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Moving an SMF forum......

Started by Blah blah, November 11, 2011, 02:43:59 PM

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Blah blah

What exactly is involved in moving a forum to a new URL? I mean the whole 9 yards, permissions, boards, posts, members, mods, etc.

To be specific I want to move my SMF forum to    newsite.com/forum     from oldsite.com/index.php

Im not changing hosts and the new site is already in my account directory.

Oldiesmann

Move all the files to the new folder, then run repair_settings.php (under "Tools" on the downloads page) to update the URLs and paths as needed. See What is repair_settings.php? for more info.
Michael Eshom
Christian Metal Fans

Blah blah

Thanks!

So wow thats it? no need to re-install SMF or anything? I guess I figured it would be more difficult than a file transfer and script.

Illori

that is assuming you can still connect to the same database in the new location

Blah blah

Quote from: Illori on November 11, 2011, 05:08:02 PM
that is assuming you can still connect to the same database in the new location

What would prevent that? I am on the same host in the same account.

Couldn't I just move the database?

Illori

yes you could move it but if you are using the same hosting account it should not be an issue

Blah blah


Blah blah

Sorry to bump this because its so old but, still kind of confused and I'm planning to do this soon.

There wouldnt be any issues with new members or new posts? Seems weird to use a database at a different location.

Also, is there any way to forward URL's like this      oldsite.com/topic3533    to    newsite.com/topic3533   etc.

So that way all the old posts/topics that are indexed by search engines already would show the exact posts/topics on the new site.

Colin

If you don't want to use a remote database simply export the SQL dump and import it into the new mySQL database.

You can easily create a 301 redirect by adding this to you .htaccess on the old server:

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^domainname.com$ [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ http://www.domainname.com/$1 [R=301,L]
"If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody is not thinking." - Gen. George S. Patton Jr.

Colin

Blah blah

Thanks! I think I follow...

So a 301 redirect would be a 1 to 1 redirect on every old topic and post?

Interested bystander

I'm currently having some problems with my webhost and if things don't get sorted out soon I would like to move my domain to a new webhost.   Can I port my forum to the new host without losing my old posts, etc.?

cicka

Quote from: Interested bystander on August 11, 2012, 10:12:37 AM
I'm currently having some problems with my webhost and if things don't get sorted out soon I would like to move my domain to a new webhost.   Can I port my forum to the new host without losing my old posts, etc.?

Yes, provided that the database is moved properly from the old host to the new one.

Interested bystander

I know there is a database backup option in the software.   Is it as simple as backing it up then uploading it to the new host?

cicka

Quote from: Interested bystander on August 11, 2012, 03:18:52 PM
I know there is a database backup option in the software.   Is it as simple as backing it up then uploading it to the new host?

Well if I were you I would use phpmyadmin or the backup option from the cpanel to backup the database. Then besides moving the database you must move the forum files too and then replace the old server database info with the new ones at the Settings.php file.



Blah blah

Still feeling a bit n00bish about this and I want ot make sure I understand before attempting lol.

So do I need to install SMF on the new URL? Or can I just transfer all files?

Texan78

Quote from: Blah blah on August 30, 2012, 11:50:52 PM
Still feeling a bit n00bish about this and I want ot make sure I understand before attempting lol.

So do I need to install SMF on the new URL? Or can I just transfer all files?

Who is your hosting company?

Do they use cPanel?

Depending on who it is and what they use you might not have to do anything. Could be as simple as assigning the the domain if the new domain is pointing to the same host as your current domain.


Blah blah

Hostgator

Yes they do.

Hmm. Cool. Any tutorials on what you are talking about? Is that a cPanel function? And yes both the old url and new url are on the same server/hosting plan.

Blah blah

Quote from: Oldiesmann on November 11, 2011, 02:52:31 PM
Move all the files to the new folder, then run repair_settings.php (under "Tools" on the downloads page) to update the URLs and paths as needed. See What is repair_settings.php? for more info.

When you say "the new folder" do you mean the fresh smf install on the new websites root folder? Or is there no need to install a new version of smf, just move files?

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