phpbb2 converter doesn't work...

[Jobarr]

Hello! I am trying to convert from phpbb2, but whenever it goes to step1 from the login page, I see this in IE:

"The page cannot be displayed
The page you are looking for is currently unavailable. The Web site might be experiencing technical difficulties, or you may need to adjust your browser settings. "

or this in Opera:

"Connection closed by remote server

You tried to access the address http://www.example.com/smf/phpbb2_to_smf.php?step=1, which is currently unavailable. Please make sure that the Web address (URL) is correctly spelled and punctuated, then try reloading the page."


It is very strange and I can't understand what is wrong! If I just go to that exact URL manually, I have no problem. I know there is nothing wrong with the DNS or server because everything else works.

Sometimes I can get it to work in Firefox, but I have to manually keep clicking the "continue" buttons...

Please help, thanks!
-Jeremy

[ThomasJ]

Looks like it might be trying to use the configured location for SMF.

Remember you have to have a working SMF install, that includes setting the path/url to the forum correctly before trying to convert.

[Jobarr]

SMF is already installed, the paths are correct. Like I said, it works with Firefox (sometimes).

[[Unknown]]

How long does it take before you get this message?

-[Unknown]

[Jobarr]

About 10 seconds, sometimes I see a flash of the first step, where I see it copying over avatars or something. Then, before I can do anything, I see this:

"Connection closed by remote server
You tried to access the address http://www.example.com/smf/phpbb2_to_smf.php?step=8&start=0, which is currently unavailable. Please make sure that the Web address (URL) is correctly spelled and punctuated, then try reloading the page."

[Jobarr]

Any ideas?

[[Unknown]]

Sounds like your server is set up in such a way that it may not be possible to run the converter.  Basically, the conversion takes a bit of time in many cases... and, well, your server is set up so as to wait no longer than 10 seconds.  If the converter needs 11 seconds, it will fail.  This is, obviously, bad.

Find this line:

Code Select Expand

if (time() - $time_start > 10)

And replace it with:

Code Select Expand

if (time() - $time_start > 4)

And try again.  It may still have a bit of trouble.

-[Unknown]

[Jobarr]

Nope, I still see the same problem, and besides, max_execution_time is set to 30, if that is what you are talking about! Thanks though. It seems, SOMETHING is causing the script to return an invalid response to the browser, or at least one that is doesn't understand, instead of just pausing like it should.

[ThomasJ]

Im still curious though as to why it would redirect you to www.example.com, unless you have edited the error message.

[Jobarr]

I edited it.

[[Unknown]]

Nope, I still see the same problem, and besides, max_execution_time is set to 30, if that is what you are talking about! Thanks though. It seems, SOMETHING is causing the script to return an invalid response to the browser, or at least one that is doesn't understand, instead of just pausing like it should.

It's an Apache setting in httpd.conf, named Timeout.  I would guess it is set to 10.  Has nothing to do with max_execution_time.

-[Unknown]

[Jobarr]

Ok, well that still doesn't explain why it wouldn't work if I set it to something very low.

Any other info you might need (phpinfo, etc.)?

[Oldiesmann]

From Redhat's site (http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-7.2-Manual/ref-guide/s1-apache-config.html):

Timeout defines, in seconds, the amount of time that your server will wait for receipts and transmissions during communications.

Because this is set to 10, Apache will only wait 10 seconds for data to be sent or received, and then the connection is killed.

[Herman's Mixen]

it works fine for me

this what i covered for the first time i used it

http://www.domain.com/phpbb2/

http://www.domain.com/smf/

put in your already installed smf dir

the file in the root of smf

./phpbb2_to_smf.php chmod 777

and it will work only if you dont have installed any mods in phpbb2 etc

[[Unknown]]

The thing is, some of the things the converter needs to do may take a long time.  As much as things have been optimized, copying is a tedious and slow process.

-[Unknown]

[jaijaymama]

I can't get the coverter to work for me, either. Both of my forums are on the same database, same password, everything. I don't know if it's because I'm running 2.0.6 or because I have mods. If I upgrade my phpBB, I usually lose my mods, which is frustrating. I don't want to upgrade phpBB, lose those mods (basically, I don't want to lose the attachment mod & attachments), and then the conversion tool still won't work. *sigh*

This is the error message I get:

Sorry, the database connection information used in the specified installation of SMF cannot access the installation of phpBB2. This may either mean that the installation doesn't exist, or that the MySQL account used does not have permissions to access it.

I've contacted my host for support on the MySQL end - to see if perhaps there was a problem with the database or something - but I'm not getting much in the way of help.

How would I go about doing this without the conversion tool? I really, really want to use SMF, but I don't want to start all over.

TIA! 

[Herman's Mixen]

well you are losing your mods coz they are for phpbb and not for SMF so you have to uninstall any of yhose mods in phpbb before conversion
and add the right database user and passwords !!

[jaijaymama]

True. I didn't think of it that way. Question: Do I have to have phpBB 2.0.10 or higher?

The user & password is correct for both applications. I made sure of that. lol

Without the conversion tool, how would someone go about this?

[Oldiesmann]

No you don't have to have phpBB 2.0.10 or higher... It should work with just about any version of phpBB 2.0

For the database, make sure of one of the following:

1. phpBB and SMF are installed on the same database

or

2. The MySQL user account you're using for the phpBB database has access to the database SMF is installed on

[jaijaymama]

I haven't been prompted to give a separate username, I use the same user and pw for each board. I'm asking my host whether or not there are different users, so we'll see. Otherwise, like I said, they are on the same database with the same user/pw, on the same server (different directories, of course).

Does the version of MySQL matter?