configuring a web part

here's the tip for today.... You know how when you add an out-of-the-box web part that requires configuration you get a nice little message in the web part display that you need to configure it, and a link to open up the toolpane? Add a Page Viewer web part to your site and you'll see what I mean.... Well here's how to add one of those links. This is really useful in exception handling for configuration related exceptions too....
In your RenderWebPart override check to see if your part is configured, if not output something like this:
output.Write(@"Web Part not configured: <a target=""_self"" href=""javascript:MSOTlPn_ShowToolPaneWrapper('1','129','g_" + this.StorageKey.ToString.Replace("-"c, "_"c) + @"');"" target=""_self"">click here</a> to configure<br>");

Sharepoint Allow Customization to users

A lot of people don't realize just how easy it is to create their own “Modify Page” link/button/whatever.... All you really need is something that can have an onClick event.... For example, here's a “Modify Page” button, drop this into a Content Editor web part, strip off the web part frame and you're done...
<input id="btnModifyPage" type="button" class="UserButton" onClick="javascript:MSOWebPartPage_OpenMenu(MSOMenu_SettingsMenu, this);" value="Modify Page" />
So simple, so easy, right? Now because this isn't the actually WebPartPages:SettingsLink web part it will not change text from “Modify Shared Page” and “Modify My Page” depending on the page view you're on.... For most users I don't find that a problem anyway, thus the button text here is “Modify Page” Nice and generic. The functionality is the same however, if a use has access to modify both a personal page and a shared page they can do both from this button..... The javascript command is the same in either case.