DNN Blog

Jan 18

Posted by: Erik van Ballegoij
1/18/2007 2:45 AM  RssIcon

If you are using DotNetNuke 4.4.0, you have noticed undoubtedly that some modules are missing from the install and source distributions. I hope I can explain a bit more about what changed. In fact a couple of things happened.
First of all, DotNetNuke is becoming an ever larger application, with version 4.3.x consisting of about 100 separate assemblies. During startup of the application, all these dll's are loaded, which makes the load time longer. I've found a good article explaining this here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/issues/06/02/CLRInsideOut/default.aspx. The solution that was chosen for DotNetNuke was to not install all modules that are included in the distribution automatically, but make the installation optional, through the Host > Module Definitions page. You can read more about it in one of Charles's Performance Updates and one of Shauns Blogs. DotNetNuke 4.4.0 includes the following modules:
  • Announcements
  • Blog
  • Documents
  • FAQs
  • Forum
  • HTML
  • IFrame
  • Links
  • Media
  • NewsFeeds
  • Reports
  • Repository
  • Survey
  • UserDefinedTable
  • UsersOnline
  • XML
 
Of which only the HTML and the Links module will install at first, because those modules are needed in the default portal that is created with DotNetNuke. All others can be installed through Host > Module Definitions
 
This brings me to the second thing that has happened. If you've installed DotNetNuke before, you will miss some modules in this list. In comparison with DotNetNuke 4.3.7, the following modules are no longer distributed with DotNetNuke:
  • Contacts
  • Events
  • Feedback
  • Gallery
  • Help
  • Store
  • WhatsNew
 
Let me explain briefly what happened with these. In general, it was decided that modules that do not live up to the standards DotNetNuke is trying to set, should not be included in the core distribution. Some specific information about each of them:
Contacts – The contacts module has a new team leader (Tony Valenti of PowerDNN), and the new module will be a member directory that plugs in directly to the DotNetNuke user management. For users of the old contacts module, an upgrade path will be provided by the UDT module. Read Toni Valenti's post for more information.
Events – The events module did not have new releases for about 9 months, there were a couple of issues with the module, and no new releases were scheduled. Since then, the project team leader Alan Vance, has started to fix open issues, and is planning to release within approximately 6 weeks. I expect this module to be included again after it has been released
Feedback – A more or less serious issue was identified in the feedback module, causing postings to show up in other portals. As far as I know the team is currently creating a new version of the module. Again.. when this new version is released, this will probably be included again in the core distribution
Gallery – The gallery team is working on a new version, but it is a major rewrite. The module will use the DB, instead of XML and all kinds of other improvements. The current module version has some serious performance issues (due to xml storage), so it was decided to skip this module from the distribution.
Help – The current version has some installation issues, and a new version is also underway.
Store – The store module is under development, and is nearing release
WhatsNew – The "What's New" module was included in DotNetNuke 4.3.x with no real good reasons. There is no "What's New" project, no separate download, so it was decided to remove it again from the distribution. The problem was that no separate download was available. This will be fixed soon. However, we still are debating what to do with the module, so I'd not expect to see this module back in DotNetNuke in the next stabilization release.
 
Of course all these modules (except "whats new") can be downloaded through their respective download pages

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10 comment(s) so far...


Re: DotNetNuke 4.4.0: Where did all the modules go?

thanks for the update

By afromobile on   1/18/2007 3:40 AM

Re: DotNetNuke 4.4.0: Where did all the modules go?

Excellent idea to only load what is being used.
Also excellent to see standards being applied to the core modules.
Practicing what you preach!

By jbonnie on   1/18/2007 3:01 PM

Re: DotNetNuke 4.4.0: Where did all the modules go?

Is there any way of auditing what modules are currently used? We have a 4.3.7 parent with numerous child portals that we delegate control to the end user departments. It would be nice to know what modules are being used (and where) so that moving forward we know if particular modules need attention/upgrades.

By Mark Seniow on   1/31/2007 11:03 PM

Re: DotNetNuke 4.4.0: Where did all the modules go?

Can you discuss what happens during the upgrade process if upgrading from a previous 4.x.x version that uses the above mentioned no longer included modules?

By Stefan P on   1/31/2007 11:25 PM

Re: DotNetNuke 4.4.0: Where did all the modules go?

Great idea thank you Erik and keep pregress

By Hassan abuHelweh on   2/1/2007 11:58 AM

Re: DotNetNuke 4.4.0: Where did all the modules go?

thanks for all, but What's new was interesting module

how can i find one other??

By skmatt on   2/1/2007 12:15 PM

Re: DotNetNuke 4.4.0: Where did all the modules go?

I tried to upgrade my site but not succeed. It seems that there are some modules in my site that is not compatible with DNN 4.4.1.

Here is my DNN 4.02 currently: Can you tell me which modules are not comptiable for DNN 4.4.0. So I can clean up the site before I can try to upgrade DNN?

Thanks,
Robin

Module Name Description Premium
[Skin Objects] Skin Objects are User Controls which can be used to provide custom functionality to your Skin files. False

Account Login Allows users to login to the portal. False

AdvancedDataGrid The Advanced DataGrid enables advanced users to display data from any data source directly into a DataGrid. Features Include: Sorting, Filtering, Paging, Searching and Export Data to Excel. False

Announcements This module renders a list of announcements. Each announcement includes title, text and a "read more" link, and can be set to automatically expire after a particular date. False

Articles The Articles module extends the core's Annoucements module with many useful features including: categories, searching, filtering, archives, an automatically thumbnailed image, and Article details. It can be used as a publishing system, a content management system, or for blogging. False

Banners Banner advertising is managed through the Vendors module in the Admin tab. You can select the number of banners to display as well as the banner type. False

Categories Intended for Admin use only. Allows you to display and edit Categories. Categoties are not useful by themselves but are used for sorting and filtering of other modules False

Contacts This module renders contact information for a group of people, for example a project team. Contacts includes an edit page, which allows authorized users to edit the Contacts data stored in the database. False
DefMatchGame 1.0 DefMatchGame 1.0 adefwebserver.com False

Discussions This module renders a group of message threads on a specific topic. Discussion includes a Read/Reply Message page, which allows authorized users to reply to exising messages or add a new message thread. The data for Discussion is stored in the SQL database. False

DnnForge - LatestArticles Allows you to display a list of the latest articles. False

DnnForge - NewsArchives Allows you to display a list of articles by month. False

DnnForge - NewsArticles Allows you to publish News Articles to your portal. False

Documents This module renders a list of documents, including links to browse or download the document. Documents includes an edit page, which allows authorized users to edit the information about the Documents (for example, a friendly title) stored in the SQL database. False

Events This module renders a list of upcoming events, including time and location. Individual events can be set to automatically expire from the list after a particular date. Events includes an edit page, which allows authorized users to edit the Events data stored in the SQL database. False

FAQs FAQs allow you to manage a list of Frequently Asked Questions and their corresponding Answers. False

Feedback Feedback allows visitors to send messages to the Administrator of the portal. False

IFrame IFrame is an Internet Explorer browser feature which allows you to display content from another website within a frame on your site. False
Image This module renders an image using an HTML IMG tag. The module simply sets the IMG tags src attribute to a relative or absolute URL, so the image file does not need to reside within the portal. The module also exposes height and width attributes, which permits you to scale the image. Image includes an edit page, which persists these settings to the portals configuration file. False

Inventua - MediaPlayer Inventua MediaPlayer False

Inventua - PayPal Inventua PayPal False

LinkImage LinkImage image module is a hybrid of image and link core modules. False

Links This module renders a list of hyperlinks. Links includes an edit page, which allows authorized users to edit the Links data stored in the SQL database. False

Mailing List Subscribe Allows users to subscribe to an external mailing list. False

News Feeds (RSS) News Feed allows you to consume syndicated news feeds in Rich Site Summary (RSS) format. False

Search Input The Search Input module provides the ability to submit a search to a given search results module. False

Search Results The Search Reasults module provides the ability to display search results. False

SimpleGallery Allows you to upload and display photos. False

SimpleGallery Random Displays a random photo from select albums. False

Smart-Thinker - Referrals Users can send a referral message to other people with a templated message False

SmartThinker - Webcam Refreshes a Webcam or Iframe source False
Survey Survey allows you to create custom surveys to obtain public feedback False

Text/HTML This module renders a snippet of HTML or text. The Html/Text module includes an edit page, which allows authorized users to the HTML or text snippets directly. The snippets are stored in the SQL database. False

TMinus T-Minus is a event count down timer that displays the days, hours, minutes, etc to a given event. False

User Account Allows users to register and manage their account. False

User Defined Table User Defined Table allows you to create a custom data table for managing tabular information. False

UsersOnline Users Online allows you to see who is online in your portal, and see membership counts False

WebCamLite WebCam Viewer False

XML/XSL This module renders the result of an XML/XSL transform. The XML and XSL files are identified by their UNC paths in the xmlsrc and xslsrc properties of the module. The Xml/Xsl module includes an edit page, which persists these settings to the SQL database. False

By Ice1guy on   2/3/2007 8:23 PM

Re: DotNetNuke 4.4.0: Where did all the modules go?

Excellent path to ensuring DNN is an Enterprise application.

Randy Walker

By Vonlar on   2/5/2007 10:18 AM

Re: DotNetNuke 4.4.0: Where did all the modules go?

Hi Erik, am I correct in thinking that this modification exists in the Change Log? I'm having trouble finding it. If its there, can you describe the issue filter settings that will show the item in the issue list and/or the issue number? BTW, I think this is a smart direction.

By andrewhay on   3/11/2007 9:01 PM

Re: DotNetNuke 4.4.0: Where did all the modules go?

Is DNN backwards compatible? Reason I ask is that the latest version is missing more than just modules. It is missing the personal website, small business website and club website templates, which were very handy. Also, there are fewer skins too. I had included several additional skins for the 3.x version. Should these skins and old templates still work for the 4.x version?

What if I began by installing the oldest version of DNN and then performing each of the subsequent upgrades?

By bwalz on   9/5/2007 9:05 AM
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DotNetNuke Corp. is the steward of the DotNetNuke open source project, the most widely adopted Web Content Management Platform for building web sites and web applications on Microsoft. Organizations use DotNetNuke to quickly develop and deploy interactive and dynamic web sites, intranets, extranets and web applications. The DotNetNuke platform is available in a free Community and subscription-based Professional and Enterprise Editions with an Elite Support option. DotNetNuke Corp. also operates the DotNetNuke Store where users purchase third party apps for the platform.