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HomeHomeUsing DNN Platf...Using DNN Platf...Administration ...Administration ...customizing dnncustomizing dnn
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7/8/2008 4:17 PM
 

We have a client who has some business requirements and is exploring using DNN for their application provided the meet the following criteria

They need to customize dnn completely from the source code that they  need to have the namespaces changed and want it to not look like the application being developed from DNN though it retains the DNN framework and leverage all the functionality. This requirement is purely from business point of view and to keep in sync with their existing applications.

The important things the client wants are:

 

Once the website is developed and customized, the webpages should not show any dnn references. for example now if some one goes and looks at the source of dnn based webpage, we probably can make it that it is based on DNN. Infact when some one see the Desktopmodules and tabid on the url they can make out that it is based on DNN. For business reasons, the client doesn't wish to have the world know about the platform on which their applications are developed. So whereever there is dotnentnuke or dnn that needs to replaced with their company name. Ofcourse, the copyright licences will be adhered as prescribed by DotNetNuke.

Can this be done. If so, is that easy just find and replace dotnetnuke with companyname in the source code? If after the replace will the compilation go smoothly? are there any gotchas that need to be considered while replacing the root namespaces from 'dotnetnuke' to the 'companyname'

 

Can we change Destopmodules name to some other customized name?

Can there be something else for tabid. may be sid or something like that. is there an easy way to do this

 

 

 
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7/8/2008 4:55 PM
 

While I think it will be possible to do much of what you are wanting with enough time and manpower, there will be a lot of little things that will need to be changed to stop ANYONE from figuring out it's DNN.
You'd have to change the skin path, how the ClientID/UniqueID is generated, re-write some of the Core/Default modues (like search and breadcrumb) or not use them.

If your goal was to stop the casual user (or pretty much anyone not familiar with DNN), I think that goal is much simpler. The fixes I can think of to set it up this way, would be to edit (something in the core) to remove the DotNetNuke copyright notice in the HTML. In the Host menu - Uncheck - Show CopyRight Credits. Set the site up to use friendly URLs (really simple) which will prevent the "tabID" from showing most of the time. Following that, I have seen other Non DNN sites use TabID in the url.

Other thoughs...
Changing the namespaces would prevent you from using any 3rd party controls without access to the source code.
Changing DesktopModules would force you to re-write the module upload section. (changing skin path forces skin upload change)

 

I think the correct question to ask here is, "Why do they want to hide that they are using DNN?" If they want to hide the framework because of security, they can't hide that they are running a site using ASP on IIS. Using DNN without that level of modifications, will be faster and easier to upgrade to fix any security holes, that are found, than trying to include the changes into your modified code and test it, ect.
If it's an ego thing - they want it to look custom built - unless your skills in ASP.NET and with DNN specifically is expert level, I'd suspect it would be faster to actually build a custom solution. (I don't build custom frameworks or modify the core elements, well... not much) so I can't say for shurzies.

If you can get a "why" they want it with no DNN references, we might be able to better address that issue, either by changes in DNN, or recommending other solutions.

 

 
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7/9/2008 10:20 AM
 

The poster above provided a great summary of the true isssue.

The URL portion is easy with the use of a friendly url provider such as UrlMaster.  Take a look at my business site http://www.iowacomputergurus.com none of the urls include tabid...


-Mitchel Sellers
Microsoft MVP, ASPInsider, DNN MVP
CEO/Director of Development - IowaComputerGurus Inc.
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Visit mitchelsellers.com for my mostly DNN Blog and support forum.

Visit IowaComputerGurus.com for free DNN Modules, DNN Performance Tips, DNN Consulting Quotes, and DNN Technical Support Services
 
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7/12/2008 12:14 PM
 

Baatezu wrote

While I think it will be possible to do much of what you are wanting with enough time and manpower, there will be a lot of little things that will need to be changed to stop ANYONE from figuring out it's DNN.
You'd have to change the skin path, how the ClientID/UniqueID is generated, re-write some of the Core/Default modues (like search and breadcrumb) or not use them.

If your goal was to stop the casual user (or pretty much anyone not familiar with DNN), I think that goal is much simpler. The fixes I can think of to set it up this way, would be to edit (something in the core) to remove the DotNetNuke copyright notice in the HTML. In the Host menu - Uncheck - Show CopyRight Credits. Set the site up to use friendly URLs (really simple) which will prevent the "tabID" from showing most of the time. Following that, I have seen other Non DNN sites use TabID in the url.

Other thoughs...
Changing the namespaces would prevent you from using any 3rd party controls without access to the source code.
Changing DesktopModules would force you to re-write the module upload section. (changing skin path forces skin upload change)

 

I think the correct question to ask here is, "Why do they want to hide that they are using DNN?" If they want to hide the framework because of security, they can't hide that they are running a site using ASP on IIS. Using DNN without that level of modifications, will be faster and easier to upgrade to fix any security holes, that are found, than trying to include the changes into your modified code and test it, ect.
If it's an ego thing - they want it to look custom built - unless your skills in ASP.NET and with DNN specifically is expert level, I'd suspect it would be faster to actually build a custom solution. (I don't build custom frameworks or modify the core elements, well... not much) so I can't say for shurzies.

If you can get a "why" they want it with no DNN references, we might be able to better address that issue, either by changes in DNN, or recommending other solutions.

 

 

I think one of the possible reasons I got from the client was that of their competitors who once get to know that the stuff is based on DNN, they could easily replicate the functionality. Here it is not the framework that is important but the business idea that is crucial. Ofcourse they didnt divulge much information but wanted that the site shouldn't look like based on DNN. I think if couple of these feasible modifications like changing the tabid and then may be renaming Desktopmodules to some thing different would probably be a good start.

 
New Post
7/12/2008 12:35 PM
 

Mitch Sellers wrote

The poster above provided a great summary of the true isssue.

The URL portion is easy with the use of a friendly url provider such as UrlMaster.  Take a look at my business site http://www.iowacomputergurus.com none of the urls include tabid...

 

This site looks cools with. This is one of the goals. How do you do that. what is URLMaster? A bit more explanation greatly helps.

 
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