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Topic: Need advice migrating a large site from SMF 1.x (Read 2396 times) previous topic - next topic
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Need advice migrating a large site from SMF 1.x

I have an old SMF site (SMF 1.1.5 -> very old!). The site has over 26,000 members, so it's not a small thing. I recently found and fell in love with ElkArte. I love the more-modern look and functionality, along with the active direction of the development. I would like to migrate my site to it, but I have a few questions on how to best get this done:

#1 I've read up a bit on the Open Importer, but much of the info is a bit old. Is it correct that I'll need to upgrade the site to SMF 2.x before I use OI to migrate it to ElkArte?

#2 My current site uses "profile pictures" included with the Ultimate Profile SMF mod. I see that ElkArte doesn't have a "gallery" for photo uploads, either built-in or as an available mod. I've seen posts about possibly using Aevo Media and Coppermine, but they both seem a bit old and clunky. Any advice on the best way to add this functionality? I just want a way for members to upload/show photos on their profile.

#3 I'm using TinyPortal for my front page. Is SimplePortal the portal of choice for ElkArte? It looks similar and I think it would work fine, but I'm open to suggestions.

I also have a heavily modified/integrated shoutbox (Ajax Chat) and chat room (Visichat) I'd like to make work (Edit: If the members table is similar enough, I'm hoping both of these won't require too much modification), but I'm not going to worry about that for now. If I can get my members, posts, attachments and private messages migrated successfully, I'd be pretty darn happy.

Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated!
Last Edit: July 18, 2016, 05:44:49 pm by kosmic7

Re: Need advice migrating a large site from SMF 1.x

Reply #1 –

Hi kosmic and welcome at elkarte.net. :)

Quote from: kosmic7 – #1 I've read up a bit on the Open Importer, but much of the info is a bit old. Is it correct that I'll need to upgrade the site to SMF 2.x before I use OI to migrate it to ElkArte?
I pass on that one because it's a while I don't touch OI (yeah, I should start breaking it again! LOL).
AFAIR there is an 1.1 importer, but with an install as old as yours I would really suggest to first move up to 2.0, there were a lot of changes between 1.1.5 and the likely 1.1.13/15 the importer is based on.

Quote from: kosmic7 – #2 My current site uses "profile pictures" included with the Ultimate Profile SMF mod. I see that ElkArte doesn't have a "gallery" for photo uploads, either built-in or as an available mod. I've seen posts about possibly using Aevo Media and Coppermine, but they both seem a bit old and clunky. Any advice on the best way to add this functionality? I just want a way for members to upload/show photos on their profile.
Indeed, a gallery is a piece of code really missing...
At the moment, the only way I would feel to suggest is the "write from scratch" thing, unfortunately attachments are (still) almost entirely tied to messages, so make them work as a gallery would at least require a fake topic...well, a while ago I did something like that, it was a somehow hidden board, and any image uploaded to the profile was a topic with an attachment (and the replies could be the comments to the image). Actually it's not so difficult to realize that way, it just requires a lot of custom queries and a bit of playing with the board index,
If you are in the mood of some coding, feel free to ask, I may even be able to find the code (it was based on SMF 2.0, but it was already thought with ElkArte in mind).

Quote from: kosmic7 – #3 I'm using TinyPortal for my front page. Is SimplePortal the portal of choice for ElkArte? It looks similar and I think it would work fine, but I'm open to suggestions.
The main point is that SP is the only portal available for ElkArte. :P

Quote from: kosmic7 – I also have a heavily modified/integrated shoutbox (Ajax Chat) and chat room (Visichat) I'd like to make work (Edit: If the members table is similar enough, I'm hoping both of these won't require too much modification), but I'm not going to worry about that for now. If I can get my members, posts, attachments and private messages migrated successfully, I'd be pretty darn happy.
The tables are basically the same IIRC.
The huge difference is the password hashing method, but it should be just a matter of changing a function.
Bugs creator.
Features destroyer.
Template killer.

Re: Need advice migrating a large site from SMF 1.x

Reply #2 –

Thanks for the welcome and also for the quick and detailed reply! :)

Quote from: emanuele – I pass on that one because it's a while I don't touch OI (yeah, I should start breaking it again! LOL).
AFAIR there is an 1.1 importer, but with an install as old as yours I would really suggest to first move up to 2.0, there were a lot of changes between 1.1.5 and the likely 1.1.13/15 the importer is based on.
Thanks. I'll follow your suggestion on this.

Quote from: emanuele – Indeed, a gallery is a piece of code really missing...
At the moment, the only way I would feel to suggest is the "write from scratch" thing, unfortunately attachments are (still) almost entirely tied to messages, so make them work as a gallery would at least require a fake topic...well, a while ago I did something like that, it was a somehow hidden board, and any image uploaded to the profile was a topic with an attachment (and the replies could be the comments to the image). Actually it's not so difficult to realize that way, it just requires a lot of custom queries and a bit of playing with the board index,
If you are in the mood of some coding, feel free to ask, I may even be able to find the code (it was based on SMF 2.0, but it was already thought with ElkArte in mind).
I was thinking I'd have to do something from scratch too, but the "fake topic" method makes a lot of sense. If you can find the code from your previous attempt at that, let me know. I'd like to see what I can do with it.

Quote from: emanuele – The main point is that SP is the only portal available for ElkArte. :P
Good to hear. I shall use SP then!

Quote from: emanuele – The tables are basically the same IIRC.
The huge difference is the password hashing method, but it should be just a matter of changing a function.
Also good to hear. Sounds like this shouldn't be much of a problem.

Re: Need advice migrating a large site from SMF 1.x

Reply #3 –

re gallery: I'm in the middle of making one. Nowhere near done, though, so best not to hold off your custom implantation in anticipation.
LiveGallery - Simple gallery addon for ElkArte

Re: Need advice migrating a large site from SMF 1.x

Reply #4 –

Quote from: kosmic7 – I was thinking I'd have to do something from scratch too, but the "fake topic" method makes a lot of sense. If you can find the code from your previous attempt at that, let me know. I'd like to see what I can do with it.
Sure!
Bugs creator.
Features destroyer.
Template killer.
 

Re: Need advice migrating a large site from SMF 1.x

Reply #5 –

Quote from: live627 – re gallery: I'm in the middle of making one. Nowhere near done, though, so best not to hold off your custom implantation in anticipation.

I'm not in a big rush here. I would even hold off a bit if I knew a gallery solution was forthcoming. How long do you think until you'll have it done? Can you give me specifics on how yours will work?