DNN Creative Issues

In this issue we explore in detail the core DotNetNuke forum module and the search engine SiteMap feature in DotNetNuke.

We demonstrate step by step how to use and fully configure the core DotNetNuke forum module. The forum module allows users to have conversations in the form of posted messages and is a great way to build a community on your website as well as provide daily new content for the search engines to index.

The core forum module has many possible configurations, these include creating public, private / subscription and moderated forums, allowing attachments, pinning and locking posts, emailing replies and managing user settings such as rankings, avatars, word filters and creating polls.

This module should cover most of your requirements for a forum in your DotNetNuke website.

Next we demonstrate how to use the DotNetNuke Search Engine Sitemap. This feature in DotNetNuke allows you to automatically create a XML Sitemap which can be submitted to search engines such as Google.

A sitemap provides the search engines with an index of the pages from your website that they may not otherwise discover using their search bots and includes information such as the page URLs, date when a page was last updated and the importance of that page in relation to the other pages on your website.

Sitemaps help to ensure a search engine can fully index your website and are an essential tool for any webmaster. We walk you through how to automatically create a site map using DotNetNuke and also how to submit the sitemap to Google using the Google Webmaster tools.

This issue comes complete with 11 videos.

Core Modules:	DotNetNuke Core Forum Module (9 videos - 86mins)
	DotNetNuke Search Engine SiteMap (2 videos - 21mins)

View issue 64 to download all of the videos in one zip file

In this issue we focus on how DotNetNuke can be used to enhance or create a business.

To begin we provide video tutorials on Ecommerce and the Smith-Consulting Shopping Cart module. This module has all of the key features that you would expect from a store module, but it is also user friendly for setup and also usability for your customers.

The module allows you to create unlimited products, sell downloadable or physical goods, provide custom shipping, credit card processing, discounts, affiliate tracking and more.

Following this in the next set of video tutorials we demonstrate in detail the Advanced Login module by InteractiveWebs. This module features a Facebook connector, jQuery Popup, Skin Login and Region data import tool and allows you to customize the look and feel over the login and user registration process giving your DotNetNuke websites a professional user experience.

To finish, in our podcast this month we discuss the ways that we have encountered using DotNetNuke to run or enhance the running of a business. From simple subscription based websites through to large scale websites with 3000 child portals and 38,000 employees sharing documents. We discuss how DotNetNuke can benefit your business with its built-in functionality as well as the DotNetNuke community and the resources from third party developers for custom modules.

This issue comes complete with 13 videos.

Premium Modules:	DotNetNuke Smith Shopping Cart (8 videos - 73 mins)
	InteractiveWebs Advanced Login Module (5 videos - 48 mins)
Podcasts:	How DotNetNuke Enhances Business (28mins)

View issue 63 to download all of the videos in one zip file

In this issue we cover in detail how to achieve reliable and comprehensive DotNetNuke backups and show you how to implement and customize DNN Garden’s free DDR Menu for DotNetNuke

To begin, we walk you through how to install and use the advanced Evotiva DNNBackup module, this module is not only capable of performing complete file and database backups but it can be scheduled to perform any of its varied backup types on a regular basis including file backups, database backups, DNN log truncation and database shrinking.

Backups can be automatically transferred to a remote location such as an FTP server, Amazon S3 server or Rackspace Cloudfiles, plus a backup can be restored to a new server without the need for a DotNetNuke installation by following the simple restore wizard.

Following this we provide a detailed tutorial on how to implement and style the DDR Menu in your DotNetNuke skins. The DDR Menu is a free SEO friendly menu system from DNN Garden. The DDR menu comes with 6 different menu styles including the Treeview menu, the Superfish menu, the Accordion menu, the Dropdown menu, the Artisteer menu and the Mega menu.

Following this we continue our tutorials on DotNetMushrooms Rapid Application Development software, we show you how to implement the jsTree control within your DNM applications to create impressive jQuery tree style menu systems.

Finally we introduce the next two instalments in our new series of podcasts with David Finley from interactivewebs.com. In the first podcast we talk about the trials and tribulations of email in DotNetNuke, we discuss SMTP and how to configure SMTP in DotNetNuke. We then move on to discuss all the different mapping technologies available and their potential within a DNN installation.

In our second podcast this month we discuss in detail the importance of complete and reliable backup systems for all DotNetNuke websites, beginning with a few horror stories from Lee we discuss and provide advice on all the different site backup strategies available for DotNetNuke and the advantages / disadvantages of backup systems provided by hosting companies.

This issue comes complete with 13 videos.

Premium Modules:	Evotiva DNNBackup Module for DotNetNuke (7 videos - 62 mins)
Skinning:	DNN Garden - DDR Menu for DotNetNuke (6 videos - 56 mins)
Module Development Series:	Making use of the jsTree Control in DotNetMushroom RAD
Podcasts:	DotNetNuke Podcast, Email and Mapping in DotNetNuke (37mins)
	DotNetNuke Podcast, DNN Backup Methods and Advice (24mins)

View issue 62 to download all of the videos in one zip file

This issue is the beginning of Volume 6, so it's our 5th birthday! We would like to say a special thank you to all of you who have supported us over the past 5 years, it means a lot to us.

In this issue we demonstrate two advanced mapping modules available for DotNetNuke.

To begin, we walk you through how to implement and customize ReachOutsides’ GeoSprawl DotNetNuke Locator Module and demonstrate its potential within a DNN portal. We show you how to add several locations onto a map and give your users the power to search for their closest locations to a specified address or postcode, this is ideal for businesses with multiple store locations.

GeoSprawl Locator can be customized to suit all types of business needs, we show you how to customize the layout, display and styling of the module and explain how to customize specific map functions.

Next we take a detailed look at the ZLDNN Biz Map Module, we demonstrate the modules extensive features such as Google Maps integration and how to implement advanced features such as GeoRSS feeds into map layers. ZLDNN BizMap comes packed with four different integrated modules and we walk you through how to install, configure and use each one.

After following these specialised mapping tutorials you will have a good idea of all the features available and how they can benefit your website and your visitors.

Following this we continue our tutorials on DotNetMushrooms Rapid Application Development software, we show you how to implement pre-defined and custom lists for use in a DNM RAD application, this technique saves a large amount of development time by removing the need to create forms and tables to input list data.

Finally we introduce the first in a new series of Podcasts, we invite David Finley from InteractiveWebs.com to talk about the amazing new technology called Microsoft Pivot and the DotNetNuke Pivot module. We then move on to the latest news from the DNN community including the recent ASP.NET security scare.

This issue comes complete with 10 videos.

Premium Modules:	GeoSprawl DotNetNuke Locator Module (5 videos - 41 mins)
	ZLDNN Advanced Biz Map For DotNetNuke (5 videos - 44 mins)
Module Development Series:	Working with Lists in DotNetMushroom RAD
Podcasts:	DotNetNuke, Microsoft Pivot and DNN News (34mins)

View issue 61 to download all of the videos in one zip file

In this issue we demonstrate the many useful features of the DotNetNuke Nucleus Skin Designer and explain in detail the steps necessary to create your own custom skin.

Nucleus is a new method for creating your own custom skins and containers which allows you to create unique DotNetNuke skins with little or no knowledge of HTML or skin design. Nucleus allows you to design the skin live within your DotNetNuke website which makes it ideal for beginners to skinning and professionals who need to quickly create skin designs for their clients.

We begin by walking you through the installation of the Reactor module and we demonstrate how to fully customize the included ‘Reactor’ skin to your specific requirements. We show you how to create and apply containers from within the Nucleus Skin Designer to compliment the newly customized skin.

Following this we walk you through how to install and use the DotNetNuke core Survey Module. This module has a variety of different features such as the ability to create single or multiple answer questions using radio buttons and checkboxes, you can create public or private surveys and export all of the survey results to a CSV file for use in MS Excel. We demonstrate all of these features by showing you how to create two different surveys.

Next we demonstrate the powerful features of the Papayas Auto Upgrade Module for DotNetNuke. This module is capable of performing a quick automatic upgrade of your DotNetNuke installation with a few clicks, the module also includes a powerful backup feature and an emergency restore function. We show you how to upgrade, restore and even perform an emergency restore on your DotNetNuke installation.

To finish, we continue the series of articles on DotNetMushroom Rapid Application Developer (RAD), where we demonstrate how to create an events calendar.

This issue comes complete with 11 videos.

Skinning:	DotNetNuke Nucleus Skin Designer Tutorial (5 videos - 52 mins)
Premium Modules:	How to use Papayas Auto Upgrade for DotNetNuke (3 videos - 31 mins)
Core Modules:	How to Setup and Use the DotNetNuke Survey Module (3 videos - 24 mins)
Module Development Series:	Creating an Events Calendar for DotNetNuke using DotNetMushroom RAD

View issue 60 to download all of the videos in one zip file

In this issue we demonstrate how to use and fully customize the new Telerik RAD Editor available in DotNetNuke 5.

The Telerik RAD Editor now replaces the FCK Editor as the default HTML and text editor in DotNetNuke 5. We walk you through its large feature set and show you how to fully customize the editor to suit your own needs.

We show you how to change important settings such as how to instruct the editor to use paragraph tags when you press the enter key rather than break tags. We walk you through how to disable and remove certain buttons and how to use CSS styles for easily styling the text and images in the Telerik RAD Editor.

Next we show you how to change the default text editor that is used in DotNetNuke. This allows you to easily switch to using the FCK Editor or the Telerik RAD Editor, so you can easily choose your favourite text editor in DotNetNuke.

Following this we continue the Open Web Studio tutorials, this month we demonstrate how to implement the vast features of the jQuery User Interface library into your Open Web Studio applications, and we show you how to insert a date picker, auto complete input boxes and a tab system.

To finish, we continue the series of articles on DotNetMushroom Rapid Application Developer (RAD), where we demonstrate how to create charts and display them within your DotNetNuke portals.

This issue comes complete with 16 videos.

Administrators:	DotNetNuke Telerik RAD Editor Introduction (6 videos - 67 mins)
	How to Configure the Telerik RAD Editor in DotNetNuke (6 videos - 62 mins)
	How to Change the Default Text Editor in DotNetNuke (2 videos - 23 mins)
Module Development Series:	Getting Started With jQuery UI in OWS (3 videos - 28 mins)
	Creating Charts Using DNM RAD 1.3 for DotNetNuke

View issue 59 to download all of the videos in one zip file

In this issue we demonstrate how to use the new Taxonomy (Categories) and Folksonomy (User Tags) features introduced from DotNetNuke 5.4 onwards.

These new features allow you to categorize and tag both pages and modules within your DotNetNuke portal. We show you the considerations to make when categorizing the content on your website and how to implement categories and tags within your DotNetNuke site. We also show you how to configure the display of the new tags skin object.

Complimenting the Taxonomy and Folksonomy tutorial we show you how to use the Content List module. This module allows you to display a list of content related to how the content has been tagged.

Following this we demonstrate the new features that have been added to the User Profile section of DotNetNuke from version 5.4 onwards, this covers two new modules: View Profile and Messaging Modules. The View Profile module allows a user to view their own profile and the messaging module allows users to send and receive private messages to other registered users.

Next we show you how to use the new Ribbon Bar Admin Control Panel that is now available with DotNetNuke v5.4 onwards. The Ribbon Bar is an enhanced version of the admin control panel which provides a more efficient way for administrators to manage their DotNetNuke websites.

Following this we continue the Open Web Studio tutorials, this month we demonstrate some advanced techniques for customizing the user experience in your DotNetNuke portal. We take advantage of security controls for managing how your users access and use your portals.

To finish, we continue the series of articles on DotNetMushroom Rapid Application Developer (RAD), where we demonstrate how to implement a DotNetNuke user registration module using DNM RAD.

This issue comes complete with 13 videos.

Administrators:	Taxonomy and Folksonomy in DotNetNuke (4 videos - 34 mins)
	DotNetNuke User Profile Features v5.4 (2 videos - 15 mins)
	DotNetNuke Ribbon Bar Admin Control Panel (2 videos - 23 mins)
Core Modules:	DotNetNuke Content List Module (1 video - 8 mins)
Module Development Series:	OWS Advanced Techniques: User Access and Security (4 videos - 32 mins)
	How to Implement a DotNetNuke User Registration Module Using DNM RAD

View issue 58 to download all of the videos in one zip file

In this issue we show you how to use the DotNetNuke Core Gallery Module. The Gallery module allows you to upload files and present them within albums. You can upload images as well as media files such as music and video files.

The Gallery module has many features available such as multiple albums, bulk upload, categorization, slideshow, display templates, voting, downloads, watermark and private gallery. This is a useful module for displaying images and media within your DotNetNuke portal with options for customizing the display to suit your exact requirements. We walk you through step by step how to install, use and fully configure the DotNetNuke Gallery module.

Following this we continue the Open Web Studio tutorials, this month we demonstrate how to create a Skin Object from an OWS configuration. We show you how to create a menu and a feedback form using OWS and how to display those OWS applications as Skin Objects within a DotNetNuke skin.

To finish, we continue the series of articles on DotNetMushroom Rapid Application Developer (RAD), where we demonstrate some of the new features available in the latest version of DNM RAD, these include: Creating a new data source, creating a linked table, creating a direct query and the new colour coding editor.

This issue comes complete with 9 videos.

Core Modules:	DotNetNuke Gallery Module (7 videos - 57 mins)
Module Development Series:	How to Create a Skin Object from an OWS Configuration (2 videos - 18 mins)
	New Features in DNM 01.20.00

View issue 57 to download all of the videos in one zip file

In this issue we show you how to use the powerful new Super Stylesheets skinning feature in DotNetNuke 5.

Super Stylesheets are ideal for both beginner and experienced skin designers, they provide skin layouts using CSS. The advantage of Super Stylesheets is that you can easily create a skin layout which works in all browsers without the need to learn complex CSS techniques.

They are also very quick to build and you can change a skin layout in a matter of minutes rather than hours. We show you how to build a skin from the very beginning using Super Stylesheets, we show you how to create various skin layouts, as well as multi-layouts. We also show you how to style the skin, how to add tokens such as the logo, menu, login links etc. and walk you through how to create a fully working skin from scratch.

Following this we continue the Open Web Studio tutorials, this month we demonstrate how to create an installable DotNetNuke PA module using OWS. This is an essential technique which allows you to package up the OWS applications that you have created and build them into an installable zip package. The zip file is then installable as a standard DotNetNuke module which means you can easily install your OWS applications on other DotNetNuke installations by simply installing them as a standard DotNetNuke module.

To finish, we have part six of the "How to Build a News Application with DotNetMushroom Rapid Application Developer (RAD)" article, where we demonstrate how to create a News Carousel using RAD, JQuery and the JCarousel plugin.

This issue comes complete with 15 videos.

Skinning:	Super Stylesheets Skinning in DotNetNuke 5 - DNN Layouts (12 videos - 98mins)
Module Development Series:	How to Create an Installable DotNetNuke PA Module Using OWS (3 videos - 23mins)
	How to Implement a News Carousel Using DotNetMushroom RAD and JQuery

View issue 56 to download all of the videos in one zip file

In this issue we focus on the new Skin Object token method introduced in DotNetNuke 5 for adding tokens into a DotNetNuke skin. A Skin Object Token is a web user control which covers skin elements such as the logo, menu, search, login links, date, copyright, languages, links, banners, privacy, terms of use, etc.

Following this we demonstrate how to install and use two Advanced DotNetNuke Admin Control Panels which are available for free from Oliver Hine. These control panels provide an optimized version of the admin control panel to improve performance and page load times, as well as a ribbon bar control panel which adds additional features.

Next, we continue the Open Web Studio tutorials, this month we demonstrate some very advanced techniques for building a car parts application in Open Web Studio. Throughout the tutorial we cover form input, validation, how to use dependant drop down lists, populating checkbox lists and introduce a new concept of data level security. Data level security allows you to control which data a user can access within a module.

To finish, we have part five of the "How to Build a News Application with DotNetMushroom Rapid Application Developer (RAD)" article, where we demonstrate how to implement paging.

This issue comes complete with 14 videos.

Skinning:	Skin Object Tokens for DotNetNuke 5 (8 videos - 64mins)
Free Module:	Advanced Optimized Control Panel by Oliver Hine (1 video - 11mins)
Module Development Series:	Form Validation, Dependant Drop Downs and Data Level Security in OWS (5 videos - 44mins)
	How to Implement Paging with DotNetMushroom RAD

View issue 55 to download all of the videos in one zip file