I think you guys may have gotten off on a tangent here, but the original question is a good one.

DotNetNuke seems to include jQuery near the bottom of the HEAD tag.  That makes it a challenge to include other jQuery enabled javascript, unless you break with convention and add the script inside the BODY tag.

a) I think DotNetNuke should add jQuery right at the top of the HEAD tag, perhaps right after the TITLE (hint, hint).

b) In the mean time, we need to find a way to include or jQuery enabled javascript into existing DNN installations

Here's the one thing I was able to make work.  

Put the code to include your custom JS in the PreRender of the Page.  This occurs after DNN has put in the link to jQuery.  For example, try something like this in the .vb code for your skin or module:

Protected Sub Page_PreRender(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.PreRender

      Dim oScript As HtmlGenericControl

 

      oScript = New HtmlGenericControl("script")

      oScript.Attributes.Add("type", "text/javascript")

      oScript.Attributes.Add("src", "path/to/my/file.js")

      Page.Header.Controls.Add(oScript)

End Sub

 

No problem.  In that case just wrap the code I provided above in a <script runat="server"> tag and put it at the top of the .ascx file for the skin.

For example:

<%@ Control language="vb" CodeBehind="~/admin/Skins/skin.vb" AutoEventWireup="false" Explicit="True" Inherits="DotNetNuke.UI.Skins.Skin" %>
<%@ Register TagPrefix="dnn" TagName="SEARCH" Src="~/Admin/Skins/Search.ascx" %>

<script runat="server">
   Protected Sub Page_PreRender(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.PreRender
      Dim oScript As HtmlGenericControl

      oScript = New HtmlGenericControl("script")
      oScript.Attributes.Add("type", "text/javascript")
      oScript.Attributes.Add("src", "path/to/my/file.js")
      Page.Header.Controls.Add(oScript)
   End Sub
</script>

The rest of the skin would go here...