Visual Basic BlogEngine.Net 1.4
Download BlogEngine.Net.VB 1.4 (2.1Mb Zip Archive)
I have currently been working on porting BlogEngine.Net from its C# release into Visual Basic.Net. I actually waiting until I could add some features I felt where needed to announce its release as well as contact the development to request a process that would allow for the Visual Basic version to be kept in sync with the official C# version
However, the BlogEngine.Net team announced the release of BlogEngine.Net Version 1.4.5 so I figured I would release the VB version of 1.4 before I start over porting the newest version to Visual Basic. So I am going to release the 1.4 version to the community so I can get some feedback on what features are needed for the next release.
You can download Visual Basic BlogEngine.Net 1.4 here which included the complete source of the BlogEngine.Core as well as the BlogEngine.Web applications.
Developers: What you need to know:
- Although I made every effort possible to keep the same Name Space Structure in the C# version, there where a few methods that could not be converted. For Example, C# allows you to declare a Function within a function using the delegate() method. In Visual Basic, this is illegal so I either defined the function inline or as an external function where possible.In certain classes, you will see methods named starting with ConvertedAnonymousFunction[I]. The converted I used to port the code used this convention so I stuck with it.
- C sharp is case sensitive, VB is not. In some cases I had to replace a case sensitive variable name with _CaseSensitive variable name. Additionally, the Post and Search class name in BlogEngine.Web where renamed to ASPXPost and ASPXSearch due to many ambiguity issues with the BlogEngine.Core Post and Search classes.
- Several classes implement the IPublishable interface in the BlogEngine.Core. Several Methods in the interface where defined as either read only or write only and overloaded with the implementing classes, for example the Post Class and the Comment Class. In Visual Basic you must declare an implemented method as Implements and the compile would complain when a Read/Write Post Property implemented a Read only or Write only IPublishable property. I redefined the IPublishable Properties as Read/Write and have not thoroughly tested the implemented classes. If you find any issues with the implementation I choose, please post a comment so I can re-code it. Or if you wish to make the modification your self, please let me know what changes you needed to make so others do not experience the same issue.
End Users: What you need to know
I currently have two installations of the Visual Basic Version running, so you should have not issue running the current code. To install, please follow the same instruction that are on the BlogEngine.Net site for the C Sharp Version. Additionally, I have not tested any extensions. Currently all extensions you find on third party sites are written in C# so they will not run in ths VB Version. However, the default extension included in this release have been rewritten in VB and do work. If you need a third party C# extension converted to Visual Basic just post a comment. I also had planned on re-coding version 1.4 so the VB and C Sharp plugins could run side by side, but since I missed the release date, you will have to check back in for a patch when I put it together.
Bugs, Questions, Comments?
Please post here and let me know. I want to share this great ASP.NET Open Source with the Visual Basic Developer Community and can not do it without your feedback. The project does not support Visual Basic and this the only VB port I am aware.
Good Luck.
Download BlogEngine.Net.VB 1.4 (2.1Mb Zip Archive)
















August 1st, 2008 at 9:21 am
Thanks so much for this version, Alex!
(psst… it’s edelman from the forum
)
August 1st, 2008 at 6:26 pm
YOU ROCK !!
I will buy you a beer if and when I meet you, but till then ROCK ON.
I am downloading it now.
August 1st, 2008 at 6:29 pm
BTW: Anybody figured out how to run BE in a subfolder?
That is, mysite\blog
cheers,
yousaid
August 1st, 2008 at 7:17 pm
yousaid - keep in mind that although this is a Visual Basic Edition, all of the documentation available for the C Sharp Edition is still applicable. So for install instructions just check the wiki or other documentation for BlogEngine.Net
But to answer your questions, you should simply have to create a virtual directory in IIS and configure it as an application, then upload the .WEB directory to your server.
To install in a virtual directory in IIS 6.0 I do this:
1) Right Click web site –> New –> Virtual directory. go through the wizard specify the path to the directory.
2) Copy the blogengine.web directory to the server and change the ntfs permissions on the App_Code folder to allow the Network Server Account full permissions (so it can write to the xml files in that directory).
That’s it. Point your browser to the web and have fun coding! Note: FTP, FPSE and alternate Data providers require additional set up steps.
August 5th, 2008 at 2:27 am
Quick question…I’m sure that someone has asked you this before:
Why would you convert the BE to VB when the .NET CLR allows code written in C# and VB to coexist within the same application?
@ yousaid…copy/publish BE to the directory of your choosing and then go to web.config and update the following line to reflect the blog’s position with regard to root. BE does not require that it live in a virtual directory:
<add key=”BlogEngine.VirtualPath” value=”~/”/>
August 5th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
If you want to customize the solution and you don’t know C#, you can’t just write parts of the code in VB. You can create new files in VB, but the ones already created you must work within the language they are written. Thus, if they are translated into VB, you can modify them if you don’t know C#
August 5th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Actually, you are correct this has been asked by many of the C# developers in the BlogEngine.Net community and is the subject of several discussion in the codeplex forums, most notably this one…
To sum up the main points, there are several Visual Basic developers that want to use the project, so having a VB version will allow them to use BlogEngine.Net without dealing with any learning curves. Additionally, if a Visual basic developer wants to create their own implemetation or override things, they have to do it in C#. The extension manager also does not handle VB Extensions out of the box, so with out an intermediate to advanced knowledge of both ASP.NET and the be.net framework, such changes can be a nightmare. Couple that with the lack of documentation on the project and the fact that VB developers will need to make these modifications in a different programming language and well, it just starts getting two difficult for your Visual Basic developer to work in BlogEngine.Net.
I feel that the Be.Net should be a plug-n-play. It should also be developer friendly to the point that a novice can make a use the framework out of the box. Currently, the framework requires that some of the innerworkings the BlogEngine.Core are overwritten to accomplish certain tasks. Again, for a novice VB developer working in C# this is a nightmare and to be honest it will probably turn them away from using the project.
August 6th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
Porting BE to VB is great and should be encouraged. Yes the CLR allows co-existance but it makes more sense to have an app in one language. When problems arise, it’s easier to fix if written in one than a mix. Personally, I have stayed away from BE becuase there’s no VB port. Sure I am not completely lost in C#, but I prefer VB and I believe many more Vb developers are in same both. I can extend what I want becuase I understand it, I can rip codes and reuse in other projects. So this is great and I hope it gets bigger.
Alex: Why not post this on CodePlex and then reference your site? Most people are not aware they now have a VB option.
cheers,
yousaid
August 7th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
What is the license for your version? I realize your porting theirs, but I don’t think that means the license has to be the same… Whatever the answer, can you add it to your wiki?
Thanks,
chris
August 9th, 2008 at 1:29 am
My site http://fasterwq.1gb.in/tourism1883.html
August 10th, 2008 at 12:11 am
[...] can be found in the BlogEngine.Net source code.
August 10th, 2008 at 12:29 am
[...] Although I find the current BlogEngine.Net documentation and support leaves much to desired I am still very excited about the project.
August 12th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
I found your site on technorati and read a few of your other posts. Keep up the good work. I just added your RSS feed to my Google News Reader. Looking forward to reading more from you down the road!
August 13th, 2008 at 1:00 am
Thanks alot AlexM. I appreciate it
August 15th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
[...] and somewhat easily customizable. The official version is in C#, but there’s also a VB.NET version floating around. I considered the VB.NET version for a bit, but I decided to stick with the C# version for a few [...]
August 16th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
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August 20th, 2008 at 7:16 am
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August 28th, 2008 at 4:37 am
Is there no need of web version of this download
August 28th, 2008 at 7:41 am
What is Blogengine. NET? It is for the first time that I open it, I try, can you gave me an idea about it. thank you.
August 29th, 2008 at 12:22 am
Kenny, what do you mean?
August 29th, 2008 at 12:29 am
Bubsy, BlogEngine.Net is a Blogging Platform written in ASP.NET (a programming language platform). You can upload the BlogEngine.Net files to a web site, like one hosted on GoDaddy.com and have your very own blog!. BlogEnginge.Net is an alternative to the leading blog platform WordPress. You can learn more about the differences between BlogEngine.Net and WordPress here on my blog.
September 4th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
I am using SQL Server 2005. I think I have it configured correctly, but I keep getting an error in the LoadFromDataStore when it tries to retrive the data from SQL Server. It is an invalid cast exception. Can not cast Byte to Byte[]. This happens after I login with Admin Admin and then click on the “Add” button next to the dropdown box on the right hand side. Any ideas?
September 4th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
jiseller:
not quite sure, I have not ported any of the data providers to vb.net. You should post the entire error message on the codeplex forum for blogengine.net. There is probably a bug fix for this. By posting there, someone can point you in the right direction.
September 23rd, 2008 at 1:06 am
Will upgrade (1.4.5) be done in the future?
September 24th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
I have completed the 1.4.5 core dll. I Was working on the web code and a few other things came up. BlogEngine.Net 1.4.5 VB edition will be releases soon:)
September 24th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
It looks forward to release.
October 11th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
OMG, thanks so much! Im pure VB here, and Ive fiddled with the VBBlogEng in C# but I cant mod it like I want, so your a true life saver! Im running this localhost with the free version of Abyss, its slick.. now Ill check on modding it and running it live on my host!
BTW, you need to create an alias with Abyss and it will run fine! If you want 127.0.0.1/blog to be your directory, then you will need to set /blog as the alias to c:/htdocs/vbblogeng, or whatever you have it saved as. If you dont know what Im talking about by now, its past your level.
Thanks much!
Andrew
October 12th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
Could it be possible for someone to convert these extensions to work with this port please? I tried, but its a bit over my head and Ive had not success.
http://betaparticle.com/post/2008/02/FLV-Media-Player-for-for-BlogEngineNET.aspx
http://blog.data-worx.de/page/Extension-Lightbox.aspx
These two extensions I use on my C# ported page, but Im converting to VB port.
Ill check the comments section for any followups..
Thanks,
Andrew
October 14th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Занимаюсь дизайном и хочу попросить автора blog.alexanderhiggins.com отправить шаьлончик на мой мыил) Готов заплатить…
October 18th, 2008 at 9:18 am
Hi Alex,
Great work. I’ve got the source running on VS2005 and am looking to integrate the blog (ideally in a sub-dir) with the personal website I’m developing. I’ve found some related posts scattered around the forum but nothing approaching a ‘how to’. Can you or any of your readers point me in the right direction?
Many thanks,
S
October 24th, 2008 at 6:17 am
Hi Alex
Thanx a lot for this code…
Looking forward for version 1.4.5
Keep up the good work!!!
October 28th, 2008 at 1:36 am
Good job and thank you for this excellent idea.looking forward to see the latest Be version in VB.
November 13th, 2008 at 5:59 am
Hi Alex,
Great conversion, that you tell me how to use your vb.net version with SQL Server?
Thanks
November 29th, 2008 at 12:25 am
Nick, visit the codeplex forum and simply follow the instructions for using the latest SQL data provider, be it sqllite, mssql, or mysql.
December 2nd, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Thank you so much, amazing.