John Colby
jwcolby at ColbyConsulting.com
Thu Oct 6 12:56:13 CDT 2005
>Hi, could somebody tell me what DNN is and what it is used for. I must have missed some threads. Max, DNN stands for DotNetNuke. It is a web site framework based on ASP.Net, VB.Net and MSSQL, which allows people to put up a web site with "out of the box" capabilities that you would otherwise have to program yourself (or go find modules for). DNN had an entire database (30 or so tables) used specifically for maintaining DNN structures, users, etc. You as a developer can add other tables in the MSSQL database and build a web enabled database application around the DNN foundation. Note that I am no expert in web design so read this with that in mind. Real web designers MAY be able to do all this stuff with little or no effort as well, once they learn their trade and tools. I am not a web designer and I can do this stuff (at least what you see) with DNN. Go to my site - www.ColbyConsulting.com . BTW, also go to my OLD web site at www.jwcolby.com to see my previous attempt at web design. Just a bit of a difference eh? At my new web site, notice the register and login. That is DotNetNuke. I did not create that. Notice the handsome guy (pic) off to the left, and the book gifs and hotlinks to buy them off to the right, with the main "Colby consulting message" in the middle. All of those are modules that come with DNN. I "fill in the content" of those modules in order to show my picture, the book gifs and the links to buy the books. Take this opportunity to register and log in. Now notice that the menu has expanded to include other menu items that are not visible for visitors who don't register and log in. There is an ExampleCode menu item with sub menu items. Pages in DNN can be "allowed to be viewed" by groups of users. I have set up my site such that the stuff you see without logging in can be seen by "all users" whereas the rest of the stuff can only bee seen by "registered users". This kind of functionality is just built in to DNN. These menu items are "pages" in DNN. I add a page by clicking a "add page" button (when logged in as an administrator) and I get a new page. DNN just creates a menu item for me, I don't have to do that. Each page has areas that are predefined by the "skin" I selected into which I can drop one or more "modules". These modules can include text / html areas, announcements, banners, events, faqs and a ton of other things that are just built in to DNN. Additionally I can go out to the web and buy or find for free other modules. On the top menu, click on Example Code / Framework Articles. The page you see is a free module I downloaded off the web which allows me to enter a "multi-page" page. That module allowed me to set up pages to put my article pages on, and built for me (no programming on my part) the little menu you see off to the left. Also down at the bottom you will see a "page n of m" kind of thing, part of the module. On the top menu, click on the Forums menu item. Forums are another module that I downloaded off the web. I just built a page and told DNN to put a Forums Module in the center area of the page and there you go. I go in and define the topic / sub topic. All "no programming on my part". On the top menu, click on the Feedback menu item. An email applet that just "snaps in", no programming on my part. DNN is the FRAMEWORK that makes all this possible, and includes enough modules to make it useable with no outside help, but which allows developers to write additional modules that do some thing. There are LOTS of modules out there, a thriving community of developers trying to build and sell modules, and many free modules as well. DotNetNuke is really about allowing you to create a web site with a presentation (the skin), the data (the pictures and text in the areas of the web page) and the business logic (the programming that causes the modules to do what they do). These three pieces are distinct from each other to a large extent. I did not write the skin, and I did not write the modules. I just found a skin I could live with, and started assembling the pages and modules, filling in the content. Only the content is mine. According to the DotNetNuke site, they now have several hundred thousand web sites running DNN. What you see on my site was completed in about two weeks it seems. In fact I just checked and I purchased my hosting there on the 20th of last month and then had to transfer my domain to them. So it took me 2 weeks to figure out how to use DNN plus get the content you see up there. The key though is that going forward, adding content is a no brainer. Of course learning to do my own modules is definitely NOT a no-brainer. ;-) John W. Colby www.ColbyConsulting.com Contribute your unused CPU cycles to a good cause: http://folding.stanford.edu/ -----Original Message----- From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Max Sherman Sent: Thursday, October 06, 2005 12:15 PM To: 'Access Developers discussion and problem solving' Subject: Re: [AccessD] OT: My web site and WebHost4Life Hi, could somebody tell me what DNN is and what it is used for. I must have missed some threads. Excuse my ignorance, please. Regards Max (Derby) Mob: 07990 521001 -----Original Message----- From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Eric Barro Sent: 06 October 2005 16:32 To: 'Access Developers discussion and problem solving' Subject: Re: [AccessD] OT: My web site and WebHost4Life I concur with John. I've used webhost4life.com for 2 yrs now and I've been satisfied with the service. Aside from SQL server and DotNet support they also have Sharepoint Team Sites available as part of the package.