Can enable a site template for subsites via editing webtemp.xml but how do I change in my solution files?

Question

I have a template wsp that I deploy then create a new top level site. The template is available perfectly.
I then try to create a subsite and the template isn't available. So I went to .../14/TEMPLATE/1033/XML/WEBTEMP.XML
I added in my template...
<Template Name="MYTEMPLATE" SetupPath="SiteTemplates\MyTemplate" ID="202">
<Configuration ID="0" Title="My Site Title" Hidden="FALSE" ImageUrl="" Description="A site I created."></Configuration>
</Template>
Now after an IIS reset the templates show under the "Custom" tab perfectly.
BUT the question is what file do I change in my actual solution files before I package everything up? What would add this to the webtemp.xml automatically for me when my solution is deployed?
Thanks,

Answer 1

The terminology is confusing, but what you are actually adding is a "Site Definition".  Site Templates are .wsp files that can be saved as a snapshot of an existing site for re-use.  These .wsp files are stored in the site template gallery of a
site collection.  There are also Web Templates that are similar to Site Definitions since they use an ONET.XML file, but they are activated using a Feature.  Together Site Definitions, Site Templates, and Web Templates are known as Site Templates
in the User Interface.  But each one is deployed and activated differently.  Site Devfinitions are normally added to the environment by using Module features to deploy the site definition in its own subdirectory where the other site definitions are
stored.  A custom webtemp file is also deployed instead of editing the existing file.  SahrePoint will pick up any file that is stored in that location that starts with webtemp and ends in .xml.  So you can deploy a new webtemp file called Webtemp_custom.xml.
If you are actually deploying a site template then you just upload it to the site template gallery of the site collection.  If you still aren't seeing it in the custom tab then its probably because the root site has restricted the available site templates
for creating subsites.  This is common in Publishing sites, but can be done in any site.  In Publishing sites there is a link on the site settings page that you can use to select what site templates are available to create sub sites.  In non-publishing
sites it requires powershell
Paul Stork SharePoint Server MVP
Principal Architect: Blue Chip Consulting Group
Blog: http://dontpapanic.com/blog
Twitter: Follow @pstork
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