InteractiveWebs Blog

During an update from DNN 4.9.5 to DNN 6x we experienced:

All pages with HTML blank when logged out, but show this error logged in.

Error: Services is currently unavailable.DotNetNuke.Services.Exceptions.ModuleLoadException: The type initializer for ‘DotNetNuke.Modules.Html.DataProvider’ threw an exception. —> System.TypeInitializationException: The type initializer for ‘DotNetNuke.Modules.Html.DataProvider’ threw an exception. —> System.InvalidCastException: Unable to cast object of type ‘DotNetNuke.Modules.HTML.SqlDataProvider’ to type ‘DotNetNuke.Modules.Html.DataProvider’. at DotNetNuke.Modules.Html.DataProvider.CreateProvider() — End of inner exception stack trace — at DotNetNuke.Modules.Html.WorkflowStateController.GetWorkflows(Int32 PortalID) at DotNetNuke.Modules.Html.HtmlTextController.GetWorkflow(Int32 ModuleId, Int32 TabId, Int32 PortalId) at DotNetNuke.Modules.Html.HtmlModule.OnInit(EventArgs e) — End of inner exception stack trace —

Solution

In our case, the upgrade left 2 things behind that DNN 6 did not like.

1. in the app_code directory, we deleted the ‘HTML’ folder (since it does not seem that it was in use anymore and was potentially conflicting with new html module code)
2. in web.config, I removed the following line in the <Codesubdirectories> section
   <add directoryName="HTML" />

Save and you are done.

We had a requirement today to run a DotNetNuke Website in .Net 4.0 as some code we are using as part of the Microsoft CRM 2011 SDK require .Net 4.0.

Problem is that with many of the DotNetNuke websites, they have some references that will cause this error when you flip your website worker process to 4.0. in IIS.

This will give you an error that looks like this:

Generates an error:

Server Error in ‘/’ Application.

---

Compilation Error

Description: An error occurred during the compilation of a resource required to service this request. Please review the following specific error details and modify your source code appropriately.
Compiler Error Message: CS1703: An assembly with the same identity ‘System.Web.Extensions, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35′ has already been imported. Try removing one of the duplicate references.
Source Error:

[No relevant source lines]

Source File: Line: 0

Show Detailed Compiler Output:

Interestingly too the reference to Version=4.0.0.0 initially said Version-3.5.0.0 until the second page refresh on the error.

The Problem

The problem in our case, and it may differ with others, related to an older file for Microsoft Ajax.

There is a file called: System.Web.Extensions.dll

in the \bin    folder.

We renamed this to: System.Web.Extensions.dll.bak

And our problem was fixed.

This is due to an older way that Microsoft handled Ajax vs the new way in .Net 4.0.

DotNetNuke Support Services

We do offer DotNetNuke support services and would be happy to assist others with this or other DNN problems that need professional support services with.

http://www.interactivewebs.com/Services/DotNetNukeSupport.aspx

Professional Web Support Services

InteractiveWebs Support Services

At InteractiveWebs we have years of experience with DotNetNuke, with more published modules on SnowCovered than any other module developer in the store. (And we don’t publish all our modules.)

• We have our own full time employed team of DNN developers.
• We have our own full time employed Server Administrators.
• We have our own Data Centres with our own equipment.
• We have Years of Professional DotNetNuke Development Experience.

Quite literally there is no one who is more experienced with everything dotnetnuke.

We Offer Paid Support Services for DotNetNuke

We offer paid support services for DotNetNuke in an easy and covenant process.

1. You advise us of the issue you are facing.
2. We estimate an up front cost and advise you.
3. If you decide to accept the quote, we will request that you buy the equivalent number of support tickets from our store.
4. We will then complete the support job.

Purchasing Support Tickets

You only need to purchase support tickets if we have advise you how many tickets you will need to purchase upfront for the particular job.

You can purchase support tickets from our Support Store Here.

Supporting our Modules Free VS Charged

All of our DotNetNuke Modules are supported free of charge. We will work to resolve issues that our modules cause, or problems directly related to our modules not working as they should.

Sometimes we have clients who need our modules to be configured in a complex environment, or would like them to work with another conflicting product, or they may just want the people who made the module to set them up for them.

In these instances, we are happy to identify work that goes above an beyond “product support” and provide a quote for the additional work. You will find that we are very reasonable both about the price and what we cover for free.

Purchase Support Tickets Here

Understanding Activation

InteractiveWebs DotNetNuke Modules require a license to be activates on each sub domain from which the module is accessed.

The license is per sub domain, and NOT for each instance of DotNetNuke.

A sub domain example is:

1. www.domain.com
2. dev1.domain.com
3. domain.com

In the case of domain.com and www.domain.com, these are considered as one single license. EVERY other sub domain needs it’s own license.

If you activate a module on dev.domain.com then browse to the same module using another sub domain (like dev2.domain.com) the module will not be activate with the new sub domain in the browser URL.

Trial

Each module will automatically enter into a 100% functional TRIAL mode the first time you access the module with any particular sub domain.

The trial period is automatically set from the date you first visit the module with any particular sub domain.

Example

If you access dev1.domain.com the module will start it’s trial period from today, and may expire if you don’t activate.

If you then use another sub domain like dev2.domain.com the module will start a new trial and you will continue to be able to access the module on that dev2.domain.com sub domain.

Note: All the settings and modifications you make to any module in trial WILL be preserved and waiting for you once you activate the module license. So if your trial expires on your development sub domain, you can simply activate the module in it’s final www.domain.com location when you are ready to go live.

Before You Activate

We recommend that if you need to configure and test (development site) before going live, that you do that on a development sub domain (like dev.domain.com), IN TRIAL MODE.

From that dev.domain.com, Setup the module, test and be sure things are working. Don’t be concerned if you get things just right, and the trial time expires. Because as soon as you access the module page on a new sub domain, it will go back into trial, and be available fro activation.

All your module settings and customizations will carry over to the new sub domain when you access it. So in this example, if you are ready to go live with www.domain.com you can access the module page with that sub domain, and extend the trial, or activate the module.

For this reason we always suggest that you only activate your module on www.domain.com as your final public URL of your website.

To Activate Your Module

Select the Licensing Dropdown Menu Item from the module Menu:

The module will tell you about the Module Name, Version Installed, sub domain you are on, and trial days remaining.

If you have not purchased a License yet, you can click the Buy Now icon and purchase a license from our site.

Note: Check that the sub domain shown in the module is the final correct sub domain you wish your license to be active on:

Click: Request License Activation

Fill in the details requested, including the store you purchase from and the email address that you used with your purchase.

Note: The email address must be the one you have on file. With SnowCovered, it is apparently possible to have more than one address on file. The address we need is the one that is in the purchase order confirmation data sent during purchase. This is the accounts primary e-mail address.

Wrong License E-mail Address

If we are unable to match the email address against a valid license activation, we return the error:

We suggest that you verify the email address used for purchase and try again with the correct address. You can also monitor your License Management on our site by logging in with the email address that you try to activate with.

Correct License E-mail Address

With the correct details, you will receive a message like this:

Managing Licenses

You can monitor your licenses and activations by visiting our License Management page here.

Ensuring that you login to our site using the e-mail address that the license was purchased with.

Module Support

We provide several Support services for our modules.

1. Where necessary our modules come with extensive manuals (like our bulkemailer module).
2. Each Module has it’s own pages on our website. Visit the module website by clicking on the correct module from this list: http://www.interactivewebs.com/DotNetNukeModules.aspx

Then use the support menu to find module specific support. This will include KB Articles, Support Forums, Blog Posts.

The net is changing fast. Release of the iPad and other mobile devices that have correctly made the decision to discontinue Adobe Flash.

I say correct decision because not only is flash yesterdays technology, but it is far from the optimal way to produce simple motion in web pages.

Flash still has it’s place, just not as a way to inject interesting motion into websites.

So what do we use on http://www.InteractiveWebs.com home page?

We have some simple code that renders motion:

<div class="slideshow">
<div class="slide">
<div class="inblock_first">
<div class="wsc_image_frame">
<div class="wsc_frame_tl">
<div class="wsc_frame_tr">
<div class="wsc_frame_tc">
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="wsc_frame_cl">
<div class="wsc_frame_cr">
<div class="wsc_frame_cc">
<img alt="" src="/Portals/0/banners/slide2.jpg" />
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="wsc_frame_bl">
<div class="wsc_frame_br">
<div class="wsc_frame_bc">
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="inblock_second">
<h1>Have a Business that needs to get a message out?</h1>
<p>InteractiveWebs provides the best of Content Management Systems on our professional hosting services.<br />
Combining DotNetNuke, WordPress Blogs, iPhone Apps, Microsoft CRM &amp; hosted solutions..<br />
<br />
</p>
<a class="button2" href="/Services/Mushroom.aspx"><span><strong>More</strong></span></a>
</div>
<div class="cleaner"></div>
</div>
<div class="slide">
<div class="inblock_second">
<h1>We have a solution… that is perfect…</h1>
<p>We have some&nbsp;increasable solutions with years of experience…</p>
<h4>
We would love to share them!</h4>
<p><br />
</p>
<a class="button2" href="/Services/Mushroom.aspx"><span><strong>More</strong></span></a>
</div>
<div class="inblock_first">
<div class="wsc_image_frame">
<div class="wsc_frame_tl">
<div class="wsc_frame_tr">
<div class="wsc_frame_tc">
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="wsc_frame_cl">
<div class="wsc_frame_cr">
<div class="wsc_frame_cc">
<img alt="" src="/Portals/0/banners/slide1.jpg" />
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="wsc_frame_bl">
<div class="wsc_frame_br">
<div class="wsc_frame_bc">
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="cleaner"></div>
</div>
<div class="slide">
<div class="wsc_image_frame">
<div class="wsc_frame_tl">
<div class="wsc_frame_tr">
<div class="wsc_frame_tc">
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="wsc_frame_cl">
<div class="wsc_frame_cr">
<div class="wsc_frame_cc">
<img alt="" src="/Portals/0/banners/slide.jpg" />
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="wsc_frame_bl">
<div class="wsc_frame_br">
<div class="wsc_frame_bc">
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="cleaner"></div>
</div>
</div>

The source references some jQuery effects known as cycle: http://jquery.malsup.com/cycle/

You will see on this page that it uses code in this method:

<!DOCTYPE html>

<html>

<head>

<title>JQuery Cycle Plugin – Basic Demo</title>

<style type="text/css">

.slideshow { height: 232px; width: 232px; margin: auto }

.slideshow img { padding: 15px; border: 1px solid #ccc; background-color: #eee; }

</style>

<!– include jQuery library –>

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.5/jquery.min.js"></script>

<!– include Cycle plugin –>

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://cloud.github.com/downloads/malsup/cycle/jquery.cycle.all.latest.js"></script>

<script type="text/javascript">

$(document).ready(function() {

$(‘.slideshow’).cycle({

fx: ‘fade’ // choose your transition type, ex: fade, scrollUp, shuffle, etc…

});

});

</script>

</head>

<body>

<div class="slideshow">

<img src="http://cloud.github.com/downloads/malsup/cycle/beach1.jpg" width="200" height="200" />

<img src="http://cloud.github.com/downloads/malsup/cycle/beach2.jpg" width="200" height="200" />

<img src="http://cloud.github.com/downloads/malsup/cycle/beach3.jpg" width="200" height="200" />

<img src="http://cloud.github.com/downloads/malsup/cycle/beach4.jpg" width="200" height="200" />

<img src="http://cloud.github.com/downloads/malsup/cycle/beach5.jpg" width="200" height="200" />

</div>

</body>

</html>

Producing this page: http://jquery.malsup.com/cycle/basic.html

Within DotNetNuke

Within DotNetNuke, there are a bunch of module and skins that have this effect built in. We use a skin known as LightHeads (not developed by us) that uses some hard coded references that make the implementation of this effect really simple. As the first block of code above indicates.

We love jQuery and have used it in our Mushroom Image module and our Mushroom Lite Module.

DotNetNuke 05.06.03 Pain

If you look at the project downloads for dotnetnuke, you will notice that the forums module has the latest version as: 05.00.01

And if you click the link from within this page: http://www.dotnetnuke.com/Resources/Downloads/Projects-Downloads.aspx

05.00.01 is exactly what you get.

All sounds neat and tidy… right?

Not really, because if you install the latest version of DotNetNuke 05.06.03 (an important security release) you will kill your forums. Dead as dead.

And if you check around for an update of the forum module, you will not find one either in your Module Definitions, or in the DotNetNuke website. But keep looking to codeplex and you find this:

05.00.02 and what is strange, it is released before the DNN 05.06.03 update, like significantly before it… like 1 month.

This Forum Update is NEEDED if you want the forum module to work on DNN 05.06.03

http://dnnforum.codeplex.com/releases/view/67840

Release Notes

The same module as 5.0.1, except compiled against DotNetNuke 5.6.3 (and therefore is a minimum requirement) and the same version of Telerik (2011 SP2) included with it.
NOTE: This was compiled against, and for, 5.6.3 and is included with that release (Not released yet, as of June 12th (try 5 July).

All so confusing!

It waisted a lot of our time trying to work out what is going on. All we know is that DNN 05.06.03 broke a bunch of stuff, including the Forum Module. There is a fix but it is hidden on codeplex and is incorrectly referenced.

Very Unprofessional DNN Corp!

What you need to know

If you update to DNN 05.06.03 – your forums will die.

To fix it, download the hidden forum update 05.00.02 here: http://dnnforum.codeplex.com/releases/view/67840

If you see this error

Could Not Load file or assembly NVelocity, Version=1.1.1.0, Culture-nutral, PublicKeyToken=null (Exception from HRESULT: 0×80131040)

While using one of our DotNetNuke Modules. The solution is a simple one.

Update all of the InteractiveWebs DotNetNuke Modules to the latest builds by downloading the latest release from here: http://www.interactivewebs.com/DotNetNukeModules/ModuleDownloads.aspx

The Problem

The problem stems from a change to some of the code library of some modules that share code with other modules. Updating all modules to the latest build will resolve this issue in all our modules.

We found an issue with what is the current release version of DotNetNuke Blog module 04.01.00 or 04.01.01.

First up, we don’t know what the version number should actually be, as the compiled version on the download is 04.01.00 but the source code is referenced as 04.01.01.

We presume there is some difference, but who knows what it is.

Anyway The Problem

The problem is that any forms on a page that run the blog module, will not allow form data to be validated. By validated, we are talking about ensuring a number is entered in a number field and text in a name filed etc.

The cause is the blog module is using an old ASP.Net 1.0 validation function. While it should be using ASP.NET 2.0 with the updated validation behaviours as found here:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/0ke7bxeh.aspx

With this mistake, if you use Page.Validate on ASP.NET 2.0, page validation groups are ignored and the controls are validated.

Why the BLOG module is even coded this way is quite questionable in any case. However without DNN being a true open source system, we have no ability to fix this were needed in the source.

Our solution

We fixed the problem and recompiled a version that people can download an use for free.

Blog_04.01.01_Install A

You can install this on top of any DNN blog module 04.01.00 and we would expect that future releases of the blog module will not be affected by this version we compiled. However they may well revert back to their junk code in the future releases.

DotNetNuke can use jQuery to enable popup style and image rotator effects. These are great and a big improvements on technologies like flash. However it is not hard to find two separately coded jQuery modules that can cause conflicts when used on the same page as each other.

The Reason

The reason in most cases is that modules can be hard coded to use their own version of jQuery. (Think of jQuery as a plugin that is required for the code to load onto the web page).

The library that powers jQuery is often updated to include new features. Earlier version of DotNetNuke did not have any ability to load jQuery or reference it as “part” of the core of DNN.

So for any module written for early DNN versions, the library plugin for jQuery needed to be included or referenced to an online source like the free Google jQuery reference.

If two module are on the same page and calling different versions of jQuery into play, it is likely that one of the modules will conflict and fail to work correctly. Often it will be the more advanced or later built module that fails.

DotNetNuke Solution

The solution to this is to built a common core library into the core of DotNetNuke, and allow modules and other code to reference this single source when calling on the jQuery library for any reason.

DotNetNuke have included jQuery as an option in the host settings, to allow it to be loaded from there.

They run a release version of the jQuery library that is presumably updated with releases of DotNetNuke. The last version of DotNetNuke 5x shows this.

Modules can either call this library, or use their own library.

How Modules Use DNN version of jQuery or their Own version

Well developed code or modules will usually have a setting that allows you to reference the HOST DNN version of jQuery, or call into play the version that shipped with the module.

On our modules, we use a tab setting that looks like this:

If the “Load jQuery” is ticked, the module will use the jQuery library that is shipped with the module.

If the option is not ticked, the module will use the DotNetNuke included version of jQuery.

Best Resolution

When conflicts occur, the best way to resolve it is to ensure that both modules are referencing the exact same jQuery library version. The easy way to do this is to ensure that both modules are NOT using their own version, or in our case “Load JQuery” is NOT CHECKED.

And, ensure that any other modules are also not referencing their own version of jQuery but are looking to the hosted jQuery. (Talk to the module developer on how to do this.)

Other Possible Problems

1. One of the modules may require a feature that is more advanced than the the hosted jQuery version. In this case, a later jQuery library will need to be referenced. To allow this to be done, DotNetNuke have allowed you to reference a URL for another version of jQuery.

For example, in our Mushroom Image module for DotNetNuke, the rotator effect requires a later version of jQuery than the last version of DotNetNuke 5x references. 1.4.4. To set a later version, you simply find an online resource like this Google hosted jQuery library:

http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1/jquery.min.js

And enter that URL into your HOST jQuery settings.

2. Another issue is that there may be a conflict in the jQuery script used to call the module actions. We have included the ability to customize the script used to reduce conflict.

Naturally this is an option for advanced users, and not all modules have this feature.

What is the Take Home Message?

When a conflict occurs, there is usually no “developer” at fault, but rather an incompatibility between the ways that the jQuery is being called. Don’t assume that the last module installed is to blame.

In most cases the conflicts can be resolved using the steps outlined above. This assumes that the modules installed have similar flexibility as we do in our modules.

Having installed the Module to your DNN site.

1. Login to your site with Host or Admin permissions.

2. Navigate to the page you wish to add a form to.

3. From the DNN module menu select FEEDBACK DESIGNER and the Pane Location.

4. Select ADD to add the module to the seelcted pane.

5. You will see a warning message advising that the module has yet to be configured. This message will only be seen one time.

6. From the Complete Feedback Designer menu on the module, select CONFIGURE MODULE.

7. You are now presented with the Module Menu. From her select the options you wish to edit by clicking the corresponding CLICK HERE.