UBB.Developers Forums UBB.threads 7 Development How Do I? "movin on ubb, to the threads side..."

c'mon, that was clever!

anyway, within the past hour, i've officially made the switch from being a ubb.classic member to being a ubb.threads member.

my classic boards are still up and running, but only for the next few weeks (mebbe i'll finish out the year).

in the meantime, i downloaded the new 6.4 and was looking to upload the program onto my other server to test it out and mess around with the customizations and such.

however... before i do that... some questions:

1) i have two servers. so i don't mess anything up on my current board, i'd like to upload the threads files to my 2nd server and mess around with'em to find a good look and style, plus introduce some mods. once im happy with the look, can i just move the modded files over to my main server? (assuming i'll re-change all the chmod settings and config file paths once i'm on the right server).

2) i plan on importing all of my classic members and threads. does the import have to be done on a clean (un personalized or modded) threads? or can i mess around with threads, find a look i like, then import?

ok, thats it for now

Okay what you do is this

Install threads on your backup server. You will need to have a backup of your ubb database and import one in to play with now. Do your modifications etc when your ready to move then its easy.

Go ahead when your finished and move the files over. You already said what ya need to do move threads changemode the files and change paths. Now the last step you did not meantion was the threads database. you will need to start with a fresh threads database from using the createtable.php file and then go through the import steps again when your other forum is closed. After that you should be ready to roll.

ok, another question...

when i do the import, do i have to import everything all at once?

i ask because my host has a 15,000 file limit (not file size). because of the limit, i've deleted (but saved, first), thousands of older ubb.classic threads.

i'd like to get them back now, but i obviously can't simply re-upload them without going way over the file limit.

so...

can i:
import 2 or 3 forums to threads
then delete the classic cgi files
then import another 2 or 3 forums to threads
then delete those classic cgi files (etc).

Your best bet may be to configure your local computer so that it can run threads(install apache, mysql, php...) run the import, then restore the imported threads database to your host. I think that would be the easiest way to get all of your posts with that limitation. Of coarse, I haven't ever admined a classic board, so maybe someone else has a better/easier way.

that's probably the easiest way.. another way would be to import them by sections... the importer imports threads, member files, and pm's seperately - you could import one group, delete it, upload the next group, delete, etc...

WOW they have a file amount limit not MB Interesting

Yeah the easiest would be to setup a test site on your home computer thats what I run. If you have linux it is as simple as setting up the same as one online

Now windows is as simple as installing a program called BigApache which includes everything in one. Or you can opt to use Windows IIS and install PHP and Mysql separately.

[]slayer60 said:
Your best bet may be to configure your local computer so that it can run threads(install apache, mysql, php...) run the import, then restore the imported threads database to your host.[/]

further into newbie land with me, eh?

k, so, i go here. download and install on my PC (which, im guessin, is easy), then install a version of ubb.threads and set up a databa...

eh...

mm...

this sounds scary.

i gotta install the apache thing and the boards and all the database stuff to my computer? then move everything over to my server?

i wont know the database settings stuff for my PC -- and i definitely wont know what to switch once i upload it to my server.

... am i making this more complex than it is?

get a second pc.. doesn't have to be the best.. get a reject and then download mandrake 9.2 and install it.. its pretty much idiot proof.. make sure you select mysql, php, and apache as modules to install... you can also select proftpd, sshd, webmin.. you dont need much of anything else.. then download phpMyAdmin and install that.. now you have a test box.. install threads and mod away.. then take those files you alter and beyond compare them to the ones on your server and change the differing lines as long as they don't contain PATHS... walla your done...

criminy!

i'm in way over my head here

i just installed that bigapache thing, and i'm a few minutes away from entering the uninstall phase. 5 or 6 too many bells and whistles, so to speak.

keep in mind, i know nuh-huh-thing about any of this server stuff. php and mysql are entirely new concepts to me, let alone the ubb.threads program.

is there a step-by-step guidebook out there, mebbe?

maybe i can just see if powweb'll temporarily raise the "tarif"?

Well if you can't install and understand BigApache on Windows do not even attempt a Linux Install.


Okay If you have BigApache installed then install Threads or any other internet programs under the htdocs directory under bigapche/apache/htdocs/ directory.

Your databases would go in the mysql/data directory. You can make the databases through phpmyadmin.

Your phpmyadmin config will look something like this

$cfg['PmaAbsoluteUri'] = 'http://localhostname/phpmyadmin/';


/**
* Disable the default warning about $cfg['PmaAbsoluteUri'] not being set
* You should use this if and ONLY if the PmaAbsoluteUri auto-detection
* works perfectly.
*/
$cfg['PmaAbsoluteUri_DisableWarning'] = FALSE;

/**
* Disable the default warning that is displayed on the DB Details Structure page if
* any of the required Tables for the relationfeatures could not be found
*/
$cfg['PmaNoRelation_DisableWarning'] = FALSE;


/**
* Server(s) configuration
*/
$i = 0;
// The $cfg['Servers'] array starts with $cfg['Servers'][1]. Do not use $cfg['Servers'][0].
// You can disable a server config entry by setting host to ''.
$i++;
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['host'] = 'localhost'; // MySQL hostname
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['port'] = ''; // MySQL port - leave blank for default port
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['socket'] = ''; // Path to the socket - leave blank for default socket
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['connect_type'] = 'tcp'; // How to connect to MySQL server ('tcp' or 'socket')
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['compress'] = FALSE; // Use compressed protocol for the MySQL connection
// (requires PHP >= 4.3.0)
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['controluser'] = 'USER'; // MySQL control user settings
// (this user must have read-only
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['controlpass'] = 'PASSWORD'; // access to the "mysql/user"
// and "mysql/db" tables)
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['auth_type'] = 'config'; // Authentication method (config, http or cookie based)?
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['user'] = 'USER'; // MySQL user
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['password'] = 'PASSWORD'; // MySQL password (only needed
// with 'config' auth_type)
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['only_db'] = ''; // If set to a db-name, only
// this db is displayed
// at left frame
// It may also be an array
// of db-names
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['verbose'] = ''; // Verbose name for this host - leave blank to show the hostname

$cfg['Servers'][$i]['pmadb'] = 'DATABASE'; // Database used for

Then after you get phpmyadmin working install your database. You can then run anything you want locally through your browser much like browsing the internet by typing http://localhostname(your computername usually/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php

ok. bigapache installed? check.
tested out local "web"? check.

install boards / set up database? ... no check.

i just dont get that whole "set up database" thing.

sorry

i dont mean to waste yer time and be a big pain in the butt. and, as pathetic as it sounds, im actually tryin over here!

i just don't get it. different side of the brain, i guess.

i'll keep pluggin away!

(and HUGE appreciation for all the help so far)

I think yer making it too complicated... unless you have more than 15,000 threads or 15k members I'd just do the graduated import. There's really no need to go through the hassle of installing extra software you are unfamiliar with.

If you want an extra step, get a decent host - the 15k limit is rather stupid.

sorry for the delay -- had to wait for my host to respond to my temporary "file limit removal" request. didn't getta positive response. (humbug!)

i'd switch hosts, but... i'm already goin thru enough crap at this point -- gotta crap prioritize!

anyway, i'm checkin out my site files now. just my threads equate to about 13,000 files (!!)

no matter what, this'll be tricky. tricky, but possible, at least.

quick question - does the import process just look for the actual raw files? or does it need to import something from a working classic board? (*question clarified below)

so, here's what i'd do (if this is possible):

1) clear (but first backup) my server of all "unnecessary" files (avatars, cache files, images, files not relating to the boards, etc).

2) clear (but first backup) a few thousand of the forum thread files, to make room.

3) upload the @800 threads files

4) import the member files

5) delete the original member files to make room (do i need to, or is that an automatic part of the import?)

6) re-upload all my forum thread files

* here's my question: obvioulsy, these thread files won't look right anymore if i ran them through the ubb.classic program, because all of the member accounts are gone. so, will that screw up the import? or does the import just look for the actual CGI file, and not care if it works?

7) import the threads.

8) delete (but first backup) all the old thread files from the now defunct ubb.classic.

9) customize ubb.threads

note: "prayer" to be interspurced throughout above process

so... hows that?

sounds like a lot of work.. I would have switched Hosts.. but I hope it works out for u

I would definately switch hosts

well, having my monday-morning qb hat on, i might make the same decision.

however... i've already paid for the ubb.threads license, which i only got because of the file limit. plus, i'd have additional downtime during the site and domain transfer.

powweb has its downfalls, but... its $8 / month and can handle my site's bandwith (which, some months, is as high as 25 gb). so, for right now, i'm sticking with it because i don't like the alternatives.

and, though the above process is troubling, as long as it works, its not so bad -- and no more difficult than relocating the entire forum elsewhere!

I don't the process for breaking up the import as I started with threads. Maybe someone else can shed some light on whethter or not that would actully work. It still seems to me like the easiest way to do it would be to get threads running locally(sayeth someone who has never actually tried to do such a thing.) You should just be able to use the config file you have on your host after you have uploaded your imported database. The paths are stored in the flies so that shouldn't be a problem. And remember, you can't do anythimg to your computer that a good format won't fix. I'm not sure how the setting up of the databases works either as I have never done it on a windows box. But, what I would try is, backup up the existing threads database that is on your host(you do have threads installed on your site right?) Then I would download that(it may already be downloaded depending on how you did it) and import that into your local MySQL database. Then all you should have to do is edit the paths in your local threads config file, and walla, it should be up running on your machine. Then run the import script.

I don't like to badmouth anyone, but for clients that I've had where I've moved them to a new webhost..... powweb has been the #1 host that clients are transfering from.

Probably 10 or 12 sites this year transfered from there, one last night.

Even if you switch hosts, a move to UBB.Threads can't be bad - database backend, increased speed and reliability, php/MySQL.

It's all good.

Besides that you can place code in place to send everyone to your new location so you dont have any downtime.

During the import process you are given a link to move on to the next step with a click.

I'll do an import and post the process steps... it's simple, would just take time..

heya guys!

i would set up the database and threads and stuff on my personal computer, but... quite honestly, i just don't know enough about any of that stuff. the little i saw and tried was way beyond me, and i didn't even really start! just not my path

i think i'll just stick with the 9 step process i listed above for now (that is, if part 6 is possible).

as for hosts... i guess that'll just be something i'll have to look into -- invest more time into. right now, thats a whole other issue that i dread thinking about: finding a suitable place, backing up and moving every file, wondering about cancellation fees, etc. headaches on toppa headaches!

here's the order that imports are done in:

members

categories

forums

posts

ban lists

moderators

buddy lists

private messages

You could easily get each group uploaded before moving to the next step.