Almost ready to pull the trigger and get VB 4.0 Publishing Suite. Need more info

[RadioErewan]

Try your conversions few times before going to production. IIRC you can rollback impex imports. Impex importer can use your SMF production database (it reads it only).

[jonsidneyb]

Try your conversions few times before going to production. IIRC you can rollback impex imports. Impex importer can use your SMF production database (it reads it only).

Thanks,

I don't know what you said but I am guessing i will when I get to that point. This is something I have never done before.

[prisoner 24601]

A couple comments:

* Even if you aren't a novice, you should read ALL the install documentation before doing ANYTHING and, if you have a question with anything, ASK before installing.

There also used to be, but I can't find it now, a vBulletin "test" version that you could play with -- not install, but an online test that you could just play with the features, etc. Zachery may know if it's still available. (It would be nice if the vBulletin folks came out with a trial ....)

* Before you begin, you should have backups and backups of your backups -- including full website backups, not just your existing forum -- before you do anything.

Additionally, before purchasing, you should make sure that vBulletin meets all your needs. You might end up deciding that you really don't need to move from your current format or that another solution is better.

I migrated two different forums from phpBB to vBulletin because vBulletin handled large (one has 32,000+ members, the other has 800+) forums better than phpBB, without having to tweak the heck outta it and vBulletin has full support.

* While there is official 4.0.x documentation on how to install, I think it's a little sparse. I'm currently in the process of writing some documentation for my own admins on how to do backups and restores, as well as how to install the entire suite, if something tragic happened to all our backups (I'll probably post it here at some point, just because).

The best install guide I've seen here is at http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showt...s-and-Recovery!

* Even if you decide vBulletin is the product for you, do the install in a different directory on your server than you are currently using and use a BACKUP of your database for everything. TEST the vBulletin stuff thoroughly. NEVER do an upgrade on a live (i.e. production) forum. You WILL be sorry if you don't follow this advice.

Finally, if you really think that you'll screw up the install, please ask someone else that has done it to do it for you. FWIW, installing the software and even doing IMPEX is easy, in my opinion, but I'm also an overqualified computer tech, so I'm used to these kinds of instructions.

[jonsidneyb]

i have bought the software.
Right now I am so tired I am sick.

They sent me a customer number. Is that what I use to get full access to this site?

Maybe i will be able to see what to do with it in the morning.

[Al Zander]

Have your members been made aware of the upcoming conversion? For a forum of your size, I wouldn't risk springing this change on them without full, detailed warning and a bit of coaxing. There will be a significant difference in feel. There may also be a noticeable difference in speed. SMF is one of the zippiest forums out there, IME, and going to a somewhat heavier vB Suite and especially CMS, your members are bound to raise some negative feedback on the sudden change in feel, appearance and possibly response time to their clicks. The latter may be ever so slight, but they'll notice. Forum members are like that. lol

With politics and recent events as they are at SMF, it is probably for the better that you upgrade to a fully supported paid solution; one as well established as vBulletin. I would strongly advise you to make your members fully aware, though, of both the anticipated changes and the full benefits of why you feel it absolutely must happen, for the long term benefit of the community. Good luck!

[jonsidneyb]

Oh...that must not be what the user number is for. I see I have more access to the forums automagically.

[deedaad]

first. backup ur SMF database.. and download the database and all SMF files on ur server.
then install Xampp on ur computer..
restore database on Xampp with phpmyadmin and install vbulletin and impex.
try to convert ur self.. if anything right u can backup ur database on ur computer and restore to ur server. or repeat the same proses on ur live forum.
if u can't do that or u see many error. just hire profesional to do the job.

and how about tutorial http://www.vbulletin.com/docs/html/

[borbole]

Don''t worry about messing things up. As a rule, the conversion doesn''t touch/edit/modifies a thing at the original forum. So no worries there. But just to play it safe, make a thorough backup of your db before the conversion.

[Loco.M]

I would suggest installing 3.8 if you can, wait on 4.0 for a while longer until it becomes a stable product

[jonsidneyb]

How unstable is 4

I got the suite. I was wanting to use the content management system

[choitz]

Definately has potential

How unstable is 4

I got the suite. I was wanting to use the content management system

But it's not ready yet.

[RadioErewan]

But it's not ready yet.

It is "ready", we have "gold" product, but my advice is to check its functionality before conversion. ]:->

[Zachery]

As it stands now there are at the very least a few minor issues in display that can be resolved by editing the templates. There are a few other minor bugs that cause issues. I would advise you take it for a test run your self and make your own judgment call

[Mike Anime]

i would wait for the public release of 4.0.2 and then do as Zachery suggested.

[jonsidneyb]

How far out os 4.0.2?

Is there a single thread with all the problems or is it nothing buy many small threads?