Hide Mode: View / Edit Control bar unless user has edit permission to tab

In version 4.5 of DNN there was a new feature added to allow users with edit permissions to any module on a page to switch into "View" mode like the administrator can.  The ugly side affect of this new feature is that you also get a "slim" control bar at the top of the page.  Several people have complained about this change in the appearance on their sites, but the only answer from the Core Team has been that it was a much requested feature, and that now it is only an issue of training the end user what it means and why it is there.

One quick way to get around it, and what they did for the Forums on DotNetNuke.com is to set the cache time in module settings to -1.  That is a pretty un-intuitive way of hiding the thing, but hey at least it is documented (here anyway)!

I have a feeling the way this has been implemented will get changed in the core, but until it does, here is an easy work-around.
Just place the following code in the skin that you are seeing this slim control bar on.

<% 
    If Not DotNetNuke.Security.Permissions.TabPermissionController.HasTabPermission("EDIT") Then
        ControlPanel.visible = false
    End If
%>

Hi Gerhard,

Thanks for adding that work-around for custom modules that have edit abilities.

Most end users will not need or be able to change the module code, but it is very useful for developers.

Thank you so much for taking time to post this!!!!!!!!!!

I was really disappointed at that invention. Surely it's a GREAT idea for real admins/super users - I for one am super happy to be able to switch from edit to view and see what it looks like immediately. However, for modules developed with "classic" approach, where a user goes into "edit" mode to modify a record, for example, that bar is a foo-foo. And educating users has nothing to do with that. To a regular data processing clerk this bar is confusing, disturbing and weird.

One tiny addition to your post...  - the skin really needs to HAVE that ControlPanel area in order to be hidden. You see, if the skin doesn't have it, it still shows up the first thing on the page. However, your code dies not being able to find ControlPanel...

So, guys and girls out there, add a TD tag with id="ControlPanel" and runat="server" to your skin together with that code, and your unsuspected users will continue to be clueless but not confused. (Of course, you should modify the TD tag to your satisfaction... just keep ID part and RUNAT)

Again, thank you very much for this timely post.