By Lee Sykes
September 2005
This is an independent review of Efficion Consulting’s Articles Module V3.1.5 and V3.2 Beta for DotNetNuke® V3.1. The review looks at the module for its features, useability, functionality, ease of use, stability, value for money.
We demonstrate different ways you can use the module within your website and offer suggestions relating to other uses you could find for this module, apart from managing articles.
Module Details
The Articles module is an extension of the core's Announcements module. It adds several useful features including: thumbnailed images, article archives, searching, and article details with rich text editing (or the option to link to internal or external pages).
Key Features
- Rich Text Editing: Users can create content through a Rich Text Editor
- Search: Users can search all articles in the portal
- Archive: Users can view all articles by clicking on the More Articles... link. Alternatively a custom link can be input to display a particular page or subset of articles
- Images: An image can be displayed for each article. Thumbnails are automatically generated based on a configurable MaxWidth parameter
- Featured Articles: allows users to mark an article as featured and the Article List has an option to display only featured articles
- Admins can choose which fields they want displayed in the ListView
- Site Wide option: The Article List can display articles from anywhere in the portal, not just articles specific to the module in which they were created
- Incorporates Efficion's Categories Module to allow for filtering by category
The sub-headings within the V3.1.5 module review include the following:
- Introduction
- Installation
- Setup / configuration
- Categories
- Adding an article
- Configuration options for displaying the articles list
- Configuring the module continued …
- Approving and searching articles
- The articles view and configuration
- Changing the look of the module
- Working with banner ads
- Search engine compatibility
- Localisation
- Verdict
- Pros, cons and summary
- The module in action
The sub-headings within the V3.2 Beta module review include the following: (This is a continuation of the V3.1.5 review)
- Installing V3.2 Beta as an upgrade to V3.1.5
- The publishing date
- Adding an article
- Articles list options
- Verdict
Video Tutorials
Alongside the review are 9 flash video walk throughs / tutorials totalling 41 minutes to demonstrate the modules features and possible uses.
Video 1
- A brief description of how other websites have implemented the module
- The modules main features
- How to install the module
Video 2
- How to insert the categories module to a page
- Configure it so that only administrators can view the module
- Adding categories and inserting the articles module to a page
Video 3
- How to add an article using the HTML / Text page function
- Viewing the article
Video 4
- View a demonstration of the different article types
- Configuration options for the display of the articles list, filtering articles etc.
- Adding a page with an articles module and
- Configuring the site-wide options with the category filters
Video 5
- Further configuration examples.
- Working with featured articles
- Creating a custom more articles link
Video 6
- The approve articles function and searching the articles
Video 7
- A workaround for using banner ads
Covering the 3.2 Beta module:
Video 8
- View how to install the module and
- Fix the problem of the articles no longer displaying
Video 9
- View the additional features: multiple categories and assigning them to an article
- A demonstration of the areas that still need to be implemented
roles that can view content
Throughout these nine videos we work through practical examples of using the module with a music website, this demonstration provides different uses you can find for this module.
Purchasing
This module is available for free from Efficion Consultings website:
Click here to download the module