[affacat]

After a day of on-again, off-again effort I have successfully imported my SMF to bbPress – and integrated it with WP.

I did this on a local test server, then installed bbPress live, then drop/imported my bbpress tables and user tables (my wp user tables in this case).

Steps:

1. Installed PhpBB 2.0.23 (legacy version available from phpbb people) and made sure it worked

2. Used files within a zip file called convert_smf_111_v1b.zip to convert SMF -> Phpbb. Unfortunately, I can’t find the link to the thread right now… I found this

http://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=306321&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

but it isn’t as new a version.

I believe the file I used is here:

http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=141446

sorry I lost the link to the discussion.

NOTE 1 : I had to manually go into the database and upgrade my main account to ‘level 1’ to become admin again.

NOTE 2 : Your password probably won’t work and you probably can’t send yourself an email either. I hacked phpbb/includes/emailer.php and included the variable $this->msg into the error message so that the email appeared on the screen. This gave me the ability to reset my account and get a new password.

3. Implemented the following MOD on PhpBB to switch conflicting User Ids

http://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtopic.php?t=388155&sid=3d5e8f776a7086b6fec64c3e80c7cbca

(this part is tedious! the MOD is a pain to install and rearranging is no fun either)

Here are directions on how to install a Phpbb mod:

http://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtopic.php?t=61611

4. installed Jaim3’s PhpBB to bbPress converter per instructions

http://bbpress.org/forums/topic/a-phpbb-to-bbpress-database-converter

This created a .sql file.

NOTE 1: Make sure to create a temp folder where the file wants to be created

5. Important edits to .sql file

A) since I did an integrated WP/BBpress install, I needed to search and replace bb_user for wp_user

Delete any lines that add users who already exist in BB/WP

C) add a field called topic_resolved to bb_topics

D) Delete the sample test posts and forums in the bbpress tables

6. Import the .sql into your database. The above should have solved any conflicts, but if you get an error it should be relatively easy to figure out.

7. At this point, since I wasn’t doing it live I installed bbPress live, and then drop/created my test tables (all bb tables plus user tables) on my live server and all went well.

8. This should be everything. Have a drink.

[bdwelle]

We are looking for a bbPress developer to bid on the following project:

1) Select, install, configure/customize bbPress to integrate with our web site and user login system

2) Replicate some functionality of our existing bidirectional mailing lists with new discussion board infrastructure

3) Import old messages (mailstore_ database format)

4) Import older Yahoogroups messages (maildir format)

Detailed requirements here:

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=ddqq5n63_70hmjmm8fv

bbPress is the preferred basis for this project, and we will ONLY work with providers who have specific experience with bbPress and other online forum systems (e.g. phpBB)

Please contact bdwelle [at] gmail [dot] com

[mikem1000]

Hi guys,

I am currently looking into deploying a site powered by WordPress. I have a phpBB3 forum (with no users) which I would like to keep. I have seen the wp-united plugin for phpBB3, but it isn’t currently being supported. The option of using bbPress seems good to me, but I would like a seamless and fully functional integration with both WordPress and WordPress MU.

If I have to ditch the phpBB3 for the functionality I desire I will do it. I know what my potential userbase will want (post count, ranks, avatars, signatures, embed pics/vids in post, search, PM, etc). For the view, I would like a topic and post count, last post, and a description of each forum. Also subforums would be nice too.

Right now I only have a rudimentary understanding of PHP, but I know HTML and CSS, so I could style the forum myself.

I am a big fan of open source software. I only feel that there isn’t enough cooperation in the open source world. It would be awesome to see some of the best open source projects come together to create a mega kickass platform. My ideal would be (Drupal – please don’t flame me for this one -,Wordpress, and phpBB3). Drupal for the management of pages and function, WordPress for the content publishing, and phpBB3 for the forum.

When I achieve proficiency with PHP I will try to develop a universal user/session platform where the login and session is unified with whatever software you decide to install on top of it. This would be an internal database, not an openly accessible one. I have heard of OpenID, but don’t know anything about it.

WordPress appears to be the best content publishing engine out there, hopefully they become the best forum out there too.

I too am jazzed about the prospects of a WordPress powered forum.

Any opinions, best way to learn PHP, etc?

BTW, this thread is starting to sound like the beginnings of a development group. Mods, plugins, and software to follow soon.

I have found this discussion very stimulating, and would like to participate in future developments. I could deploy a site to use as a testbed.

[horrorshow]

themebyc,

Just curious, have you been able to get single sign-on between phpbb and wordpress?

thanks.

[_ck_]

Someone has been working on some new export/import functions but I don’t believe they are ready yet.

There is an old phpBB convertor for bbpress, so if you can get yabb into phpBB, you might be import from that.

[_ck_]

I’ve never participated in the WP one but if it’s straightforward enough and has no liability I’ll volunteer to do basic bbPress installs.

I’ve been thinking of looking at the fantastico script for wordpress and hacking it to do bbpress and sending to them to include. That would radically increase the number of installs. Maybe even try to make a regular cpanel script too like the phpbb install (cpaddon).

[Sam Bauers]

@j8h9

I’ve got 3 fixes for you to choose from:

1. Make the above changes

2. Upgrade the version of PHP you are using

3. Download the current trunk (rev 1071) here

Or go back to phpbb, your choice.

: )

[j8h9]

First install failed due to this error. Why can’t they put the fix in the version I’m downloading. Geez. Back to phpbb.

[tamebay]

We are also looking for a solution to this.

[citizenkeith]

I removed “topic_resolved” from the script. A fresh install later, and I get this error: “Column count doesn’t match value count at row 1”

[citizenkeith]

I just reinstalled bbPress and did NOT utilize WP integration. I also tried using the forum support plugin, as recommended by fel64.

Now I’m getting this error:

Unknown column ‘topic_resolved’ in ‘field list’

[citizenkeith]

I just tried this using phpBB 2.012 and bbPress 0.8.3.

This is the error I get:

Table ‘khanlon_db3.henskebb_users’ doesn’t exist

And that makes sense, since I already set up bbPress to integrate with WordPress. Since bbPress is using the wp_users table, the script doesn’t know where to put the phpbb users.

As it stands now, bbPress shows all the topic counts for each forum, but when you click on the forum, none of the threads are listed.

I tried exporting all the users using phpMyAdmin and importing into the WP table, but the threads are still missing.

[eSports]

I’d imagine not anytime soon. PHPBB3 is totally bloated… I can think of easier ways though…

[tvon]

i’d love to use bbpress! Any idea when a phpbb3 converter is being made?

[tvon]

any progress on importing phpbb3??

[tvon]

i too am interested in this possiblity

[chrishajer]

I think the most likely route is to find something that will convert SMF to phpBB format, then import that to bbPress. I think the most work has been done there, on a phpBB importer. If you search this forum for phpBB or SMF you will see some previous discussion. Here’s one thread:

https://bbpress.org/forums/topic/import-smf-to-bbpress?replies=20#post-4541

[chrishajer]

There is absolutely a solution for it: fel64 explained it above. bbPress is not a forum plugin for WordPress, it’s standalone forum software. It’s configurable enough that you can use the same login and password from WordPress, you can create a link to it from you WordPress installation, and you can style it to look just like a WordPress page. You can even use bbPress functions in WordPress, and vice versa. The thing is, you have to do some work. But at least it’s possible to make it look like your WordPress site. Try that with phpBB or some other forum software.

If you look around these forums you will see many examples of installations where the bbPress installation is formatted to look exactly like the WordPress blog.

https://bbpress.org/forums/topic/strut-your-bbpress

https://bbpress.org/forums/forum/pimp-your-press

[intellivision]

I know, I know. I’ve been running my forum since 2002, and these people are very connected to their names. Blame phpBB for allowing this stuff. Thanks for your idea… I’ll rock it today.

Just to be clear, does your solution allow new funny char usernames, or show existing? Because I need the latter. I don’t need/want new FCUs.

[intellivision]

I’ve tried editing usernames in the db to no avail.

How can I have users like $tevie show the “$” on their posts in topic.php — just show the whole name. Out of the box, bbPress simply ignores the funny chars, so we see “tevie” as the post’s author.

ASCII equivalents too, like the copyright symbol (damn phpBB loose username validation).

I’m willing and able to edit the few usernames in the db by hand. I have a few of these funny char names from my port from phpBB.

[Cal]

Yeah, it worked out fine.

If I remember correctly, I just integrated WP and BB first (minus the cookie settings). Then I installed Amember and installed the WP plugin. All 3 were installed in the same database. For BB cookies I think I just set them the same as _cK_ said in a different post here. For WP cookies, I believe that is in the Amember Plugin Readme file.

It wasn’t too tough. If you need to know anything else let me know and I can take a look. I’ve decided to go with PHPBB instead of BBpress but I still have it all installed at the moment. There’s nothing wrong with BBpress just want more group and permission control.

Hope that helps.

[andersson]

Thanks. Glad you liked it and thanks for the suggestion. I’ll see if I can find a better solution for that.

About the visitor stats:

The visitor stats is based on the session() and I make use of the global bb_current_user to figure out whether the session belongs to a member or not. Sessions that come from a visitor associated with a valid bb_current_user is put in the “members” columns, visitors without a valid bb_current_user is just a visitor.

For speed I cache the retrieval on a minute by minute basis, while still recording the sessions in the background, so that at traffic peaks, I still don’t get that much pounding on the Db.

[intellivision]

Looks nice. Very clean, I’m a fan.

I’d do some work with the Last Poster column. The header is left-aligned, but the content (user nicks) are centered.

How do you calculate visitors in “Now online: xx visitors, xx members”?

[andersson]

when re-arranging one of my sites a bit the other day I took the opportunity to change my bbpress-theme to mimic the new phpBB3.0-style.

any feedback is welcome. you find my bbpress installation here:

http://www.purposegames.com/forums

[vanoosterhout]

Should I give up on this? I *may* be willing to *help* fund a conversion solution if anyone is interested in taking on this project.

I also wonder if anyone has done an analysis of the differences to know what specific loss of functionality I will have if I convert from PHPBB to BBRess.

Thanks