Can anyone briefly explain how to use the .NET folder type in Reddot, I can't find any documentation.
I'd ideally like to be able to use master pages and user controls outside of Reddot to make development easier, and the .NET folder seems like it might allow me to do it.
From the Help documentation:
.NET Folder - Select this type if you are using the .NET framework for your project. You can store the necessary configuration files and assemblies in this folder. Only one .NET folder can be created per project. The subfolder bin is automatically created.
And from my brief training back in January, I believe the instructor indicated that assemblies that were placed into the .NET folder could be used in pre-executing code blocks throughout the templates.
Having done some investigation and experimentation with this, it looks like it will deploy the bin folder and any files within that folder, but not subdirectories, when you publish the site. It doesn't seem to do anything with that folder in smartedit mode so .net functionality has to be disabled when editing.
For the support of .NET projects, RedDot CMS provides the .NET folder and configurable virtual directories for each project. If you want to use the .NET framework for your project, you must configure the following settings:
Enter the physical path and the virtual directory
Enter the physical path and the virtual directory to execute RDExecute and PreExecute pages such as aspx pages.
(Go to: SmartTree/Administer Project Settings/Project/General Settings/Edit Settings/RDExecute and PreExecute settings). The virtual directory set here is added to the host header specified in RedDot content server. If no directory is specified, then the host header will be used exclusively, if one is specified. The virtual directory should not be located in the path to the virtual directory of CMS, for there is a risk that the configuration files affect RedDot CMS itself. Ideally, a virtual directory should be chosen that has been created at a level below the virtual directory of RedDot CMS. A directory that has been created at a level parallel to the virtual directory of RedDot CMS is not recommended if using a host header (because the host header is also used for integrations). These could possibly no longer work.
example of the virtual path : /CMS/mysite/PreExecute
Set up .NET folder
Create a .NET folder in which you can store the necessary configuration files and assemblies. Only one .NET folder can be created per project. The subfolder bin is automatically created. The root directory of the .NET project must be assigned to the .NET folder as the publication folder. (Go to: SmartTree/Administer Project Settings/Project/Folders/Create Folder)
Set up project variants
You can define that the .NET folder should be used for your project's project variants. If you have configured this setting for a project variant, each time this project variant is published there will be a check to see if the files in the .NET folder or its subfolders have changed. All changed files will also be published. (Go to: SmartTree/Administer Project Settings/Project/Project Variants/Select Project Variant/Edit Project Variant/Use .NET folder)
Update the .NET folder With the help of a manual update of the .NET folder, the virtual directory for RDExecute and PreExecute are updated. The update is triggered on the .NET folder and is cluster-wide. (Go to: SmartTree/Administer Project Settings/Project/Folders/Select .NET folder/ Update Virtual Directory). The virtual directory is also automatically updated when files are uploaded or deleted in the .NET folder. The update will only take place if a physical folder has been specified in the project settings.
And Finally
You should primarily use ASP.NET together with RDEXecute functionality. Using PreExecute (Active Templates) some mechanisms will be not or not fully functional. If you plan to use ASP.NET in PreExecute areas please remind to test your application carefully.
Personally we tell reddot to push the bin folder to a tempbin folder on the publish server, otherwise if your publishing from visual studio for testing etc those files will get overwritten
The .NET folder type is essentially a location for publication of 'stuff' that is not referenced by any element. Red Dot normally will only publish things that are connected on some way (directly, via reference, or via keyword association)
For example, if you have some compiled DLLs, they will be published if placed in the .NET folder even if you do not create a placeholder to reference them.
You must specify to use the .NET folder in the Edit project Variant area of the specified variant.
1: Point your .NET folder configuration at a filesystem location. (In this example, containing a couple of .zip files).
2: a /bin subdirectory is automatically created at the specified filesystem location
3: specify a project variant to use the .net folder.
4: publish that variant.
The contents of the .net folder (here, two .zip files) should be published along with the red dot pages.
