DotNetNuke® Websites: Problem — Design — Solution

8.1. Problem

Using CSS is a great way to achieve a high level of control over the presentation of a DNN website. However, because many DNN users don't understand the relationship between the DNN application and the different CSS files that are read and interpreted, they are often not even aware of the additional CSS styles that allow you to customize certain administration areas of a DNN website, such as the Control Panel, File Manager, and wizard. As a result, they are not able to customize these areas to match the skin package they are using.

Yet another problem is that users don't know how to edit existing CSS styles or add new CSS styles and apply them to their website. This lack of knowledge limits their ability to make customizations to DNN skins, containers, and the display of general content site wide. There are many default styles used by DNN to display different elements, such as common text, subheads, titles, and command links (when logged in as an administrator). Users who aren't familiar with the various CSS styles that affect certain elements are severely limiting their ability to tweak things the way they want. They quickly become frustrated when adding or editing CSS styles that don't have any impact on their site because they don't understand the way skins inherit settings from the different CSS files used by DNN.