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Joined: 5/27/2008
Posts: 3
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DNN was suggested to me by a network contact I perceive as very web savvy. He says he's been using DNN for years and that he's seen all kinds of non-computer, non-web people get up and running using DNN in like a day or so.
I find that interesting. When I visit the DNN forum and view the posts about installing DNN, it looks like a horror story for many experienced developer people - those with a great deal of computer and software savvy. So I'm puzzled as to how all these non-computer, non-web people are getting up and running with DNN so fast with no problems.
I understand they may be using a hosting provider who offers DNN as an existing install with the hosting provider. OK, that makes sense, so then what's the advantage of installing DNN directly? Why are all these people struggling to install DNN when they could easily go use a hosting provider who has DNN installed already? There must be some compelling advantage to put themselves through all that hassle.
GeorgeW1414
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erikvanballegoij.com
Joined: 4/7/2004
Posts: 4445
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Hi George.. welcome here :)
The thing is: DNN is quite a complex web application, and it needs Internet Information Server (IIS) and SQL Server to run. While it is very easy to install DNN on your own PC, i realize that that may not be true for other people. When you say "computer and software savvy"... to me that almost sounds like my uncle asking me "hey.. you work with computers, can you tell me why my printer doesn't work?" In my opinion you are functionaly savvy if you installed SQL server before, if you know how admininster IIS, if you've installed other web applications before.
So why do people install on their local machine? that might range from simply trying it out, to wanting to start development (modules, skins, etc)
Anyhow, let me finish by telling you how I install DNN locally:
- make sure you've installed SQL Server (2005 express edition is easiest)
- make sure you've installed SQL Server management studio express
- (download link for sql express download: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/express/bb410792.aspx. You can also choose to installed Express with advanced services, which includes both SQL Server and Management Studio)
- when installing sql sever, make sure to select mixed mode authentication, and make sure you give the SA (System Administrator) a password (a simple password will do, ie. "sa")
- create a new database to be used by DNN. Since you will use the sa account to connect, you dont need to bother with creating a user to connect
- make sure you have installed IIS (you need xp professional or vista (see here for which vista version have what IIS features: http://www.iis.net/1100/SinglePageArticle.ashx))
- if you installed IIS after you installed .Net Framework, please make sure to reinstall the .NET framework. DNN requires .NET framework 2.0 (this remark applies to XP, vista IIS will not kill your .NET installation)
- create a folder somewhere on your system that you want to use as application root for DNN
- check security settings for this folder, and give everyone full access
- unpack DNN in this folder. Which version? if you dont want to develop modules, go with the install version, otherwise go with the source version which allows you to debug the core as well
- if you used the source version, rename release.config, or development.config to web.config
- open web.config, and change BOTH connectionstring. NB: by default, the connection strings for SQL server are commented out, in favor of connection strings for an sql server express user instance database. Make sure you comment or remove these connectionstrings, and make sure you uncomment the sql server connectionstrings
- a sample connection string is: "Server=(local);Database=DotNetNukeuid=SA;pwd=sa;"
- Create a new application in IIS, under localhost, name this application DotNetNuke_2, use as source of the application the root of the dnn application (if you used the source version, this would be the directory "website")
- browse to http://localhost/dotnetnuke_2
NB: NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, use these steps to set up a LIVE website using above steps. There are a couple of steps that should be done differently, otherwise you will have a very insecure setup!
Erik van Ballegoij, Former DNN Corp. Employee and DNN Expert
DNN Blog | Twitter: @erikvb | LinkedIn: 
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www.seeleyware.com
Joined: 8/8/2006
Posts: 597
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I think some people are just die-hard "do-it-yourself" people and if they are going to do something, they want their own hands on it through the whole process. I'm one of those people and have installed over 20 instances of DNN at this point. I can get an instance installed -- database created, file system set up, host settings, portal settings, etc -- in about 5 minutes at this point.
Was my very first install like that? No way. It took me an hour or two. Would an automated install have made that easier for my first installation? Of course, but I wouldn't have learned anything.
ASP.NET in general has a few idiosyncracities that you need to take into account when installing certain applications and THAT is where the problems are occurring. Permissions on the database, for example, need to be just right. Most people just use DBO on their database user and don't have to deal with the problem. That's not exactly the most secure thing, but it is the easiest thing. Next, you have file permissions. DNN has a slew of folders and files that it needs WRITE permissions to and, if it doesn't have them, you're not going to get a good install. The easiest way around that is set WRITE on the base DNN folder and inherit permissions down the tree. Is that the most secure? Nope, but definitely the easiest. Next comes the CAS (Code Access Security). In general, DNN should be able to function in "Medium Trust". However, there are certain modules and pieces of functionality that require "Full Trust". In a hosting environment, depending on who your host is, they may limit your installation to "Medium Trust" so therein creates a problem for you. When you do it on your own, chances are your server is "Full Trust" (unless you aren't the IT guy and IT has locked things down on a system or enterprise level).
When you install at a hosting provider, they are going for the "least common denominator" installation. So they are going to give you an older version of DNN, the are going to set permissions at the highest level, etc. For the general user, that's ok. For a "power user", that isn't ok. A power user might want to customize permissions a bit further, use a newer version, modify their web.config and add some advanced functionality, etc.
So, these people getting their site up really fast either have somebody helping them that know all the ins and outs of ASP.NET and DNN -or- they are using automated installs at their hosting provider. That, or they just have plain dumb luck.
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Joined: 12/16/2005
Posts: 218
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GeorgeW wrote
DNN was suggested to me by a network contact I perceive as very web savvy. He says he's been using DNN for years and that he's seen all kinds of non-computer, non-web people get up and running using DNN in like a day or so.
I find that interesting. When I visit the DNN forum and view the posts about installing DNN, it looks like a horror story for many experienced developer people - those with a great deal of computer and software savvy. So I'm puzzled as to how all these non-computer, non-web people are getting up and running with DNN so fast with no problems.
I understand they may be using a hosting provider who offers DNN as an existing install with the hosting provider. OK, that makes sense, so then what's the advantage of installing DNN directly? Why are all these people struggling to install DNN when they could easily go use a hosting provider who has DNN installed already? There must be some compelling advantage to put themselves through all that hassle.
GeorgeW1414
Okay I'll bite......I'm guessing and this is my humble opinion, that folks in the industry tend to think they go do things without reading the documentation just because they are in field their in(I find that I'm guilty of this at times)...so when they run into a roadblock, instead of reading the documentation, they ask a question on the boards. I think it's human nature to try to take the shortest route. Why read when a person can post the question on the board and get an answer. I find that a number of these installation posts could of been avoided had they read the manual.
However, I think that, and again my humble opionion....that there are 3-4x's more successful installs that are never posted on the board. I know that I don't always broadcast to everyone my latest DNN install went swimmingly. I think you have to take what's said on these boards caustiously and with a grain of salt. There is lot of gems on these boards but there is also some flotsom.
Like anything if you do your homework, and prepare for your setup I think you will have a troublefree installation of DNN.
Jerry
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www.seeleyware.com
Joined: 8/8/2006
Posts: 597
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Erik,
Maybe this is a little off topic, but you don't really need to reinstall the whole framework if you've installed IIS after .NET. All you need to do is reregister .NET in IIS by opening the command prompt, going into your C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727 folder and running "aspnet_regiis -i".
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