Simple Machines Community Forum

SMF Support => Converting to SMF => phpBB => Topic started by: khigh on December 19, 2014, 01:26:23 PM

Title: What do I need from the old phpBB board owner?
Post by: khigh on December 19, 2014, 01:26:23 PM
Hi all,

I'm getting a phpBB  board, presumably in a zip file either on physical media or FTP.

I've never run or seen the structure of a phpBB board so I'm going in blind and want to make sure I get everything I need in one shot.

Would it be along the lines of the /forum folder and the /mysql folder? Or would the database have to be exported to be made portable? Do I need the database password?

I literally know nothing going in. I'm not sure how helpful the current owner is going to be - he's disinterested at best, some degree of acrimonious at worst. so the more y'all can tell me the better.

If I've overlooked this information already on the site, please feel free to point me in that direction.

Thanks!
Title: Re: What do I need from the old phpBB board owner?
Post by: kat on December 20, 2014, 10:05:52 AM
Not being funny, here... But, why not ask at the phpbb forum?

Or, are you looking at converting it to SMF?
Title: Re: What do I need from the old phpBB board owner?
Post by: vbgamer45 on December 20, 2014, 10:10:32 AM
The full file structure of the phpbb forum and the mysql database two main things.
Title: Re: What do I need from the old phpBB board owner?
Post by: khigh on December 20, 2014, 03:41:38 PM
Quote from: K@ on December 20, 2014, 10:05:52 AM
Not being funny, here... But, why not ask at the phpbb forum?

Or, are you looking at converting it to SMF?

Not sure what you're seeing, but I'm showing in the phpBB conversion forum.

Quote from: vbgamer45 on December 20, 2014, 10:10:32 AM
The full file structure of the phpbb forum and the mysql database two main things.

I figured that on some level. I'm just no mysql wiz and didn't know if they could just send the database as a file or if it had to be exported or something and what the password situation was.

I'll keep studying on it, but if anyone's ever brought in an outside phpBB before to make a new SMF site, I'd appreciate any tips. It seems like most of the direction is geared toward converting your own  forum on  your own site that you're upgrading yourself.

Title: Re: What do I need from the old phpBB board owner?
Post by: vbgamer45 on December 20, 2014, 03:44:44 PM
The database needs to be exported. Depending on the size you can either do though SMF's export option or phpmyadmin in the control panel
Title: Re: What do I need from the old phpBB board owner?
Post by: margarett on December 20, 2014, 03:49:28 PM
You should get the database and import it into MySQL
You should also get the files structure (especially if you want to convert attachments, avatars, etc...

Then you need to have that instance of phpBB running on the new server where you put it (it can be your computer with, eg, XAMPP). We have repair_settings to adjust the paths and so one, phpBB should have an equivalent tool or instructions.

After phpBB is installed and running in the new server, you can proceed to install SMF and finally run the conversion ;)
Converting to SMF (http://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/Converting)
Title: Re: What do I need from the old phpBB board owner?
Post by: Burke ♞ Knight on December 20, 2014, 05:31:47 PM
Quote from: Shortened TitleWhat do I need?

Quote from: khigh on December 20, 2014, 03:41:38 PM
Not sure what you're seeing, but I'm showing in the phpBB conversion forum.

Need not to be snide when someone is asking a valid question. Just because this is in the converters board, does not mean that ALL we get here are plain and simple conversion posts. You'd be amazed how many posts we do get of people looking for help with other software, not to convert, but just for help.
Title: Re: What do I need from the old phpBB board owner?
Post by: khigh on December 20, 2014, 05:37:35 PM
Quote from: ♞ Burke Knight ♞ on December 20, 2014, 05:31:47 PM
Need not to be snide when someone is asking a valid question. Just because this is in the converters board, does not mean that ALL we get here are plain and simple conversion posts. You'd be amazed how many posts we do get of people looking for help with other software, not to convert, but just for help.

It wasn't snide.

I just wasn't (and to be honest still am not) clear on what they were asking. I assumed there was an error somewhere, possibly in where my original question was being displayed.

I was clarifying that, to the best of my knowledge, I was IN the place they were suggesting I be.

I still don't really understand. I'm just trying to help rescue a board for a needy community.
Title: Re: What do I need from the old phpBB board owner?
Post by: khigh on December 20, 2014, 05:44:21 PM
Quote from: margarett on December 20, 2014, 03:49:28 PM
You should get the database and import it into MySQL
You should also get the files structure (especially if you want to convert attachments, avatars, etc...

Then you need to have that instance of phpBB running on the new server where you put it (it can be your computer with, eg, XAMPP). We have repair_settings to adjust the paths and so one, phpBB should have an equivalent tool or instructions.

After phpBB is installed and running in the new server, you can proceed to install SMF and finally run the conversion ;)
Converting to SMF (http://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/Converting)

OK Thanks - that's exactly the reason I asked.

I hadn't ever even considered running phpBB. I thought I just dumped the files in and converted.

I think I'm more confused than  ever right now. I'll keep trying to make heads or tails of it.

I'd just like to do it as expeditiously as possible because from the time the owner pulls the image to the time I get a new board running, there's no community.
Title: Re: What do I need from the old phpBB board owner?
Post by: khigh on December 20, 2014, 05:55:33 PM
Thanks again, margarett!

That really opened it up to how to do it. I was coming at it all wrong - thinking I'd take a site image and import it, which sounded fraught with disastrous outcome possibilities.

On the other hand, migrating phpBB installations from one server to another is pretty well documented, so that's the way to go. I can just point the guy to a how-to and we can both follow the same thing.

Now I just have to keep it on the QT to the membership that I'll have a fully working version of the old board in phpBB and I'm only converting it because phpoBB sucks so bad.  :-X


Title: Re: What do I need from the old phpBB board owner?
Post by: margarett on December 20, 2014, 05:57:32 PM
Good luck ;)
Let us know if you need help with the conversion, when you get to it.
Title: Re: What do I need from the old phpBB board owner?
Post by: kat on December 21, 2014, 12:41:15 PM
Quote from: khigh on December 20, 2014, 03:41:38 PMNot sure what you're seeing, but I'm showing in the phpBB conversion forum.

Doh!