For the last 3-4 hours, I have been trying to use my custom Sql Data Provider, but DNN is picking up its own DataProvider every time.

I have removed DNN DataProvider's entry from web.config & added my Provider as follows:

        <data defaultProvider="SqlDataProvider">
            <providers>
                <clear/>
                <add name="SqlDataProvider" type="Imbibe.Provider.SqlDataProvider, Imbibe.Provider" connectionStringName="SiteSqlServer" upgradeConnectionString="" providerPath="~\bin\" objectQualifier="" databaseOwner="dbo"/>
</providers>
        </data>

But DNN is using its own provider. Just to be sure, that my provider is not being used, I am throwing an Exception in the first line of my Provider constructor, but the site opens up cleanly, without any exceptions, and all data being showed properly. I have been able to supply my custom Profile provider, but somehow the DataProvider is not working my way.

Please help!!!

I analyzed the abstract Data Provider & found there the following code:

        Private Const ProviderType As String = "data"    ' maps to <sectionGroup> in web.config
        Private Const ProviderNamespace As String = "DotNetNuke.Data"    ' project namespace
        Private Const ProviderAssemblyName As String = ""    ' project assemblyname

        ' singleton reference to the instantiated object
        Private Shared objProvider As DataProvider = Nothing

        ' constructor
        Shared Sub New()
            CreateProvider()
        End Sub

        ' dynamically create provider
        Private Shared Sub CreateProvider()
            objProvider = CType(Framework.Reflection.CreateObject(ProviderType, ProviderNamespace, ProviderAssemblyName), DataProvider)
        End Sub

The abstract provider is not picking up the Concreate provider's namespace from web.config. This coupled with the following thread:

http://www.dotnetnuke.com/Community/Forums/tabid/795/forumid/111/threadid/171688/scope/posts/Default.aspx

make me believe I need to put my custom provider also in the namespace DotNetNuke.Data. Is that so???

Please, help!!!

I've been thinking about your issue on and off over the last hour, and your approach seems correct (or at least what I would do initially if I were trying to accomplish the same task).

DNN can be picky about the fully qualified object name used in a provider (I believe you need a .Data at the end of your object).  However, this can't be the problem, because DNN isn't telling you that it CAN'T create the provider, it's creating the WRONG one.  If it were a namespace issue as you suggested, I would expect to see an exception relating to a failure to instantiate the provider in the first place.

If I were debugging this issue, my next step would be to put a breakpoint in the core code where the dataprovider is instantiated.  Do you have a dev setup where you can debug the core?

Brandon

I believe you do have to use the DotNetNuke.Data namespace and make sure you inherit from the core dataprovider.

Everything else looks correct - can you give some more information as to what your setup looks like.

a) are you using WAP model or WSP - do you have the dll in the bin folder if using WAP model?
b) what is the dll name?
c) What is the namespace and class name you're using?
d) If you're creating your own custom sql dataprovider - is there a reason why the core supplied one doesnt work - reason I'm asking is because could there be a different way in accomplishing what you're trying to do?


Sanjay