What is the best way to export ONLY categories and posts from VB5 to a new VB5

[DWhitaker]

I am creating a new VB5 installation so I can play around with settings and features and such and I would like to populate it with the content I have on my live VB5 installation.

I have found that when I point my DB to the live forum DB, that all the themes, settings, and options come over, which is what I am trying to avoid.

I only want categories, users, posts, etc. Just content.

Advice?

[Replicant]

I asked the same question a couple months ago and the answer was this is not possible. The data in the database is spread across several tables and interwoven.

My Opinion:
I personally believe it can be done with intimate knowledge of the database and good SQL skills but it would take some time to accomplish. It would be easier to do a complete new install, record the default settings, import the live database and set everything back to default, delete the custom styles, and revert your templates if they have been customized.

[jdj]

Sounds as though you just want the content; what Replicant says is true but this is a test site so you could always download a copy of your database, rename it and do something with it. If you mess up the test database it probably doesn't matter that much as long as it your test site doesn't start emailing your live users, because there will be live email addresses in your test database. So whichever route you choose you would be well advised to read the bit in the manual about upgrading vBulletin5; read the bit about "creating a test development installation" which was written to help people upgrading from vBulletin4, but which contains instructions on how to stop your test installation sending out emails.

[Replicant]

Good point.

[Wayne Luke]

Restore your database backup, delete what you don't want using the tools. Make a new backup and restore it. That will reset the IDs if having smaller numbers matters to you.