Question:Hi, I need to create a library that will hold a listing of thousands of books. One important requirement is that libraries created must be cross-portal. That is, one module in one portal will allow users to browse all the titles available. A second portal will hold the same library system and must look up the same items registered in Portal 1. In this case, it will have a more limited scope. It will allow users to browse only for a certain category of items (i.e. only magazines, not books or thesis). Briefly, I will have a single items base and more than one view. Is this possible considering the cross Portal requirement?
Dear Marcos Hollanda
Yes, you can use Universal List in this way. Main feature of Universal List that it works with ANY table from your DB. If you already have tables created - you can to connect to them, if not created - simple to create. Connect to table is very easy - just add module to page and select required table.
About categories: you can define items, what need to show with Predefined filters: so at one page will be items with one category, on other - with other category.
If you have your items in Excel, XML or CSV format - you can easy import them into tables.
You can download FREE Trial version from our site http://cookdnn.com and try to work with it.
Please write us if you have any questions - will be glad to help!
Thanks
Marcos,
Use of UL in this way depends on whether you have more than one database. If you have all of your portals using and sharing one DNN database, this will be possible. If you have separate databases for your portals, it is not currently possible. At this time, UL works only with the DNN database on which it is installed.
To build an application shared across portals which share one database, you would probably first want to create an app_categories table (or maybe an app_libraries table - not sure) with each of your category types (or library collections). Then in your main app table, you would add a 'reference' field which would pull the category manes from the app_categories table.
From here, you could create filters for each of your portals. For example - portal A can see items in categories 1,3 and 4 while portal B can see only items in category 2.
I hope this is clear and describes what you need.Thank you for your interest in Universal List