Converting from PHPBB

[converter]

Ahh, finally able to login!! woohoo

Hello everyone, I'm just about ready to purcahse VB, but before I do I want to make sure it will work with what I have and can be converted.

I currently run a PHPBB/Nuke forum and it's about at it's limit of security and mods I've done to it.

I moderate another forum that uses VB and it has very good features and is very secure.

My question....does VB have a convert for phpbb datase? I have 2500 users and don't want to lose any data.

Has anyone converted from phpbb to VB with success?

thank you
Converter

[derfy]

Yes, there is a tool for ImpEx(vBulletin's import tool) for phpbb. It will import all the default tables in phpbb.

[converter]

thanks for the quick reply... is there anyway to test this out before I actually purchase?

also, anyone done this successfully and lost any data? I've read some posts about post counts gone, threads gone, etc...

I want to make sure that this stuff is covered..
Join date
post count
threads
forums
catagories
public and hidden forums

thanks, much appreciated

[derfy]

No, you must buy a license before you can use the importer tool. However, the dev working on ImpEx is very good at what he does. Once you become a licensed member, you can post in the importing forums and/or open a support ticket for help.

As for your concerns, all of those are covered. Here is the manual for ImpEx (http://www.vbulletin.com/docs/html/impex_phpbb2). Also, you can(and should!)import the data into a test forum before you do it for real. This will minimize any chances of data loss.

[converter]

awesome, thanks I'll read that manual.

does this also cover phpbb/Nuke? Phpbb is my forum, but the engine for banners and other stuff is Nuke, it's a package.

[derfy]

That, I'm not sure about. You'd have to ask someone else about that.

(Slow day at work leaves much time for forum reading, heh)

[converter]

ha..well thanks I appreciate your help so far. I'll wait for someone to chime in and/or I'll do some searching.

I'm technically in a training class right now..haha

[feldon23]

phpBB is probably the #1 import, so if you have any problems, I'm sure they can be addressed.

The "nuke" parts of the site will not come over. Also, I think the category hack does not get imported over so you'll have to set your forums into categories again.

The ImpEx script opens your phpBB database as read-only. If something goes wrong, you can always try again with different settings. That said, it is advised that you make a full MySQL database back before attempting the import.

[converter]

The "nuke" parts of the site will not come over. Also, I think the category hack does not get imported over so you'll have to set your forums into categories again.


actually it's not a hack.. in phpbb they call the main titles catagories and inside those are called forums so basically I just meant the actual sections that already exist, just different names.

VB supports sub sections that I notice so that is very cool.

thanks again..I'm gathering info!!

[converter]

OH..another quick question.... does VB put users into a default user group? I've basically taken over and tried to clean up an old version of phpbb and a majority of the users do not have a default group assigned. I've created new groups to control permissions and what not, but once in a while I'll get errors and I know it's because there is no defualt group. there are so many hacks that I don't want to attempt anything like that for 2500 users.

[derfy]

Yes, on importing, they go into 'Imported Users'. You are advised(I think) to delete that group, upon which they move to 'Registered Users'. From there, you can control promotions based on a number of factors, set up public usergroups for people to join/get access to more features, and a whole host of other stuff. The one thing vB doesn't do that phpbb does: let you set a usergroup as a moderator for a forum - you have to assign users individually for that.

[converter]

ha..one more thing to ask.. I don't see in the conversion manual that it includes the theme when it converts from phpbb to vb..is that true?

will I need to create an entirely new theme?

[Steve Machol]

The phpBB styles are not imported.

[feldon23]

phpBB makes you edit a couple of PHP files to do a style. vBulletin, you have a CSS control panel, StyleVars where you set the paths for the buttons/images, and templates. vBulletin has inherited styles where you can make styles based off each other that differ in colors scheme alone and when you change something in one, the other reflects the change.