Converting IPB to SMF (different hosts/servers)

[i-bystander]

Hi there -

I would like to convert my existing IPB forum to SMF. I downloaded the converter, but it would only allow you to convert if the installs are on the same server. Is there any way I can convert my IPB on one host to SMF on another? Thanks in advance.

Ray

[Grudge]

No, it is almost certainly not possible as it's very unlikely that your host will allow remote mySQL connections. Even if they did it would be involve a lot of code hacking. By far the easiest thing to do is just to EXPORT your IPB database from one host and import it into the SMF database. Then run the conversion and delete the IPB tables you imported. You don't even need to install IPB, just copy the config file (config.php or similar, can't remember what it looks for off head) into the SMF folder - and I *think* it should all work (You will need to adjust the db_name from the config file but it's relatively easy)

[i-bystander]

Thanks for the reply, Matt!

Hmmm... two questions:
1. What do I use as the "Path to Invision Power Board"...?
2. I know how to export out of (any specific settings?), but how do you import into...?

Edited to add:
I actually pulled a back-up copy of my IPB DB and inserted it into my MySQL DB where the SMF DB is - would that help/make things easier?

[i-bystander]

OK, disregard the last post - I was typing before I started thinking. 

Can you please verify which file I need to copy to the SMF folder? There's no config.php file... perhaps the conf_global.php file? What info is SMF looking for in that file? When I do copy it into the SMF folder, do I use the same path as the path to IPB then?

Thanks again!

[[Unknown]]

You'll want to do the following:

1. Copy over the database.  I assume you've done that.
2. Copy over the conf_global.php file.  You can put it in the same folder as SMF/the converter.
3. Edit the conf_global.php file, and correct it with your new MySQL login details (username/password/database name...)
4. Run the converter.

Sorry, it's not quite 1-2-3... but it should be that hard.

Incidentally, it is possible to allow remote access if you're on a cPanel host.  But, it would probably be a bad idea because it would be very slow and inefficient, and make the conversion process take much longer.

-[Unknown]

[i-bystander]

[Unknown]

I followed your instructions but it didn't do anything for me. 

I copied the IPB DB over, copied and edited the conf_global.php file, and ran the converter. It displayed several warnings while converting (see below), but it displayed successful after each one. After running the converter, I checked out the SMF install and it's empty. I also checked out the SMF DB, but it doesn't look like it did anything. What am I doing wrong? Did I miss something?


**************************
Converting uploaded avatars...
Warning: mysql_fetch_assoc(): supplied argument is not a valid MySQL result resource in /home/username/domains/domain_name.com/public_html/smf/invision_to_smf.php on line 2362

Warning: mysql_num_rows(): supplied argument is not a valid MySQL result resource in /home/username/domains/domain_name.com/public_html/smf/invision_to_smf.php on line 2399
successful.
**************************

EDIT:
OK, after some searching, I found out that this issue has been addressed already: LINK.

I just did it over and used the IPB DB for the new SMF install. I then ran the converter, and it worked flawlessly. However, I'm also getting wrong post counts/stats/orphan topics. I did the "Find and Repair...." and "Recount... totals", but that didn't seem to fix it.  Any suggestions?

[[Unknown]]

I just did it over and used the IPB DB for the new SMF install. I then ran the converter, and it worked flawlessly. However, I'm also getting wrong post counts/stats/orphan topics. I did the "Find and Repair...." and "Recount... totals", but that didn't seem to fix it.  Any suggestions?

Interesting.  Can you give a link to your forum?

-[Unknown]

[i-bystander]

After doing "Find and Repair..." and "Recount... totals" a couple more times, the issue has been resolved.