How to Use the Text DotNetNuke Skin Object
DotNetNuke is a web content management system based on Microsoft .NET. The DNN Platform Edition is open source. DNN is designed for multi-tenancy and supports an unlimited number of websites, either as root websites or for portals in a parent-child configuration. The platform's skinning feature separates content from design-related files for easier customization. Skins make it simple to maintain a common look and structure across related sites without advanced programming knowledge. DNN's core functionality can be expanded with modules for common elements, such as those for e-commerce. The software enables parent-child website resource sharing and management using specially-formed symbolic links.
What is a Skin Object?
First of all, a skin object is an ASP.Net user control that is used in DNN skins to provide a limited feature. For example, the search box, menu, login link, copyright statement, and more, are all skin objects. They allow a skin designer to include dynamic content without having to know how to build the content itself, or knowing any programming.
Other than the previous description, this post will assume that you know how to create and package your own skin.
Text Skin Object
The Text skin object itself is a very useful feature in skinning, as it allows you to include localized text, while not having to create a copy of the skin for each language, or using any other number of workarounds.
For example, if you have static text next to your login skin object that says, “Welcome, “ then you might want to have alternatives for another language, if you plan to support it.
I am going to use that example for the rest of this post.
The Code
There is minimal code needed to implement the Text skin object. If you’re using an HTML skin, then you would simply need to do the following:
<object id="dnnTEXT-Welcome" codetype="dotnetnuke/server" codebase="TEXT">
<param name="Text" value="Welcome, " />
<param name="CssClass" value="NormalBold" />
<param name="ResourceKey" value="Welcome.Text" />
<param name="ReplaceTokens" value="False" />
</object>
If you are using a ASCX skin, then you would need two updates. First, put this line of code into the top section of the source:
<%@ Register TagPrefix="dnn" TagName="TEXT" Src="~/Admin/Skins/Text.ascx" %>
Next, put this code into the appropriate spot of the source in the skin:
<dnn:TEXT runat="server" id="dnnTEXT-Welcome" Text="Welcome, "
CssClass="NormalBold" ResourceKey="Welcome.Text" ReplaceTokens="False" />
Resource Files
Next, you need to make sure your skin has resource files. In your skin package, you should have a folder namedApp_LocalResources. This folder will contain the necessary files to tell your skin the appropriate text to use for the skin object when the specific language is asked for during page request life cycle.
If your skin file is named index.ascx or index.html, then your default resource file for English would be namedindex.ascx.resx. If your additional supported language is French, your filename might be index.fr-FR.ascx.resx.
The English file code would be something like this:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<root>
<data name="Welcome.Text">
<value>Welcome, </value>
</data>
</root>
The respective code for the French language file might look like this:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<root>
<data name="Welcome.Text">
<value>Accueil, </value>
</data>
</root>
Text Skin Object Properties Explained
There are a few properties that you’ve seen in the previous examples that you might be wondering about. Here is an explanation of those properties:
- Runat – (required, ASCX only) The value must be ‘server’
- Id – (required) This is a unique name for the tag, much like in standard HTML
- Text – (optional) This value will be used as the default, should an appropriate resources file for the current language not be found
- CssClass – (optional) This value is the name of a CSS class that will be available to the rendered HTML page to stylize the text in the web browser
- ResourceKey – (required) This value references the id (name) of the text to retrieve from the resources file
- ReplaceTokens – (optional) This true/false value will tell DNN to look for system tokens and replace them with the appropriate text