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June 10, 2008 4:25 PM Subscribe
Is it possible to convert a Wordpress database to a BBpress/phpbb forum database, easily?
I have 3 separate Wordpress databases on 3 different sites, to which I have full access. I'd like to condense them to one database, that some PHP-based forum software can handle, and output as a forum. I basically want to have 3 forums, within one Forum, one for each blog, with each blog posting being a single post in it's given forum. I don't want to integrate a blog & forum. I want the blog to be replaced by the forum. Is this possible, and more importantly, is it easily possible?
I have ~300 posts, so doing them one by one isn't an option, sadly. Are there any special methods I should try Googling, or any websites/software that will either do this, or show me how to do it?
I should add that I'm not very proficient with PHP. I can read it at a basic level, but not code in it.
I have 3 separate Wordpress databases on 3 different sites, to which I have full access. I'd like to condense them to one database, that some PHP-based forum software can handle, and output as a forum. I basically want to have 3 forums, within one Forum, one for each blog, with each blog posting being a single post in it's given forum. I don't want to integrate a blog & forum. I want the blog to be replaced by the forum. Is this possible, and more importantly, is it easily possible?
I have ~300 posts, so doing them one by one isn't an option, sadly. Are there any special methods I should try Googling, or any websites/software that will either do this, or show me how to do it?
I should add that I'm not very proficient with PHP. I can read it at a basic level, but not code in it.
By the way, why are you doing this, if I may be so bold? In my Googling to see if anyone had written code to do this before, I've come across some posters who have made moves from blogs to forums, or vice versa, usually for reasons that weren't necessary, e.g. spam. If you're simply wanting one common site, WPMU is a multi-user, multi-blog version of WordPress.
posted by fogster at 5:07 PM on June 10, 2008
posted by fogster at 5:07 PM on June 10, 2008
Okay, I was bored so I started comparing table structures. On the surface, it's easy, just mapping fields to each other. But I did think of a few wrinkles while I was looking:
- WordPress lets anyone comment, whereas phpBB requires that they register. There are two ways to reconcile this: one is to have the code create a new user for every distinct username it's seen, but this is imperfect: if I post as "Matt" and then "Matthew," that'd be two users... Similarly, if I post as Matt, and my friend posts as Matt, it'd be the same account. I figure a so-so solution here is better than no solution, though. A second choice would be to simply create an "Old Commenter" or something user, who would 'own' all of the comments for the import.
- WordPress posts could various HTML not allowed in phpBB posts, be it embedded images and video or whatnot.
- I'm still looking through the tables a bit (did I mention I was bored?)...
posted by fogster at 5:35 PM on June 10, 2008
- WordPress lets anyone comment, whereas phpBB requires that they register. There are two ways to reconcile this: one is to have the code create a new user for every distinct username it's seen, but this is imperfect: if I post as "Matt" and then "Matthew," that'd be two users... Similarly, if I post as Matt, and my friend posts as Matt, it'd be the same account. I figure a so-so solution here is better than no solution, though. A second choice would be to simply create an "Old Commenter" or something user, who would 'own' all of the comments for the import.
- WordPress posts could various HTML not allowed in phpBB posts, be it embedded images and video or whatnot.
- I'm still looking through the tables a bit (did I mention I was bored?)...
posted by fogster at 5:35 PM on June 10, 2008
There are no converters that I know of that convert the contents of a WordPress database to that of a phpBB or bbPress database. So, since you say you are not very comfy with the idea of programming in PHP, it might be better to seek support from someone who has a little time to spare to write one such for you.
fogster's observation about the names of the commenters is interesting too, maybe you just want to make the name of the commenter an excerpt or some form of text that is displayed and attribute all old comments to one generic "John Doe" user, like he suggests.
Good luck :)
posted by carthik at 7:36 PM on June 10, 2008
fogster's observation about the names of the commenters is interesting too, maybe you just want to make the name of the commenter an excerpt or some form of text that is displayed and attribute all old comments to one generic "John Doe" user, like he suggests.
Good luck :)
posted by carthik at 7:36 PM on June 10, 2008
Response by poster: Sorry, I should have been more clear. There are no comments. The posts are just a table with half a dozen rows and 2 columns. No images, etc. The blogs themselves are private - only I know of their existence. I store bits of info pertaining to my diet and such on them, and I use a blog because I post every day. The forum would be private too.
I'm doing it because maintaining 3 different blogs is a pain, what with upgrades and such, and I just want somewhere to store the info.
posted by Rabulah at 10:25 PM on June 10, 2008
I'm doing it because maintaining 3 different blogs is a pain, what with upgrades and such, and I just want somewhere to store the info.
posted by Rabulah at 10:25 PM on June 10, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
Are there comments on each post? Do you want to allow comments? Would this operate as an ongoing forum, e.g. people signing up, posting?
There are tools from moving between similar platforms, e.g. MovableType <—> Wordpress, or phpBB <—> vBulletin. But I think what you're doing would require some custom code, just because it's not done that often.
posted by fogster at 5:02 PM on June 10, 2008