(yet another) Wordpress / SMF logon integration

[jjsmith]

Hello,

I'm brand new to SMF.  I will be integrating SMF with Wordpress (both new installs), which I see has been done lots and there's tons of info here about it. 

I've spent several hours researching and doing some proof-of-concept coding, but I'd like to run things by you (much) more knowledgable SMF people so I don't go down the wrong path. 

Thank you in advance for your help!

It seems that my primary tools for integrating are:

1) Integration hooks:
- integrate_login
- integrate_validate_login
- integrate_verify_user
- other?

2) Wordpress Bridge:
- eg - wordpress.org/extend/plugins/smf2wp/

3) SMF Package (aka 'mod'):
- "paid subscriptions" core feature of smf 2.0.2
- third party one?

4) Themes

My site specs:

Nothing unusual except maybe that my SMF will allow both cms and non-cms members.

WORDPRESS
- Have a membership database (aka my 'cms')
- My cms member data is in the standard Wordpress tables wp_users and wp_usermeta (ie I didn't create custom tables)
SMF
- Accessible to both cms-members and non-cms-members

REQUIREMENTS
- The forum looks completely integrated within my website, ie just another tab on the main navbar
- The forum is open to both cms-members and non-cms-members
- The cms-members
  - Log in to the cms, which automatically logs them into SMF
  - No ads
  - See more boards
  - When their cms membership expires, then SMF demotes them to non-cms-member status
- Non-cms-members
  - Log in via SMF
  - See ads
  - See fewer boards
- Ability to upgrate SMF and Wordpress with minimal 'pain'.

So......

I'll use a Theme for the look.

Which of the following options would you suggest for integrating?

OPTIONS:

1) Use the integration hooks and the api for everything
- Lots of control, but maybe a lot of work too?
- I found the "smf_2..." files from Andre Nickatina - *WOW* What a jump start!

2) Use a combination:
- Wordpress bridge plugin for cms-member login
- A subscription package to specify an end date for cms-members
- Integration hook to insert that end date when their SMF logon is created (retrieved from my cms)

3) Something else?

Again, thanks in advance for your help.  And please know that as "payment" for your help I *will* post what I end up doing to this board for future newbies like me (once I get it working   

Josh

[Kindred]

I don't know about the smf2wp...

but if wordpress is the main part of your site, my suggestion would be to use the API
(the integration hooks are for hooking the rets of your site into smf, not smf into the site)

As for the theme... Look int he graphics and themes board here and see the sticky post on using layers with SMF...

[jjsmith]

Thanks for the info Kindred.

Sorry for the delayed reply!   

As promised for future readers - our steps will be to use both the API and the integration hooks.  The API within Wordpress to communicate with SMF, and the integration hooks within SMF to communicate with the Wordpress database.

We are using the smf_2... files from Andre Nickatina that I mentioned below - those are extremely helpful.

Thank you,
Josh