Importing "extra" profile fields from Snitz

[GetGamer.com]

My current Snitz database has nearly 20,000 members, and the profiles have a few more fields than the default vBulletin profile. If I create add those fields to vBulletin before I import, will the IMPEX script allow me to properly map over the fields?

[Jerry]

Impex can create and import them for you, if you can give me an exaple of a field name from the user table I'll show you. They are default Snitz ones, or ones you have created ?

[GetGamer.com]

Terrific! I would've probably seen that when I tested the import, but I still am having trouble connecting to my existin MS-SQL database with PHP. Good to know that ImpEx will take care of that for me.

The fields that I have on Snitz that aren't on in vB include two "cool links" (URL) fields and a favorite quote field. Nothing that the members couldn't live without, but it's nice to know that I can handle them.

[Jerry]

Well once we sort the MS_SQL issue we can sort this.

[GetGamer.com]

Here's what came across cleanly:

• Signature
• Email
• Homepage
• IM Info (AIM, MSN, ICQ, Yahoo)
• Birthday
• Interests
• Occupation
  
• Location
• Join Date
• Total Posts
  

Here's what didn't come across from the profile:

• Passwords (if I could unencrypt them before exporting, would that fix this?)
• Avatars (I'm probably going to come up with new avatars of a different size than currently used anyway, but this would also be a nice option)
• Profile Picture
• Cool Links (an optional two favorite URLs)
• Real Name (full name)
• Gender
• Latest News (freeform text field)
• Favorite Quote (freeform text field)
• Time Zone

The ones in blue I'd really like to be able to import. The others would be nice, but are not necessary.

[Jerry]

Passwords

Or find out how it is stored, if it is encrypted that is one thing, if its hashsed thats another.


Profile Picture

If this is an avatar then yes.

Time Zone

Possiable, depending on how it is stored.

Cool Links, Real Name, Gender

These arn't default in vBulletin, though ImpEx can create them on the fly during the import.

Latest News, Favorite Quote

These could be though at the moment they would be cropped to 250 chars.

[GetGamer.com]

Passwords

Or find out how it is stored, if it is encrypted that is one thing, if its hashsed thats another.

Looks like this is not going to happen. I'll send all the members an email before we migrate letting them know they'll have to reset their password.

Profile Picture

If this is an avatar then yes.

It's not an avatar, it's just a URL to an image file.

Time Zone

Possiable, depending on how it is stored.

I'll check.

Cool Links, Real Name, Gender

These arn't default in vBulletin, though ImpEx can create them on the fly during the import.

How does ImpEx do this? I didn't see the option when I did the import.

Latest News, Favorite Quote

These could be though at the moment they would be cropped to 250 chars.

Again, how do I do this? Do I have to modify the ImpEx code or something?

Thanks for your help. I'll do another import next week to get comfortable with the process.

[Jerry]

It's not an avatar, it's just a URL to an image file.

Is that image is supposed to be there avatar or their profile picture ?

How does ImpEx do this? I didn't see the option when I did the import.

It requires custom code, I'll explain on vb.org and posts the link here.

[GetGamer.com]

There is both an avatar AND a profile image. The profile image is a photo that shows up in their profile only, and is stored simply as a URL to an image file which is most likely located on another website.

FORUM_MEMBERS.M_PHOTO_URL contains the URL to their profile photo, and FORUM_MEMBERS.M_AVATAR_URL contains the URL to their avatar.

Their gender is stored as text (Male or Female) in FORUM_MEMBERS.M_SEX

FORUM_MEMBERS.M_DOB stores the date of birth, in this format: 19620330 (translates to March 30, 1962).

The timezone adjustment is an added field from a MOD. I'd just as well have people update this information anyway.

Of course, none of these fields are absolutely essential. The important ones are coming across perfectly.