Current Multi-blog enabling LINQ to SQL BlogEngine.NET Provider. (Updated 3/12/10)

I have been asked for this code so that we can share the multi-blog solution that has been working for me for almost a year now.  This is the time to check it out and help make it work for yourself and others.  I’m going to continue to “dog food” this here.  Current version of BlogEngine.NET supported by this provider, as of this post, is 1.6.0.3.  Although I need to update my own site(s) from 1.6.0.1.

How will I update?

Mine is easy.  Drop in the new DLLs.

If I do a code “diff” and find the Web code to have changed recently (which I’m sure it did) I will copy those specific files to the Web folder.

How do you update from a clean BlogEngine.NET 1.6.0.3 code base?

1. You should download the latest BE.NET code from codeplex and create a folder for the solution. 
2. Extract the code from the zip into your solution folder. (…and follow the directions for setting up a stand-alone SQL Server Blog)
3. Copy and unzip the BlogEngine.Linq2SQL.3-12-10.zip folder into the solution folder with the Core and Web projects.
4. Add an existing Project to the solution, select the BlogEngine.Linq2Sql project.
5. Verify the References (to project “BlogEngine.Core”)
6. Add a reference to “BlogEngine.Linq2SQL” from the “BlogEngine.NET” Web site.
7. Change Target Framework on BlogEngine.NET Web site to “.NET Framework 3.5”
8. Execute the SQL build script “Linq2SqlUpdate.sql” to add schema to support Multi-Blogs.
   • Make sure to run against the Database you created in Step 2.
9. Assuming you are using the correct connection string, modify the Web.Config
   • blogProvider, membership, roleManager
   • See: Web.Config.xml

A few widget improvements

As commented on by BenAmada:

I think it would be more ideal to create a new widget that does what you're looking for -- rather than modify the TextBox widget.  Others have asked to be able to output Google AdSense code or other pieces of Raw HTML into widgets.  It never works very well with the TextBox widget.

A new, very simple widget could be created that has a multi-line textbox in it (not tinyMce), and raw HTML would be pasted into the textbox.  I know this widget would be perfect for the AdSense and other Ad people, and sounds like it might fit what you're looking for too.

…

Here is a quick Literal Widget created on suggestion since it helps me with one of my own issues.

Thanks “BenAmanda”

Widget:

Please try this and let me know if you have made any improvements.  It’s simple and not tested extensively and came right out of the TextBox widget, but without tinyMce and simple required mods.

Other Widgets:

• Twitter Widget
• Literal Widget

This one is simple to use.  The original version can be found at: (Creating a XBox 360 Widget.)  I just wanted to update it for my own needs, and so that it would run with current BlogEngine.NET Core.  This is what it looks like…

Config:

Please let me know if there are any problems using this.  It requires .NET 3.5 and BlogEngine.NET 1.5.  If it runs on anything else it is purely unintentional. :)

Twitter Widget

I wanted to post Twitter feeds for a variety of Blogs and ran into several problems with the incarnation I found available on the web. (TwitterFeed-Widget for BlogEngine.NET)  Running Multiple blogs, I ran into cache bleeding into each blog since multiple widgets or multiple blogs were never thought about when originally built.  I assume this widget, was just a first attempt.  In that light, I only assume that this iteration is my “draft” version as well, but hope to improve it as necessary.

Hopefully I do not need to show a screen shot since the sample should be running in the Widgetzone of this Blog.  (Of course, I may not have pushed the most recent code here so I will have to update this Post when I confirm.)

Besides updating the Cache to support multiple widgets and Blogs, I removed the XML file and System.IO requirements, and replaced System.Xml with LINQ (System.Xml.Linq).  I only believe that I improved the original but by no means created any ground shattering new solution, { as I like to believe I do in my Professional life everyday :) }

XBOX GamerTag Widget

Look for the Improved XBOX GamerTag Widget ( or Creating a XBox 360 Widget.)  I simply updated it for .NET 3.5, Linq, and BE.NET 1.5.  I’ll Post that soon as soon as I can.

BlogEngine.NET Core Version 1.5.1.31 is running on this server as of this Post.

ref: (Waiting for a Minor Release of BlogEngine.NET with MultiBlog)

 

I based my implementation on SqlBlogProvider, but since it was out of synch with BlogEngine.NET I had a dilemma.  My biggest complaint about BlogEngine.NET if I had any at all was the fact that sometimes changes come at a snails pace.  This is not to say that you can’t find a new build three every other day, but that the major enhancements I want don’t always take, or in the case of MultiBlogs, the most popular enhancement to date, is completely ignored.  Once Jacob Proffitt created a solution, I figured it would be rolled into BlogEngine.NET.

OK, so I was Way off on this one. So here’s a strategy:

• Get the latest BlogEngine.NET code and use it as a baseline. (1.5.1.31)
• Get the latest SqlBlogProvider code and ditto. (27978)
• Make sure to upgrade Everything to .NET 3.5
• Modify the SQL Database Schema to include Blog and Host tables, and BlogDataStoreSettings
• and add BlogId columns where necessary.
• Recreate the DBML for the new schema.
• remove references to multiblog="true" because they don’t matter anymore.
• Simplify and verify.

OK, done!!!  Now what?

I have a set of Blogs running an older version of everything and now I have a new schema.  Also, I have new capabilities and only a SQL script to modify or add new blogs.  It is simple but always required modifications before running.

• Windows Form, new simple DBML for required tables…because the Provider model is too complex,
• and Done.

Oh, and I needed a migration tool and some more fun with Linq to SQL, so I created a one-off migration tool with a useless UI that couple be done from a command line, but I thought I might need more.

And, it’s running now!!!

BlogEngine.NET code is now at version 1.5.1.39 (change set 31351)

Now I have to isolate changes, bug fixes, enhancements I want and implement…but this is the exact scenario I want to avoid.

• Do I create a Branch that uses most of BlogEngine.NET?
• Should I start over?

I think the best option is to start a new core based on current or future technology and leave behind what can be upgraded.  Linq, Entity Framework, WCF, Silverlight 4, .NET 4.0 can be used much more.  MVC can become a solid base for the UI, maybe. This is not a hard nut to crack, and get’s easier with time and new technology.  The hardest part about using BlogEngine.NET today is that it takes longer to fix than to build again from scratch.

It’s time for a new architecture.  I’m glad I didn’t create one myself a few years ago when BlogEngine.NET was introduced, but I will be happy when I can safely deploy a new version based on those principles.

Pipedream: Multiple Blogs

I’m not sure if anyone else has noticed but the NUMBER ONE requested feature of BlogEngine.NET (That’s #1 by a landslide) is to support Multiple Blogs per installation.  I have been struggling with this concept and while searching for and designing a workaround using BlogEngine.NET and the Provider model using SQL Server only, I came across SqlBlogProvider that also uses Linq to SQL.  This model supports Multiple Blogs in a single SQL Server Database in a single Application folder.  It now also supports multiple hosts or domains per blog if required.  So the only dilemma I’m struggling with today is where to go from here.

Current Conundrum:

Now that the SqlBlogProvider supports what I need, although there are a few items I’ve extended I’m still having problems syncing between the “current” or “newest” code base(s) of BlogEngine.NET and the SqlBlogProvider.  They don’t jive, nor should they.  However, I want it all, and I want it now…Yeah, I know it sounds like a song.  The strategy I would have employed was to Add a blog table, and then the host table to support another level of hierarchy, then add a BlogId to each necessary table.  However, in order to create the least possible interference with the Core, the SqlBlogProvider author added separate tables (Junction tables) and a separate Provider project.

Status:

I’ve made the changes to the latest BlogEngine source I had from a few days ago (1.5.1.31) and SqlBlogProvider (1.5 Change Set 27978) but haven’t finished the work I wanted yet.  My plan is to finish some bug fix work across both projects which may be done as far as my issues are concerned.  Now I’m adding a GUI for setting up new Blogs (via Linq and the new provider I chipped out of SqlBlogProvider).  Then I’ll dog-food it for a while and see where it leads me.  I may learn enough from this to start fresh and rebuild the core in my own way but I’m willing to share the results if someone asks.

You’ll know it’s in use when the BlogEngine.NET version at the bottom of this blog changes from 1.5.1.22 to 1.5.1.31 or above.

This is a thread from BlogEngine.NET on CodePlex. (Multiple blogs on same installation) 

I would like to see the current dev plan, if it exists yet.  If I knew we/they/you were going to use SqlBlogProvider, and even integrate it into the core, I would like to help.  If there was also a way to allow multiple blogs within a single application, that would be great too.  Should everyone just create a new branch?

If we don't know the future plans, dates, implementation, etc., we're stuck deciding whether to wait or risk going forward with an alternative branch and missing out.  Communication would be good.  I may be missing something.  I've stated recently that I spend more time modifying current BE.NET code than I ever do Blogging and I have over a dozen blogs.  1.5.1.22 is currently stable, from my perspective with SqlBlogProvider supporting all of those blogs on a single folder, with a single SQL database and schema.  The only (minor) issue is still creating multiple Web Applications and pointing them to the same folder.  I can live with that on an 8-way server with 2 GB of RAM.

It’s related to Multiple blogs in one BlogEngine.NET instance and BlogEngine.Net for SQL Server

More...

This is what you see when attempting to rate a new post. Click on a Star to rate the post.  Notice the infinitesimally small rating that is generally added when creating a first post.  This may be something I did myself while trying to “fix” the Add a new Blog script.

These are the symptoms I could find so far, but I cannot isolate the DateTime property that is causing the Exception.More...

Update (10/17/2009)

BlogEngine.NET appears to be closer than ever to a Multi-Blog implementation thanks to work done by Jacob Proffitt found here: Multi-blog Obsession.  The SQLBlogProvider allows multiple blogs to be supported by a single SQL Server database.  Imaging the maintenance and resource requirements, compared with “n” blogs and “n” databases, or “n” folders with “n-times-x” xml files for all those posts.  Currently, this provides for a single folder and any number of application instances, all pointing at the same folder.  There may be a few potential answers to this, but only if someone deems it a problem.  I’m now running about 12 (BlogEngine.NET) blogs in a single location with a single database using the SQLBlogProvider.  A few details were worked out to bring this solution up to the 1.5.x version of BlogEngine.NET.  While looking at this, I’ve learned a lot about some new features and found some useful and straightforward applications of Linq to SQL. More...

With all the troubles I’ve had with hosting plans throughout the years, I’ve always wondered how to avoid those same problems for a second time.  Of course, I’d love to avoid them for the first time, so I Google them first.  No, not the problem, but how to avoid problems doing something “odd” with my service.  Let’s say I want to do something really strange like cancel a server or hosting service.  I know, it’s way out there, but please bare with me…I ask the Service Provider what I need to do, after starting with the on-line FAQs, help, forums, etc.  and they say go to this “special” site for canceling service.  OK, it must be “intuitive” or they would have given me more details, right!?  The stand-up comic in me wants to draw this out to its proper conclusion…lots of laughs; but the software developer, architect, infrastructure novice and business owner in me wants to lend a hand.

What Problem was actually resolved?

There are way too many scenarios to list in one sitting, but I can probably link to them from here later, or answer specific questions in comments if I see them.  But my most recent issue was due to the fact that I wanted to upgrade a 1and1.com VPS account to one that was half the price I was paying (for 3 months…and I highly recommend this.)  That wasn’t the deal maker though. More...