The concepts

Before getting into business, we need an understanding of how PowerNodes works.
A PowerNodes CMS driven website is based on three core things plus a number of required files and folders which we will look at later.

1: Schemata
Schemata are data structures for representing both generic and specific concepts about content. When understanding what a schema is, picture a piece of paper where you plan which elements a website page should contain. A simple example could contain as little as a Headline and a Content area for the text.

2: Templates
The schemata mentioned above, must have something to render on. For this we use HTML templates which contain layout and Placeholders (ASP.NET custom control), or even other ASP.NET functionality. When a Placeholder represents a schema element, we must define an "ElementKey", and this must match the schema element defined.
Other Placeholders does not have the property "ElementKey", so these do not directly represent editable regions from schema. For example a Menu Placeholder.

3: Database
Last but not least we need a database where we store content. In this article we concentrate on parts from the PowerNodes website which uses a MS SQL Server database. However, it could just as well have been an Oracle database, a MySql database or others. Yes we even support MS Access for low traffic websites.

So now that the basic concepts are clear, a PowerNodes driven website requires both some standard ASP.NET files as well as some custom PowerNodes files and folders.

  • Web.config - you know this from standard ASP.NET. Contains customizes PowerNodes tags for various settings.
  • Default.aspx - we use this for redirecting to our cms handler.
  • Global.asax - also known from ASP.NET. Special setting is that Application must inherit from PowerNodes.Cms.Web.Application
  • cms.ashx - web handler
  • not.ashx - notification handler
  • sch.ashx - search handler
  • powernodeslicense.xml - license file
  • Templates - folder where we store the HTML Templates. A Template is an aspx file which contains Placeholders which render schema definitions. Combined it makes "documents" which are created in the FrontDesk application.
  • Pages - folder where we store the HTML pages. A Page is an aspx file which does not directly render editable content (think schema), but instead lists of documents, or other non direct schema ElementKeys such as breadcrumb trails. Lets say we were creating a sitemap page for the website. Then it would make sence to use a Page instead of a Template, because we only need a Placeholder which renders all documents available.

Furthermore we must include the PowerNodes assemblies in the ASP.NET "bin" folder.
It's also possible to create own Status Pages such as 404 etc., though its not required.

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