Gerry Heidenreich

Looking for DNN4 stuff??? Check my more recent posts:
   * DNN4.02: Create Your DotNetNuke Development Environment
   * DNN4.02: Quick & Dirty C# and VB Custom Modules
   * DNN4.02: Starting New DotNetNuke Modules in C# or VB.Net

With a lot of experimentation, and a lot of help from DNN sites like DotNetNuke.dk, I've finally got the DNN install down to a science... I wrote the following steps for DNN 2.12 in an environment with a SQL Backend, IIS with full privileges, and Visual Studio.

The following method of installing DNN enables local debugging for both DNN, and any DNN Projects (custom modules). 

1. Create the dotnetnuke database
2. Create and unzip dotnetnuke (download from www.dotnetnuke.com)
3. In dotnetnuke folder create 2 folders: dnnbin and dnnframework
4. Create dnn virtual directory in iis, point to dotnetnuke folder with all access rights
5. Update web.config to reflect database connection info
    Update web.config's compilation debug attribute from false to true
6. Go to new dotnetnuke install via browser, database update will begin, portal should open
7. Open dotnetnuke solution, set dotnetnuke project as default project, and it's default.aspx page as start page
    In DotNetNuke Properties, under Configuration Properties-Debugging, enable ASP.NET debugging (f5 to build & test)
8. In dotnetnuke project properties, change to all configurations, update build folder to dnnbin (instead of just bin)
9. Repeat for all projects but have them build to their own bin folder (instead of ..\..\bin)
10. Add new class library project to the solution, called dnnframework, located in dotnetnuke folder
11. Set dnnframework build location for all configurations to ..\bin (so it goes into dotnetnuke\bin)
12. New modules should be added as a new project, and exist inside the DotNetNuke\DesktopModules\ModuleName folder. Add references to all other projects in dnnframework (rebuild and see that everything works fine)