Overcoming IIS and .NET is something you will probably have to do with any .NET web application. I too had to go through this at one time and I wish there was a way to make it easier to learn that I could think of but for me, at least, it just took time.

Some of the problems seen now are because there are essentially 3 (actually 6) release types of DotNetNuke these days.  People often get things confused between different release types.  If things were asked specifically, I could work on some answers and perhaps make an addition to this post. 

As for install and source, the source version is the same as the install version except it also has the source code .vb, and project files.  The starter kit was released to work only with Visual Web Developer and has its own set of rules.

A virtual directory is not necessary but could be used. 

Parent Portals and child portals require a minimal understanding of IIS.  Where an IIS Server points a domain name is considered the web root for that virtual server.  In windows xp you only have a single virtual server named Default Web Site.  In a windows 2003 server with IIS you normally have this Default Web Site and probably other virtual servers which someone setup.  One point of each virtual server is to divide up web roots per domain.  For example, on xp in a development enviroment, this is usually reached via the localhost domain in your browser. If your machine has a domain name pointed to it named domain.com, then all requests are directed to the root of this virtual server.  By default, the root of the Default Web Site is wwwroot.  (Normally C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\)  So in most development enviroments you have to create a DotNetNuke virtual directory, and in your browser call http://localhost/DotNetNuke. 

Now, this is where it ties into child/parent portals.  Child portals are simply portals which are pointed to a non existant virtual directory in IIS.  In the case of our development machine, localhost/DotNetNuke is a parent portal because there is a virtual directory which exists for that.  I could use this install to create a child portal.  I would go in as host and create a new portal and name it, lets say, crispy.  Now, if I navigate to localhost/DotNetNuke/crispy, I will be in my newly created child portal. 

A quick note to get started would be that your first portal you install is always a parent portal.  Anything that is a webroot of a virtual server or anything that is a virtual directory of a virtual server is always a parent portal. 

Another note to help clarify multiple parent portals in a single install is this example: If you have a multiple domains pointed to a virtual server with no virtual directories, each domain can be its own parent portal or an alias for another parent portal.

 

 

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Chris Paterra

Get direct answers to your questions in the Community Exchange.

I can't really try, cause that's my production environment. But I can tell you this much. If it works in Windows XP / IIS 5 / SQL 2000 it will work on the configuration you mention.

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Thank you for your post. However I am a beginner and so I may not make the same assumptions about  the documentation as a more seasoned veteran.

I also agree with a previous commentator in another thread... if changes are required to the IIS or Windows to make DNN work then that should form part of the DNN installation documentation.

Here are some of the issues I have had and the recommendations. (Marked with **) You may find these problems I had derive from deep stupidity, but I suspect a number of people arrive here with the same level of knowledge.

The Voice Over

I got here because some other thread in a Microsoft forum pointed here and said DNN is the best thing since sliced bread. I arrived and clicked the "what is dnn link" and a disconnected voice started telling me all about it. I did not realise (blush) that there was a video playing further down the page as was out of site (sic).

** It should (IMHO) open another window and play there. Still, it was informative and delivered the big dream.

Documentation for V4

The documentation for my proposed DNN,  VWD, Sql 2005 express was combined with one other type of install and three types of upgrade. Personally I think that is confusing. I was not sure if I could skip all the stuff about V3 - but I was in too much of a hurry to read it.

** Have a clean V4 installation guide with no V3/V2 stuff in it. As a poor alternative, tell us to skip the V3 stuff.

On Page 1 there is a dire warning...

If you are upgrading you must read carefully the Chapters on Upgrade, especially on Configuring web.config for Upgrade.

Before proceeding any further, make a back-up copy of your web.config file. (We recommend you name it web.backup.resources or web_backup.config)

I look at paragraph 2 and say "what web.config file". If the two paragraphs are connected then they should be one, or under a header (say Upgrading). Does VWD have a master web.config file and that should be saved? A search of my disk revealed a stack of them.

** Remove this confusion

On Page 28 (Logically page 2 of the V4 install) it says..

Thus if you expect to do most of your development in VWD rather Visual Studio 2005 (VS2005), then you will not be able to use the Source package.

Yep - that's me. However I still do not know if I should install

++ DotNetNuke_X.Y.Z_Install.zip
++ DotNetNuke_X.Y.Z_StarterKit.vsi
++ Both

The documentation says

DotNetNuke_X.Y.Z_StarterKit.vsi – A Visual Studio 2005 Installer package

This implied to me that you should only run this if you have visual studio rather than VWD. I had no idea that VWD supported vsi files.

** Remove the confusion

Page 29 it says

Select the templates you would like to install – by default they are all selected - and click Next – there are two DotNetNuke Module templates (one for VB and one for C#).

Seems obvious later, but at the time I was expecting another screen asking me if I wanted the VB or C# templates. The previous picture has two lines showing

<CheckBox> DotNetNukeModule

There is no indications if these are the templates (They don't say template and they don't mention VB or C#). I am REALLY interested that I get the right version. Have I missed something? Did I not alter some drop down to change VB to C#? Do I need to start again?)

** Remove my panic attacks

Page 31

Select the DotNetNuke template, choose the Location i.e. File  System or HTTP and enter a name in the text box.

I did not realise how important this decision is until later. I realise this has nothing to do with DNN, but a little warning would nice.

** A little explanation of the ramifications of the choice.

After that things proceeded well as far as...

This “Welcome.html” provides instructions on how to complete the Installation on your local machine.

I went and had something to eat, was distracted by the Olympics and my machine had shut down. I could not find the Welcome.Html file. I stupidly assumed it was on the DNN site. Found it eventually and thought "Why on earth isn't all this stuff in the installation documentation?". Still, no harm done. But it knocked a sizeable hour or so out of the 10 minute installation.

Page 32

As with Installing DotNetNuke 3.x, if you decide to use either of the zip packages (Install.zip or Source.zip) you will need to unzip them to a location on your computer where the Application will reside.

uh ooh,  maybe I should have read the 3.2 docs first.

I wonder, can I use Visual Basic 2005 Express to 'project' the files? mmm ...


The documatation in Welcome.Html is a definite step up in guiding me on. I only had a couple of problems...

3. Configure the Web Server

For the most part, you should not need to configure your web server.

I had to add the website to my web server. Or if the installation is meant to do that it didn't for me.

Section 4: neccessary

As my teacher always said ... "One collar and two studs". Desiccated is a real wierdy.
(Attempt to inject a little humour fails miserably)

So I do the installation, create my Portal, enter it and The screen is filled with various boxes saying "An error has occurred.
Unhandled error loading module."

Finally

I would have made fewer mistakes after this point if the installation docs has pointed me somewhere so I could understand what the roles  'admin' and 'host' meant.

By the way, I had no idea what a DNN container was when skinning the cat-egories.

Thanks you again, hooligannes. This was not meant to be a diatribe, just a catalog of the sort of confusions, misinterpretations and false assumptions that beset a novice.

Paul Cotter.