Several problems w/ Impex (3.5.0 to 3.5.1)

[led_belly]

There are other threads that report these problems but since I am experiencing more than one problem I thought I would start a new thread...

I am importing from 3.5.0 to 3.5.1. The 3.5.0 system has been upgraded over time from (and this is a guess) the 2.x stream.

First, the parent/child relationships for my forums are all over the place and not correct in any way. Also, announcements don't seem to be imported.

A similar problem reported here: http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showt...m+relationship

Second, I have a problem where impex reports that the importing of the polls has failed. The vb_impexerror table reports this for each poll attempted:

error: The poll voters were not attached to the correct thread.
remedy: Use the import id to check the source poll id and thread it matches in the source

The vb_poll table seems to have the new data in it but I don't see them on the site and vb_pollvote is empty.

I have 915 polls, do I really need to fix each one of these manually? What about the votes?

A similar problem reported here: http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showt...ls+fail+import

I have a feeling that these two problems are associated in some way but can't confirm this.

Also, can I leave the forums up, import them and then redo the process in some way to import any new data submitted while the main import was finishing. This is so I don't have to disable the forums during the importing process.

The entire import takes over 6 hours to complete. Wow.

[Jerry]

Is it possible to upgrade ? That's what the advised path is.

Importing between vBulletin versions is only advised when upgrading is impossible.

[led_belly]

I can upgrade the source database then try the import but would I expect the same results?. The reason I am wanting this to work as I am currently in development using a brand-spanking new installation of vbulletin 3.5.1 for which I will need to migrate the current content when the time comes to release the site into production.

[Jerry]

I meant upgrading the board you are using as the source to 3.5.1 ?

[led_belly]

The Situation

I understand. That's what I was meaning to get across.

What I am attempting to accomplish here, and maybe impex is not the way to go in the end, is completely refactor a web site and then import all the settings/forums from the production site running 3.5.0. We will be using vbadvanced, GARS, etc to build an entirely new site around the vbulletin framework. Of course I cannot work live on the production site so what I need is way to bring the production forums into the newly refactored site once development is complete.

I can upgrade the production site before running impex but will this solve anything?

[Jerry]

I can upgrade the production site before running impex but will this solve anything?

Nope, 0.0.1 version won't make any difference to ImpEx.

What about setting up the development board with the styles and settings that you can download and back up, then close the live site when the time comes installing vBadvanced and GARS etc, then uploading the settings and styles etc ?

I'm aware that is more work and requires downtime, though it will be the best for the data and probably quicker than cleaning up after an import.

[led_belly]

I hear what you're saying but this seems backwards and means a lot of extra work. The work I'm doing will integrate gars and vbadvanced tightly that installing them at migration time doesn't make much sense. Also, my development database could contain all sorts of information when it comes time to import the production data into it and I already spent a week tracking differences between the two using various utilites to see what would have to be done. I found that it would require a great amount of work to get this done...

The path I was on before I found impex was going through each table and deciding what information to discard, overwrite, merge and import for each of the vbulletin tables. I have a feeling I might just have to go back to that route...

[Jerry]

The main thing that I'm thinking is that ImpEx is quite a brutal way of moving data as its primarily for other systems where you are just trying to move over the basic information and then set up a vBulletin board and take advantage of the new and better features etc.

Going between vBulletin versions is usually only done when a source board is so hacked that it breaks an upgrade and an import to a clean board is the only way to go.

For instance as you have found announcements arn't imported, though I am going to look at polls first thing tomorrow as I'm finishing for the day now.

[bplein]

I am trying to import Invision Power Board 1.3 to vb3.5.2, and for the Polls, I get the following messages (many times over)

"The poll was imported though not attached to the correct thread"

After running, I show 0 Imported and 85 Failed polls.

I am also failing the Banlist import, although I'm not sure I care.

[Steve Machol]

Fill out a support ticket at:

http://members.vbulletin.com/membersupport_contactform.php

Be sure to include the login info to your Admin CP, phpMyAdmin and FTP. Please also include a complete description of the problem.

[bplein]

Fill out a support ticket at:

http://members.vbulletin.com/membersupport_contactform.php

Be sure to include the login info to your Admin CP, phpMyAdmin and FTP. Please also include a complete description of the problem.

I am going to try and clear everything out and bring it in again later tonight. I'll post the info there when it's ready. thanks!