Trying to convert a forum. IPB -> phpBB

K

kuhla

Limp Gawd
Joined
Nov 21, 2005
Messages
472
Hi, hoping someone can help me with this, getting pretty desperate.

I currently have an IP.Board 2.3.3 that I'm trying to move+convert to phpBB 3.0.11 on new hosting.

What I've done so far:

1) Downloaded sql database from old forum as an sql file.
2) Installed phpBB on new hosting. Got it up and running fine 100%.
3) Uploaded old sql database into a new sql database on new host. Imported with no errors and structure seems 100%.
4) Installed an IPB->phpBB converter from this post http://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=576207&start=390#p13110789 In the instructions it says you have to modify "convert_ipb23.php" for groups, I looked in that file and the groups appeared to be correctly set already so I didn't adjust them. Another post mentioned that if you want topic descriptions to work you need to install a module for that but since I don't really care about topic descriptions, I did not install it. Related post: http://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtopic.php?p=9367695#p9367695
5) Loaded converter and entered all the settings. Hit go.
6) Get a page refresh showing progress, everything seems fine no errors. Screenshot: http://imgur.com/CQtiE
7) I get a second refresh which just says ""[an error occurred while processing this directive]"" and I'm not sure if it's helpful but the URL on the error page is ""WWW W.MY.URL/phpBB/install/index.php?mode=convert&sub=in_progress&tag=ipb23&current_table=12&skip_rows=4030&language=en""


I should mention I'm not a programmer, I don't often deal with stuff like this, but I think I have enough technical ability to work through this but I need help here.
 
If I were you, i'd do an offline conversion. Install something like xampp to get apache/mysql running.
http://www.apachefriends.org/en/xampp.html

Also, I wouldn't use phpbb 3.0.11. I'd try older versions of phpbb like 3.0.7 to 3.0.10. Basically versions of phpbb that was available as of February 2012 and at the time that converter was made.

It will go much faster and safer since you can manage the files way better than through ftp limited by your internet speed.
 
Thanks. I'll try that. I've run xampp before. I don't really have a big issue with file sizes for uploading/downloading but it would still probably be a bit easier to manage it offline. I also see if I can get an older version of phpBB and try that.

Anyone else?
 
Kind of an old bump but: (1) I tried to do itt offline with xampp, (2) Tried using an older version of phpBB that lines up with the time when the converter was made.

No dice. Exact same problem as before. I'm also starting to get some antsy forum members who want this up and running and I can't blame them.

In desperation I'm now wondering how I would go about hiring someone to do this for me but I've never done anything like that. How do I go about doing that?
 
Curious as to why you are migrating off IPB to begin with, let alone to phpBB instead.
 
Compare both SQL structures, get to know them, then simply write a script that does the appropriate SELECT loop and then INSERT. Will probably end up with several such loops to cover all aspects of the forum. Will most likely have to also parse out stuff like smilies/tags to convert to the new format. Ensure to use the same IDs and not the auto incriment as stuff will reference by ID so it's important stuff like post/thread/forum ID is verbatim.

Test this script offline, once you see that it's stable then run it on live.
 
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