Query Active Directory Directly From SharePoint

public static string getBrManagerFromAD(string ou)
        {
            using (HostingEnvironment.Impersonate())
            {
                string ouReplace = "";
                if (ou.Contains("-"))
                {
                    ouReplace = ou.Split('-')[0].Split(' ')[0];
                }
                string managerName = "";
                try
                {
                    List<Principal> allUsers = new List<Principal>();

                    // create your domain context and define the OU container to search in
                    PrincipalContext ctx = new PrincipalContext(ContextType.Domain, "ABC.LOCAL",
                                                                "OU=Users," + "OU=" + ouReplace + ",OU=Branch Offices,DC=ABC,DC=Local");

                    // define a "query-by-example" principal - here, we search for a UserPrincipal (user)
                    UserPrincipal qbeUser = new UserPrincipal(ctx);

                    // create your principal searcher passing in the QBE principal  
                    PrincipalSearcher srch = new PrincipalSearcher(qbeUser);

                    // find all matches
                    foreach (var found in srch.FindAll())
                    {
                        // do whatever here - "found" is of type "Principal" - it could be user, group, computer.....        
                        allUsers.Add(found);

                    }
                    foreach (Principal user in allUsers)
                    {
                        if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(user.DistinguishedName))
                        {
                            DirectoryEntry dex = new DirectoryEntry("LDAP://" + user.DistinguishedName);

                            if (dex != null)
                            {
                                if (dex.Properties["title"].Count > 0)
                                {
                                    if ((string)dex.Properties["title"].Value == "Manager")
                                    {
                                        managerName = (string)dex.Properties["displayName"].Value;
                                    }
                                }
                            }
                        }
                    }


                }
                catch (Exception e)
                {
                    Logging.SaveErrorLogData(e.Message, "getBrManagerFromAD");
                }

                return managerName;
            }
        }

How to Hide Sharepoint Cog (Gear)

1. On SharePoint Designer Choose the relevant Master Page
2. Then Search for  "<SharePoint:SiteActions"
3. Paste Visible="false" after LargeIconMode="false"

Give Proper permission through Run SPSecurity.RunWithElevatedPrivileges

 SPSecurity.RunWithElevatedPrivileges(delegate()
            {
                SPSite site = SPContext.Current.Site;

                SPWeb web = SPContext.Current.Web;

                using (SPSite newSite = new SPSite(site.ID))
                {
                    using (SPWeb newWeb = newSite.OpenWeb(web.ID))
                    {
                        foreach (SPGroup group in newWeb.Groups)
                        {
                            foreach (SPUser u in group.Users)
                            {
                                if (SPContext.Current.Web.CurrentUser.Name == u.Name)
                                {
         SPQuery depquery = new SPQuery();
         depquery.Query = "<Where><Contains><FieldRef Name='Title' /><Value Type='Text'>" + group.Name + "</Value></Contains></Where>";
         SPListItemCollection item = SPContext.Current.Web.Lists[Constants.HNBDepartmentList()].GetItems(depquery);

                                    if (item.Count > 0)
                                    {
                                        grpName = group.Name;
                                    }
                                }
                            }
                        }
                    }
                }



            });

User Profile Syncronisation Service "Starting" Fixed

http://myspexp.com/2011/04/28/user-profile-synchronization-servicehangs-on-starting-i-fixed-it/

Adding and Install .wsp to a Site Collection using Powershell Commands

Stsadm

To Add : stsadm –o addsolution –name SharePointProject2.wsp

To Install : stsadm –o deploysolution –name SharePointProject2.wsp –url http://moss-server –allowCasPolicies –immediate

To Upgrade : stsadm –o upgradesolution –name SharePointProject2.wsp –filename SharePointProject2.wsp –immediate –allowCasPolicies

PowerShell

To Add : Add-SPSolution c:\code\SharePointProject2\bin\debug\SharePointProject2.wsp

To Install : Install-SPSolution –Identity SharePointProject2.wsp –WebApplication http://sp2010 -GACDeployment

To Update : Update-SPSolution –Identity SharePointProject2.wsp –LiteralPath c:\code\SharePointProject2\bin\debug\SharePointProject2.wsp –GACDeployment

To Uninstall : Uninstall-SPSolution –Identity SharePointProject2.wsp –WebApplication http://sp2010

To Remove : Remove-SPSolution –Identity SharePointProject2.wsp

Service Account Setup for Sharepoint 2013

Account name	Role	Domain rights	Local SharePoint Server rights needed	SQL rights needed
sp_install	Used to install SharePoint binaries.	Domain User	Local administrator on all SharePoint boxes	public, dbcreator, and securityadmin SQL roles. Need to be SysAdmin on SQL when installing the Workflow Manager
sp_farm	Farm account. Used for Windows Timer Service, Central Admin and User Profile service	Domain User	Local Admin during UPS provisioning, log on locally right	None
sp_webapp	App pool id for content web apps	Domain User	None	None
sp_serviceapps	Service app pool id	Domain User	None	None
sp_content	Default account used by Search Service Application to crawl content	Domain User	None	None
sp_userprofile1	Account used by the User Profile services to access Active Directory	Must have Replicating Change permissions to AD. Must be given in BOTH ADUC and ADSIEDIT. If domain is Windows 2003 or early, must also be a member of the "Pre-Windows 2000" built-in group.	None	None
sp_superuser2	Cache account	Domain User	Web application Policy Full Control Web application super account setting	None
sp_superreader2	Cache account	Domain User	Web application Policy Full read Web application super reader account setting	None
​sqlinstall	​Account SQL is installed with	​Domain User	None	​Local Administrator on the SQL box
​sqluser	​Account the SQL Instance is running as.	​Domain User	​None	​Will be given necessary permissions when SQL Server is installed by a local administrator on the SQL box

Installing Workflow With Service Bus 1.0

http://sharepoint-community.net/profiles/blogs/configuring-sharepoint-2013-to-support-workflow-management