This seems like a never ending story...

Looking at this page:

http://www.dnnsoftware.com/wiki/how-to-install-the-source-package-of-dotnetnuke

You can find:

"1. It is not necessary nor recommended that you use the DotNetNuke framework source code when developing modules or other extensions. This is particularly true if you will be distributing the extensions that you create as open source contributions to the DotNetNuke community or commercially. You do not want to develop an extension against a non-standard build of DotNetNuke."

Despite what is mentioned above, as I long time DNN developer I've always found myself resorting to using the Source version of DNN. I now tried again with the Install version of DNN8 by adding it to a Visual Studio 2015 but once again I find that it immediately breaks when I try to build. So back again to the Source version of DNN8, which has it's own problems but after a while you learn how to avoid them.

So I have to ask, is anyone who is doing serious development with DNN actually using the install version or have you like us decided that you still have to use the Source version despite not having any intentions to modify the DNN source? This isn't really a major problem once you learn how to the the Source version working but then it seems strange that DNN recommends not using the Source version for development work. Or is it just us having problems with the install version and Visual Studio?

By using my templates of course.

1. Setup your development environment to run at http://dnndev.me/
2. Install the VS Templates
3. Make magic

The video tutorials for #1 and #2 are here : http://www.christoc.com/Tutorials/DNN...

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Chris Hammond
Former DNN Corp Employee, MVP, Core Team Member, Trustee
Christoc.com Software Solutions DotNetNuke Module Development, Upgrades and consulting.
dnnCHAT.com a chat room for DotNetNuke discussions

Even when using Third Party components, you shouldn't need to touch the DNN source code itself.

If you need to modify the web.config, you can do so through the .DNN file of your module, on installation. It isn't all that easy, but it is possible. The only module I have that does that is my Chat modules.

https://github.com/ChrisHammond/dnnCHAT/blob/master/DnnChat.dnn#L174

<component type="Config">
	<config>
	<configFile>web.config</configFile>
	<install>
	<configuration>
	<nodes>
	<!-- add assembly redirect for Newtonsoft.Json v6.0.0.0-->
	<node path="/configuration/runtime/ab:assemblyBinding" action="update"
	targetpath="/configuration/runtime/ab:assemblyBinding[ab:dependentAssembly/ab:assemblyIdentity/@name='Newtonsoft.Json']"
	collision="ignore" nameSpace="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" nameSpacePrefix="ab">
	<dependentAssembly xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1">
	<assemblyIdentity name="Newtonsoft.Json" publicKeyToken="30ad4fe6b2a6aeed" />
	<codeBase version="6.0.0.0" href="bin\dnnchat\Newtonsoft.Json.dll" />
	</dependentAssembly>
	</node>
	</nodes>
	</configuration>
	</install>
	<uninstall>
	<configuration>
	<nodes />
	</configuration>
	</uninstall>
	</config>
	</component>

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Chris Hammond
Former DNN Corp Employee, MVP, Core Team Member, Trustee
Christoc.com Software Solutions DotNetNuke Module Development, Upgrades and consulting.
dnnCHAT.com a chat room for DotNetNuke discussions