so it looks like there was a breaking change in 5.3 and the solution will most likely have to be a code change to either the core or the repository module. I will continue to look for a solution, but in the meantime, here is a 'manual' process to get you up and running. Of course, this is not the ideal solution but it will get your repository and dashboard working...
1. log into your portal using the HOST account
2. go to the SQL page
3. The first thing you need to do is get the ModuleID's of the Repository Module and the Repository Dashboard that you want to 'hook up'
4. In the SQL input area, enter the following to get the ModuleDefIDs of the Repository and the Dashboard, and click on Execute
1: select * from moduledefinitions
look through the results and write down the ModuleDefIDs of the Repository Module and the Repository Dashboard. In my situation, the Repository was 113 and the Dashboard 114.
5. Now get the Module IDs of the Repository Modules on your site... enter the following in the SQL (Make sure to put the number of YOUR Repository module ID, the 113 is specific to my installation, yours will be different)
1: select * from modules where moduledefid=113
Find the instance that you want to associate with your Dashboard , and write down the Module ID. So, let's say for example, I find 4 Repository modules on my portal, but decide that the one with ModuleID = 387 is the one that I want.
6. Now, we need to find the ModuleID of the Dashboard we want to associate with that particular Repository instance. In the SQL text are, enter the following. Again, make sure to enter the ModuleDefID of YOUR Dashboard module from step 4.
1: select * from modules where moduledefid=114
This will show you all the Dashboard modules on your site. Once again, look at the list and figure out which one you want to associate with the Repository module you decided on in step 5. So for this example, let's say I find a Dashboard with a ModuleID of 473 that I want to associate with Repository Module 387.
7. Almost done. Now we know the ModuleIDs of which Repository module (387 in my example) we want to associate with which Dashboard module (473 in my example). The last step is to update the module settings for the Dashboard and set the value of the 'repository' setting to the Module ID of the Repository module. So, for my example, I would enter the following in the SQL text area
1: update modulesettings
2: set settingvalue=387
3: where moduleid=473 and settingname='repository'
This will update the settings for the Dashboard module (ModuleID=473) with the value of the Repository module (ModuleID=387) and now your Dashboard will be associated with that particular Repository module
Hopefully this manual configuration will get you up and running while I work out a permanent solution.