Trying an IPB to SMF conversion.

[catfished]

I have a problem already and I just got started. I downloaded the smf_1-0-1_install file and unzipped it. If I upload all the files to a directory named forum, I assume it will overwrite my present IPB directory also named forum. I realize I can name it something else like forum1 or whatever but do I want to do that? If the databases are supposed to see each other or whatever, then they should be the same name? I'm totally confused and I did look around quite a bit here for any answers but I could not find anything helpful.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[andrea]

You will have to apply the appropriate converter tool which will convert the database into smf format. Download link is here:
Converters and Importers

[catfished]

Thank you for your reply andrea but it does not answer my question. I had already downloaded and started to apply the converter but it said that I had to install SMF before I did anything else. I needed to know about naming the directory. I already have a directory named "forum" which is my IPB so I can't name my SMF directory "forum" as well. 

I ended up naming my SMF directory "forums" and was able to install the convertor. Everything works except that I have my old IPB still accessible via http://www.clearlakefishing.com/forum and my new SMF board is accessible only via http://www.clearlakefishing.com/forums I guess I could just delete my IPB directory and rename the SMF directory "forum" but I'm a little leary that I might end up with a problem.

[Ben_S]

If you rename the directory, you will need to run the repair_settings.php file (on the same downloads page as the convertor).

[catfished]

Thank you very much for your reply Ben_S , I guess I'll rename the directory and try that but I would still like to know how I should have handled this in the first place. How do I install a SMF with a directory name of forum when I already have the IPB directory with that name or is the only way to do it to use the repair_settings.php file? I have two more IPB forums to convert and I'd like to learn to do it the right (and easiest:-) way. Thanks again.

I have a stupid question: Do I just upload the repair file to the forum directory or??

Ed

[Pause]

Thank you very much for your reply Ben_S , I guess I'll rename the directory and try that but I would still like to know how I should have handled this in the first place. How do I install a SMF with a directory name of forum when I already have the IPB directory with that name or is the only way to do it to use the repair_settings.php file? I have two more IPB forums to convert and I'd like to learn to do it the right (and easiest:-) way. Thanks again.

I have a stupid question: Do I just upload the repair file to the forum directory or??

Ed

Once you've installed SMF, delete the IPB 'forum' directory, and rename the SMF 'forums' directory to 'forum', once you've done that, upload repair_settings.php to your smf 'forum' directory, and go to repair_settings.php using your web browser.

[catfished]

Well I did everything as you said Mattitude  and now I get errors I don't even understand. I changed all the references to "forums" to "forum" using the Settings Repair Tool and now I get this when I try to go to http://www.clearlakefishing.com/forum

Warning: main($boarddir . '/Sources'/QueryString.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/clearla/public_html/forum/index.php on line 51

Fatal error: main(): Failed opening required '$boarddir . '/Sources'/QueryString.php' (include_path='.:/usr/lib/php:/usr/local/lib/php') in /home/clearla/public_html/forum/index.php on line 51

Here's what I see on line 51 in index.php: require_once($sourcedir . '/QueryString.php');

[Kirby]

EDIT:

Code Select Expand

main($boarddir . '/Sources'/QueryString.php)
this seems to be a problem... either remove that single quote after Sources in Settings.php, or run repair_settings.php as Jerry says below
You can get it from the download center if needed

[Jerry]

try running repair_settings.php once more, and use the recommended values.

[catfished]

Thank you Jerry and Kirby. I had missed the path to Sources in the Repair Settings Tool. I was just looking for the word "forums" and totally overlooked the path error. I changed it to the proper path and presto, everything's fine.

I still need my original question answered though: How do I install a SMF with a directory name of forum when I already have the IPB directory with that name or is the only way to do it to rename the SMF directory to forums (or whatever) and use the repair_settings.php file to fix it? I have two more IPB forums to convert and I'd like to learn to do it the right (and easiest:-) way.

Again, thank you all for your help. This was just a small unimportant forum that I converted but soon I will be tackling a much larger and more important (to me) IPB. 

[Jerry]

what you did should be fine, install SMF into a temporary directory, run the converter.. Move or remove that IPB installation, and rename the SMF folder to forums, and run repair_settings.php.. Thats the only way I can think of

[weekend camper]

Thank you Jerry and Kirby. I had missed the path to Sources in the Repair Settings Tool. I was just looking for the word "forums" and totally overlooked the path error. I changed it to the proper path and presto, everything's fine.

I still need my original question answered though: How do I install a SMF with a directory name of forum when I already have the IPB directory with that name or is the only way to do it to rename the SMF directory to forums (or whatever) and use the repair_settings.php file to fix it? I have two more IPB forums to convert and I'd like to learn to do it the right (and easiest:-) way.

Again, thank you all for your help. This was just a small unimportant forum that I converted but soon I will be tackling a much larger and more important (to me) IPB. 

** all this is untested and unproven, so take with a large grain of salt (but from a former IPB user (ver 1.3F)) **

first, on the IPB in question, copy all necessary files over to a "test" directory - call it whatever.  Adjust the default skin and just copy that skin folder over (saves time copying).  Make a back up of the DB to YOUR hard drive.  Make a new DB in phpMYadmin and call it something different.  Copy or upload DB to new database.

second, adjust (config.php?) to match your new settings/folders/db.  If I remember right, IPB 1.3 only had the important settings in one file.  No clue on ver. 2.x  ** make sure it all works **

thrid, make a new SMF folder and upload.  Call that folder something useful, but unique. ** make sure it all works **

forth, run the converter.

fifth, if that was successful, then you know how to slide an SMF into whatever folder you want (from a different angle than previous posters).

but again, I can't stress enough that you back up everything important.