[Ashish Kumar (Ashfame)]

I think so. Read this – http://www.binaryturf.com/bbpress-evolves-wordpress-plugin/

[Ashish Kumar (Ashfame)]

bbPress is going to be developed as a WordPress plugin now.

[johnhiler]

I’m not really clear on the advantages of 1.0 using BackPress… it seemed like a huge amount of work, and I’m not clear at all on the benefits – especially since last I heard, the WordPress release wasn’t fully using BackPress yet.

Has that changed – are bbPress and WordPress using a shared BackPress codebase?

[paulhawke]

“bbPress without backpress” is not the same as “bbPress 0.9”

In version 0.9 there was bbPress specific code to perform a variety of functions. Those method calls were migrated to use a sub-set of the WordPress codebase (“backpress”). That became version 1.0 … and what was done was to move from “a subset of WordPress” to “the whole of WordPress”.

A more accurate statement would therefore be that bbPress specific code was dropped, it moved to using WP features divorced of the rest of WP, and then was made to work with WP as a whole — a continuation of forward momentum and not a step backward at all.

[kevinjohngallagher]

So this will be another of my unpopular posts, i’ve had a whole week of working on bbPress, so this is my 3rd of the week – apologies to all.

It’ll really help this conversation if you read http://bbpress.org/forums/topic/future-of-bbpress#post-60022 which is written by the wonderful Andy Peatling who has integrated bbPress with BuddyPress (and therefore into WordPress). Basically, he is the authority on the matter.

I bring this up because I thought today, what the heck are we doing? WordPress integration is the single most asked for feature, it’s the reason a large number of people choose bbPress, and according to Matt:

Strategically the most important thing we need to figure out is how to integrate bbPress better with WP

-http://bbpress.org/forums/topic/future-of-bbpress

Ok, but if we look at what Andy has said, in order for this to happen we need to remove BackPress from bbPress. Except… 90% of the changes from bbPress0.9 to bbPress1.0 was adding BackPress.

So, if integration is the plan (even as a plugin), and integration = no backPress, then whatever platform we build the fully integrated bbPress out of is bbPress without BackPress, or as we commonly call it bbPress0.9.

So then why are we building on top of bbP1.0, when we’re going to have to port that code back to 0.9 in the future or worse, attempt to combine the two. Why are we focussing on features that are already in WordPress as standard, given that they will work as via the WP functions once integrated.

How far down the rabbit hole are we going to go before we take a slightly longer term look?

Anyone have any thoughts for a Friday evening?

[kevinjohngallagher]

Any webmaster that isn’t really tech savvy…

bbPress is not aimed at non-tech-savvy people. Infact the same with WordPress really. Editing of files and the ability to use FTP is a must or the thing won’t work (you have to edit and upload a config file).

Editing or changing anything involves some basic-PHP knowledge really, and this is pretty much always going to be the way of it – if you don’t got for a premium theme/framework/plugin.

It’s unbelievable actually in this day and age.

We hear this from time to time, and i can’t understand why it comes up. But it comes down to “basic” features and what is now considered “standard” features for forums. The difference is that “basic” features are things that forums need to do it’s job. “Standard” features are from a personal perception based on what other forum solutions have – that doesn’t make them any less valid as feature requests.

bbPress is always going to be feature-less in comparison to other forums out there, with the reliance on people writing plugins or editing the code to customize things for themselves – thats an aim, not a side effect. As much as the people on this forum try and help out those that are new or not quite sure, the realism is we’re years away from a free “out of the box” solution for 90% of the requests people make.

[Ashish Kumar (Ashfame)]

Integrate them so that user tables are shared

http://blog.ashfame.com/2009/07/integrate-bbpress-10-with-wordpress-28/

In WP setting, change the setting that only required users can comment

and then in bbPress disable registrations or redirect them to WP register page

http://blog.ashfame.com/2009/11/disable-bbpress-registrations/

Hope that helps!

[DaddyJ]

Having followed what I presume is the “deep” integration method outlined in various posts here (i.e., replacing the 4 keys with the 8 keys) and gotten WordPress and bbPress to talk to each other, I find that Search in bbPress doesn’t work reliably: some words in a post it refuses to find, others it does. I’m a first-timer to the bbP world and don’t know where to start bug shooting this.

[paulhawke]

Where are we now?

Aside from the questions surrounding integration with WordPress, another of our big questions is “how do I import from _____” (insert a different forum product of your choosing)

Right now the approach is ad-hoc at best: We are handing a PHP script around hand-to-hand that is able to convert a phpBB v2.0.x forum over to bbPress v. 0.9, and if you want to convert a different forum (say, SMF) the accepted wisdom is to install phpBB, convert to that, then convert to bbPress 0.9 and then upgrade.

The official coding standards for WordPress state:

Avoid touching the database directly. If there is a defined function that can get the data you need, use it. Database abstraction (using functions instead of queries) helps keep your code forward-compatible and, in cases where results are cached in memory, it can be many times faster.

As it stands bbPress imports clearly violate that principle by using the script we are passing around.

Solving the problem

Importing data clearly is an example where a strategy pattern solves things in an elegant fashion.

The strategy pattern (also known as the policy pattern) is a particular software design pattern, whereby algorithms can be selected at runtime.

The strategy pattern is useful for situations where it is necessary to dynamically swap the algorithms used in an application. The strategy pattern is intended to provide a means to define a family of algorithms, encapsulate each one as an object, and make them interchangeable. The strategy pattern lets the algorithms vary independently from clients that use them.

More concretely, this means creating a bbPress Import plugin which provides an overall multi-step process, and delegates to an external sub-plugin to retrieve the external datasource specific steps. I would argue that this ought to be a plugin (and remain a plugin rather than being pulled into the core of bbPress) because once you’ve imported from a given external forum, you can deactivate and uninstall the “import” code as its no longer required.

Roadmap

1. We need to create a basic import plugin. — This I have done, it’s experimental and I’d like some more eyes on the code before calling it “done”
2. We need to create import strategies for external forums, starting with phpBB2 — This I have done, by extracting SQL from the script we all pass hand-to-hand. Again, it needs more eyes on the code as a QA step.
3. We need to create import strategies for other external forums, specifically SMF and phpBB3 — this is where the strategy pattern comes into its own – each can be developed independently and combined later. Its also a great place for community input.

Looking further out

The import plugin relies on calling the internal bb_new_post, bb_new_topic, bb_new_forum and to a certain degree the bb_new_user methods. As we move toward bbPress being a plugin to WordPress, these will become the only way to import data, as the script we pass around will become evermore obsolete.

Secondly, WordPress itself has an import framework. I suspect that any “import plugin” we write now will become somewhat obsolete in that timeframe. That said, if we do things right, the import strategies we create might migrate over. What I dont know is the timeframe. Is the bbPress-as-a-plugin-to-Wordpress change close enough on the horizon that we should simply target the WordPress import framework directly?

Thoughts / comments?

[Ashish Kumar (Ashfame)]

BuddyPress 1.2 can install on normal WordPress too and BuddyPress itself offer integrated bbPress forum.

Try WP 2.9.2 + BuddyPress 1.2

[jasbg]

Hi

Been trying to install Buddypress onto a clean BBPress instalation – but it keeps giving me an error:

---

Warning: require_once(WP_PLUGIN_DIR/buddypress/bp-core.php) [function.require-once]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in C:wampwwwbbpressmy-pluginsbuddypressbp-loader.php on line 19

Fatal error: require_once() [function.require]: Failed opening required ‘WP_PLUGIN_DIR/buddypress/bp-core.php’ (include_path=’.;C:php5pear’) in C:wampwwwbbpressmy-pluginsbuddypressbp-loader.php on line 19

---

Does anyone know if this installation is at all possible (clean BBPress + BuddyPress forum) ?

I would like to avoid using WordPress Mu – to keep things as lean (simple) as possible !

Thanks in advance for any advice on the subject !

Jens

btw. – I have for a couple of weeks been doing research on how to run the best and most sufficient frontend bases open posting site (or almost open) – and has ended with bbPress (has 12 different test systems running on wamp and easyphp – among them Word MU – Drupal version 6 and 7 and others. It’s close to chaos for sure)

[deadlyhifi]

Thanks, I will have a look into it. I’m going to be using buddypress soon and therefore registration will be handled via wordpress so don’t want to spend too much time banging my head against a wall.

[Ashish Kumar (Ashfame)]

Create a blank page with the slug forums and it will automatically takes you to the forum on your site

Either you design a matching bbPress theme for WordPress or use deep integration which is quite an overhead if you have a good number of users.

Read this – http://blog.ashfame.com/2010/02/deep-integration-bbpress-wordpress/

and http://blog.ashfame.com/2010/02/bbpress-deep-integration-advantages-disadvantages/

And then decide what you want to do.

[dbneeley]

I spent quite a few years doing marketing and corporate communication, and so far at least I have some basic questions I simply can’t find on the relevant websites. (It’d be very nice if the sites contained some sort of “Why you might want BBPress” or “Why you might want BuddyPress” or even perhaps “Basic requirements”–not to mention “Why you might want to install both BuddyPress and BBPress”.)

I am a complete newcomer to adding forums to a WordPress site, but I am planning to take the leap with a new blog site I am about to launch. A few basic questions, please:

From the looks of BuddyPress, it also offers forums by itself…although this is unclear from their site. What is the advantage, of any, of having BBPress either instead of or in addition to BuddyPress? Also, so far at least I have not found on the BBPress site a requirements listing–will it now work with a straight WordPress install, or is it tied to WordPress MU at this point? (With the upcoming integration of WP and WPMU, at this juncture I simply don’t want to go through the hassle of installing MU.)

I would appreciate any comments, suggestions, or advice you can give. Thanks!

[adevigus]

Hello

thanks for your reply. Would be great to get your help.

What exactly can you do for me?

I need the following things done:

create a wordpress – bbpress site

that looks similar to the actual site (skin)

at http://www.cerec.net

transfer all users and post to this new site

if you can do this what would you charge?

Best, Alessandro

new site

[adevigus]

Hello

I’m running a forum on IPB 3.0 I have over 2000 users a d over 12000 posts .. I would like to convert my site to bbpress (especially looking for the WordPress integration)

anybody ready to help me ???

feedbacks are welcome

Alessandro devigus

[Scott Kingsley Clark]

The way this would be handled is that plugins can hook into other plugins. Actions / Filters still work the same between plugins as they do between core.

[usdavid]

Thank you, but I have an existing install of WordPress 2.9.2, with all the defaults including database names. I am trying to add bbPress 1.0.2. I have followed the instructions on the bbPress site for integrating, some hints I received on the WordPress forum referring me to How To Integrate BBPress with WP (http://www.bestwpthemez.com/wordpress/how-to-integrate-bbpress-with-wordpress-mu-2062/), and finally your tutorial. Your tutorial was a little out of the problem as it is an instruction set for clean installs. I followed the link on your page to “Integrate bbpress forum with your wordpress setup” and attempted the Fix Admin Access plugin, no go. Where is the wp_usermeta table located?

I still have the same problem.

Thanks,

David

[staticfrost]

How can I get my bbpress theme to look the same as my actual wordpress site? and how do I make my page link stright to the forums?

[Ashish Kumar (Ashfame)]

Are you sharing user tables too?

If both the installations are fresh, I would say integrate them as per my tutorial – http://blog.ashfame.com/2009/07/integrate-bbpress-10-with-wordpress-28/

[gruff1927]

This is currently a problem for me as well. Like nonegiven above, I need dual language WordPress/bbPress integration, i.e. I need the facility to be able to switch the language of the bbPress forum interface from within the forum interface. Ideally this could tie in to the user’s stated language preference, or the language of the referring webpage.

However, I can only currently change the interface language by changing the settings in the bb_config.php file. This changes the language of the interface globally, which.

Like nonegiven, I’ve tried the bbPress Language Switcher plugin by _ck_ as well as User Languages and these don’t seem to work on v1.

Unfortunately, this undermines the usefulness of bbPress for multilingual websites.

Any chance that this will be on the roadmap for the future?

[usdavid]

I have a 2.9.2 installation of WordPress, and it is installed in the root directory of my website. I installed bbPress in a subfolder named “forum” and followed the integration instructions. Now I can’t login in to the bbPress forum in anyway. I get the error message “User does not exist.” I am trying to login using “admin” and the password is the same for both.

[flowiesowieso]

Hello,

I’m using bbpress 0.8.3.1 at my site. Since there is a 1.0 release I’ve been wanting to update my bbpress. But to make sure everything works fine I tried the update on my localhost with Wampserver. Once I follow the install instructions I’ve been asked to create a new bb-config. Filling in the 4 steps gives me an error saying:

Installation errors

Forums already exist!

Key master email not sent!

Installation log

Referrer is OK, beginning installation…

Step 1 – Creating database tables

>>> Database is already installed!!!

Step 2 – WordPress integration (optional)

>>> Integration not enabled

Step 3 – Site settings

>>> Site name: forum

>>> Site address (URL): http://localhost/forum/

>>> From email address: myadres@gmail.com

>>> Key master created

>>>>>> Username: admin

>>>>>> Email address: myadres@gmail.com

>>>>>> Password:

>>> There are existing forums in this database.

>>>>>> No new forum created.

>>> Key master email not sent!

There were some errors encountered during installation!

If I go to http://localhost/forum it says;

Deprecated: Assigning the return value of new by reference is deprecated in I:wampwwwforumbb-settings.php on line 186

Deprecated: Assigning the return value of new by reference is deprecated in I:wampwwwforumbb-includesbackpressfunctions.wp-object-cache.php on line 108

Deprecated: Assigning the return value of new by reference is deprecated in I:wampwwwforumbb-includesbackpresspomomo.php on line 171

Deprecated: Assigning the return value of new by reference is deprecated in I:wampwwwforumbb-includesfunctions.bb-l10n.php on line 484

Could not determine site URI

I’ve no idea were to resolve this problem. Can someone point me in the right direction? I’m quite scared to do this for my live verion of the forum. Or shouldn’t I and is the problem probably with trying it on my localhost with Wampserver?

[paulhawke]

In theory you would make a backup of your my-plugins and my-themes directories. Then, delete the files in your existing bbPress install. Next step, run through the famous “5 minute install” of WordPress, and download the bbPress plugin and activate it. That’s the obvious part.

I would assume that a bbPress plugin would create a new top-level menu in the WordPress admin area. In a brand-new install, this would allow you to create the bbPress specific data structures in your database or to migrate existing bbPress data from an old version. After that step, the bbPress admin menu would switch to showing admin options for forums / topics / posts, etc.

My guess (if data structures remain largely the same) is that the “installation” of the plugin would merely write a WordPress option value telling the bbPress plugin what its database prefix is, and all the data already there would appear automatically.

Assuming that a bbPress plugin is connected to its data, it would need to be connected to the GUI somewhere. My guess is that you would create a WordPress static page and its content would be a short-code that the bbPress plugin replaces with its entire display.

[Il Gatto]

I solved my problem by reading this forum post:

https://bbpress.org/forums/topic/wp-integration-coockie-does-not-work/page/2

actually it’s not necessary to set the blog and the forum without the “www”

it worked for me having the blog and the forum specified starting with www.

I’ve spent hours working on this… the solution was to rename the keys and salt cookies hashes with the BB_ prefix – something that wasn’t too clear thing to do!

I have to say this, BBPress is awesome for theming (and that’s why I love it) but sucks at many forum features that should be built (or deactivable if someone wants a very light forum) and most importantly sucks at integration with WordPress… which really does not make sense to me since it’s been around for… how long…? 2 years?

I’ve read about people debating if BBPress should become a stand alone application or a core plugin for WordPress… I’m a wordpress user and here’s my feedback: please, please, please make this a wordpress plugin ASAP; If I just want a lightweight forum there are dozens over there to chose; what I need as a wordpress user is something robust to create a community in my blog and integrate any possible function I already have in bbpress

I love the work done so far with bbpress and I love the application (otherwise I wouldn’t be here!) and it’s a shame that this project feels so abandoned