DNN (Formerly DotNetNuke) Tutorial - Part 1

Introduction

DNN (formerly DotNetNuke) is a web Content Management System that uses Microsoft. NET. The Community Edition is open-source. DotNetNuke was written in VB.NET, though the developer has shifted to C# beginning with DNN version 6.0.[4]. It is distributed under both a Community Edition MIT license and commercial proprietary licenses as the Professional and Enterprise Editions.

DNN (formerly DotNetNuke) is a program that runs on Microsoft ASP.NET. It is also a framework, meaning, it is a program that is designed to be extended. One of the ways you extend the framework is to create modules. These modules are installed inside a DotNetNuke installation and when they run in that DotNetNuke installation they extend the framework to create a DotNetNuke website also called a portal. Click Here to learn more about DNN.

Installation Process

Step 1. Download the .rar file from the following web page.

Download

Step 2. Extract the downloaded file.

Extract the downloaded file

Step 3. Add Full Control access to the Network Service account user.

Add Full Control access

Step 4. Open IIS.

Run

Step 5. Create a new Application Pool for your DNN website. Set .NET Framework versions accordingly. Then set the identity with a specific user account from advanced settings as follows.

Add application pool

DNN Website

Alias Name

Step 6. Add a new application to the default application. (Right-click then select Add new application).

  1. Provide an Alias Name
  2. Select the Application pool
  3. Select the folder path(Folder path, where extracted files are kept).
  4. Select Connect as an Application Pool user.

See the following.

Alias

Default app pool

DNN

Step 7. Now your DNN Site has been hosted in IIS.

Open the Web. config file and edit the connections string “SiteSqlServer” and app Settings Key “SiteSqlServer” with your SQL Server credentials. Then browse your website from IIS.

SiteSqlServer

Step 8. Now you can see the installation wizard for DNN.

 Installation wizard

Step 9. Select Custom Option and click Next. Always before clicking Next please read all the instructions carefully.

Select Custom Option

Step 10. Click Next.

Click Next button

Step 11. Provide the database credentials and click Next then the database update process will happen.

Click next

Next

If the database update process is successfully completed, you will get the preceding message. Click Next.

Step 12. Host Account Configuration. This will be your host username and password. Fill in the necessary fields and click Next.

Host Account Configuration

Step 13. Install the optional Modules, Skins, Language Pack, Authentication System, and Providers.

Authentication

Install Optional Modules

The Active Directory provider is to be used when we create an intranet portal or such an application.

Step 14. Portal Title. Here we set the Portal title and admin username and password to this portal. Click Next, then you will get a screen to build your website.

Portal Title

Step 15

Install complete

Click on Start Building your new site. You can see your website and try to log in with your host login and admin login.

Click On Start Building

On the other side, you can see many tables have been created in the database to manage our user profiles, page configuration, and so on.

Tables

Advantages

  1. Simple Content Editing and creation.
  2. The ability to change or update the look and feel of your site completely, without affecting the content.
  3. Reduced time-to-market since the content and design can be prepared and implemented concurrently.
  4. Reduced cost.
  5. Unmatched security.

Reference