By Lee Sykes
October 2009
In this tutorial we demonstrate how to package a skin for DotNetNuke 5. This method is the new method which includes a .dnn manifest file.
The DotNetNuke 4 legacy installation package method still works which we have covered in other skinning tutorials, but the new DotNetNuke 5 method provides additional options when installing. For instance, you can display release notes and a license which the user must agree to before they can install the skin. It also provides the possibility to automatically install any skin objects that your skin requires at the same time, for instance if you are using a menu such as the House of Nuke Menu or Snapsis menu. This makes the installation process for the end-user much more streamlined and much less prone to errors. However this method of packaging requires a little more work from the skin developer and that is what we cover in detail in this tutorial.
We demonstrate how to use the Package Wizard to automate the creation of the skin package manifest file, how to then merge content in the manifest file to install a skin, container and skin object at the same time, as well as demonstrate different methods of constructing the manifest file which will install the skin package in different ways. This tutorial will help you to consider the best methods for constructing the skin packages based on your own particular requirements.
We demonstrate how to include a full DotNetNuke 5 skin package which includes the skin files, containers, thumbnail previews, release notes, license and also the HouseMenu skin object. All of this is installed at the same time making it easy for the end-user.
In this tutorial we assume you have followed the previous skinning tutorials on DNN Creative and have a good understanding of how skins are created. If you are new to skinning we suggest you view the skinning tutorials in
Issues 5 & 6 and once you have got to grips with that you can progress on to more advanced techniques such as the
ASCX skinning for professional skinners tutorial.
The videos contains:
Video 1 - Introduction, How to Configure the DotNetNuke 5 Skin Package
- Introduction
- How to install the andreas01 skin and HouseMenu
- How to configure the DotNetNuke 5 skin package
- How to edit a skin extension
- Setting the skin package name, friendly name, description, version, license, release notes, owner, organization, url, email address
Time Length: 11min 49secs
Video 2 - How to create thumbnail preview images for a skin
- Create Package Wizard
- How to create thumbnail preview images for a skin
- Screengrab
- How to name the skin thumbnail screenshots
- Previewing the skin screenshots in DotNetNuke
Time Length: 8min 35secs
Video 3 - How to Create the Skin, Container, Skin Object Installation Packages
- How to include extra files such as a License or Read Me file in the DotNetNuke skin package
- Skin Create Package Wizard
- Selecting the files to include in the skin package
- Create and view the skin manifest
- How to save the skin manifest file
- How to find the location of the saved skin package
- How to create a container installation package
- How to find the location of the saved container package
- How to create a skin object installation package
Time Length: 11min 39secs
Video 4 - How to combine the Contents of the Skin, Container, Skin Object Packages
- Copying the skin installation packages created by DotNetNuke
- Viewing the contents of the skin installation package
- How to combine the skin, container and skin object installation packages into a single package
- Skin naming when combining installation packages
- How to edit the skin manifest.dnn file
Time Length: 9min 16secs
Video 5 - Skin Package .dnn Manifest File
- Explanation of the code in the skin .dnn manifest file
- Packages
- Components
- SkinFiles
- Explanation of the code in the container .dnn manifest file
- How to merge the skin .dnn manifest file with the container .dnn manifest file as packages
- Explanation of the code in the HouseMenu Skin Object .dnn manifest file
- How to merge the skin .dnn manifest file HouseMenu Skin Object .dnn manifest file as packages
Time Length: 10min 43secs
Video 6 - Merging the .dnn Manifest Files
- How to merge the installation details for the skin, container and skin object in the .dnn manifest file
- Description
- Owner
- License
- Release Notes
- Transferring the package details from the skin to the container package
Time Length: 9min 57secs
Video 7 - Creating, Installing and Testing the Skin Installation Zip Package
- Preparing the files for the skin installation zip package
- How to create the skin, container, skinobject installation zip package
- How to delete the skin, container and skin object from DotNetNuke
- How to test install a skin installation zip package
- Reviewing the skin package installation report
- Viewing the skin, container and skin object details on the Extensions page
- Viewing the details for the skin and containers on the Skins page
Time Length: 12min 03secs
Video 8 - How to Create a Skin .dnn Manifest File Using the Components Method
- How to create a skin and container component
- Explanation of the full .dnn manifest file using components
- How to create a skin and container installation zip package
- How to install the skin and container installation package
- Reviewing the differences between a Packages and Components .dnn manifest file
- Skin package considerations
Time Length: 15min 11secs
Total Time Length: 89min 13secs
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