This is a very common problem with newcomers to skinning and DNN.

I do think several errors are created by people NOT reading the instructions correctly OR new to DNN SKINNING and not understanding the methodology that is required to create even a basic skin, if you use the ascx (advanced) skinning methods.

So I thought I'd spend a bit of time to shed some light into this very common problem and provide a simple file to fix it.

Broken skins can NEVER EVER KILL YOUR DNN WEBSITE. It may look tragically horrible, not allow you to log in and at times simply cause pages to loop, show errors in address bar and give a newcomer the horrors.

It's really a pity because it's such a simple fix, and yet completely eludes so many people, I have wondered why there hasn't been some sort of checking system to ensure that skins parsed or put into the system don't get displayed.  Even better, skins that show errors at all times, if they reverted back to the default skin could also save heartache and hours for newcomers who don't understand how easy it is to fix.

I saw recently, a person who uploaded a container as a skin (the most common error) and of course, no menu was visible, so they couldn't log in, and must have thought there was a problem with DNN they couldn't fix, and like many, may be easily discouraged, and then moved on to mambo.

I wonder how many others are doing this - so after seeing this occur, I thought I should post here some simple instructions with a file to fix it so you can get back on track.

Other errors I have seen occur are when a DLL set to run the menus has been out of date or not there at all - it throws another error, but again, it's just an error that will go away when the skin file has been replaced.

It's very easy to point the finger at an application and say it shouldn't occur, but alas, it's software, and a fact of life and here is the fix.

The file I have attached here is so you can simply rename the skin here called blankskin.ascx - to the EXACT NAME of the broken skin you applied.  FTP AND OVERWRITE IT.  IT WILL FIX THE BROKEN DNN SKIN ON YOUR WEBSITE.

UNZIP_README.zip (.97 KB)

It's that simple.  Then - refresh the page.  What you will get is an unformatted solpart menu and a content pane and a login button for you to log in and replace the skin and remove it from the skin folder after it's been replaced.

An easy fix to a very common problem for those who are dnn beginners and have these little hurdles to overcome.