Hi, i'm setting up DNN 3.2.2 on SQL Server 2005...

I decided to use DPAPI to encrypt my connection string.

Got a DPAPI dll and referenced it, i'm using the machine store to manage the encryption keys, though that is most likely irrelevant to my problem.

I Found the "connection string reader" in (DNNPath)\Components\Upgrade\config.vb and placed some logic there to:

    1    -    check if the connection string is encrypted
    1.1 -    if so, encrypt and save the connection string
    2    -    decrypt the connection string and pass it up as usual

I tested the logic, wich works... Encrypts, decrypts and saves the new string properly. GetConnectionString  in config.vb returns the connection string correctly decrypted. But then the portal stops working.

I'm getting a :

"Format of the initialization string does not conform to specification starting at index 0."

error in :

(DNNPath)\components\Users\UserController.vb

Line 409: ' Sets all profile properties in Hashtable.
Line 410: For Each o As AspNetProfile.SettingsProperty In AspNetProfile.ProfileBase.Properties
Line 411:     u.ProfileProperties.Add(o.Name, objProfile.Item(o.Name))
Line 412: Next
Line 413: Return u

If i disable the decryption and restore a regular connection string to web.config DNN resumes working normally.

I guess i'm missing some place that reads the encrypted connection string and, since not decrypting it there, it fails to recongnize it. But i'm lost as to where that can be...

Insights anyone?

Thanks in advance

PS- wouldn't this  be a nice default beahaviour?  Making DNN encrypt the connection string (machine dependant encryption keys) first chance it gets... or is there some issue i'm not aware of?

Forgot that!!

I'm using 3.2.2, with Sql Server.

I can't believe i didn't check this before!!!!

Right out of web.config:

<add name="AspNetSqlProvider" type="DotNetNuke.Users.Profile.DNNSQLProfileProvider, DNNSQLProfileProvider" connectionStringName="SiteSqlServer" applicationName="/" description="Stores and retrieves profile data from the local Microsoft SQL Server database" />

and it's obvious that MemberRole.dll does go on it's own to read the connection string.

But this means i can't encrypt the connection string because MemberRole.dll doesn't know how to decrypt it and i can't teach it...

Can this be circumvented?