DotNetNuke Extension Development Best Practices Mitchel Sellers Microsoft C# MVP, MCITP

DotNetNuke Extension Development Best Practices

Mitchel SellersMicrosoft C# MVP, MCITP

About Mitchel

DotNetNuke Core Team Member Microsoft C# MVP Microsoft Certified Professiona CEO of IowaComputerGurus Blog: http://www.mitchelsellers.com Modules:

http://www.iowacomputergurus.com

Agenda

Source of Recommendations Module Architecture/Packaging Being a Good DNN Citizen

o Basicso Controlso Entitieso Interfaceso User Interface

Security & Data Isolation

Source of Recommendations

No Existing All Encompassing Best Practice Guide DNN “Secure Module” guide

o Covers mostly standard .NET guidanceo Not specific enough, or current

ICG DNN Module Best Practices Guideo Proven practices used in our businesso Based on concept of “playing well”

Module Architecture

Web Application Project (WAP)o Compiled Moduleo Non-Source

Module Folder Namingo Consistencyo /DesktopModules is sharedo /CompanyName/ModuleName

Manifest Naming

Module Packaging

Package for Minimum Supported DNN Version Ensure .dnn file Limits Versions

o 4.x Use <compatibleversions> [MatchRegex]</compatibleversions>

o 5.x Use <dependency type=“CoreVersion”>05.01.00</dependency>

Ensure Package Names Unique to Business Ensure to register any dependencies

o DNN 5.x class name, or package nameo DNN 4.x class name

Being a Good DNN Citizen

Support {objectQualifier} and {databaseOwner} Support localization of all static text elements Use NVARCHAR for all database columns for

international character support Avoid modifying the web.config if possible

Good DNN Citizen (Controls)

Utilize common DNN Elementso LabelControl.ascxo TextEditor.ascxo UrlControl.ascxo SectionHead.ascxo DotNetNuke Web Controls Assembly (Pager,

Profile Editor, etc.) Provide a consistent, familiar process, improves

usability

DNN Controls Examples

Good DNN Citizen (Entities)

Utilize DNN API Entities for Data Manipulationo DotNetNuke.Entities.Portalso DotNetNuke.Entities.Tabso DotNetNuke.Entities.Userso DotNetNuke.Entities.Moduleso DotNetNuke.Security.Roles

Reduces exposure to risks with DNN upgrades and breaking DB changes

Good DNN Citizen (Interfaces)

Implement Consistent Interfaces for Interactiono IPortable – Import/Exporto ISearchable – Core Search Integrationo IActionable – Module Actionso IUpgradable – Upgrading Modules

Not always the 100% solutiono IPortable designed for module content only, but

can be “modified”

Good Citizen (UI)

Ensure all ASP.NET Validators Have Validation Group

Use standard DotNetNuke CSS Classeso Normal – Regular Texto NormalRed – Error Texto SubHead – Labelso Head – Section heading

Security and Data Isolation

Properly Tie Datao PortalId, ModuleId, TabModuleId? Which oneo Auto-Cleanup?

DotNetNuke PortalSecurity Objecto Input Filter (FilterFlag.NoScripting,

FilterFlag.NoMarkup)• objSecurity.InputFilter(“TextToFilter”,

FilterFlag.NoMarkup)

Respect Host File Typeso This.PortalSettings.HostSettings("FileExtension

s")

Resources/Contact

Email: msellers@iowacomputergurus.com Blog: http://www.mitchelsellers.com Company: http://www.iowacomputergurus.com ICG DNN Dev Best Practices:

http://tinyurl.com/ICGDNNDevBP DotNetNuke Securing Modules:

http://tinyurl.com/DNNModSecurity