Useful Parameters to date for WSS 3.0 and MOSS 2007

Back in the days of WSS v2 and SPS 2003, one could use some handy URL parameter passing to edit web pages and browse for or search web parts.

My three favorite parameters for WSS v2 and SPS2003 were:

To Correct or Remove Misbehaving Web Parts
http://server/default.aspx?Contents=1

To Open the Page in Web Part Design Mode
http://server/default.aspx?ToolPaneView=2

To Open the Search Web Part Zone
http://server/default.aspx?ToolPaneView=3

Now in WSS 3.0 and MOSS 2007 we have the much more practical approach of switching views. Enter the Site Actions Menu, using the menu options we can edit the page, browse to site settings, etc.. But what happens if the Site Actions menu is not visible on the page. Maybe it was missed in the look and feel or has been removed deliberately like I had to do recently for a client. Now why someone would need to remove it and how this can be achieved (in at least two ways) will be covered in a later post.

Here are my favorite parameters to date for WSS 3.0 and MOSS 2007:

To open the Design Bar - Useful for pages in the Pages Library
http://server/default.aspx?DisplayMode=Design

To turn on Web Part Zone Editing
http://server/default.aspx?ControlMode=Edit

Note: The Site Actions Menu is rights trimmed and that means not all users can see or use it. Users with limited access or read rights will not be able to make use of the URL\Query String parameters. The parameters are just an alternative to get to the editing\design controls rather then a security bypass.