A Look at DotNetNuke Version 5 (v5.1)
By John Forsberg
i2Integration

This is by no means a definitive list of new features that are available in DotNetNuke (DNN) version 5. However, for the day-to-day DotNetNuke administrator, this article will detail our own Top 10 list of powerful new additions to the latest version of DotNetNuke.

First (for those who haven’t used DNN): a little background. DotNetNuke was originally developed in 2002 as a Microsoft-created portal called IBuySpy to demonstrate Microsoft’s new asp.net architecture. From there, Shaun Walker (founder of what was to become DNN Corp), modified the open source IBuySpy into a fully-featured content management system called DotNetNuke. Since that time, DotNetNuke’s popularity has exploded. Currently, at the time of this article, there are over 700,000 registered users and literally thousands of add-on modules and pre-packaged design “skins” available.

We (i2Integration) began working with DotNetNuke in 2004, implementing DNN v2 websites. Since then, every site we have created has been a DNN website with over 250 developed worldwide. In addition, our own corporate websites are DNN, in which we work every day, administering content.

In short, not a day passes by that we are not developing for, customizing, skinning or administering content in DotNetNuke, so the new additions to DotNetNuke version 5  have us quite excited.

Enough about that. Let’s get to the good stuff.

New, High-Value Administrator Features in DNN v5

1. Module Settings and the “Added to Pages” Feature
   

Let’s say you’ve placed a text module on the home page and then copied that module (using the Add Existing Module) feature, to several other pages throughout the site. Now, weeks later, you’ve forgotten what pages you’ve added that module to. Under the Module Settings for that particular module, you can go to the “Added to Pages” section and it will give you a definitive list and links to each page where the original and its copies reside. Very handy for knowing whether or not you’ve missed a page for placement.

2. Insert Pages (before, after, add to end)
   

A brilliantly simple addition to the Add Page function when you’re adding a new page to a long list of others. For instance, we see this a lot with News or Article sections of a website where each news item has its own page. Let’s say you have a list of 20 news pages and now you want to add a new page to the list. In earlier versions of DotNetNuke, the page would automatically be added to the end of the list. If you wanted to move it to the top, you had to go to the “Pages” section in the admin tools and manually move it up the list one at a time.

Now, in DotNetNuke version 5, you can select whether you want the page to be added “Before”, “After”, or “Add to End” to child pages within a menu. No more page juggling after the fact.

3. Administrator “Modules”
   

In DotNetNuke version 5, selective administrator functions are now available as modules to be placed on pages, such as “Site Log”, “File Manager”, “Users and Roles” and others.

Why is this significant? Access.

In the past if you granted site administrative access to a user, that user had access to ALL site administrator tools. Yet, perhaps you only really wanted to give a certain user or group access to a SINGLE site administration tool. With DotNetNuke version 5, you can.

Now, for example, you can place a “Site Log” module on a page and grant access as needed, without granting access to all other administration tools. Or, you could place a “Users and Roles” module on a secure page, and then allow ONLY select users the ability to manage that function. This is ideal for larger sites and organizations where multiple administrators are involved, and where departmentalized access is necessary.

4. Security: Deny
   

In prior versions of DotNetNuke, you had the ability to grant view and edit rights to a page or module. Great, but what if you have a complex site with multiple users or roles and you need the ability to DENY a particular user or role? It’s now available in DotNetNuke version 5.

In the page or module settings, you can now click twice on a user or role under the “View” or “Edit” columns. One click will give them rights (a green checkmark), the second click will deny them rights (a red X).

So how is this helpful? Here’s an example:

Let’s say you have a large departmental website with lots of users and roles. In the Human Resources section of the site, you have a HR role with a number of users who have the ability to see and edit the HR-related content. However, you have one user in that role that you don’t want to have admin rights to the page. In DotNetNuke version 5 you can simply add that specific user to the page security, then deny them edit rights. They, in turn, are still part of the HR role and can see the content…they alone just can’t edit it. Very handy!

5. Adding a Module (above or below)
   

Much like the Add Page function listed earlier, DotNetNuke version 5 created new options for placing modules: “Above” and “Below”.

This works well when you want to insert a new module amongst a long list of modules on a given page. Before, in earlier version of DotNetNuke, you had the ability to place the module at the top or bottom of the list and then manually move it up or down.

Now, with version 5, you can select whether you want the new module to appear above or below previously-placed modules (selected from a pull-down list of all modules on the page). On a content-heavy page, this can be a very useful tool.

6. A Better Recycle Bin
   

If you’ve ever used the DotNetNuke Recycle Bin, you know the frustration of trying to determine which module you wish to restore. As is often the case, the module itself has no title, so instead you’re left with 50 generic “Text/HTML” listings, with no idea which is which.

In DotNetNuke version 5, the recycle bin now tells you which page the module previously resided. So now, instead of 50 generic “Text/HTML” listings, you have a select few that display “Home – Text/HTML”. Much easier to deal with.

7. Time Stamps
   

Want to know who created a module (and when), and when was it last updated? In DotNetNuke version 5, you’ll know.

Under the module settings, you can view “Created By”, including date, as well as “Last Updated” information.

If you ask me, I think this time stamping feature is DotNetNuke’s way of baby-stepping into a future feature of administration workflow, allowing versioning control and author/admin functionality. Very exciting!

8. Mode changes
   

In the new version of DotNetNuke, the Mode tool (upper left hand-hand corner) has changed to include “Layout”, which was formerly “Design”, as well as tweaking the “Edit” mode.

“Edit” now no longer displays the content panes, eliminating page clutter for administrators.

 “Layout” indicates the pane structure and allows you edit module settings and move modules.

Personally, on this feature, I like the old simplicity of “View” and “Edit”, but on complex skins with numerous panes, it can be useful.

9. Admin bar
   

This is a relatively minor addition, but administrators can now see an “admin” (and hosts can see a “host”) link in the top right of the screen upon logging in.

Why?

In some custom skin designs, with custom menus, the admin and host menu might not be visible. With this feature, as long as you are logged in, you’ll have links within easy reach.

10. Extensions
    

This is a new menu item under the “Admin” tools…a quiet little addition that holds immense capability.

In earlier versions of DotNetNuke, administrators had no ability to turn on or turn off modules for an entire portal. This ability was devoted strictly to those with host rights.

In DotNetNuke version 5, administrators now have the ability to set deployment permissions to individual modules within their specific portal.

So, for example, an administrator can set a deployment permission for a Human Resource security role, allowing or denying them the ability to place a Documents module on a page. This is ideal for large, departmental websites with many users and roles where you wish to limit accessibility to DNN’s various core (or third party add-on) modules. 

There are many more features added to DNN version 5 – some subtle, some immensely powerful (we could get into a longer discussion about the new installation standardization feature), but this gives you an idea of what’s available, as well as shows how DotNetNuke continues to grow and evolve.


John Forsberg is President of i2Integration and conducts numerous seminars on the benefits and use of the DotNetNuke content management system.