Rebuilding CC: Progress

[Kralik]

Here is the latest stream of communications between Conor and I:

Kralik:

Dear Cobra,

The CobraCards community has been very sad to see your website go down. I heard from another member that you offered to send SQL dumps so that it could be rebuilt elsewhere. I have been running the lotrtcgwiki.com website for some time now as a resource for LotR players, and it has gained quite a following. Some forums recently have been posted at http://lotrtcgwiki.com/forums as a replacement for CC, but it would be even better to have the old CC content again.

Would you still be willing to send the old forum data? I'm sure that CC members would be elated to have their old posts back.
Also, so that I could get it working, I was wondering... what version of phpBB were you using? Did you use the Backup/Restore feature from within phpBB or make your own dumps via phpmyadmin or something similar?

Thanks in advance!
Kralik

Conor: (Sunday morning)

Kralik,

The files were created in phpMyAdmin, one with the "CSV" option and the other with the "SQL" option, both leaving the default settings intact.  Let me know what version you'd like to work with, and I'll upload it to my other webspace.

I'm afraid I don't remember the exact version number I was using, but it was definitely 2 rather than 3.

I had made some of my own hacks to add specialized functions to the forum, some of which included additions to the database structure.  In particular, there's a new field which carries the "post-autolink" message (when a post was made, it was parsed for card names using the store's database, which were then turned into appropriate links, and the new version was stored alongside the original).  There are also a few fields that were used to enhance voting for the article contest.

These changes are additions only, I never modified the database structure in a "destructive" way, so I don't think this should cause any problems.  Just wanted to warn you though.

--Conor

Kralik:

That's awesome, Conor! I'll try the SQL option. I wrote my own program a while back to add autolink capabilities for CC to lotrtcgwiki.com, so I'd love to see what you had written and try to integrate it. Do you know offhand where you found the theme/stylesheet for CC? I would like as much as I could set up a mirror image of the original...

Cheers,
Kralik

[Celebrimbor]

Regarding the SQL Dumps, kralik...I have a warning...
phpbb is a LOT different from simple machines forum.  If you use the mysql dump scripts to completely reconstruct the original CC forum, it will only be compatible with phpbb2. (not phpbb3).  Unless, however, you could convert them in to a format readable by simple machines, which could be difficult...

Anyway, that's my 2cents.

The major problem right now is that NBarden is hosting his own forum, and with yours up and running there is a conflict.  We really need to get that solved and agree on a centralization.

[DáinIronfoot]

Via e-mail, at least, NBarden has fully endorsed this location now that we have MtG forums.

Hats off to NB for running that site, though. Saved our butts several times! Everyone give him some gold.

[Kralik]

Welcome CBB! A few thoughts:

1) You are right, phpBB2 and SMF are very different. Here's the plan to convert: set up a phpBB2 forum, import the database via phpMyAdmin, and then run SMF's phpBB2-->SMF converter tool to import the posts. From what I have read online the tool works rather well.

2) I think NB should keep his forums open and they should be the official backup for this site in case it happens to go down sometime in the future. As I have stated elsewhere, I didn't even know they existed, and if I had, I probably wouldn't have made these! The best scenario would be that everyone knew the backup plan so they could keep the community going during downtime.

[SomeRandomDude]

Everyone give him some gold.

yes, please do. I'm also accepting trading cards, pm me for my address.

Just kidding. It wasn't really a big deal...took me a lot less time.

I would go with phpbb2, Kralik. Simple Machines is so...geek friendly (meaning NOT non-computer-savvy user friendly).

[Kralik]

I would go with phpbb2, Kralik. Simple Machines is so...geek friendly (meaning NOT non-computer-savvy user friendly).

Do you say that referring to the front-end user interface or the admin interface?

[Hobbit_Pizza]

As I have stated elsewhere, I didn't even know they existed

Neither did I. I suppose a backup for the backup is always a good idea 

[Celebrimbor]

Hey kralik...What I would personally like to see you do is run phpbb3.  It's what all of us CC members are used to.  Plus, phpbb has much more of a level of control. And them maybe upgrade from phpbb2 to phpbb3, which has many more advanced features.

Still yet, I'm not sure if all the many members here would like to re-register if you decide to phpbb... Anyway, that's just my two cent.

To sum it all up, In my opinion simple machines is a poor choice to choose.  I'd be happy with it, but not just as happy as the other route which I suggested...

[Hobbit_Pizza]

I'm not sure if all the many members here would like to re-register if you decide to phpbb...

I definately wouldn't...

[Kralik]

I'm going to have to stick with SMF, since I have already spent time developing it, creating an autolink function, etc. Some of the admin backend is very nice, including an automatic upgrade feature for security patches, which I have already used. Furthermore, it should be easy to import old CC posts in here. SMF 2.0 shows a lot of promise! 8) I'll wait for that until it's out of beta.

Now, something that is worth considering, as far as what you are "used to," is that a ton of the main interface is controlled by theme settings. If you'd like to see buttons in a different place or whatever, it could probably be worked out.

And on the topic of rebuilding CC... I still haven't heard from Conor, but I may drop him a line again if I haven't heard from him by Sunday (a week from his first response).

[SomeRandomDude]

I would go with phpbb2, Kralik. Simple Machines is so...geek friendly (meaning NOT non-computer-savvy user friendly).

Do you say that referring to the front-end user interface or the admin interface?

Huh?

/ungeek

Front-end user interface.

[Kralik]

Huh?

/ungeek

Front-end user interface.

Let me know what you'd like to see differently... it's likely that everything you see can be changed by theme settings.

[Kralik]

Well! I sent Conor another email and he responded with a link to his backup. It's 360MB! I am downloading it now and should be able to start the process of importing it within the next few days. 

[DáinIronfoot]

Excellent news. Let me know if you need any help and I'll do what I can, my friend.

[MR. Lurtzy]

Well! I sent Conor another email and he responded with a link to his backup. It's 360MB! I am downloading it now and should be able to start the process of importing it within the next few days. 

Groovy. 8)