1. DotNetNuke Portal – Custom Module Development
Stan Schultes
Enterprise architect / application developer
Conference speaker, mentor, trainer
Contributing Editor, Visual Studio Magazine
Founder - .NET Pub Club (netpubclub.net)
Microsoft MVP

2. WebCast Series on DotNetNuke
DNN v3 – Overview
January 31, 2005
DNN v3 – Installation and Configuration
DNN v3 – Portal Management
February 4, 2005
DNN v3 – Custom Module Development
Overview – General survey of DNN v3 portal features with highlights of things that are new in v3.
Installation & Configuration – covers what you need to get the DNN v3 portal running.
Portal Management – covers how to make the DNN v3 portal work for you.
Custom Module Development – dives into what you need to know to develop custom modules, with examples.

3. Audience Polls
How much experience with ASP.NET (0,<1yr, 1-2yr, 2-3yr, >3yr)?
Who is using DNN in production today (Y/N)?
Who has seen DNN v3 (Y/N)?
Who is building Custom Modules (none, v1, v2, v3)?

4. Presentation Outline Portal Review and Requirements
Custom Module Installation
Technical Overview & Architecture
DNN in Design Mode, Breaking Changes
Custom Module Development & Process
Converting Modules from v1 & v2
Tips & Tricks and Resources
This is a survey session!

5. DNN Portal Review & Reqm’ts
DNN is a “live CMS”
Portals = web sites (unique URLs)
Pages = portal organizational units
Modules = information containers
User access to info is controlled by Roles
DNN v3 development requires:
Win2K, WinXP, Server 2003
.NET FW v1.1, VS 2003 (can build without VS)
SQL Server 2000, IIS, SMTP
Tabs appear as the menu structure of the portal.
Modules are sited on tabs and contain portal content.
Module options provide specific customizations

6. Custom Module Installation
Custom Module aka Private Assembly (PA)
PA is a zipfile containing files and .dnn manifest
CMs distributed as samples:
PageTitle
Survey
Users Online
Install/Config with Host  Module Definitions
Control Types, Multiple Controls
Private Assembly – module for DNN which is built & packaged as a separate add-in component
Install Suggestions
Multiple modules appear within Host->Module Definitions under the definitions dropdown

7. DNN - Technical Overview
Modular, extensible, framework application
Dynamically loaded user controls
Online configuration & content mgmt by role
Portals are web sites (unique URLs)
Create sub-portals in the same installation
Portals are individually managed and skinnnable
Provider model allows pluggable services
Modularizes the core
Framework app –a dynamically generated application with a provider structure for plumbing (data access, membership, scheduler, logging, exceptions, etc.)
Modular construction – modules plug in easily through an install/uninstall interface. You can deploy your portals with whatever modular options you want.
Portals:
Parent Portals are sites which have a unique URL ( ie. ) associated to them.
Child Portals are subhosts of your Hosting Provider account. Essentially this means a directory is created on the web server which allows the site to be accessed through a URL address which includes a Parent domain name as well as the directory name ( ie. ).
Provider model: data access, membership, html editor, search, scheduling, logging, friendly urls

8. DotNetNuke Data Architecture

9. Provider Model Based on Whidbey Provider model (see Resources)
Data provider:
SQL Server 2000/MSDE
Access – by Blackjacket Software
(future) mySQL, Oracle
Other Providers in v3:
Membership (Whidbey membership model)
HTML editor
Logger
Scheduler
Search
Friendly URLs
Provider Model: an architected interface that allows optional or replacement features to be plugged in.
Aka Factory Design Pattern.
Create a generic interface or API as a contract, plug-ins conform to that contract (like COM)

10. DNN in Design Mode DNN v3 built with VS.NET 2003 (.NET Framework v1.1)
If not using default DotNetNuke virtual directory
Change .sln and .webinfo files
Web.config changes:
Database connection string: SiteSqlServer in appSettings
<compilation debug=true>
<forms name=PortalName …>
Data: objectQualifier, databaseOwner
Release vs. Debug mode
All standard modules are now separate projects
Build custom modules in any .NET language
Modify .sln and .vbproj.webinfo files if not using the default DotNetNuke virtual directory.

11. Breaking Changes in v3 Core
These are discussed in the Core Framework forum on ASP.NET:
Username vs. ID
FreeTextBox v2 and HTML Provider
Reorganized Namespaces
Removal of legacy files
Use GetDBConnectionString instead of appSettings connection string
NavigateURL and EditURL now use overloads
Links to files
Context.User.Identity.Name  UserInfo.UserID.ToString (commonly stored in CreatedByUser field)
FTB – if you called FTB 1 code directly, your code won’t work.
Namespaces: use PortalModuleBase instead of PortalModuleControl
Legacy files: ModuleTitle.ascx, DesktopPortalBanner.ascx, DesktopPortalFooter.ascx, EditModule.aspx, or DesktopDefault.aspx
Links to files – return FileID – must join to Files table to get actual path

12. Custom Module Development
Provider Model – plumbing & services
Module Interfaces:
IActionable – settings menu handling
IPortable – for module import/export
ISearchable – new search interface
IUpgradeable – lets developer run custom logic
DNN.Services.Personalization
DNN.Services.Localization (static)

13. Custom Module Development 2
DNN.Services.FileSystem
DNN.Services.Log & Exceptions
DNN.Services.Scheduling
DNN.UI.UserControls - Core User Controls:
Address, DualListControl, Help, LabelControl, SectionHeadControl, TextEditor, UrlControl, UrlTrackingControl
File sub-Folders & Permissions

14. CM Development Process
Development Overview:
Project Setup
Build the Data Layer
Create the User Controls
Package for Installation
Deployment
User Controls inherit from PortalModuleBase
Typical controls: View, Edit, Settings
Develop CMs in any .NET language

15. Custom Module Project Setup
Open the main DotNetNuke.sln
Add your module and provider projects
Reference DotNetNuke and MS DAAB
Add references to BuildSupport project
Solution Explorer: Configuration Manager, uncheck build boxes
Set Default.aspx to default web page
Fix all namespace and build issues

16. Converting Modules from v1
To start: convert to v2 modules, then to v3
Convert v1 data calls to v2 data provider model
Edit & Module Options no longer shared with panel controls
Module registration:
Module tables have changed
No .sql script for controls registration
Manifest .dnn file structure defines module registrations
PMC.Actions.Add for referencing controls
ArrayLists for data binding
Use EditURL and NavigateURL methods
Be sure to test all SPs!
Split original source Edit control with panels into two: Edit & Options
Modules tables: DesktopModules, ModuleDefinitions, ModuleControls
Legacy files: ModuleTitle.ascx, DesktopPortalBanner.ascx, DesktopPortalFooter.ascx, EditModule.aspx, and DesktopDefault.aspx
ArrayLists instead of Data Readers for databinding - use al.count=0

17. Converting Modules from v2
Breaking changes list
Legacy files removed – redirects must change
Some replaced by skins / containers
Refer to glbDefaultPage instead of Default.aspx
Refer to routine HasNecessaryPermission in components\security\security.vb for permissions checks
Database changes: addition of TabModules table
Create proper namespaces and module prefixes
Menu changes: implement IActionable (plus new interfaces)
Module options: change Edit control key to Settings
ModuleSettings vs. TabModuleSettings
TabModules table – Modules no longer contains TabID
Legacy files: ModuleTitle.ascx, DesktopPortalBanner.ascx, DesktopPortalFooter.ascx, EditModule.aspx, or DesktopDefault.aspx

18. Development – Tips & Tricks
Be familiar with standard modules source
Find similar module to use as a starting point
Use code generation tools: VS project templates, CodeSmith, PACT, etc.
ObjectBrowser is your friend
Purge vswebcache
Goal: only modify core for critical bug fixes
Switch providers to change core functions
Docs: Module Dev Guide, Localization, Data Access, Membership, Client API, Skinning

19. Learn More DotNetNuke: www.dotnetnuke.com
FW 1.1:
Provider Model:
My V1 modules column: magazine/columns/gettingstarted/
DNN docs: site documentation subfolder
DNN help:
Resource sites:
Developer sites:
Free modules list: