phpbb 2.0.17 to vBulletin

[dastar]

Will Impex work with phpbb 2.0.17?

[hotrod1]

Looks like it only supports up to 2.0.14 right now but it could still be compatible even though they did not update the manual although I would wait and check with a staff member first.

http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?t=102412

[dastar]

I just had a problem where the users aren't assigned to any usergroup, not even to their ranks. I will re-try the import again later as I may have goofed up on something the first time through.

[Jerry]

I don't belive there are any schema changes so it should work, though I personally haven't tested it with that version.

[derfy]

I've done the phpBB 2.0.17 to vB 3.0.8 import many times to prepare for our conversion. Each time, it does it flawlessly.

[mikecp421]

I would like to go from phpbb 2.0.17 to vb 3.0.8, what program would you suggest to do this flawlessly?

[Jerry]

It works with a unhacked 2.0.17 fine.

[alvinsiow]

is the import only available for Mysql databases ? How about the others ?

[Jerry]

And MS-SQL.

[mikecp421]

I am trying to get this going but I am lost at this part of the tutorial;


Config

ImpEx has a configuration file, this allows the user to configure the database details.

The [ Target Database ] settings will the vast majority of the time be the same as the config.ini.php settings for vBulletin itself. By default impex will read the details from includes/config.php so you don't need to set the target database details, impex will display a message at the top of every page to say when it is using the config.php file settings.

If you are importing from a database opposed to a file based system edit sourceexists = false to sourceexists = true.

Then, edit the rest of the [ Source Database ] setting to match the database of the source board.

Two things to double check here, firstly the table prefix.

In this example I am using a phpBB board. I would have to check the phpBB database to see that the tables are all phpbb_ then the tables name. Therefour phpbb_ is the table prefix.


Running an import

If ImpEx is installed and configured you will be able select it via the admin control panel under "Import & Maintenance -> Import / Export".

From there you can select the system you want to import from the drop down list.


The initial modules

The first module of nearly all the importers updates the vB3 database to include importid's, so ImpEx can keep the association between the users and the data during the import.

The second module is for associating users, this is a manual way of linking imported users to existing users. This will only need to be done if you have existing users you would like to associate to. NEVER associate with an vBulletin admin user during an import, wait till the import is finished and all is well, then use the admincp to merge the users.

Also the association only needs to be performed if the users you are trying to associate have a different email address, during the user import module ImpEx can be told to merge users who have the same email address, this is a lot faster and easier than manually associating them.

If the importer you are using doesn't not have the auto associate function in the user import module, check the notes on the status thread, if it is not mentioned in the development notes at the bottom of the post, make a request for it to be retro fitted to the importer you want to use, if it hasn't been already.


The rest of the modules are self explanatory and have dependencies on each other which is evident when you try to run a module. For instance to import the posts you need the threads etc.


Re-running modules

When you re-run a module, for what ever reason it will clean up any previous data imported of that type.

For instance if you run the import post module for our phpBB import, it will import all the post from the phpBB board and place them in the vBulletin database. All the posts will have a importpostid which is the original post id of the post in the phpBB board. Any original post from the vBulletin board before the import will have no importpostid, as they are original.

So when the module is run for a second time (another practice run, you change some setting, updated a parser, got more posts, etc) it will delete all posts from the vBulletin board that have an importpostid.

This is use full for getting timings or re-running modules that had issues that you have changed or updated.

WarningWarningWarning

If you have associated or merged users, the original vBulletin users will now have a importuserid, re-running the import user module will delete these users, if you don't have any associated users this isn't an issue.

This is why we make backups of databases

WarningWarningWarning

The end game

Once you have completed all the modules that you wish to run, there are still several steps that you need to take.

Firstly, in the "Import & Maintenance -> Update Counters" section of the admin control panel update the threads counters then the forums, also you will need to rebuild the search index and possible the user details to clean up after an import depending on the system you are importing from.

Secondly, check the forums are ordered correctly and are being displayed, you may need to re-order them in the admin control panel forum manager.

Thirdly, most importers will import the usergroups or create a default import usergroup, this is so you can check the users being imported and manage them accordingly, to move users to the default "Register" group in vBulletin, delete the import group they are in.

Finally, check the permissions of your moderators and the forums. As all boards different to varying degrees, only so much information can be imported as values in vBulletin will not exist in other boards so they will be left to default.

A good example of this is the COPPA setting for the users, this many be need to be updated for all users.

An import will as a rule of thumb err on the side of caution, if an age can't be ascertained for instance, it will make a user COPPA then let the admin correct it later.

Rebuild the search index if you want to be able to search on the imported posts.

Now what?

Now you have done an import, the main ImpEx page will give you an idea of how long it takes, plus you re-configuring and post install setup.

Try the import a few times to make sure you are happy with the process and know what to do when the time comes.

This is the time to ask question here about things that you don't understand or believe are going wrong, not when you do the final live import !!

Have some of your trusted users or admin/moderators look around the test import boards to help with finding any issues and pointing out permissions that need to be updated etc.


Ok, I've done it and its live

Now would be the time to use vBulletin's 'Email all Users' functionality to inform your users that you board is now open again and running on vBulletin and that they will need to update their profiles in their User Control Panel to ensure that all their details are correct.

Also a good time to update their signatures using BB code and removing HTML if the legacy source board allowed it or to reset their passwords with your boards reset password link.


Happy importing

Once again .......

LEAVE THE ORIGIONAL BOARD RUNNING TILL YOU HAVE READ THIS AND DONE SOME TEST IMPORTS

No really, I'm serious.

Finally

Remove the ImpEx folder and scripts till they are next needed, if the import is done and live you don't need them. If you do need to do another import from another board it is lightly that there will be another version available then anyway.


I have everything uploaded and VB uploaded into a test area, can someone point me in the right direction?

[mikecp421]

shouldn't I be able to view something by navigating to the index.php via a web browser?

[Jerry]

shouldn't I be able to view something by navigating to the index.php via a web browser?

You are lost at the config part ?

Have you loaded impex into the correct dir and edited ImpExConfig.php ?

[mikecp421]

well yea, slightly lost and I loaded impex but i just dont know what all NEEDS to be edited in the config.php file.

[Jerry]

well yea, slightly lost and I loaded impex but i just dont know what all NEEDS to be edited in the config.php file.

Thats for vBulletin, for impex its ImpExConfig.php, and you will need to edit and set up the source database details.

[mikecp421]

ok got it up now I cant get the damn site to recognize an updated config.php file.

[alvinsiow]

what about Access database ?


is the import only available for Mysql databases ? How about the others ?

[Jerry]

what about Access database ?

No, only MySQL or MS-SQL.