Thinking of IPB to SMF

[sumacbob]

I`m thinking of switching from my IPB 2.1.5 board to the SMF board software, but I have a few reservations.

1: I currently have both the community blog and gallery modules for my Invision forums, which I do like a lot. Does SMF currently offer anything similar?

2: Regarding skinning/theming. By comparisons, is SMF probably easier to skin than IPB or generally more difficult? I ask because I currenly have a nice skin for my IPB forum that I would like to use/re-create if I moved to SMF.

3: I`m also having a terrible time getting my IPB board indexed by google bots, and other search bots for that matter. Despite the board being over a year old, and being visited every day by bots it has a terrible position in google. I just wondered if the SMF layout works any better for SEO?

4: I assume there is a functioning IPB2.1 to SMF converter?

Thank you.

[Remaker]

1. integration with a gallery = yes(like gallery script or Coppermine), blogs = no(not sure).

2. SMF it's pretty easy to skin, an there are allot of people and even tutorials here that could help you.

3. SMF works just fine with google and other search engines.
   and after this is done(http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=84811) , it promises to do miracles. So it's pretty good!!

4.Yes.

[winrules]

Just to elaborate on the 3rd one, SMF skines a little bit different than IPB, for instance when you would use this (just an example) on IPB:

Koodi [Valitse] Laajenna


Hello <?php $username ?>, you have <?php $unreadmessages ?> unread messages.

You would use this on SMF:

Koodi [Valitse] Laajenna


echo 'Hello ' . $username . ', you have ' . $unreadmessages . ' unread messages.


If you are used to IPB's way of doing this, It may take a while to get used to but in the end I find it makes cleaner code and it it much more flexible.

[sumacbob]

Can someone direct me to the IPB 2.1 converter? I found one in the downloads area, but that`s for IPB 2.0?

Also, I purchased a skin from extreme pixels almost a year ago. I have customized it somewhat but the layout is the same. Has anyone seen something similar for SMF? hxxp:www.extremepixels.net/ipb/index.php?setskin=1&skinid=125 [nonactive]

[jokieman31]

The forum software is nice, but the mods leave a lot to be desired.  Most of the mods you'll want to install won't function properly on 1.07.  Many others only work for the latest Release Candidate (of which you have to be a member to receive) software. 

I've installed it, but am now thinking of just going with another software due to the poor modding support.

[Edward A Freeman]

The forum software is nice, but the mods leave a lot to be desired.  Most of the mods you'll want to install won't function properly on 1.07.

Hve you asked in the forums for help, or done a search to see if there are hacks available to make them work?

Many others only work for the latest Release Candidate (of which you have to be a member to receive) software.

Thats because just about everyone is using RC2, although there are a lot out there still using 1.0.7. However, you don't have to be a "paying" member to get the RC2 software. it's available to the standard board owners.
to get it look here http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=62731.0

[sumacbob]

I still haven`t found the 2.1 converter!

Another question, what exactly does the converter convert? can it even import the usergroups and forum permissions?

Thanks.

[spiralfive]

Same here, I need to convert IPB 2.1.5 to SMF (1.0 or 1.1, doesn't matter) and can't find the converter.

[Edward A Freeman]

here is a link to the latest converter for IPB 2.1 series to SMF

http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=65677.0