Question: Moving a forum install

[Raths Rants]

I original installed SMF to /domain/smf/ for a person. They are requesting the forum be moved to /domain/ and not a sub directory. The reason for the question is the site is now getting traffic and I have made several changes to the site. I did a simple url redirect for now till I figure out the best solution.

Will I have to do a new install and connect to the existing database?

If I do this will the forum as a whole remain intact?

Can I copy the theme edits over directly to the new install once I have installed the theme?

[Kindred]

http://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/Hosting_-_How_do_I_move_my_SMF_board_to_a_different_host

this is about moving to a different host, but the concept is the same.

Move the files to the root director - download and run repair_settings.php

[MrPhil]

Moving /smf to / is the wrong solution. They're best off leaving it there and use a URL rewrite to transparently transfer from / to /smf (or implement a landing page with a link). That way they'll be future-proofed.

[Kindred]

I disagree...

[MrPhil]

The reason I make such a statement (which you are free to disagree with) is:

• Application files are mixed with server files (.htaccess, etc.), subjecting each to damage when working on the other (e.g., accidentally erasing all files in the root rather than just the application's).
• The root directory gets cluttered up, making it difficult to find site-wide things.
• If you want to install other applications (in their own subdirectories), you have to shoehorn in some sort of landing page (for links to the other applications, as well as SMF) without stepping on SMF's index.php (it would have to be index.html, which requires it to be static).
• Most importantly, if you install other applications (store, blog, etc.) in a subdirectory, control has to pass through SMF's /.htaccess. This means that
  
  
  
  • You have site-wide settings (e.g., add www. to the domain) mixed in with SMF settings, making it harder to tease them apart or to remove the SMF-related ones.
  • In /newapp/.htaccess you have to either undo SMF-specific changes made in the /.htaccess, such as SEO, or manually add guard conditions in /.htaccess to keep them from applying to non-SMF applications. It's a whole lot cleaner to have a site-wide /.htaccess and an SMF-specific /smf/.htaccess.

Installing SMF into its own directory under the root future-proofs your site by making it easy to expand in the future by adding new applications.

[Kindred]

I do actually disagree.

1- not so many...   I think that the only "application" file that I have in my root is htaccess - which would be in the smf directory anyway.
2- again, not really...  at least not in my experience.
3 and 4- yes...and no...  Since the forums form the root of my sites, all other applications are accessed through the forum menu(s) anyway. I use a portal and manage my forum menu as a site menu. I don't bother with index.html... I use the forum index page and just bounce them to other directories/applications in the menu (in the rare case where I have something that can't be done through the forum itself) or I use subdomains.

[Raths Rants]

Thanks for the great responses. I posted a link to this topic so the site owner can make the final decision based on your feedback.