You will, of course, need to use Visual Studio (or other tool) to develop a module but will never be compiling DotNetNuke website code with that of your module project. There are two basic approaches to developing a module:

1. Website project (WSP) - Your module is developed within a child folder of DesktopModules and if the project makes use of non-code file components) in a corresponding child folder of App_Code. All of your code will be "just in time" compiled automatically when the website starts up. When moving the module to a live site need to distribute all .vb or .cs files as there will be no compiled assembly created.

2. Web application project (WAP) - In Visual Studio you will be creating a solution and project file which will reference the DotNetNuke.dll and other assemblies as needed. The project will most likely (but not necessarily) be located in a child folder of DesktopModules. When you build the project you will be compiling your code behind and other component code into one or more assembilies. Only your project assembilies, .ascx user controls (module controls), SQL script files, resource files, etc.  - not your .vb and .cs files will need to be distributed when moving the module to a live site. Once again, the website itself is not pre-compiled.

To learn more about module development and some of the available Visual Studio module templates you may want to look at the following resources:

http://www.dotnetnuke.com/Resources/T... (WAP)
http://www.dotnetnuke.com/Resources/W... (WAP and WSP)
http://www.dotnetnuke.com/Community/W... (WAP)
http://www.adefwebserver.com/DotNetNu... (WSP)
http://www.dotnetnuke.com/Resources/F... (WSP)

---

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

Attempting to compile the website code should not damage the installation. You can ignore the error message - just be sure to restore any file that you removed in trying to get website compilation to work.

---

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