Creating a DotNetNuke® Module using notepad<

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Creating a DotNetNuke® Module using notepad -
For absolute beginners! (Page 2) page 1

Creating the Development environment:

At this point you want to have DNN installed and working. You should only use a development server. If you attempt to develop a module on a production server you will undoubtedly mess up your production instillation of DNN and that is very upsetting!

1. Once you have DNN up and running, use the file manager (Windows Explorer) to locate the "DesktopModules" folder in the DNN directory (usually located at "C:\Inetpub\ wwwroot\ DotNetNuke\ DesktopModules").

2. Create a folder in that directory and name it "ShowMessages"

3. Open notepad and paste the following code in it and save it as "ShowMessage.ascx" in the "ShowMessages" directory you just created.

<%@ Control Inherits="ImportantMessage.ShowMessage" Src="ImportantMessages.vb" Language="vb" autoeventwireup="false" Explicit="True" %>



<asp:Label id="Message_Label" runat="server"></asp:Label>

4. Open notepad and paste the following code in it and save it as "WriteMessage.ascx" in the "ShowMessages" directory.

<%@ Control Inherits="ImportantMessage.WriteMessage" Src="ImportantMessages.vb" Language="vb" %>

<asp:TextBox id="MessageTextBox" runat="server" Height="58px" Width="258px" TextMode="MultiLine" Rows="2" MaxLength="500"></asp:TextBox>


 <asp:Button id="Save_Button" runat="server" Text="Save"></asp:Button>

5. Open notepad and paste the following code in it and save it as "ImportantMessages.vb" in the "ShowMessages" directory.

Imports System Imports System.IO Imports System.Web.HttpContext Imports System.Web.UI Imports System.Web.UI.WebControls Imports DotNetNuke Imports System.Web.Caching Namespace ImportantMessage Public MustInherit Class ShowMessage Inherits PortalModuleControl Protected WithEvents Message_Label As System.Web.UI.WebControls.Label Private Sub Page_Init(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Init 'InitializeComponent() MyBase.Actions.Add(GetNextActionID, "Edit Message", "", URL:=EditURL(), secure:=SecurityAccessLevel.Edit, Visible:=True) End Sub Private Sub Page_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load Try Dim objModules As New DotNetNuke.ModuleController Message_Label.Text = CType(Settings("Message"), String) Catch Message_Label.Text = "nothing" End Try end sub End ClasS Public MustInherit Class WriteMessage Inherits PortalModuleControl Protected WithEvents MessageTextBox As System.Web.UI.WebControls.Textbox Protected WithEvents Save_Button As System.Web.UI.WebControls.Button Private Sub Page_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load If Page.IsPostBack = False Then MessageTextBox.Text = CType(Settings("Message"), String) End IF end sub Private Sub Save_Button_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Save_Button.Click Dim objModules As New DotNetNuke.ModuleController objModules.UpdateModuleSetting(ModuleId, "Message", MessageTextBox.Text) Response.Redirect(NavigateURL()) End Sub End Class End Namespace

You can download a copy of the files here.

Now that you have put the files into DNN you have to tell DNN that the files are installed. First log in using the master DNN administrator account (without this you will not be able to see the "HOST" tab).

Select HOST then MODULE DEFINITIONS

On the next screen select ADD NEW MODULE DEFINITION

On the next screen enter "ShowMessages" for the module name and "This module will show messages" for description. Click the UPDATE button at the bottom of the page.

The DEFINITIONS box will appear at the bottom of the screen. Type in "Show Message" and click ADD DEFINITION.

The control section will appear. Click ADD CONTROL.

The EDIT MODULE CONTROL box will appear. Use the drop-down box to select "DesktopModules/ShowMessages/ShowMessage.ascx" for SOURCE and select "view" for TYPE.

Click ADD CONTROL again. The EDIT MODULE CONTROL box will appear. Use the drop-down box to select "DesktopModules/ShowMessages/WriteMessage.ascx" for SOURCE and select "Edit" for TYPE. Enter "EDIT" for KEY. Click UPDATE.

Click the MODULE DEFINITION Tab.

Next to TAB ADMIN in the upper left hand corner, click ADD

On the Tab Management screen, enter "TEST" for TAB NAME and "TEST TAB" for TITLE. Select "<None Specified>" for PARENT TAB. Click UPDATE at the bottom of the page.