Wiley Professional DotNetNuke Module Programming
Contents
1. Introduction to DotNetNuke and Resources Anyone can visit DotNetNuke com and download a copy of the DotNetNuke development framework but it is a very daunting task to fully understand the different versions packages and resources available This chapter provides an overview of DotNetNuke versions packages and resources those available via DotNetNuke com and other community sites This chapter begins with an examination of the three major DotNetNuke versions available and details a bit of the history surrounding how DotNetNuke has evolved to the framework that it is today Technology and other requirements are discussed for key releases in recent DotNetNuke history The discussion then examines the various download packages available from DotNetNuke com and the process for obtaining legacy versions should the need arise for a noncurrent version The chapter concludes with a quick overview of community resources available for more information on DotNetNuke and module development with DotNetNuke Versions Explained A first time visitor to the DotNetNuke website can easily be confused by all the versions of DotNetNuke As of this writing the DotNetNuke com website has published links for downloading versions 4 8 4 4 70 4 62 and 3 3 7 This alone can be very confusing to many as identifying the proper starting point can be a bit unclear The following sections examine the 3 x 4 x and 5 x versions of DotNetNuke with key mileston2. 85314 VS 80 aspx Chapter 1 Introduction to DotNetNuke and Resources The following template types are included with the Starter Kit The following descriptions discuss multiple project types and are provided for reference only Chapter 2 provides a deeper look at the differences between project types Q DotNetNuke Web Application Framework This template is the entire DotNetNuke solution that can be used to set up a website for development This template should not be used because development can more easily be completed via manual installations using the Install package Q DotNetNuke Compiled Module VB This template will create a Web Application Project WAP compiled Visual Basic VB module This template creates all standard DotNetNuke module elements including the data access layer DAL and multiple view controls This is the template that is used in this book for all VB examples It creates a module that will be compiled into a single d11 for distribution via standard build processes Q DotNetNuke Dynamic Module VB This template will create a Web Site Project WSP VB module that utilizes the app_code folder for all classes This template creates a complete module with similar contents to the Compiled Module template including full DAL classes This template is recommended for users with Visual Studio Express which prior to Visual Studio 2008 Service Pack 1 cannot support the WAP development model Chapter 2 p
3. DotNetNuke com The DotNetNuke com website shown in Figure 1 1 is the most commonly overlooked community resource There is so much information on this site that many people give up before finding exactly what they need The material presented here can help you zero in on the information you are looking for and perhaps other items of interest Chapter 1 Introduction to DotNetNuke and Resources Web Site Search Products Resources Programs Community News About ye DOTNETNUKE VYeeree SG Forums Home Join A User Group Today Register Login Need Help L J Members Custom Module Development Membership Latest jkeyse64 New Today 186 New Yesterday 272 Overall 590335 gt gt gt DNN 4 8 4 Security Release Now Available lt lt lt People Online Visitors 796 Get Support Members 34 DotNetNuke is a free Totals a3e Open Source Framework Quick Links ideal for creating Enterprise Pe ae Web Applications Ads DotNetNuke Security Figure 1 4 From the home page you can see that the navigational structure is clearly laid out for quickly getting to key items Downloads Obviously the Downloads link shown at the top of Figure 1 1 is one of the most active pages of the DotNetNuke website Using this link you can access downloads for all current and past versions of the DotNetNuke core and core modules You must be registered and logged into the DotNetNuke com website in order to view the downloads On
4. be available Install Package The Install package of DotNetNuke is exactly that the minimal collection of files needed to run the DotNetNuke framework including all core DotNetNuke modules not all are installed by default and compiled library assemblies This package is used in Chapter 2 to create the development environment used throughout the remainder of the book Recommended Uses This package of DotNetNuke is recommended for all production installations and all development environments that will not require modifications to the core DotNetNuke framework Some individuals additionally use this version for upgrade purposes to ensure that core modules are upgraded at the same time as the core Benefits Using this package has a number of benefits but one of the best is that it is simply a less cluttered download Because you only get the core files needed to install and use DotNetNuke you are not bothered by other files that you will not modify Chapter 1 Introduction to DotNetNuke and Resources Upgrade Package The final DotNetNuke package available is the Upgrade package This package is optimized to include only the files needed to upgrade to the specific version This package does not contain a few key files that would cause problems with upgrades The most notable difference is that this package does not contain a web config file although you do have a release config file for reference if needed which is essentially a co
5. ce you are logged in you will notice that the downloads are divided into multiple sections Q Core Framework You can use the Core Framework download section to locate the different versions and packages referenced earlier in this chapter Notes regarding the specifics of each version and package are also provided to ensure that the most appropriate package is downloaded Q Supplementary Downloads These components are downloads that are part of the core but not part of the DotNetNuke Projects program Items downloaded here are developed for use in the core framework but do not have any other place for download QO DotNetNuke Projects New Releases Downloads in this section include the most current releases of various core DotNetNuke module projects The key thing to note about this section is that not all module downloads are found here only the most current releases for modules that have had recent releases are found here For modules not listed here the module s project page is the place to go for downloads Q Legacy Releases The Legacy Releases section contains a single link to the SourceForge net repository for all DotNetNuke downloads Clicking this link brings up the window shown in Figure 1 2 Following links from this page you can drill down to find any legacy release of any DotNetNuke project This function is a very commonly overlooked aspect of the DotNetNuke downloads section Chapter 1 Introduction to DotNetNuke an
6. d Resources Latest File Releases Package Release Notes Monitor Downloads DotNetNuke 04 08 04 June 11 2008 DotNetNuke Announcements DotNetNuke Auth AD DotNetNuke Auth 01 00 00 February 7 2008 Cardspace DotNetNuke Auth LivelD DotNetNuke Auth OpenID DotNetNuke Blog DotNetNuke Chat DotNetNuke Contacts DotNetNuke 04 00 01 January 27 2008 01 00 03 March 19 2008 01 00 00 October 17 2007 01 00 00 October 17 2007 03 04 00 January 8 2008 01 00 01 January 27 2008 03 01 00 June 9 2005 04 00 00 April 4 2008 Figure 1 2 Forums The DotNetNuke forums are a great technical resource Many community members and core team members monitor the forums on a very regular basis to answer various questions and share information about numerous aspects of DotNetNuke Typically if you are encountering an issue when you are starting out with module development or any other task within the DotNetNuke framework you can get a response within a day The amount of information shared via this communication channel is quite amazing and many new users can benefit greatly simply by reviewing past threads to learn the various tips and tricks shared Blogs Blogs on DotNetNuke com are written by core team members and project team leads Typically this communication channel is where you can get an idea of when the next module release is going to be or what new features are going to be included in the ne
7. ented as an item template and may only be added to a DotNetNuke Web Application Framework solution created via the template discussed previously Chapter 1 Introduction to DotNetNuke and Resources Source Package The source package of DotNetNuke contains all source code for the DotNetNuke framework in a fashion that can be modified right out of the box The downloaded ZIP file contains two folders Web site and library The Web site portion is the same as that provided with the Install version The library section provides all additional source code used to create the compiled DotNetNuke d11 files that are included in installation and upgrade versions Recommended Uses The use of this package of DotNetNuke is recommended only for individuals who are interested in customizing the DotNetNuke core Note here that modifications to the DotNetNuke core will remove an installation from the upgrade path and all changes must be managed on a case by case basis during upgrade In my experience I have found that it is much easier to find other ways around a core modification that enable my sites to stay on the standard upgrade path Benefits Regardless of customizations to the core framework this version will provide you with all source code for the DotNetNuke framework Many organizations view this as a great benefit as you have all source code available for review and or modification should business needs arise that require the code to
8. es identified and details on when and why the downloads are available The DotNetNuke Corporation provides all historical versions for download but they can be a bit complicated to locate All historical version downloads can be found via the Legacy Releases section of the Downloads page which can direct you to the SourceForge listings for all DotNetNuke downloads Chapter 1 Introduction to DotNetNuke and Resources 3 X Versions The 3 x DotNetNuke platform is a legacy platform that is designed to work with ASP NET 1 1 The final release of the 3 x platform was version 3 3 7 released November 30 2006 The new use of this platform is not recommended because many security and performance enhancements have been completed in subsequent releases Users currently on the DotNetNuke 3 x platform can follow standard upgrade processes to upgrade installations to the most current DotNetNuke releases In many cases this is recommended via a multi step upgrade process The exact process for upgrading is beyond the scope of this book but Appendix A provides community resources with upgrade guides 4 x Versions The 4 x DotNetNuke platform was the first version to be built for the NET 2 0 framework Releases prior to 4 3 7 were done in parallel to the 3 x platform to allow the option of running NET 1 1 or 2 0 Starting with version 4 4 0 the 4 x version was the only supported version During the 4 x life cycle DotNetNuke issued many releas
9. es with greatly improved core functionality Following are some highlighted versions Q Version 4 4 0 Released in December 2006 Version 4 4 0 provided major performance and scalability improvements After upgrading many users noticed dramatic performance improvements With this being the first NET 2 0 only release many 3 x users were encouraged to upgrade to this version to attain the performance benefits Q Version 4 5 0 Released in April 2007 version 4 5 0 provided many usability and performance enhancements to the framework The most notable enhancement with this release was the inclusion of ASP NET Ajax integration into the core framework This integration enables module developers to implement Ajax functionality with actions as simple as checking a box to have controls automatically wrapped in an update panel Q Version 4 6 0 Released in September 2007 version 4 6 0 was announced as a stabilization release However it included a few somewhat hidden enhancements that enabled developers to produce more efficient modules Most notable was the inclusion of the Hydratable interface for object hydration IHydratable is discussed in detail in Chapter 10 Another key enhancement with this release was the default inclusion of the FCK editor that replaced the older FreeTextBox editor for all rich text editing inside a DotNetNuke portal Q Version 4 6 2 Released September 2007 version 4 6 2 is worth noting because it contains a mostly unkn
10. inal resource that is worth mentioning This sponsorship program enables individuals to attain community recognition for supporting the DotNetNuke project as well as attain more direct access to DotNetNuke core team members for assistance via a private discussion forum For individuals who want a more direct communication channel for questions and answers while supporting the open source initiative this is the way to participate with mutual benefits Community Resources There are many community resources that provide more focused DotNetNuke tutorials videos training and other general help Some resources are available free while others have membership costs associated with them Following are a few resources that are key for an individual starting with development in DotNetNuke Q dnncreative com This website is a subscription service that provides video tutorials related to site configuration administration troubleshooting and development Many individuals find the information contained on this site to be an invaluable resource Membership to DNN Creative grants a user access to more than 300 historical tutorials reviews and more as well as access to all upcoming content for the next year Qo dotnetnuke adefwebserver com This website is maintained by Michael Washington a long standing DotNetNuke core team member On this site you will find guided module development tutorials each focusing on one key element These quick to read t
11. ms to note in this release include a new default skin and an updated version of the FCK editor control providing support for the Safari browser 5 x Versions The DotNetNuke 5 x platform includes many major enhancements to the core DotNetNuke system This includes a unified package system for modules skin objects skins and more as well as separation of core administration modules to provide users with greater flexibility in site management than was possible in prior versions As of this writing the exact date of the first 5 x release is unknown but it is likely to be available by the time you read this All topics covered in this book relate to the 5 x version Differences between the 5 x version and previous versions are pointed out where appropriate Packages Explained Each version of DotNetNuke contains four different packages that may be downloaded for use Knowing the differences between the packages and which one to use is key to successfully working with and developing for DotNetNuke The following sections explain the differences between the packages as well as the factors governing when each should be used Starter Kit The Starter Kit is a Visual Studio Installer Package vsi used to add DotNetNuke specific templates to your Visual Studio installation You can find more detailed information on Visual Studio Installer packages at the Microsoft Developers Network MSDN at http msdn microsoft com en us library ms1
12. own feature XMLMerge which enables individuals to upgrade to any future version of DotNetNuke without manually merging web config files This is a major administrative benefit because the risk for failed upgrades is dramatically reduced when manual web config changes are no longer required Q Version 4 8 0 Released December 2007 version 4 8 0 provided support for Visual Studio 2008 and Internet Information Server IIS 7 0 compatibility for the entire framework The versions released between 4 5 0 and 4 8 0 were stabilization releases that helped to solidify the DotNetNuke core and created the solid base needed to create DotNetNuke 5 0 Chapter 1 Introduction to DotNetNuke and Resources Security Releases As of this writing a number of security point releases for example 4 8 3 and 4 8 4 where completed to resolve security issues identified in prior versions of the framework Because of the security issues resolved in these versions DotNetNuke Corporation strongly recommended that users upgrade to the most current point version to resolve any potential security concerns For detailed information regarding security notices and other security concerns visit the DotNetNuke Security Policy page at www dotnetnuke com News SecurityPolicy tabid 940 Default aspx Version 4 9 0 Released September 2008 version 4 9 0 provided a few additional security fixes as well as a few back ported features from the upcoming 5 0 release Special ite
13. py of the web config file It is named differently to avoid the accidental overwriting of an existing configuration Recommended Uses The only recommended use for this package is to perform an upgrade to an existing DotNetNuke site Note that depending on your existing DotNetNuke version the upgrade process might not be as simple as overwriting files with the Upgrade package See the available DotNetNuke documentation and community resources for complete information regarding DotNetNuke upgrades Benefits The major benefit of this package is that it is a simple package that can be used to quickly update the core DotNetNuke framework and associated items that need to be upgraded namely the Text HTML module because it is part of the core You will not be bothered with the extra overhead of updated core modules and install only files Along these same lines this package will prevent many common errors that often occur when individuals upgrade using the Install package Resources A project as large of DotNetNuke has many resources available those provided by DotNetNuke Corporation and those provided by community members Abundant though this information is for many people starting to develop in DotNetNuke you may find yourself in a vexing cat and mouse game looking for the information specific to your needs The following sections introduce many DotNetNuke and community resources that contain valuable tutorials and or documentation
14. rovides full information on Visual Studio versions and project types This template is implemented as an item template and may only be added to a DotNetNuke Web Application Framework solution created via the template discussed previously Q DotNetNuke Dynamic Module C This template will create a Web Site Project WSP C module that utilizes the app_code folder for all classes The created project will be exactly like that of the Dynamic VB Module but translated to the C language This project template is recommended for developers who prefer C and are using Visual Studio Express This template is implemented as an item template and may only be added to a DotNetNuke Web Application Framework solution created via the template discussed previously Q DotNetNuke Simple Dynamic Module VB This template will create a dynamic VB NET module but the module created will only have a single view control and the dnn manifest This is designed for individuals looking for a custom implementation or those looking for a clean project to start with This template is implemented as an item template and may only be added to a DotNetNuke Web Application Framework solution created via the template discussed previously Q DotNetNuke Skin The final template included in the Starter Kit creates all files needed to create a single skin and container for a DotNetNuke website Chapter 3 discusses skins and containers in more detail This template is implem
15. utorials are great for refreshers or to quickly learn how to complete a specific task Q mitchelsellers com This is my website where I maintain a mostly DotNetNuke focused blog Any updates to this book after publication will also be included here You will find detailed installation upgrade migration backup and development tutorials mixed in with relevant blog postings Appendix A contains a more comprehensive listing of available community resources Chapter 1 Introduction to DotNetNuke and Resources Summary 10 This chapter has introduced the different versions and packages of DotNetNuke as well as a few community resources that might help greatly along the way Understanding the differences between the DotNetNuke versions is key to understanding dependencies and capabilities which is a key component when distributing custom modules Now that you have a firm base knowledge of the DotNetNuke package options you are ready to progress to the installation and configuration of the development environment as well as a discussion about the available project types all of which is covered in detail in Chapter 2
16. xt core release Many helpful tutorials are posted such as those from Michael Washington Charles Nurse and many others which help expose the development community to sometimes little known benefits of the DotNetNuke core Documentation Documentation is available via the DotNetNuke com website However as of this writing the information contained in this section is a bit out of date especially from a development standpoint Nonetheless much of it can be very helpful for those looking to understand how the core framework is put together A few key documents include Module Localization Guide Security Hardening Installations and Security Module Development These documents address three key DotNetNuke areas of concern and provide a great deal of information in a compact and easy to read format Chapter 1 Introduction to DotNetNuke and Resources Online Help Another great resource available at www dotnetnuke com Resources Knowledge DotNetNukeOnlineHelp tabid 787 Default aspx is the online help documentation for the most current DotNetNuke version This documentation is directed more toward site administrators and content management but many advanced topics are covered to help answer questions regarding core DotNetNuke functionality The DotNetNuke Corporation also offers a PDF version of this documentation for those looking for an offline solution Sponsorship Program The DotNetNuke sponsorship program is one f
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