Season's Greetings.... it's time for a good DNN Rant. :-) Don't get me wrong, I love this community and what the core team has contributed to the web and .Net development. Like many DNN folk, I am a seasoned developer and database adminsitrator for about 14 years. I see many obstacles still facing DNN's install. (yes, I'm posting another rant. :-) because this install script executed 2 weeks after the database was installed and site was running.)
<RANT>
Ok. After issues with the install back on 12/10, we finally got the version running. Hey, smooth sailing once DNN gets installed right? WRONG!
Over the Christmas vacation, I decided to work on the site to catch up some content. ERROR: dbo.GetTabs proc does not exist error. WTF? As it seems, DNN make a call to "DNN central" for an upgrade and it hosed up what we had. (I simply cannot believe that feature is in the core! will someone please verify this for me?)
After my hosting provider resored a the database and files from the last known good date (2 times at $35 bucks a pop), things are all back and good! Until the next day? WTF? If calling DNN central for auto updates IS in the app, Take it out. Architecturally speaking, its retarded. :-)
Now, after wrangling again with it this morning, I finally got the Installing DNN to stop (the under construction page). KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS IS A SITE THAT WAS ALREADY UP AND RUNNING!!! (unbelievable)
All these versions of DNN (I've been working with DNN since 1.0.10, know ASP.Net, Know SQL, data architecture, and DNN. I wish to GOD that the core team wouldn't release another version of DNN until they fully test the database install/maintenance scripts. They are getting better, but still has a long way to go. I wish I had the time to help them, I know how to address these issues.
</RANT>
:-) My question now is, how the hell do I get login page to come up? Since the GetTabs debacle, my login screen is now gone. Anyone have any ideas?
Looks like we're screwed (AGAIN) by DNN's inability to get the install from minding its own business and not rerun.
DNN Core Team, please rip out the install, rethink it, rework it. Stop installing new crap and get your install right... for the love of GOD and the community, don't fix your install "prototype", rip it apart and redo it. BTW, make it a window's smart client and FTP. or whatever, but not "integrated". If that's not an option, improve the wizard. Improve the database error handling. Write a module to verify the database, also, allow a database dropAllObjects routine.
Here's a suggestion about database scripting:
1) Have a version manifest. it's an XML document that has the database version and the associated files related to the database objects. ie. (GetTabs.txt)
2) Organize them by object types in this order. (Tables, Functions, Views, Stored Procedures, default "lookup" table data.)
3) Verify all objects... you already have the list, it's in the manifest. :-)
4) Dump/Drop everything if the install fails.
Make version 4.08 a good version, no new crap, no new modules, just a great STABLE version. I'm sure many members of the community will agree.
...time for a cup of coffee.