Building Websites with VB.NET and DotNetNuke 4

Table of Contents

Building Websites with VB.NET and DotNetNuke 4

Credits

About the Authors

About the Reviewers

Introduction

What This Book Covers

What You Need for Using This Book

Conventions

Reader Feedback

Customer Support

Downloading the Example Code for the Book

Errata

Questions

1. What is DotNetNuke?

Open-Source Web Portals

What is a Web Portal?

Common Portal Features

Why DotNetNuke?

PHP-Nuke

Metadot

Rainbow

DotNetNuke

Benefits of Using an Established Program

The DotNetNuke Community

Core Team

The DotNetNuke Discussion Forum

The Bug Tracker

DotNetNuke Project Roadmap Team

The License Agreement

Coffee Connections

Determining Client Needs

What is a User Story?

Advantages of Using User Stories

Coffee Connections User Stories

Summary

2. Installing DotNetNuke

Installing DotNetNuke (Local Version)

Clean Installation

Downloading the Code

Setting Up a Virtual Directory

Using Windows Explorer (the Easy Way)

Using the Virtual Directory Creation Wizard

Verifying Default Documents

Setting Security Permissions

Setting up the Database

Upgrading

Upgrade Checklist

Back Up Your Database

Back up Your DotNetNuke files

Logging In as Admin and Changing Passwords

Summary

3. Users, Roles, and Pages

User Accounts

What is a User?

Creating User Accounts

Setting Required Registration Fields

Managing a Profile

Registering a User Manually

Understanding DotNetNuke Roles

Assigning Security Roles to Users

Understanding DotNetNuke Pages and tabIDs

Administering Pages

Summary

4. Standard DotNetNuke Modules

DotNetNuke Modules

Adding a Module

Module Settings

Editing a Module

Importing and Exporting Content

Syndicate Information

Online Help and Documentation

Editing Module Functionality

Basic Settings

Advanced Settings

Page Settings

Standard Modules

Account Login Module

Practical Purposes

Administration and Modification

Special Features

Announcements Module

Practical Purposes

Administration and Modification

Special Features

Banner Module

Contacts Module

Practical Purposes

Administration and Modification

Special Features

Documents Module

Practical Purposes

Administration and Modification

Special Features and Additional Information

Events Module

Practical Purposes

Administration and Modification

Special Features and Additional Information

FAQs Module

Practical Purposes

Administration and Modification

Special Features and Additional Information

Feedback Module

Practical Purposes

Administration and Modification

Special Features and Additional Information

IFrame Module

Practical Purposes

Administration and Modification

Special Features and Additional Information

Links Module

Practical Purposes

Administration and Modification

Special Features and Additional Information

News Feed (RSS) Module

Practical Purposes

Administration and Modification

Special Features

Text/HTML Module

Practical Purposes

Administration and Modification

Special Features and Additional Information

User Accounts Module

Practical Purpose

Administration and Modification

Special Features and Additional Information

User Defined Table Module

Practical Purpose

Administration and Modification

Special Features and Additional Information

XML/XSL Module

Practical Purpose

Administration and Modification

Special Features and Additional Information

Summary

5. Host and Admin Tools

The Difference between Host and Admin

Admin Tools

Site Settings

Basic Settings

Advanced Settings

Stylesheet Editor

Pages Menu

Security Roles

User Accounts

Vendors

Site Log

Newsletters

File Manager

Recycle Bin

Log Viewer

Skins

Languages

Host Tools

Host Settings

Basic Settings

Advanced Settings

Portals

Module Definitions

File Manager

Vendors

SQL

Schedule

Languages

Search Admin

Lists

Superuser Accounts

Extra Options on the Admin Menu

Common Tasks

Summary

6. Understanding the DotNetNuke Core Architecture

Architecture Overview

Diving into the Core

Using the Context Object in Your Application

The PortalSettings Class

Working with the Configuration Files

The web.config File

Configuring the Providers Used in DotNetNuke

Handling the Providers

The Group

The Group

HTTP Modules

Application Settings

The Global Files

Global.aspx.vb

Application Start

Examining Application_BeginRequest

The Globals.vb File

Putting It All Together

Summary

7. Custom Module Development

Setting up the Development Environment

The Coffee Shop Listing Module

Creating the View Control

Displaying the Module

What we have Accomplished

The Module Folder Structure

Inheriting from PortalModuleBase

Module Configuration

Diagnosing Errors using the Log Viewer

Navigation and Localization

Create EditShopList.ascx

Navigation

Localization

Update the Configuration

Navigate from ShopList to EditShopList

What we have Accomplished

IActionable

NavigateUrl

Adding Localization

Summary

8. Connecting to the Database

DotNetNuke Data Access Layer (DAL)

Create the Database Elements

Execute the SQL Script

Create the Class Files

Insert the DAL+ Code

Create the Settings Page

Update the Configuration

View the Settings Page

What we have Accomplished

SQL Scripts

The DAL+

The Business Logic Layer (BLL)

The CoffeeShopListingOptionsInfo class

Custom Business Objects (CBO)

The CoffeeShopListingOptionsController Class

The Settings Page

Inheriting from ModuleSettingsBase

Overriding LoadSettings and UpdateSettings

Built-in DotNetNuke User Controls

Comparing the DAL to the DAL+

A Close-up Look at the DAL

Create the DataProvider.vb

Create the SqlDataProvider.vb

Create the BLL Layer

DAL Summary

Complete the Presentation Layer

Alter and Complete ShopList

Alter and Complete EditShopList

Build and View the Module

Implementing Optional Interfaces

Implementing IPortable

Implementing ISearchable

Making IPortable and ISearchable Work

Testing Your Module

Packaging Your Module for Distribution

Installation Scripts

Create the Installation Scripts

The Install ZIP File

Testing Your Installation

Summary

9. Skinning Your Site

What Are Skin Packages?

Uploading a Skin Package

Applying the Skin

Creating a Custom Skin

What Tools can we Use?

Creating a Skin Using HTML

Creating the HTML Files

Creating the Container

Creating the XML Support Files

Creating a Skin Using Visual Web Developer

Creating the Web User Controls

Placing the Skin Objects

Placing the Container Objects

Creating the Cascading Style Sheets

Creating the Skin Package

Summary

10. Deploying Your DNN Portal

Acquiring a Domain Name

Finding a Hosting Provider

Preparing Your Local Site

Setting Up the Database

Backup and Restore Database

Build New Database

FTP Your Files

Summary

11. Creating Multiple Portals

Multiple Portals

Parent Portals versus Child Portals

Setting up a Parent Portal

Registering Your Domain and Setting the DNS

Creating a Parent Portal

Setting Up a Child Portal

Creating Portal Templates

Using the Site Wizard

Managing Multiple Portals

Summary

Index

Building Websites with VB.NET and DotNetNuke 4

Daniel N. Egan

Michael Washington

Steve Valenzuela

Building Websites with VB.NET and DotNetNuke 4

Copyright © 2006 Packt Publishing

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embedded in critical articles or reviews.

Every effort has been made in the preparation of this book to ensure the accuracy of the information presented. However, the information contained in this book is sold without warranty, either express or implied. Neither the authors, Packt Publishing, nor its dealers or distributors will be held liable for any damages caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by this book.

Packt Publishing has endeavored to provide trademark information about all the companies and products mentioned in this book by the appropriate use of capitals. However, Packt Publishing cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.

First published: October 2006

Production Reference: 1290906

Published by Packt Publishing Ltd. 32 Lincoln Road Olton Birmingham, B27 6PA, UK.

ISBN 1-904811-99-X

www.packtpub.com

Cover Image by www.visionwt.com

Credits

Authors

Daniel N. Egan

Michael A. Washington

Steve Valenzula

Additional Material

Charles Nurse

Reviewers

Jerry Spohn

Jim Wooley

Development Editor

Douglas Paterson

Technical Editors

Mithil Kulkarni

Bhushan Pangaonkar

Editorial Manager

Dipali Chittar

Indexer

Mithil Kulkarni

Proofreader

Chris Smith

Layouts and Illustrations

Shantanu Zagade

Cover Designer

Shantanu Zagade

About the Authors

Daniel Egan has held a variety of positions in the information technology and engineering fields over the last nine years. Currently, he is a System Development Specialist for Automated Data Processing's Southern California region, working extensively in database applications and web development. Daniel is an MCP and MCSD.

In addition to his development work, he teaches a VB.NET Certification course at California State University, Fullerton as well as serves on its .NET Advisory board. He is also the founder and chief author of Dot Net Doc (www.DotNetDoc.com), a .NET and DNN developer resource website built using the DotNetNuke framework. He has written numerous articles on DotNetNuke and the underlying DNN architecture. He is also the founder of the LA/Orange County DNN Usergroup and is currenly working on two DNN-related projects: DNNUsergroup Online (www.DNNUGOnline.com), a portal designed to allow usergroups to broadcast their meetings online, and DotNetNuke Radio, a live internet radio show about DotNetNuke.

Michael Washington is a website developer and an ASP.NET, C#, and Visual Basic programmer. He is a DotNetNuke Core member and has been involved with DotNetNuke for over three years. He is the author of numerous DotNetNuke modules and tutorials. He is one of the founding members of the Southern California DotNetNuke Users group (www.socaldug.org). He has a son, Zachary, and resides in Los Angeles with his wife Valerie.

Steve Valenzula is the manager of the University Extended Education (UEE) IT Department at California State University, Fullerton, where he has worked for the last five years. Steve has worked specifically with DotNetNuke for over two years, in that time re-designing and delivering various Extended Education websites on the DotNetNuke portal framework as well as designing and delivering custom modules that support the function of University Extended Education.

Charles Nurse has been developing software for more than 25 years. He is owner of his own consulting business, Keydance Computer Services, and has been a DotNetNuke developer for over three years, the last two years as a Trustee. He was lead developer on the .NET 2 version of DotNetNuke (DNN 4.0).

A native of Bristol, England, he obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from Oxford University. In 1978, he moved to Canada to continue his studies at the University of Bristish Columbia where he obtained a Ph.D. (also in Chemistry), and where he met his wife Eileen. More recently (2003) he completed a Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Object Technology Programming at Simon Fraser University.

He is in the process of developing his own DotNetNuke Developer Resource site (www.dnndevzone.com) where he will be providing articles for developing for and with DotNetNuke.

He lives in Langley, BC, Canada with his wife and two children, both students at Simon Fraser University.

About the Reviewers

Jerry Spohn has been working with computers since the age of 11, at which he first began learning programming on a Commodore VIC 20. Times have changed, and he moved through the interesting world of IBM mainframes into PCs. After taking numerous courses on database design, programming, and object-oriented methodologies, he moved into Visual Basic and other Microsoft languages.

Jerry currently works as a Development Manager for a medium-sized software company in Pennsylvania. He also manages over 25 different websites using DotNetNuke, and is the owner of Spohn Software LLC, which does custom development across the entire Microsoft development toolset.

Jim Wooley began working on portals by building his own engine base on XML and XSLT. Just as he was about to release it, the IBuySpy Portal was released.

Promptly dumping his custom solution, he has been working on extending and deploying a number of IBuySpy and DotNetNuke portals. He is always striving to stay at the forefront of technology and enjoys the thrill of a new challenge. In addition, he attempts to pass on the insights he has gained by being active in the community, including leading the Atlanta VB Study Group and serving as INETA NorAm Membership Manager for the Georgia region.

Introduction

DotNetNuke is a free, open-source evolution of Microsoft's celebrated ASP.NET reference implementation, the IBuySpy portal solution kit. DotNetNuke began life as a framework for constructing data-driven intranet and Internet portal applications, and has now developed into an advanced web content management system with tools to manage a dynamic and interactive data-driven website. The DotNetNuke portal framework allows you to quickly create a fully featured community-driven website, complete with standard modules, user registration, and integrated security. This free open-source application puts a staggering range of functionality into your hands, and, either by using it as is or by customizing it to your requirements, you are giving your projects a great head start.

Supported and tested by thousands of developers in the DotNetNuke community across the world, the DotNetNuke framework, on one hand, offers you the luxury of a well-tested and proven architecture, and on the other, the ability to manage your site through an easy web-based administration system.

The book is structured to help you understand, implement, and extend the DotNetNuke framework; it will take you inside DotNetNuke, allowing you to harness its power for easily creating your own websites.

What This Book Covers

Chapter 1 introduces DotNetNuke (DNN) and discusses the meaning and purpose of web portals, and the common aspects of successful web portals. It looks at different types of open-source web portals, and discusses why we selected DotNetNuke for this book. We then meet our fictional client Coffee Connections and, using user stories, gather the requirements needed to build this client's site.

In Chapter 2 we see how to install a local version of DotNetNuke with Microsoft SQL Server and SQL Server 2005 Express, and cover setting the required permissions on your machine to run DNN properly.

In Chapter 3 we cover users, roles, and pages. Users are the individuals who visit or administer your portal, and their power depends on the roles that they have been assigned. We discuss how each page of your portal can be administered differently, laying the foundation for the rest of the book. From defining users, to registration, to security roles, this chapter will help you to begin administering a DNN portal.

In Chapter 4 we cover the standard modules that come pre-packaged with DotNetNuke. We cover their basic uses as well as situations they may be used in. You will use these modules to build your portal's content.

Chapter 5 introduces the administrative functions available to the host and admin logins. These are special logins that have access to all areas of your portal, and are used to secure your site and make changes to its content. This chapter takes you through the tools to make sure you are comfortable with all that is available to you.

Understanding the core architecture of DNN is essential if you want to extend the system or even modify the existing code. In Chapter 6 we learn how the DotNetNuke framework builds the pages, and the major classes that drive it.

In Chapters 7 and 8 we take the knowledge we learned in the last chapter and use it to build a custom module. You will learn everything you need to know to start building your own modules so you can extend the capabilities of your portal. After creating your user controls, you will create your data access and business logic layers. In Chapter 8 you will learn about the DotNetNuke Data Access Layer (DAL) and the DAL+, which take much of the routine work out creating custom modules. We finish our look at development by seeing how to package your module for distribution.

Chapter 9 talks about skins. A skin is the outer layer of your site, and defines the look and feel of the portal. In this chapter we design a custom skin for the Coffee Connections site. You will learn the skills needed to skin both your portal and your module containers.

When you finally have your portal the way you want it to look and function, you are ready to deploy it, and that is what Chapter 10 shows you how to do. The chapter advises on what you should look for in a web host and helps to steer you clear of common deployment mistakes.

In Chapter 11 we show you how to take advantage of one of the most exciting features of DotNetNuke: multiple portals. These are additional portals that use the same underlying database, but can contain different content. So instead of just having one website, you can create as many as you need using just one DotNetNuke installation. From parent portals to child portals, this chapter gives you the information necessary to create new portals from scratch or to use the new template structure built into the framework.

What You Need for Using This Book

This book has been written both for the beginner wanting to set up a website and also for ASP.NET developers with a grasp of VB.NET. No prior knowledge of DotNetNuke is assumed. To work with the DotNetNuke code, you will need access to Visual Studio .NET 2005 or Visual Web Developer 2005 Express.

This book uses the DotNetNuke open-source project available from http://www.DotNetNuke.com. To install and run DotNetNuke, you will need:

The .NET Framework 2.0

One of Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000, or Windows XP operating systems

An installation of SQL Server 2005 or SQL Server 2005 Express Edition

Visual Web Developer 2005 Express

You can download SQL Server 2005 Express Edition for free from http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/sql/download/. Visual Web Developer 2005 Express can be downloaded for free from http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/vwd/download/.

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There are three styles for code. Code words in text are shown as follows: We then use the Add method of this object to add an item to the menu .

A block of code will be set as follows:

Label1.Text = Hello World!

Throw New Exception(Something didn't work right.)

Catch exc As Exception

Exceptions.ProcessModuleLoadException(Me, exc)

When we wish to draw your attention to a particular part of a code block, the relevant lines or items will be made bold:

Label1.Text = Hello World!

Throw New Exception(Something didn't work right.)

Catch exc As Exception

Exceptions.ProcessModuleLoadException(Me, exc)

End Try

New terms and important words are introduced in a bold-type font. Words that you see on the screen, in menus or dialog boxes for example, appear in our text like this: clicking the Next button moves you to the next screen.

Note

Tips, suggestions, or important notes appear in a box like this.

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Errata

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You can contact us at questions@packtpub.com if you are having a problem with some aspect of the book, and we will do our best to address it.

Chapter 1. What is DotNetNuke?

From company intranets to mom and pop shops to local chapters of the 4H club, most organizations are looking to have a presence on the World Wide Web. Open-source web portals answer this demand by providing easy-to-install-and-use websites that are not only extremely functional but also free. Whether it is to sell services or to have a place to meet, web portals play an important part in communications on the Web.

In this chapter, we will first discuss what web portals are and what successful web portals have in common. We will