I had to make a similar decision as to where to store e-mail templates for an upgraded version of my ePrayer module. The decision was further complicated in that the first released version did not allow for portal level templates instead storing the one and only set of templates in a sub-folder of the module folder and allowing only the host account to edit the templates.

I finally opted for storing the default templates in the folder /Portals/_default/WESNet/ePrayer/Templates and the portal specific ones in the folder /Portals/[PortalID]/WESNet/ePrayer/Templates. When the module package is iinstalled, templates contained in the package are placed into /Templates sub-folder under the module folder. Then, in an implementation of IUpgradable, templates are copied into the /Portals/_default/WESNet/ePrayer/Templates folder (creating it if necessary) only if templates do not already exist - to avoid overwriting custom modified templates during a module upgrade. There is a Host accessible only setting as whether or not portal level templates and their editing by portal admins are enabled. If portal level templates are enabled, when the templates need to be referenced, a check is first made for their existance in the portal specific template folder. If not found, the templates under Portals/_default are used instead. Default templates can only be edited by the host account. Should the portal admin edit (and save) a default template for the first time, it is then and only then that a portal level template is created.

One problem I have not been able to solve gracefully is how to delete templates, etc. stored in folders under /Portals/_default/ or /Portals/[PortalID]/ when either the module definition is deleted or when the last instance of the module in a specific portal is deleted as the current installer/uninstaller cannot run custom code in response to module definition deletion or module deletion. I am in hopes that this need will be addressed in the new universal package installer when it is released.

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Bill, WESNet Designs
Team Lead - DotNetNuke Gallery Module Project (Not Actively Being Developed)
Extensions Forge Projects . . .
Current: UserExport, ContentDeJour, ePrayer, DNN NewsTicker, By Invitation
Coming Soon: FRBO-For Rent By Owner

Thanks for all the suggestions/feedback - the main requirement is that all my Smart-Thinker modules can read from the same store (for example, the SendMessage icon or the Rating Stars are used by all my modules) so it doesn't seem right putting them under a specific module folder, unless I made a Smart-Thinker generic folder under DesktopModules which also seems wrong.

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Thanks,
Rodney
Smart-Thinker - Social Networking modules for DotNetNuke
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