Newbie: Import from custom system

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  • Steward
    Member
    • May 2004
    • 34
    • 3.0.1

    Newbie: Import from custom system

    Intermediate php skill here. vBulletin virgin. So much to absorb...

    To kick start our new board, I'd like to import our user table into the vb member file, and our current FAQ database into a forum.

    Our existing data is homegrown (unique).

    Presumably it is a case of knowing which fields in which tables must have which values. Some are obvious. Many are not.

    I see no "technical documentation". Is there a data dictionary of all tables and fields with explanations of how they are used or what they need to be set at for an import (or am I having a pleasant dream)?

    Or, perhaps looking at the code for an existing import would give me the details I seek.

    Any suggestions on how to begin greatly appreciated. Thank you.
    Last edited by Steward; Sat 8 May '04, 4:43am. Reason: spelling
  • Zachery
    Former vBulletin Support
    • Jul 2002
    • 59097

    #2
    Currently there is no real indepth tech side of vBulletins Documentation, most of the current documentation is for the user end and the AdminCP Areas.

    You can try downloading the converters and see how they work. If you understand how they work you might be able to make your own based on one of the current importers.

    Comment

    • Steward
      Member
      • May 2004
      • 34
      • 3.0.1

      #3
      Thank you for the reply.

      Ugh. There is a lot to read and understand in them there conversion programs. So I tried to simply convert the user file. Close but no cigar.

      When I log in as a new user, I see borders and a few empty buttons, but most of the text is gone. I am having trouble determining what I have not set correctly.

      (Oh heck. I want to paste a code snippet here and I cannot. I must "edit my Mozilla config file". Please, what is that about)

      Ok, so without the snippet, perhaps the symptom is enough for somebody to recognize what I have left out. Or am I doomed to hurt myself bad this way?!

      As well as the user file, I am adding rows for adminutil,userfield, and usertextfield tables.

      Finally, I note the status display is incorrect, but the format of the record is a mystery.

      Please and thank you.

      Comment

      • Jerry
        Senior Member
        • Dec 2002
        • 9137
        • 1.1.x

        #4
        Can you post an example of the user data you have and I will attempt to give an demonstration of how to use impex to import it.
        I wrote ImpEx.

        Blog | Me

        Comment

        • Steward
          Member
          • May 2004
          • 34
          • 3.0.1

          #5
          Demonstration, yes please!

          You do not want to see my user table. Trust me.

          You do not need to see my user table. I do not understand why it would matter to you. Am I the only customer who has a custom member file?

          It's an sql table, and it has the usual member goo: name, address, birthday, whatever. Other tables will provide password, AOL/MSN ids etc.

          For purposes of illustration you may assume the following. I think these are the essential fields:

          PHP Code:
           CREATE TABLE userdata (
            
          id int(11NOT NULL auto_increment,
            
          username varchar(25NOT NULL default '',
            
          email varchar(50NOT NULL default '',
            
          password varchar(25NOT NULL default '',
          (
          etc

          I look forward to some assistance. Please.

          Thank you.

          Comment

          • Jerry
            Senior Member
            • Dec 2002
            • 9137
            • 1.1.x

            #6
            I'll answer this in the other thread.

            I wrote ImpEx.

            Blog | Me

            Comment

            • Steward
              Member
              • May 2004
              • 34
              • 3.0.1

              #7
              End of thread

              No need Jerry, thanks.

              When I register as a new user, the system updates the member stats.

              So I don't know what I did wrong, I'm sure it was something silly.

              But now I have my members imported and the stats updated.

              Thanks for your patience.

              Comment

              • Jerry
                Senior Member
                • Dec 2002
                • 9137
                • 1.1.x

                #8
                I was going to write a demo and example of how to use impex, but another day maybe

                P.S. The user details are stored in the datastore, adding a user rebuilds it.
                I wrote ImpEx.

                Blog | Me

                Comment

                • Steward
                  Member
                  • May 2004
                  • 34
                  • 3.0.1

                  #9
                  Don't trash that demo !

                  I am over my hump with the user file, so now I have plenty to do.

                  Your Import system is great, but it really needs an overview/sample for others converting custom member files. Please don't stop just because I went away.

                  I also have a database which could be converted into a forum. I have resigned myself to a lot of cutting and pasting.

                  Perhaps an overview/sample could save me a lot of work, and keep more pesky support issues out of your hair.

                  The key issue for me would be:

                  a) a simple sample
                  b) which fields are essential, that I must populate.

                  Seems to me your documentation and source code ar great reference material. What's lacking is a demo. A working script that can be run inside your vb environment, yet exposes itself to ordinary hacking. The current system only support known forums. Please add a "custom" options which is just the skeleton, and let us fill in the details.

                  Surely you had no better plans for this sunny spring Sunday?

                  Cheers

                  Comment

                  • Jerry
                    Senior Member
                    • Dec 2002
                    • 9137
                    • 1.1.x

                    #10
                    I don't work weekends anyway + my new bike , yea it wasn't going to happen over the weekend

                    Though I will do a example script and the the manual in due course.
                    I wrote ImpEx.

                    Blog | Me

                    Comment

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