Wow,
I am blown away by everyone’s' dedicated sprit to helping out other
programmers. I have only setup one open source software solution and it
was 2 years ago in college, an osCommerce/Apache/MySQL website. It took 3
of us hours and hours to set it up and I remembered thinking, 'I just wish
someone had a list of their experiences installing to help us.' Since you
all helped me so much I want to layout everything I have learned today about
setting this DNN up on GoDaddy. First, I am no .NET expert. I am
using this tool with VS 2005 to further develop my skills; my job is VBA
programming Access applications. I just want anyone to know that anyone
can do this with enough perseverance and dedication. Yes it is
aggravating. No it is not easy. But here is a compilation of what I
have learned. Oh and by the way, I received many of the error listed on this
thread. This is not a step by step guide, it is simply the knowledge I
have gained from setting this up on my own site.
There is no one solution that works. I used a compilation of different
tutorials like the one above and 8 eights hours later, shazaam, it
worked. I hope after someone reads this I save someone 6 hours of misery.
First the tutorial above (www.northernstarsolutions.com/Troubleshooting/GodaddyHosting) worked after I
tried in vein for hours to install the Source (4.0.3 Source). So after
clearing my ftp server for the second time I figured I would give this a
try. Make sure you install the Database right the first time. I
created one with a DSN and one with a schema and one with both. DON'T.
Literally just go into your content management page and click on the SQL
Database icon, put in a username and password and create. I didn't notice
anyone who specificlly mentioned exactly what to do.
MichaelWinter posted something similar to this on the first page but it didn't
mention the DSN. Maybe it should have been understood, but it went over
my head.
Second, for goodness sakes, don't even try to install on the root unless you
have a virtual dedicated or dedicated server. If you are on a shared
server (the Deluxe($6.99/mo) or the Premium ($14.99/mo)) you
have to go to you content management page click on the Directory Management
icon under the Content header. Press the Create Directory and name it what you
will (I named mine start, but I have seen portal, home, dnn) give
it the following rights (Read, Web, Write, Set Root). I learned this on a
post from PerryM. This was a very confusing point for me because there is
so much conflict about what are the exact rights that you need and how you have
to turn them off to install. I didn't turn them off and it worked
fine.
Download
DotNetNuke 4.0.3 Install, if you are a newbie. It is much more straightforward
than the Source. There is no updated step by step guide for 4.0.3.
I realized after reading the step by step laid out by thekubrix here (http://forums.asp.net/1/958251/ShowThread.aspx)
or (http://www.airdepth.com/site/OpenSourceSupport/Windows/DotNetNuke/Setup/tabid/64/Default.aspx).
What is laid out here is a great reference, but if you are installing the 4.0.3
I suggest you download DotNetNuke 3.2.2 Source so you can see firsthand that the
file structure of 3.2.2 Source and 4.0.3 source are different. This makes
it difficult to figure out the exact structure of how it should be uploaded to
your ftp. Like I said above, after studying it, attempting multiple
installs based off ofthekubrix's instructions I gave up on the source and tried
the Install.
Errors
I received while trying to install the Source:
Runtime Error
Description: An application error occurred on the server. The current custom error settings
for this application prevent the details of the application error from being
viewed remotely (for security reasons). It could, however, be viewed by
browsers running on the local server machine.
Details: To enable the details of this specific error message to be
viewable on remote machines, please create a <customErrors> tag within a
"web.config" configuration file located in the root directory of the
current web application. This <customErrors> tag should then have its "mode"
attribute set to "Off".
- I should have read
thekubrix's optional instruction to switch CustomErrors to off. This
is an easy fix in the web.config file.
Configuration Error
Description: An error occurred during the processing of a configuration file required
to service this request. Please review the specific error details below and
modify your configuration file appropriately.
Parser Error Message: It is an error to use a section registered as
allowDefinition='MachineToApplication' beyond application level. This
error can be caused by a virtual directory not being configured as an
application in IIS.
Source Error:
Line 47: </appSettings>
Line 48: <system.web>
Line 49: <machineKey
Line 50: validationKey="F9D1A2D3E1D3E2F7B3D9F90FF3965ABDAC304902"
Line 51: decryptionKey="F9D1A2D3E1D3E2F7B3D9F90FF3965ABDAC304902F8D923AC" |
- This is the error that drove
me to give up on the Source and move to the Install package.
- There were so many
conflicting reports on the forums about what this actually meant.
- From what I gathered it
basically means that you are trying to install an application in a
non-virtual directory. I realized after diving into the Install
package what I had done wrong. I had my Website Folder (located in
theDotNetNuke 4.0.3 Source zip) in the ftp hierarchy like so, / Username(root)/start/website/web.config.
- Since I had laid out my new
virtual directory (remember the custom directory under directory
management) as Start and uploaded my Source files to here it made a new
folder called Website. Well I had not laid out / Username(root)/start/website/
as a custom directory. So it gave me this error.
- If I am wrong, someone
correct me, but from all the forums I read, this is the only solution that
actually made any sense. Most people were throwing out ideas that
had nothing to do with IIS. Check it out here (http://forums.asp.net/thread/1139807.aspx)
- I realize now that I could
probably set it up with the Source, but since I know for certain how to do
it with the Install that is what I will use from now on.
Now onto the Install package. I owe this success to PerryM's post on page
5. (http://www.dotnetnuke.com/Community/ForumsDotNetNuke/tabid/795/forumid/107/threadid/16090/threadpage/5/scope/posts/Default.aspx)
After you setup your custom directory and your sub directories (www.northernstarsolutions.com/Troubleshooting/GodaddyHosting) you will need to go into
your extracted files on your hard drive (the ones you extracted from the zip
file you downloaded). I did what PerryM did and changed the name of top
file from DotNetNuke_4.0.3_Install (this is the name WinZip gave it when
I extracted it) to the name of my DNN Content Root (/ Username(root)/start/)
Start. This is what PerryM suggested and it worked for me. Also
make sure that you setup those subdirectories' permissions exactly as described
in nothernstarsolutions.
Also there are the inevitable database questions. While northernstar and
thekubrix's threads give you a good idea of how to setup your web.config, the
post listed by srstuart on page 5 give a much more detailed explanation. (http://www.dotnetnuke.com/Community/ForumsDotNetNuke/tabid/795/forumid/107/threadid/16090/threadpage/5/scope/posts/Default.aspx)
i did exactly what was listed here. Before I found this I was having all
types of database connection errors. I didn't realize that I have to
comment ou the VS 2005 connections. This step is very important to get
your DB setup correctly.
Otherwise you will get the dreaded DotNetNuke Upgrade Error. Also
remember the following: DON'T COPY YOUR DATABASE LOCATION (whsql-v08.prod.mesa1.secureserver.net)
FROM GODADDY CONFIG MGMT CONSOLE. Type it into your web.config
file. This can lead to blanks and other space holders being placed
without your knowledge because you will not see the difference in the
web.config. You will only see the resulting errors. Also remember
that the argument after 'Database=' should only be DB_12345.
I made the mistake of having a DSN so I put something like mssql.DB_12345.dsn.
This does not work. It will give you errors and have you pulling your
hair out. So make sure you have 2 DB connections in your web.config as
listed in the post above from srstuart.
I also saw a post about modifying the Install.aspx.vb file. I tried to
follow this post (http://www.dotnetnuke.com/Community/ForumsDotNetNuke/tabid/795/forumid/107/threadid/16090/threadpage/6/scope/posts/Default.aspx)
from dempseyonline and it didn't work for me. I reapplied my original
file from the zip and that is when it all finally came together.
I also recieved this error:
DotNetNuke Upgrade Error
The Assembly Version (
[ASSEMBLYVERSION] ) does not match the Database Version ( [DATABASEVERSION] )
ERROR: Could not connect to database.
The stored procedure 'tbarnett.GetPortalAliasByPortalID'
doesn't exist.
If
I forgot something or speak like a drunkard I am sorry it is 1:30am, I have
work at 7:30 and I am exhausted. GoDaddy makes DNN setup an exhausting task.
Thanks GoDaddy, you stole my heart with your low low prices, tasteless commercials,
and insane bandwidth limits, then stomped on it with your user non-rights, limited documentation, and poor customer service.
Oh,
don't bother calling GoDaddy, they might as well stick their hand and pointer
finger through the phone to better illustrate how nothing is their fault. It’s
yours. :p
So to recap,
Read, Read, Read.
Happy Programming
Ben Blanchard