SunBlogNuke - DotNetNuke Blog Module

As our blogging module #SunBlogNuke# are applied in more DNN websites, some clients requires customization based on their specific requirements. The unique UI layout including theme will be a common issue. Toady we would like to share tokens reference of theme view with some samples so that you can get started to customization easily. As our blogging module #SunBlogNuke# are applied in more DNN websites, some clients requires customization based on their specific requirements. The unique UI layout including theme will be a common issue. Toady we would like to share tokens reference of theme view with some samples so that you can get started to customization easily. Useful built-in methods CategoryLinks(string delimiter): to build separated category links with desired delimiter(such as commas. Code Sample: <%=CategoryLinks(", ")%> CategoryLinks(string delimiter, string token): to build separated category links with desired delimiter(such as commas) and format token. ...

There are some awesome ways to optimize your post footers, like related articles, subscription options, and social bookmarking icons allow readers to browse and share your content. Today I would like to share another ways you may be also interested in, display the author information at the bottom of each post. The following tutorial will provide you with the ability to show off the avatar, the biography with Ultimate DNN Blog Module - SunBlogNuke on your DNN website.

As usual, it is the time to monthly release of Ultimate DNN Blog Module - SunBlogNuke :) Now it is v5.1 with some enhancements & lots of fixes. In this building, we focused on the feed output. We looked into deeply the rules of the RSS specification and rewritten all the codes  about feed generator. Not only the new feed output passed the Feed Validator, but also it supported with more useful feed elements, such as enclosure, 'content:encoded' & webmaster etc. For example, with element 'enclosure' we will be able to associates a media object such as an image, an audio or video file with every feed post; with 'content:encoded' it offers a means of defining item content with more precision than the description element as the specification said:

The content:encoded element can be used in conjunction with the description element to provide an item's full content along with a shorter summary. Under this approach, the complete text of the item is presented in content:encoded and the summary in description.

Also we provided one alternative way to customize the categories tag output. Now you can use the new method

/// <summary>
/// Separated category links with desired separator(such as commas) and format token.
/// </summary>
/// <param name="separator">The desired separator, such as commas</param>
/// <param name="format">The format token</param>
/// <returns>The category links</returns>
protected virtual string CategoryLinks(string separator, string format)

In common, you can use it like that in your customized theme view files, BaseView.ascx & DetailView.ascx

<span class="blog-icon post-cat">Filed in <%=CategoryLinks(", ", "<a href=\"{0}\" title=\"View all posts in {1}\">{1}</a>")%></span>

Major Highlights in v5.1:

• ENH - Supported tab title with culture code of multilingual sites in the blog manage panel.
• ENH - Rewrite feed generator and supported more elements, such as enclosure, 'content:encoded' & webmaster etc.
• ENH - Publish date section in the edit post panel & NavZone with active effect.
• FIX - not retrieve theme view file correctly.
• FIX - tagcloud widget with Non-Unicode characters issue.
• FIX - Recaptcha.dll version conflict issue.
• FIX - Dashboard issue without any blog instance there.
• FIX - Related date options in the general settings panel.
• FIX - jQuery conflict in dnn5.+, including dnn6.

NOTE: from v5.0 the SunBlogNuke will begin to not support dnn4 any more because it will utilize lots of core APIs introduced from DNN5+, such as Taxonomy. If you are still using the dnn4, you don’t have to be worry about it because we will also maintain independent branch of the older version 4.x, which will always be compatible with dnn4 and may be updated with fixes without new features any more.

You can get it here. Blog your way and enjoy life. :)

The SunBlogNuke Team

That is a brief buzz for our development team recently.

Maybe you noticed that we did not release new version currently but just repacked installation with some urgent fixes. Actually we are still focusing more attentions on our core dnn blog product - SunBlogNuke. Yep, we are building totally version 5.0 as we promised ever. In the v5.x, we will enhance more awesome features, specially theme, widget & extension. Meanwhile we also refactored the core framework more highlight, integrity & flexibility. Always we hope that it will be the kind of beautiful, elegant and productive software.

The initial version 5.0 will include some new cool UI for admin panel, such as dashboard & new workaround for theme configure process. Please stay tune and it will be available to download. :).  Well. have a quick look at the screenshot about new theme configure panel and you can try it out in our demo blog, which have been upgraded with v5.0:

And we are looking forwards to your feedback. We know that the more feedback we get from our clients, the better our product will be and also we will know which areas require attentions next. So please tell us what you want most or leave your comment below if you are interested in Ultimate DNN Blog Module – SunBlogNuke. Thanks a lot.

Today we would like to release an enhanced version 4.3 for Ultimate DNN Blog Module – SunBlogNuke. Please feel free to get it for upgrade. In this building we enhanced theme mechanism with providing more ways to customizations, in the mean time it began to support EditArea (the code editor in a textarea) to highlight the theme view files and now you can easily deal with those customizations. For example, from the v4.3 you are able to take control of the layout or UI of your customized theme, such as bookmark, vote and related posts  section. The awesome sample is the tutorial - Integrate SexyBookmarks into DNN Blog.  As usual, the complete details for all of the changes can be found in the Release Notes.

Major Highlights in v4.3:

• ENH – Supported EditArea (the code editor in a textarea) to highlight the theme view files and now you can easily deal with those customizations.
• ENH - Refactored styles for all themes.
• ENH - Enhanced theme mechanism with providing more ways to customizations.
• ENH - Supported imageurl/icon for Categories Widget.
• FIX - Fail to fall back '_default/commentview.ascx' when the comment view file of the current theme does not exists.
• FIX - The 'Print' link opens a blank page in the browser and the resource cannot be found.
• FIX - Enhanced digg feature and made it work again.
• Lots of other fixes & enhancements.

NOTE: As with any release, we recommend you perform a complete file and database backup before performing any upgrade on a production website and that you first conduct a trial upgrade on a staging version of the site. Following these guidelines will ensure that you are able to recover should any unforeseen problems arise during the upgrade process.

Note that some issues may occur if your original version of SunBlogNuke is lower version, like 3.x, and you've developed your customized theme. Please refer to the tutorial - Must-Read Note for SunBlogNuke v4.x and follow the instructions. Hope it makes sense.

You can get it here. Blog your way and enjoy life. :)

The SunBlogNuke Team

Now we have been busy wrapping up development of the next version of the Blog module (4.1.0) and I would like to get some of the most pressing features included with this release, like import external blog data with blogML format (you can find more details about it in that post – Migrating from WordPress to DNN Blog). Here I prefer to share another awesome blog feature – threaded (nested) comment, which is included in the roadmap of Ultimate DNN Blog Module – SunBlogNuke and also lots of clients request from the time our blogging module born.  Have a look at how it actions below:

As you know, the Ultimate DNN Blog Module - SunBlogNuke v4.0 will be available to download for free upgrade. In this building we took more attentions on "Refactor". With refactor you will be able to extend more features easily. However, if you would like to upgrade it and also you ever developed any customized theme or did some customizations, you MUST modify all view files lightly, including BasicView.ascx, DetailView.ascx, CommentView.ascx, TagsView.ascx, SearchView.ascx, and PrintView.ascx. Otherwise the "Event Viewer" of your dnn website will be filled with lots of errors, like "Could not load type 'SunBlogNuke.Framework.PostViewBase'.". Actually that task will be so easy that just follow some simple following steps.

As you know, we recently released Ultimate DNN Blog Module – SunBlogNuke v3.7.x with some enhancements and small fixes, including code refactoring. When you would like to upgrade this version, please note that if you had developed any customized theme ever you MUST modify all view files lightly, including BasicView.ascx, DetailView.ascx, CommentView.ascx, TagsView.ascx, SearchView.ascx, and PrintView.ascx. Just follow the two steps below:

1. Find out your customized theme folder which should be placed in the $YourRoot/DesktopModules/SunBlog/Themes/YourCustimizedTheme/.
2. Open up the BasicView.ascx, find the first line declaration and modify it like that:

   Original:

   <%@ Control Language="vb" AutoEventWireup="false" EnableViewState="false" Inherits="DnnSun.SunBlogNuke.Framework.PostViewBase" %>

   Modified:(yes, it is so easy and just modify "Framework" into "UI".)

   <%@ Control Language="vb" AutoEventWireup="false" EnableViewState="false" Inherits="DnnSun.SunBlogNuke.UI.PostViewBase" %>

3. Like the step 2), check out whether there is declaration about Toolkit. If exists, modify it like that:

   Original:

   <%@ Register TagPrefix="toolkit" Namespace="DnnSun.WebControls.Toolkit" Assembly="DnnSun.Modules.SunBlogNuke" %>

   Modified:(You should notice that just modify "DnnSun.Modules.SunBlogNuke" into "SunBlogNuke.Core".)

   <%@ Register TagPrefix="toolkit" Namespace="DnnSun.WebControls.Toolkit" Assembly="SunBlogNuke.Core" %>

The same process for the other view files.

In the end, make sure you MUST follow the tutorial if you had developed any customized theme ever, otherwise you will encounter the error like "Could not load type 'DnnSun.SunBlogNuke.Framework.PostViewBase'.". When you visit your good main blog page in your dnn website. If not just skip it :) Hope it makes sense for you.

Some Screenshots about SunBlogNuke:

Clear Administrative Panel

Integration with Windows Live Writer and so easy to manage your posts

Free and extreme SunBlogNuke themes directory

More will be available later. Please stay tune.

Today you will learn how to develop a customized theme quickly and easily within Ultimate DNN Blog Module – SunBlogNuke from this tutorial. Hope it helps you a little when you look to design your blog’s theme or critique it to your needs. Let's go ahead.