Create new site with old forum?

[pyd]

I am about upgrade to 3.7.
Currently I run 3.6.8.

My question is:
I will create a new subfolder (/v2) on my domain.
In this I create another new subfolder, /forum.
In this folder I install vB 3.7.

How can I export the complete old forum, with users, posts and settings, and import it into my new site?

Also, in the future, If I decide to move the complete site back to the root-folder of my domain, will this be a problem?

[Trevor Hannant]

From the license agreement:

vBulletin license grants you the right to run one instance (a single installation) of the Software on one web server and one web site for each license purchased. Each license may power one instance of the Software on one domain. For each installed instance of the Software, a separate license is required. Modifications to the Software or database to circumvent the one-license-one-board rule are prohibited.

If you're creating the new folder to continue development work on a new look and feel, this part applies:

If you have a valid Software license, you may set up an additional test forum in order to test code, template and database modifications. To make this clear to us and our license verification procedures, place it in a directory called 'testvb' and be sure to password protect it. It must not be accessible by the general public.

Best way to do this is to:

- backup your database
- import this into a new database
- Upload 3.6.8 files to 'testvb' folder
- Amend config.php in 'testvb' folder to point to new database
- Make changes

Obviously, your database will go out of step with the 'live' one while you are doing this. As a result, it will then be best to download the new style you've created in the 'testvb' folder, upgrade your original forum them import the new style in there to give you the new look on your live forum.

[theOZer]

pyd,
I put together a walkthru/worksheet on how to create a testvb from a backup snapshot, that I then used to do my actual upgrade from vB3610 to vB370. Granted the walkthru is specific to my situation, but, you may find it of value.
Please PM me if you would like to have a copy, it's in .pdf format.

[pyd]

Ok.
What I want to do is not to run multiple copies of my licensed vBulletin (actually, I do, but just for a testing period.).

Currently I run a forum on www.mydomain.com/forum/.
I am redesigning the complete site, and in a couple of weeks release the new site.
The new site will be located at www.mydomain.com/v2/.

What I want to do now is to install a new vBulletin 3.7.0 forum in www.mydomain.com/v2/forum/.
Then I wish to import all the good stuff that's currently inside my current site to testdrive it.

Then, in a few weeks, close my old forum, re-import all the good stuff (new material...) and go live with the new site.

I do not wish to install it in a testvb folder.

[theOZer]

If you're a licensed vB owner then you know of or have access to your agreement with vB on how to use vB's forum package.
If you want to have 2 publicly accessible, active vB forums you will need 2 vB licences.
If you wish to set up a test/parallel (testvb can always be remade/updated) vB forum then you need to put it in a folder named testvb and it needs to be Directory Protected from public access.

[pyd]

Ok. so if I create "testvb"-folder, can this be renamed without any complications on a later stadium?

I only want to create a test-forum.
So that when I'm ready to go live with the new site, it's done.
All with the users, settings and posts...

If you wish to set up a test/parallel (testvb can always be remade/updated) vB forum then you need to put it in a folder named testvb and it needs to be Directory Protected from public access.

[recurry]

I find it very irritating that no one is helping Pyd with his real question (and problem) all you guys are worried about is that a paying customer might be running two copies of the software at the same time while he's trying to upgrade.

C'mon, this is a real problem and one that has also kept me from doing regular upgrades. We need an easy method to put up a test site that we can test out privately and then convert to the public site once we are satisfied it's ok. We are talking about systems with thousands of users, years of information, and, in some cases, generating income. It's stupid to just blindly upgrade the system in use and it's painful to do tests forums especially if you have modified templates (or in some cases code).

How about it? Can you give us a step-by-step way to do this such that the test forum is easily converted to the public forum and the old public forum is retired?

Oh, and even though it calls me "NEW MEMBER" I've been using vbulletin for 4 or 5 years now...

Thanks

[pyd]

Ok. Let me rephrase my question.

How do I upgrade my forumsoftware, and move it to a new location?

Also, Is it possible to change the prefix on the db-tables? (currently I don't have a prefix on vBulletin-tables.

[Trevor Hannant]

I find it very irritating that no one is helping Pyd with his real question (and problem) all you guys are worried about is that a paying customer might be running two copies of the software at the same time while he's trying to upgrade.

C'mon, this is a real problem and one that has also kept me from doing regular upgrades. We need an easy method to put up a test site that we can test out privately and then convert to the public site once we are satisfied it's ok. We are talking about systems with thousands of users, years of information, and, in some cases, generating income. It's stupid to just blindly upgrade the system in use and it's painful to do tests forums especially if you have modified templates (or in some cases code).

How about it? Can you give us a step-by-step way to do this such that the test forum is easily converted to the public forum and the old public forum is retired?

Oh, and even though it calls me "NEW MEMBER" I've been using vbulletin for 4 or 5 years now...

Thanks

See my post above - I've put details on how to do this based on several reworks of forums I run for myself and others.

The reason I pointed the license terms out is not because I'm worried about it but because I'd rather people who are doing legitimate development work on their site don't get stressed out when they get contacted by Jelsoft or their partners for appearing to be breaking the terms of the license. Better safe than sorry....

PS. Agree on the usertitles - not really reflective on a user's time as a customer...