Thanks to AWJunkie we are proud to announce the official release of bbConverter, the only tool you will ever need to convert your current forums for use with bbPress 2x.

Currently supported platforms:

1. bbPress 1x

2. Vbulletin 3x – 4x

3. Invision Power Board

Future platform support already in progress:

1. PHPbb 3x

2. Xenforo

Platforms being considered

1. myBB

Download:

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/bbconverter/

Installation:

1. Upload the bbConverter folder to the /wp-content/plugins/ directory

2. Activate bbConverter through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress

3. Go into your WordPress admin under ‘Settings’ and choose ‘Converter’

4. BACKUP YOUR WORDPRESS DATABASE!

5. Choose the platform you want to convert from and fill in the database information. Click start

6. Once the conversion has completed, visit the WordPress Admin ‘Tools’ section and click ‘Recount’

7. Do NOT deactivate the plugin once it is finished as it is needed for user password management.

Did I forget to mention — BACKUP YOUR WORDPRESS DATABASE BEFORE STARTING!

Important Note:

It is important to understand that this script is going to be modifying your wordpress database in order to bring over your forums/topics/replies/tags/ and users from your old forum setup. This means we are directly modifying your database which means backup is paramount.

Ok, now that is out of the way, let’s get to the plugin itself.

Each Forum sofware, whether bbPress 1x, vbulletin, or Invision Powerboard, has its own configuration file. For example vbulletin calls the file config.php

This is the file which contains your database connection information and you need to save this information in order to fill out the plugin start screen.

Required options:

1. Platform you are converting from – dropdown

2. Database server — usually localhost

3. Database port — (example: vbulletin uses 3306)

4. Database Username

5. Database Password

6. Database Name

7. Database Table Prefix — If you installed your forum software using a prefix enter it here. ( example: vbulletin default uses vb_ ) If there is no prefix, then leave it blank.

8. Rows Limit — This represents the number of database rows the plugin will convert during a single cycle. I would start this number at 50 or below at first. Keep in mind that forum conversion takes a huge load on the server mysql so if you are on a shared host, you may want to notify your host before running the script.

If you are on a dedicated server with shell access, then I would suggest opening up a terminal window and monitoring the resources. You can change the ‘Rows Limit’ at any time while the script is running. I have gone as high as 2500 instead of 50 on my servers. ( don’t click stop/start as it is not needed to change the limits )

9. Delay time — Suggested to use 1. This is the number of seconds that the server waits between the conversion cycles. It gives your server a second to catch its breath.

Other Options:

1. Clean — If something actually goes wrong, then you can choose to clean the database. This will effectively remove all the imported data and allow you to start the conversion over.

2. Restart — Restart allows you to pick up where the script left off should you have the need to stop and start the process. Example is when your browser or computer window closes during the conversion process. If you close the browser during conversion for any reason, then the conversion stops.

3. Users — You have the option of choosing not to import your users. If you are using bbPress 1x and have the forums linked to your WordPress install already, then you do not need to import users. Do not check the box. Otherwise you do want to import your users.

Once Import is complete:

1. Recount — Once everything is finished, then go to the wp-admin/tools and choose recount. This is going to present you with a screen full of checkboxes. Check every box and click submit. This is going to line up all the topic/replies/user posts counts etc.

2. Keep bbConverter plugin active after conversion.

bbConverter has a special script which will allow your users to maintain their old forum username and password. In a nutshell, when a user signs in for the first time after the forums convert, the script will check their old password, validate it, and then use the WordPress system to generate the identical password for the user in the appropriate place. This means that you need to keep bbConverter active until every single user has logged into the forums in order to maintain password management. This is not at all resource intensive, and you won’t even notice the plugin running in the background.

That’s it your finished.

O, did I mention… BACKUP YOUR WORDPRESS DATABASE FIRST!

Enjoy!

[@anointed Participant 13 years ago]

I’ll ask AWJunkies to jump in and take a peek at these requests for you guys.

[@bjj_pl Participant 12 years, 12 months ago]

Is it normal that Converter completely destroys all the phpbb3 bbcode ??

Example:

[b:twwr5fiw]Stacks:[/b:twwr5fiw]

[b:twwr5fiw]UTG nuskei ([color=#0000cc:twwr5fiw]$100[/color:twwr5fiw]) [/b:twwr5fiw]

[b:twwr5fiw]CO 52823824 ([color=#0000cc:twwr5fiw]$136.25[/color:twwr5fiw]) [/b:twwr5fiw]

BTN buckeystevez ([color=#0000cc:twwr5fiw]$113.50[/color:twwr5fiw])

SB Schuks000 ([color=#0000cc:twwr5fiw]$57.75[/color:twwr5fiw])

BB fsnzr ([color=#0000cc:twwr5fiw]$106.75[/color:twwr5fiw])

Well, does anyone know how to fix such things?

[@ebiznet88 Member 12 years, 12 months ago]

bjj and I have the same concern here. I too have posted above similar results with the conversion. My board has been converted and the strange codes remain.

I tried editing the post to the original bbcode but it doesn’t work.

Does bbPress use bbcode at all? I thought it does…

[@anointed Participant 12 years, 12 months ago]

The bbcode is going to take a special process to convert. I mean what in the world does ‘b:twwr5fiw’ mean anyhow? Notice that when you paste it in here, bbPress is not converting it?

Just like with WordPress where anyone can register anything as a ‘bbcode’ there is no standard between software packages, much less between single sites even. Other than a few standard ones my bbcodes are totally different than yours for example.

In those instances, I can almost guarantee it would require a custom setup. I know AWJunkies was offering this service at one time.

I personally have no idea how it would even work because what are the definitions for the original bbcodes?

My best guess is that AWJunkies would have to go through each persons install one at a time in order to check for bbcode definitions, plugin by plugin, and then create a custom translator.

I did send him a message, but I’m guessing that his office is closed for the holidays as I didn’t hear back from him.

[@ebiznet88 Member 12 years, 12 months ago]

I believe that bjj’s example shows the converted code. The original should be:

Stacks:

The converted added the characters “:twwr5fiw” to the post.

Just like in my example:

The original bbcode post:

The converted code:

[img:33mwiaq9]http://www.swafineart.com/images/30.4.07/images/NightOfHeros_lr.jpg[/img:33mwiaq9]

The converter added the characters “:33mwiaq9” to the bbcode tags.

I hope that clarifies the issue we are facing here.

[@ebiznet88 Member 12 years, 12 months ago]

One solution I can think of to correct this issue is to go through the SQL file and do a search and replace of this string of characters.

But, as I said in my post earlier, I tried removing the characters so that the original bbcode is restored, in this case the [img]tags, but the post still did not display the image correctly.

Any thoughts on this, anyone?

[@anointed Participant 12 years, 12 months ago]

If that extra info is being added during the conversion then something is wrong with the bbcodes converter that bbconverter is using. I will let AWJunkies know about it when he gets back in the office.

thanks for the heads up

[@ebiznet88 Member 12 years, 12 months ago]

Thanks for your help in this, Anointed One

Happy New Year 2012, everyone here! May the new year be a good and happy one for all!

[@netweb Keymaster 12 years, 12 months ago]

These codes eg. “:twwr5fiw” are NOT added by the converter, they are actually in the raw phpbb database tables, phpbb strips these codes before rendering on the page display.

The converter is copying the content correctly and in essence before running the converter you need to strip these from your phpbb installation first.

I haven’t found an easy way to do this yet but that is what stage I am up to before trying my next conversion. More info can be found by looking around phpbb.com for “Magic URL” & “Short URL” though I haven’t found much that could actually help us out here. It looks like I will try replacing the eg. “:twwr5fiw” & “<! — m –>” info manually with search and replace SQL Update queries directly into the phpbb database tables before conversion.

[@bjj_pl Participant 12 years, 12 months ago]

@ebiznet “I tried editing the post to the original bbcode but it doesn’t work. Does bbPress use bbcode at all? I thought it does…”

I suggest install and activate “bbPress2 BBCode” wordpress plugin.

[@bjj_pl Participant 12 years, 12 months ago]

i do have a question to all of You,

i mentioned that bbcode was generated with some unwanted code:

[img:33mwiaq9]. It is different for each and every post, so I can’t just use simple UPDATE to get rid of it in “wpp_posts” table.

Does anyone know how to do that?

I can’t use:

UPDATE wpp_posts SET post_content = replace(post_content,”[img:33mwiaq9]”,”“)

that would only fix one post and not thousands of them.

I’ve been thinking os using something like:

UPDATE wpp_posts SET post_content = replace(post_content,'[b%’,’‘)

but that wouldn’t work either. It is always 8 signs that I have to delete in each bbcode tag.

[@ebiznet88 Member 12 years, 12 months ago]

I hadn’t looked into many posts but assumed that the added characters were the same. I thought I could do a simple search and replace in the SQL file, but if it is as bjj_pl says, then this will not work.

I sure hope AWjunkies can jump in here to help us out soon.

Another problem I noticed for my converted forum is that the replies to the original post are missing. So many threads contain only 1 post. Anyone else seeing this?

[@bjj_pl Participant 12 years, 12 months ago]

ebiznet88, yep, converter created 9 individual characters for each post.

Well, I am ashamed to say it, but I used MS Word 2003 to make changes in my sql file.

Seems to work fine and no errors occured later. Coded as UTF-8 text file with no additional MS WORD characters.

I used something like:

find

[/img:^?^?^?^?^?^?^?^?]

replace with

[/img]

and so on.

[@awjunkies Member 12 years, 12 months ago]

I am back guys from christmas/wedding/hunneymoon/ and new years. I will respond when I catch up here.

[@shooo Member 12 years, 12 months ago]

Hello, and congratulations on your wedding. I hope the honeymoon does not your too tired:)

bjj_pl did you find the solutions for [IMG:^?….]?

i’ve the same probleme.

after, i try to save the avatar and the url on post like <!-- m --><a href="http://example.com">http://example.com<!-- m --></a> are all broken…

pfff it’s a real mess

[@bjj_pl Participant 12 years, 12 months ago]

@shooo, that was my solution. “^?” means any one character in a string. I had to repair the database sql file. One bbcode tag after another. Well, It works and looks ok now but it’s a lot of work.

Some bbcode tags had to be replaced with <span>. I don’t know if it is possible to define custom bbcode tags in wordpress. So I had to replace all with “<span class=”size150″>”, etc.

Rest of the tags work fine thanks to “bbPress2 BBCode” plugin.

I’ve got another question,

How to change parent forum for many topics ??? It would take ages to move topics one by one when there are hundreds and thousands of them.

[@ebiznet88 Member 12 years, 11 months ago]

AWJunkies – Merry Christmas/Congratulations/Happy New Year!

I look forward to your help here with our respective issues with bbconverter.

[@aravoth2011 Participant 12 years, 11 months ago]

can this convert wordpress posts into bbpress posts? Cause that would be a pretty sweet idea.

[@ebiznet88 Member 12 years, 11 months ago]

@aravoth2011, that would be a cool feature indeed! AWJunkies, can you add in this functionality?

[@anointed Participant 12 years, 11 months ago]

@aravoth2011

No, the converter is not currently setup to convert posts to forum topics.

Thinking about it, it would actually be a rather large undertaking.

1. Do you create a new forum for each post category to put the post into the right forum?

2. If so, what about posts with more than one category, do you put the post into multiple forums?

3. what do you do with the comments? Do they become replies?

4. What do you do with threaded comments? They would be way out of order in the scheme.

5. What do you do for comment authors as most people who comment are not members? Do you create accounts for them and simply not let them know it? Do you send them password to access a site they never signed up for?

Bottom line is it is possible, but really should/would remain in the realm of a custom job as everyone would want a different setup.

[@the-12th-doctor Participant 12 years, 11 months ago]

Is there any idea when a Xenforo convert will be included?

Thanks

Jon

[@aravoth2011 Participant 12 years, 11 months ago]

@anointed

Hadn’t thought about any of that actually. I suppose a person could choose what existing forum to put the posts in, make replies anonymous temporarily on bbpress when doing the conversion, so that you could post comments as replies without having to register anyone.

Mostly I think the most important thing to transfer over would be to have the topic itself.

Not sure how much a demand for this there would be though, I know I’m not the only one who is looking for a way to do this though. I’m hoping to use bbpress in such a way that it replaces the blogging function entirely, so hopefully i can figure this out.

I think there might be a way to do it actually. I thought I saw something once upon a time that converted wordpress posts into bbpress topics for the standalone version. I guess once you convert to the standalone you could then convert it yet again to the plugin version.

I’ll give it a shot and see what happens.

[@tiberiusca Participant 12 years, 11 months ago]

I have the same problem, different characters in every topic

[b:twwr5fiw]Stacks:[/b:twwr5fiw]

[b:twwr5fiw]UTG nuskei ([color=#0000cc:twwr5fiw]$100[/color:twwr5fiw]) [/b:twwr5fiw]

[b:twwr5fiw]CO 52823824 ([color=#0000cc:twwr5fiw]$136.25[/color:twwr5fiw]) [/b:twwr5fiw]

BTN buckeystevez ([color=#0000cc:twwr5fiw]$113.50[/color:twwr5fiw])

SB Schuks000 ([color=#0000cc:twwr5fiw]$57.75[/color:twwr5fiw])

BB fsnzr ([color=#0000cc:twwr5fiw]$106.75[/color:twwr5fiw])

[@edkubisa Participant 12 years, 11 months ago]

any news on the punbb eta? thanks

[@maximus2 Member 12 years, 11 months ago]

or better phpbb conversion?