Assumptions:

1. Theoretically, I'm creating a module that allows users to post items that will only be shown between a user-defined StartTime and EndTime.
2. The module has a setting for #Days of past the EndTime to keep old posts.
3. The old posts get deleted automatically by a dnn scheduled task that runs daily


What methods are available to the module programmer to get this scheduled task added to the module installation? When the user installs my module, the scheduled task is built for them - that's the goal.

You can do it a number of ways, more than likely implementing the IUpgradable interface will be the best bet. If installing version X of the module, add the scheduled task via the API methods.

__________________
Mitchel Sellers
Microsoft C# MVP, MCITP
Director of Development
IowaComputerGurus Inc.

My blog for .NET and DotNetNuke info

Author of "Professional DotNetNuke Module Programming"

Tech Editor on "Visual Studio 2010 six-in-one" and "Pro C# 4.0"

Excellent, thanks! I understand your reply.

I have written an announcements module and it has two tables: [Announcements] and [AnnouncementCategories]. Therefore I have two *info classes and two *controller classes. I'm implementing the iPortable and iSearchable interfaces in both controller classes and have the iUpgradable interfaces strapped in as well (but not doing anything yet).

So both of these controller classes are BusinessControllerClasses(?).

In my dnn file, do I add two xml <businessControllerClass> elements, or do I put both of values inside a single element and delimit with a char of some type?

Finally, I'm guessing it doesn't matter which controller class's iUpgradable section that I use to code the API calls to get the scheduled task created and configured. And realistically, I would only need to implement this specific interface in just one of the two controller classes.

As far as I know, DNN still only supports a single business controller class, therefore implementing IPortable and ISearchable on both is not going to get you any benefit. There should be a single class for that type of activity.

__________________
Mitchel Sellers
Microsoft C# MVP, MCITP
Director of Development
IowaComputerGurus Inc.

My blog for .NET and DotNetNuke info

Author of "Professional DotNetNuke Module Programming"

Tech Editor on "Visual Studio 2010 six-in-one" and "Pro C# 4.0"

Thanks again.

Going to revise my module and would like to verify a few more things:

1. It's ok to have multiple info classes (one for each table/object - like Announcement and AnnouncementCategory).
2. The module should have a single controller class, and in the controller class, add the update, select, insert, and delete functions for every info object.
3. In the controller, down in the iPortable and iSearchable procedures, basically write out the code to handle each of your info classes? For instance, if I want to be able to search by announcement or category, I will have 2 For/Next loops in which I build my searchItems.

1.) Yes, it is perfectly fine, and it is the standard process for development
2.) No, it should have a single "businessControllerClass" to handle implementation of ISearchable, IPortable, and IUpgradable but otherwise you can have multiple controllers without issues.
3.) It depends on how you want the users to get there. Typically, you would have 1 entry for each item, and just include item and category information in the content. You don't want to insert duplicate content entries.

__________________
Mitchel Sellers
Microsoft C# MVP, MCITP
Director of Development
IowaComputerGurus Inc.

My blog for .NET and DotNetNuke info

Author of "Professional DotNetNuke Module Programming"

Tech Editor on "Visual Studio 2010 six-in-one" and "Pro C# 4.0"

iPortable will have to handle importing and exporting both Announcements and AnnouncementCategories. (And now that I think about it - I have to be careful in which order I import them as to not break any db table constraints).

Assuming my module has 2 controller classes, do I as the programmer simply decide which of the 2 will implement the interfaces and tuck everything in there?

Or is it more 'professional' to create a seperate class who's sole purpose is to be the BuisinessControllerClass?

You are right on the money!

As for the "right" way, you can look at this one of two ways.

1.) Put the interfaces on the 'Announcements' as this is the primary data structure, it has categories that provide extra data.

2.) To allow for expandable growth you could create an "IntegrationController" that has the interfaces implemented separate...

Neither of these is better than the other, at least not with your current needs.

__________________
Mitchel Sellers
Microsoft C# MVP, MCITP
Director of Development
IowaComputerGurus Inc.

My blog for .NET and DotNetNuke info

Author of "Professional DotNetNuke Module Programming"

Tech Editor on "Visual Studio 2010 six-in-one" and "Pro C# 4.0"

Excellent!

I'm almost set -

The book instructs us to use the fully qualified namespace along with the class name. I'm disecting some module source code that I downloaded off the forge. I've looked at several manifests and I'm finding extra 'stuff' in the BusinessControllerClass's value. Can you elaborate just a bit more on how we set this value?

Here is an example from the FormAndList_05.00.03 module source code's *.dnn file.

<businessControllerClass>DotNetNuke.Modules.UserDefinedTable.BusinessContro ller, DotNetNuke.Modules.UserDefinedTable</businessControllerClass>

For some reason that module is specifying the class name, which is the first part, and the assembly name which is the second part.

__________________
Mitchel Sellers
Microsoft C# MVP, MCITP
Director of Development
IowaComputerGurus Inc.

My blog for .NET and DotNetNuke info

Author of "Professional DotNetNuke Module Programming"

Tech Editor on "Visual Studio 2010 six-in-one" and "Pro C# 4.0"