Topic: converting question

[bruceonsfa]

hi all,
My partner set up a SMF forum on one of his own sites, and really liked it.  We would like to convert our yabb forums.  A couple questions

Right now our host has shut down the forum due to cgi-bin overload.  "you must delete yabb2.YaBB.pl for us to restart your cgi-bin"  so, two questions actually.

Can I convert YaBB 2.1 to SMF without the yabb2.YaBB.pl file?

Can I run multiple forums (SMF) on the same server?

Thanks
Bruce

[SleePy]

Yes you don't need the yabb.pl files. In fact, once you are converted and 100% sure that everything is there (and I suggest a backup), you are able to delete the yabb files and yabb database (again I suggest a backup prior to this). The converter will basically duplicate everything and copy it to a format that is used in the SMF database.

Yes you can run mulitple forums on the same server.

[bruceonsfa]

OK, just to show how thick I am, we'll check my understanding.

I can delete the yabb.pl file before I do the convert?

Multiple forum on same server (same site, just diff't forums) is OK.

Oh, and one more
Just how good is the yabb2.1 to smf converter?  No mods that I can think of

thanks again
Bruce

[ThorstenE]

I can delete the yabb.pl file before I do the convert?

no, you can delete your Yabb files after the conversion!

Multiple forums is possible, everey forum must be in a different folder (example yourdomain.com/smf1 , yourdomain.com/smf2) and must use a different table prefix or a different mysql database (you can specify this during the installation)

[bruceonsfa]

Thanks SleePy and TE,
No point in starting a new thread.  I am trying to do the conversion on my machine (XAMPP) which seems to be working OK. 

The address bar in my browser shows the substep incrementing up (substep 12200 then a while later substep 13000) - that means the converter is working through the various posts and threads, correct?

Thanks

[ThorstenE]

yes, every part in the converter file is creating substeps in your browsers URL. convert.php then knows the steps allready done.

[bruceonsfa]

I hope everything goes well, I just checked the active forum (YaBB) and we have over 100,000 posts - my converter counter says it is at step 50,000.  Once I get this done then there is the archived section, another 70,000 posts to do.  Twenty four hours so far!!
thanks
Bruce

[ThorstenE]

uuh, long time (and too long in my opinion).. I think you are using the "old" version from the YaBB converter. Maybe it'S better to stop the converter, re-install a new SMF and then use the converter attached to this post:
http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=122338.msg1894646#msg1894646

[bruceonsfa]

I am at substep 95550, almost hate to stop it.   But from reading the threads I may save myself some trouble - OK I'll do it.
thanks
Bruce

[bruceonsfa]

I let it run over the night.  Now it show cleaning up (part 2) and appears to stuck at that point.
Bruce

[ThorstenE]

have you re-installed SMF before using the new converter? I successfully converted a 500k posts forum in less than one hour..

[bruceonsfa]

Sorry, I should have been clearer.  I let the old converter keep running, which my have been a mistake.  If things don't look right tonight, I will delete the SMF and start over..
Thanks
Bruce

[bruceonsfa]

I used the converter mentioned by TE.  Worked a champ - almost.  The posts converted quickly and look great but not of the attachments show.  I checked the attachments folder and it was empty - I copied the files from the yabb folder into the SMF folder, but nothing is showing.  (Even the folder is still showing empty).   Ideas?
Thanks
Bruce

I am wondering if this may be due to the paths for yabb, since they are still set to the same as our hosting account.

[ThorstenE]

any errors during the attachments conversion? maybe an "undefined index yabb['uploaddir']" or something similar?

[bruceonsfa]

Did not see any errors during the conversion, but I started it did some other things then came back a time or two till it was done.  Tried the 1.1.8 converter and had issues with member conversion, then it just stopped.  Will try the 1.1.7 converter again and monitor it a little closer.

Bruce

oh, checked the paths and they were correct for the local server.

[bruceonsfa]

During the install this came up
'converting attachments if mod is installed'
followed immediately with a complete notice

I think this is where the problem is, I just don't know what is the problem.
Thanks
Bruce

[ThorstenE]

followed immediately with a complete notice

yes, this notice is the interesting part. I think the path to the attachments was wrong. can you post this message please?

[bruceonsfa]

I should have said during the conversion this message comes up.  Will give it a try.  It shows on the screen for about 20 seconds (at most) on the screen.  When it does show there is no error code or line code showing and it goes immediately to the next step.
thanks
Bruce

[bruceonsfa]

The screen comes and goes so fast I was unable to capture it.  I did see the line is the convert.php script.  My attachments and avatars folders (in admin panel) are completely empty.  When I view the threads there is not even an indication that there should be an attached pic (no attachment deleted) and when I look a page source there is nothing as well.
Bruce

[SleePy]

Use the attached convert.php, then add "?debug" in the url at the very start of the conversion.
It has some added code which will log any php or database errors to a converter error log file, but only does this during debug mod. Please make sure PHP can write to the folder you currently have convert.php in. The file will be called "convert_error_log".

Btw, for all those who are wondering, this is avaiable since the 1.1.8 converters