Upgrading to DNN 7 – What is the need

Of late, there has been quite a buzz regarding DNN7 or DotNetNuke version 7.0. This is partly because this web Content Management System is extremely user-friendly and partly because the system comes up with an exclusive development server that is used in the QA process that makes sure that each and every aspect of development works in a perfect manner before the production gets under way.

Here are a few factors that make upgrading to DNN 7.0 absolute necessary.

The new installation and upgrade wizards

At one time, installation of DNN or DotNetNuke was indeed a tough as well as expensive task, that required not only a sound budget but also a braveheart. Not any more though! With the introduction of version 7.0 of the CMS, the entire task of installation along with operation has become not only dead simple but also highly informative. The installation guide comes up with a page of question, most of them being answered.

While the previous versions came up with relatively poor functionality a complicated upgrade wizard, things have entirely changed in the latest 7.0 version. It has come up with an extremely sleek as well as user-friendly install wizard with some value added features that include providing the users the option of logging as a super user for starting the wizard.

The option of auto saving

The new version comes up with a user-friendly Text/HTML module, by the virtue of which the contents can easily be saved automatically as and when they are being written. This will guarantee prevention of data loss. Moreover, it will limit the loss of time in a great way.

An in-built View Mode

Previously, whenever a user used to log in into DNN as a content editor or an administrator, the site instantaneously went into an “Edit” mode. Now this used to slow down the page loading time to a considerable extent. However, with the latest version, DNN now gets into a “View Mode” by default. This has sent the old fashioned “View Mode” wording, control, buttons into oblivion, thereby simplifying the normal, edit as well as the layout views.

Drag And Drop

Another extremely important reason for which you need to upgrade to the version 7.0 is the unique drag and drop facility that the new version of CMS comes up with. While in the previous versions you needed to select a specific module by its name, and then click on “add” to start off the process, in the new version things have admirably changed. Just select whatever you need to add. It may be a Text or an HTML module. Just drag the copy of the stuff in the area where you need to have it and you will be done with it. Nothing can be simpler than this!

Much Developed Control Panel

Version 6.0 of DNN came up with Ribbon Bar which the users were more or less much content with. However, with the incorporation version 7.0 things have improved further. Apart from the drag and drop option, and the Edit page access option, the Admin/Host modules are now much more organized. This provides a lot of advantages when it comes to using it in a seamless way. More importantly, control panel of version 7.0 of DNN uses a lot of highly user-configurable areas that make all the difference.

Hence, in a nutshell, upgrading to version 7.0 of DNN is important and need of the hour in order to get a better device preview, responsive site design, site redirection management, improved drag and drop upload options, document tagging, multi-upload option, advanced search crawler, updated UI/UX.

It also helps you in bulk management of pages, better module creator, updated SQL module and so on. You can get in touch with a software development company India who can help you upgrading to DNN7 within allocated budgets and time schedules.

We provide offshore web development services. If you would like to hire DNN developers for your web development needs, please contact us at Mindfire Solutions.

Top 5 DNN features that you will fall in love with

DotNetNuke, also known as DNN Evoq is an open source CMS or Content Management System. In fact it is considered to be one of the best that is available. When it comes to website system management, top level performance is consistently proved by DNN. Quite a number of great sites in the world of net have been developed with the help of DNN CMS framework. With each update, it continues to be improved. Constant improvements are being seen in default layers, skins as well as modules, while DNN's skinning engine is quite easy to use and are flexible.Assigning dynamic contents for the purpose of editing or access along with security groupings and access becomes quite flexible as well as easy.

Apart form the ease of use there are several other features and advantages that will make anyone fall in love with the framework. However, out of the several, here are the top 5 that are being listed.

• Administration tools integration- When compared to most of its competitors, DNN presents a huge advantage in its ability to allow full integration of its administration tools in the website. This proves to be a boon when you want to modify things as the process becomes simpler. However, in case of other CMSs a separate administration area has to be accessed so that the changes can be made. On top of tha,t there are numerous helpful modules that allow easy Dotnetnuke CMS customization solutions to individuals for the websites.

• Install as well as upgrade wizards- At one point of time, everybody used to feel that DotNetNuke installation was a huge task that is meant to be tackled by only those who are extremely brave. However, the entire process has become informative as well as simple by virtue of installer which is a page of questions set there, out of which most are pre-answered. Then just 'go' has to be clicked so that it can whiz through and install various parts. Then a new screen appears with just two options- either just allowing to use it straight away or explore the platform further. After the installation gets finished you can log in. The look as well as feel of the installer is quite slick. On top of that the Upgrade Wizard was pretty boring previously, with just some functional features. There was nothing catchy to look at. Another problem was that the upgrade could be tripped unexpectedly by the wrong person. However, the latest versions have better upgrade wizards which have the same feel and look of the install wizard. In fact, to start off the wizard, you have to log in as a super user so that just anybody cannot trip the upgrade in any way.

• Default view mode- This is quite a revolutionary feature for DNN. In past, logging in the site as content editor or administrator led the site to go into an 'Edit' mode with several menus everywhere with the layout looking quite broken along with slow page loading. However, now the deafault view mode is normal as well as simple. It works quite nicely as well.

• Control Panel- Control Panel update is another good feature of the framework. The very way in which the Host/Admin modules have been organized is extremely easy as well as catchy. The panel is designed around the concept of user-configurable, common and less common areas. This refers to the place where your very own list can be made, things used all the time and things that are not commonly used. There are three icons which may be seen in the Control Panel's host menu which are Bookmarked, Common and Advanced; this makes common actions such as File Manager using or extensions installation handy as well as convenient. The Advanced section has less frequent tasks such as configuration of Google Analytics while the Bookmarked section helps in the bookmarking of things which are often used.

• Drag and drop- In the earlier versions, DNN worked on the concept of adding modules to pages. The module had to be selected by name, then the add option had to be clicked. This concept saw several variations like providing the users the option of adding modules from seperate pages, etc. But now the concept has somewhat changed. Now whatever you want to add can be selected directly and then a copy of the article can be dragged to whichever place you want. This is really simple, in fact nothing could have been more intuitive or simpler. The operation is quite elegant as well since you will be able to put things wherever you want and on top of tha,t dynamic expansion of the page takes place so that you can see the location of the insert.

There are many other features embedded in DNN like granular control, .NET platform, WebAPI stack, modular control, portal spin-up, file managers, menu icons, version tracking, security, etc. These features make the framework user friendly as well as popular amongst most of the developers. There are several other CMS platforms as well, with a multitude of benefits. But using this platform will certainly not pull you backwards; rather using this, is taking a step towards the future, especially with the range of features being newly introduced every day to make your use smooth and easy.

We provide Dotnetnuke Skin development services. If you would like to hire DotNetNuke Developers for your development needs, please contact us at Mindfire Solutions.