUnsafeUpdates = false;
                }

If you want new subsites to inherit, I think you need to have a feature for it as well, that gets automatically activated. You could do it with feature stapling (to a site definition, or all site definitions) or perhaps the WebProvisioned event receiver

Answer 3

Scope of masterpage feature should be set to 'Site'. You need to set the Reset all sub sites option for the masterpage to be applied to the sub sites.But also the sub sites will inherit the new master only if Site collection feature "SharePoint Server Publishing Infrastructure" is activated and in the sub sites the site feature "SharePoint Server Publishing" is activated.

SPWeb topLevelSite = properties.Feature.Parent as SPWeb;
    if (topLevelSite != null)
    {


        // Calculate relative path to site from Web Application root.
        string WebAppRelativePath = topLevelSite.ServerRelativeUrl;
        if (!WebAppRelativePath.EndsWith("/"))
        {
            WebAppRelativePath += "/";
        }

        // Enumerate through each site and apply branding.

        topLevelSite.MasterUrl = WebAppRelativePath +
                             "_catalogs/masterpage/InternalM1.master";
        topLevelSite.CustomMasterUrl = WebAppRelativePath +
                                   "_catalogs/masterpage/InternalM1.master";

        topLevelSite.Update();


    }

Next go to Site Settings--->MasterPage-->check "Reset all subsites to inherit this site master page setting".To programmatically perform theabove step refer this thread