1. Building Custom Modules
For DotNetNuke v5.0
Stan Schultes – Sarasota, FL
Florida Community Leader
Book due March 2009 (Wrox):
Professional DotNetNuke 5: Open Source Web Application Framework for ASP.NET
This talk will begin with a quick technical overview of DotNetNuke, and a discussion of why you might build a custom DNN module. Demos will include how to install the DNN portal on a development machine, and how to install a custom module into the portal. Then we'll dive into setting up Visual Studio 2008 for module development and demonstrate how to install a module source package and run it in design mode. Finally, we'll walk through the process of developing a custom module using the sample module to provide details, and we'll see some development tips & tricks along the way. This is a 300-level session - some experience with DotNetNuke will be assumed.
© 2005 Stan Schultes and VBNetExpert.com. All rights reserved.
This presentation is for informational purposes only - no warranties, express or implied, are included in this summary.

2. Audience Experience Who is using DNN in production today?
Who has seen DNN v5? Used it?
Who has done DNN module development?
© 2005 Stan Schultes and VBNetExpert.com. All rights reserved.
This presentation is for informational purposes only - no warranties, express or implied, are included in this summary.

3. Agenda Level 300 DNN Technical Overview Why Custom Module Development?
Visual Studio Environment Setup, Design Mode
DNN Architecture, Development Overview
Custom Module Project Setup
Create Database Objects
Build Data and Business Objects Layer
Create User Controls
Package Modules for Deployment
Module Development Concepts
Developing & Debug, Tips & Tricks, More Info
Level 300

4. DNN Technical Overview
DotNetNuke is a “Live CMS”
Modular, extensible, framework application
Dynamically loaded user controls
Provider model allows pluggable services
Module loader mechanism allows easy extensibility
Major Components:
Portals = web sites (unique URLs)
Pages = portal organizational units
Modules = information containers
Online configuration & content mgmt by role
Many portals per DNN install
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

5. Why Custom Module Development?
Adding functionality to DNN:
Install Custom Modules
Build Custom Modules
Change Providers
Modify the DNN Core
Custom Modules are pluggable extensions to core DNN functionality
Easily modify existing modules as a starting point
Key concept:
Reuse core code without changing it
DNN is an application development platform
Tons of pluggable, flexible infrastructure is provided
DNN Providers: data, membership, search, friendly URLs, HTML editor, logging, exceptions, scheduling…
© 2005 Stan Schultes and VBNetExpert.com. All rights reserved.
This presentation is for informational purposes only - no warranties, express or implied, are included in this summary.

6. Visual Studio Environment Setup
DNN v5 developer prerequisites:
Vista, Server 2003/2008, Windows XP
Visual Studio 2008/2005, .NET FW v
SQL Server 2005/2008 (Express or Dev)
IIS, SMTP
Install DNN Starter Kit (for project templates)
Configure DNN (use Install Package) and test
Consider portal tags: objectQualifier, databaseOwner
© 2005 Stan Schultes and VBNetExpert.com. All rights reserved.
This presentation is for informational purposes only - no warranties, express or implied, are included in this summary.

7. DNN v5 in Design Mode Install module source package
Edit project file for URL
Open solution and check references
Create new module project
Project templates from Starter Kit
Run database scripts & test
Add module definitions & test
Host  Module Definitions
Run in Design mode:
Set project to Debug mode
Site web.config: <compilation debug=true>
Tools  Attach to Process (ASP.NET worker process)

8. Demo Visual Studio 2008 in Design Mode
All standard modules are now separate projects
Custom Module: WROX.Suggestion

9. DotNetNuke Architecture
Image from DotNetNuke Module Development Document

10. Module Development Overview
Custom Modules consist of:
Module container (provided by DNN)
Dynamically loaded user controls (.ascx)
Data layer components
Development process:
Project setup
Build the data & business logic layers
Create the user controls
Package for installation
Deployment
Develop modules in any .NET language

11. Create Database Objects
Tables and Stored Procedures
Create tables manually
Use an unique object prefix: WROX_Suggestion
Generate SPs with code gen tools
Test all SPs as you create them
Fields typically included in database:
ModuleID, ItemID, CreatedBy, CreatedDate
Create DB scripts for quick drop/add during dev
Build scripts for sample data
Resources: Data Access & Module Dev guides
CodeGen: CodeSmith, any O/R mapper
© 2005 Stan Schultes and VBNetExpert.com. All rights reserved.
This presentation is for informational purposes only - no warranties, express or implied, are included in this summary.

12. Build Data and Business Logic Layer
Easiest starting point – rename existing module
Project templates in Starter Kit
CodeSmith templates (these are for DNN v3)
Create the SPs, data classes, business objects
Do other templates exist?
Templates provide a jumpstart
Add your UI, business logic, and other functionality
Interfaces: IPortable, ISearchable, IHydratable IUpgradeable, IModuleControl, ISkinControl
Resources: Data Access & Module Dev guides
CodeSmith project setups:
Project: CodeSmithDemo in DesktopModules folder
Project: CodeSmithDemo in Desktopmodules\CodeSmithDemo\Providers\DataProviders (create last directory)
After adding SqlDataProvider project, delete the DAAB reference and re-add
Show generated code
Tools  CodeSmith Explorer
Run Stored Procedures template
Use company object qualifier throughout
Mutisource table connection string: Server=(local);Database=CMDev;Integrated Security=true;
Run other templates and paste in code
© 2005 Stan Schultes and VBNetExpert.com. All rights reserved.
This presentation is for informational purposes only - no warranties, express or implied, are included in this summary.

13. Create User Controls Module Definitions – tables affected
DesktopModules – module name & description
ModuleDefinitions – multiple definitions possible
ModuleControls – user controls by control key
User Controls inherit from PortalModuleBase
Typical controls: View, Edit, Settings
IActionable – implement to create menu items
EditURL, NavigateURL methods
Localization and Styling
Reusable DNN core controls
Url, Url Tracking, Address, Dual List, Label, User, etc.
Existing .aspx pages can be converted to .ascx

14. Package Modules for Deployment
Traditional deployment unit is a zipfile including
.dnn manifest file – name & location of all contained files with directory structure
Required .ascx’s and .dll’s
Resource files such as images
Source code
New Package Installer – ‘Extensions’
Module, container, skin, provider, language, etc.
Compatible with old deployment zipfile
Host  Module Definitions: edit a module
Link at bottom: Create Package
Creates zipfile in Host directory (\Portals\_default)
© 2005 Stan Schultes and VBNetExpert.com. All rights reserved.
This presentation is for informational purposes only - no warranties, express or implied, are included in this summary.

15. Demo Look at custom module: WROX.Suggestion Deployment package
Jumpstart – creating a new module

16. Custom Module Project Setup
Requires the DNN Starter Kit to be installed
Create new project  Web  DNN Compiled Module
Yes at the localhost\DotNetNuke_2 directory dialog
Update Project Properties  Web  Urls
Create Providers\DataProviders directory
Add new project  Windows  Class Library
Name it SqlDataProvider in DataProviders directory
Manually move SqlDataProvider.vb from Components
Rename projects
Company.Modules.CustomModule
Company.Modules.CustomModule.SqlDatProvider
Reference DotNetNuke and MS DAAB
Resources: Starter Kit documentation

17. Module Development Concepts
Namespaces
Portal data structures and methods
Module settings – instance data cached in IIS
Page navigation – EditURL, NavigateURL
Users, Roles and Security
Reusable core controls
Localization – create resources for all strings
Client API / AJAX / jQuery
Exceptions and logging
Inter-module communication

18. Developing and Debugging
Debugging your module: attach to process
w3wp.exe in Vista/Servers, aspnet_wp.exe in XP
set a breakpoint in Page_Load
Common troubleshooting
Exception log: Admin  Event Viewer
Read the error messages carefully
Code flow through the portal core
HTTPHandlers – Global.asax – Default.aspx – LoadSkin – InjectModule – module Page_Load
© 2005 Stan Schultes and VBNetExpert.com. All rights reserved.
This presentation is for informational purposes only - no warranties, express or implied, are included in this summary.

19. Tips & Tricks Be familiar with the standard modules
Look for examples of calling core functions
Start here rather than working from scratch
Code generation tools can save a lot of time
ObjectBrowser is your friend!
Goal: modify DNN core only for critical bug fixes
Switch providers to change core functions
Useful documents: Module Dev Guide, Data Access, Localization, Membership, Skinning

20. More Information DotNetNuke home: http://www.dotnetnuke.com
DNN forums
Resources directory
Gemini bug tracking
DNN Documents
Resource sites:
Search – there’s a lot of information out there

21. Contact Website: www.VBNetExpert.com
Slide deck is available (DotNetNuke  Downloads)
Blog: StanSchultes.spaces.live.com