Professional DotNetNuke®5: Open Source Web Application Framework for ASP.NET

Chapter 16. Skinning DotNetNuke

DotNetNuke 5 is an exciting time for skin developers. Enhancements to existing functionality, like the new format for Skinobjects, make existing features easier to use. New layout features like super stylesheets add layout templates to make CSS-based layouts simpler to implement and more consistent across all skins. The client-side widget framework opens up a whole new area for designers and developers to collaborate to add interactive and dynamic features to DotNetNuke skins. With these new tools and the emerging focus on standards compliance, skin developers and designers will be able create more dynamic, interactive, and accessible designs in less time. This chapter covers using HTML and CSS to create skins and containers to change the look and feel of DotNetNuke web sites. This chapter demonstrates skinning using XHTML- and CSS-based layouts. You learn the basics of how to build a skin and container from scratch, use CSS to create advanced layouts, and use Skinobjects and widgets to add functionality to your designs.

DotNetNuke uses templates to accomplish skinning because they provide for the separation of the presentation and layout attributes from the application logic required to display content to the user. The Core Team studied various approaches to enable this functionality and have created a solution that will give both developers and designers independence when implementing DotNetNuke sites. This results in faster deployment times and, ...