iFinity

Let me just preface this post with a declaration : I'm talking about caching objects in code, not module or page level caching for outputs.  Module level caching is where the contents of a module are cached so that DNN can speedily emit them back out instead of constructing the details from database records.  Page level caching is pretty much synonymous with the Snapsis Pageblaster module : which takes the contents of the entire page and caches them to reduce the amount of database calls.  A fine module and a staple for DNN sites everywhere : except mine, oddly, I've never taken the time to implement it.

No, what I wish to discuss here is the ability of the DotNetNuke framework to cache all sorts of objects and to handle all the messy plumbing for you.

A quick scan around documentation and let-me-google-that-for-you will show up an easy example like this :

DotNetNuke.Common.Utilities.DataCache.SetCache("myObject", myObject);

to store your object.  And then, somewhere else, this code to...

DNN gave me a bit of a shock when they released DNN 5.0 on December 24, 2008.  Just when you're thinking about winding down taking a few days off to spend with family, all of a sudden a major new release is out, just when plenty of people have some time off to tinker and play with the new version.  I already knew that the Url Master module wasn't compatible with DNN 5.0, I just thought I'd get some advance warning that a release was imminent and have time to fix the compatibility problems.  Consider that a lesson learned. 

The DNN 5.0 released coupled this with a major DNS mess-up for the ifinity.com.au domain (not my fault, I have to add), a messed up operating system on my main laptop and some ISP issues (the two were related, thanks, proprietary ISP software) and you could be forgiven for thinking that nothing was being done here at iFinity HQ.  Indeed there was even some DNN forum posts to that effect - had ifinity.com.au disappeared off the face of the earth, taking all of it's products with it?  Nothing...