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Open Source CMS that can use MySQL or MS SQL Server and can use a design template

I need to find an open source CMS that I can use for a voluntary group that is tied to Windows hosting which supports PHP and MS SQL Server but does not support MySQL. I would like to be able to use different design templates for different pages, so that the site doesn't look like a generic CMS if the client wants a re-design. I would also like to be able to extend on it if necessary. It should have a good editor that gives access to stylesheets. It should have role based authentication and the ability for admins to create new pages based on master pages and add content.

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kg69

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ditterz

ASKER

Do you think there would be problems if hosting was moved to linux, and database migrated to MySQL?

kg69

Yeah probably, I would expect the conversion to not work well if at all. I'd go ahead and plan the platform now you want to use. If there is the possibility of having to move to linux and mySQL then I would go ahead and setup something like PostNuke. Then you would only have the headache of moving the files/permissions not playing around with DB conversion which I still think would not be possible especially with dotnetnuke.

Also I would test such a migration (From the windows to a linux host) and document the plan now instead of trying to deal with that headache later. So if you have the time work up a well documented step by step guide to do your migration. Linux and windows hosting can be had for cheap, so getting both now and testing BEFORE you start will be worth a savings in your time later. :)

If you can just start with Linux/MySQL I would just go ahead and not worry about any migration. :)

ditterz

ASKER

If I didn't have to worry about windows and was using php and mysql from the start, what CMS would you recommend?

Loganathan Natarajan

really i recommend to you the Drupal, it is the best CMS for your requirement.,

ref, http://drupal.org/

kg69

I'm more familiar with postnuke, which has been a well supported CMS system. Looking at Drupal, it looks pretty good as well, but I couldn't vouche for it.

ditterz

ASKER

I've installed Drupal, and read up on customising the theme, but when I copied the default garland theme into the recommended directory and renamed it's folder to test and it's .info file to test.info as per: "All themes should be installed in the sites/all/themes directory to separate them from core files. Read about multi-site installations to see all the possible installation directories." The instructions were not clear at all about how to switch to this theme - as it didn't show it in the list of themes. I can see easily enough how to edit it, but because it says not to edit the default theme, but to copy it first, that creates a problem. Could you please shed any light on this?

Loganathan Natarajan

You suppose to have all the themes in the /themes folder at drupal. Do you change the path for theme?

ref. http://tips.webdesign10.com/how-to-make-a-drupal-theme

read the tutorial how to change / customize the drupal theme

ditterz

ASKER

I'm trying to install DotNetNuke v4.09 on my windows ASP.NET v2.0.50727 hosting but after I checked that I could connect to my SQL Server database in PHP OK, I found my DotNetNuke installation won't run. I get the attached error. I tried setting the <customErrors mode="Off"/> but it didn't make any difference. I am trying to install it to a directory called dotnetnuke under my domain name. I edited the connection string in web.config in the same directory but it doesn't matter if the password is right or wrong: same error. I've logged a call with my hosting provider, so I'll see if they can help. I tried using the instructions in DotNetNuke for Dummies as well as at this link to no avail: http://www.mitchelsellers.com/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/140/installing-dotnetnuke-455-on-a-hosting-site.aspx

Server Error in '/' Application.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Runtime Error 
Description: An application error occurred on the server. The current custom error settings for this application prevent the details of the application error from being viewed remotely (for security reasons). It could, however, be viewed by browsers running on the local server machine. 
 
Details: To enable the details of this specific error message to be viewable on remote machines, please create a <customErrors> tag within a "web.config" configuration file located in the root directory of the current web application. This <customErrors> tag should then have its "mode" attribute set to "Off".
 
 
<!-- Web.Config Configuration File -->
 
<configuration>
    <system.web>
        <customErrors mode="Off"/>
    </system.web>
</configuration>
 
 
Notes: The current error page you are seeing can be replaced by a custom error page by modifying the "defaultRedirect" attribute of the application's <customErrors> configuration tag to point to a custom error page URL.
 
 
<!-- Web.Config Configuration File -->
 
<configuration>
    <system.web>
        <customErrors mode="RemoteOnly" defaultRedirect="mycustompage.htm"/>
    </system.web>
</configuration>

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ditterz

ASKER

I've downloaded and tested DotNetNuke on both Xamp and live web hosting and it works really well, so thankyou for this suggestion.