Converting the blog

[barefootcoder]

So when I go into Import / Import, under "Select version and product to export to", I have "vBulleting Blog 1.0". However, under "Select System", I do not have WordPress. Could this be because when I initially copied my ImpEx directory, I initially only included the phpBB2 directory under systems/? I have copied up the wordpress directory now, and I can't see any config file or anything I should need to adjust ...

Also, how can I get back to this point after I convert my board? I've been actually going into the database and deleting the relevant record in vb_datastore, which I'm sure isn't the approved method. But once I choose to convert from phpBB2 to vBulletin, it doesn't ever want to go back to that screen again ...

[peterska2]

Here are the instructions for performing multiple imports:
http://www.vbulletin.com/docs/html/impex_multi_import

With regards to access the wordpress module, you may need to reupload all impex files (except impexconfig.php) overwriting the impex files on your server.

[barefootcoder]

Here are the instructions for performing multiple imports:
http://www.vbulletin.com/docs/html/impex_multi_import

Read that, actually, and it doesn't help. That talks about doing the same import more than once. I want to do two different imports.

With regards to access the wordpress module, you may need to reupload all impex files (except impexconfig.php) overwriting the impex files on your server.

Actually, I did that too. No luck.

[Steve Machol]

No, that link definitely refers to multiple imports, not the 'same import' more than once.

[barefootcoder]

No, that link definitely refers to multiple imports, not the 'same import' more than once.

I think one of us is somewhat confused. That part of the manual talks about import_id's and how I need to be careful if I run my board import (i.e. the same import I ran the first time) again. For instance, here's a quote:

You MUST remove the import id's before performing a 2nd import, this is because ImpEx will not know what is original imported data and what is just imported etc.

In fact, nearly every paragraph refers to import id's either explicitly or implicitly. Since I want to run two completely different imports (one of which is not a board import at all), this isn't really relevant to my question.

However, the question of how I can convince vB to let me run a different import is very secondary, since I have a workaround for that (however clumsy it is). What I really need to know is how to get WordPress to show up in the source system dropdown.

[Steve Machol]

With all due respect I do know a bit about this. For instance from that page:

When you have done an import and are completely finished and wish to do another import you will have to set all these import id's to 0.

What do you think that mens? It means that once you complete one import you need to clear out all the import IDs before you can do a second one.

Those instructions ARE for multiple imports.

As for WordPress, it will appear if you have uploaded all the Impex files.

[barefootcoder]

With all due respect I do know a bit about this.

I'm not saying that you don't know what you're talking about, only that there appears to be a misunderstanding regarding what I'm actually asking.

What do you think that mens?

I think that it means that once I do a phpBB2 (e.g.) conversion, it creates import IDs, and that if I have a need to do another phpBB2 conversion, it's going to latch onto those import IDs unless I clear them out. And, actually, although it specifically states that that I must clear them out before reimporting my board, it actually seems like there would be a practical application for leaving them (i.e. if you wanted to only import those items that you had not imported last time). But that's neither here nor there--just an interesting aside that I happened to note as I read the manual--as I do not wish to reimport my board.

It means that once you complete one import you need to clear out all the import IDs before you can do a second one.

What my question relates to is how to initiate a WordPress conversion. There are no import IDs in my vB Blog tables, as I have never done a WordPress conversion before. In fact, from this quote from the manual:

The importuserid is the userid from the source board.

we could even assume that there are no import IDs for a WordPress conversion, since a blog is not a board. However, I assumed this was just a minor imprecision in the manual's wording.

The other thing we might assume (which is in some ways what you seem to be trying to tell me, although of course I may have misunderstood you) is that it would be necessary to clear out the import IDs in my board before I can import my blog. This first of all doesn't even seem possible, since the board and the blog are in two entirely different sets of tables and would not impact each other in the least. But secondly, it would mean that it's impossible to keep the import IDs in my board (which, as stated in the manual, are needed for 3rd party applications) if I need to convert something else (such as my blog). This seems like such an obvious defect that I find it hard to believe it would have been specifically programmed in, and (as I mentioned in my first point) it seems unlikely that it could be an artifact of implementation.

As for WordPress, it will appear if you have uploaded all the Impex files.

Well, they're all there, because I reuploaded everything. Basically, here's the steps as they happened:

*) I unpack the zip file into a temporary directory.

*) I go into upload/impex/includes/systems/ and delete everything but phpBB2/.

*) I upload everything in upload/ into the appropriate place on my server.

*) I do a successful phpBB2 conversion.

*) I notice that I don't have a way to convert my WordPress, and I realize that while I was removing everything from systems/, I removed wordpress/ as well (d'oh!), which was wrong (obviously).

*) I return to my temporary directory and unzip everything again. This time, I delete everything from upload/impex/includes/systems/ except phpBB2/ and wordpress/.

*) I again upload everything from upload/ into the appropriate place on my server.

*) Still no WordPress option in my convert.

So that's the situation. Not sure where to go from here.

[Jerry]

From what I've read you've done an phpBB import and need to remove the import id's to do a wordpress import ?

The multi import steps (removing the ids) need to be done between each import regardless of system of type.

[barefootcoder]

From what I've read you've done an phpBB import and need to remove the import id's to do a wordpress import ?

Right, exactly.

The multi import steps (removing the ids) need to be done between each import regardless of system of type.

Well, I have to say I'd consider that a bug. I can't remove the importid's from the board; I definitely need those. So either I can't import my blog at all, or maybe I have to do the blog first? But that only works if I don't need the importid's in the blog, which I'm not sure about yet.

For now, I'll stick to deleting the vb_datastore record by hand. That seems to work for me (if you know if any reason why it wouldn't, definitely let me know). But, long term, I think you should look at fixing that problem.

[barefootcoder]

OKay, strike that last message. I understand what the problem is now.

When I try to import the blog, it wants to import the users. Which is problematic for me, because I don't want to import the blog users, I want to import the board users. And I want to end up with importid's from the board, not the blog. So I'm not sure how to proceed here.

I think I need to import the blog first. When I try that though, I get this:

ImpEx Database errormysql error: Invalid SQL: SELECT * FROM phpbb_users WHERE ID > 0 ORDER BY ID LIMIT 1000

mysql error: Unknown column 'ID' in 'where clause'

mysql error number: 1054

Date: Monday 07th 2008f April 2008 03:09:58 AM
Database: admin_tcphpbb
MySQL error: Unknown column 'ID' in 'where clause'

Not sure if I would get that if I imported the blog afterwards, but I'm kind of scared to do that, because I definitely don't want the blog users to overwrite the board users. Basically, I'm trying to go from a situation where I have a separate userbase in my board (phpBB2) and my blog (WordPress) to one where I have a combined userbase in vB. That would be the primary reason for converting the WordPress stuff in the first place: that all the blog stuff is integrated, and the users are shared across everything. How can I achieve this?

I don't mind having to hack some of the tables. I'm already doing this a bit for various things. I'm just not sure what the best way to go about doing this is. I think perhaps I need to use the "associate users based on email address" thing somehow, but I'm not sure how to make sure that my board users end up as the master list, which is what I want. Any thoughts here?

[Jerry]

To import the blogs at a minimum you'll have to associate the users, ImpEx needs to know which blogs belong to who.

I see that you have the two systems and want to combine into one, this shouldn't be an issue as ImpEx will match up the users via email address between the systems when you do the wordpress import.

Start a support ticket and ask for me, and link to this thread.

[barefootcoder]

To import the blogs at a minimum you'll have to associate the users, ImpEx needs to know which blogs belong to who.

Well, there's actually only one blog, so it's all one user. Associating that user could be done by hand if it came down to it. Now, there's also the comments. We're considering keeping those to be a nice-to-have. If we can bring them over by email association, that'd be nifty. If there are users who've commented on blog entries but aren't users on the board, those could get lost AFAIC.

The main thing we're concerned about is the actual blog content. Everything else is fluff.

We're actually really excited about the conversion! As you may remember from talking to me before, we started this last year, way back in July. We did practice runs for several months before everyone got swamped with real life and the conversion process languished a bit. But now we're back on track and hoping to do the actual conversion this weekend, if possible. We've currently got 4 completely separate systems: phpBB2, a downloads manager, Coppermine, and WordPress. We're just going to start over for the downloads and gallery and migrate whatever's most important (into DownloadsII and PhotoPlog) by hand. This solves crazy issues of trying to combine users, plus it gives us the opportunity to clean out some cruft. So the blog is the last issue to deal with. And let me just say, since I know you support guys mostly get to hear the complaints and problems, that vB is pretty damn awesome. We're thrilled with all the new possibilities we're going to have.

I see that you have the two systems and want to combine into one, this shouldn't be an issue as ImpEx will match up the users via email address between the systems when you do the wordpress import.

Yes, exactly! Combine the two into one, that's the ticket.

Start a support ticket and ask for me, and link to this thread.

Okay, I'll do that now. As soon as I can figure out how to do that.

[barefootcoder]

As soon as I can figure out how to do that.

Found it. Ticket #792410.