I'm working on a project that has a user database, authentication, etc...
They have a in-house developed forum/BB system but it's full of holes and needs way to much to work, I'm wondering if there are any forums you are aware of that offer an API to ease integration. Doesn't matter if it's open source or not just need it to be easily themable and integrate into an existing system.
Sitepoint is a good example, Chris can you shed light on how you all integrated vBulletin. Was it a great amount of hacking and effort? Do they offer an API to simplfy integration? Do they document it really well so I would know what files to change, update, etc?
Forum integration
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alex.barylski
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Re: Forum integration
Integrate what? I've "integrated phpBB" with multiple code bases, usually we just bridge the user tables and re-skin phpBB, and we make phpBB "pull" in the layout from the main app.
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alex.barylski
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Re: Forum integration
How do you bridge the user tables?
I just don't want users having to login to more than one system. When they register with the existing site, I want their details added to phpBB tables and when they click the 'community' link on the web site I want them to be redirected to a themed phpBB install and be logged into their account.
I would remove the profile details, links, etc from phpBB so users could not change their login details, except through the main web site.
I just don't want users having to login to more than one system. When they register with the existing site, I want their details added to phpBB tables and when they click the 'community' link on the web site I want them to be redirected to a themed phpBB install and be logged into their account.
I would remove the profile details, links, etc from phpBB so users could not change their login details, except through the main web site.
Re: Forum integration
phpBB is pretty annoying in that respect, since it's global namespace is pretty polluted - just including the necessary files to perform the login will probably cause collisions with class/function names you have in your application. If not, then that's the way to go.
An alternative is to use phpBB own user tables to manage your application users.
Personally, I opted to implementing my own forum system as I was quite fed up with the new templating system/caching in the new phpBB 3 (pretty horrible in my opinion). Though I usually opt to implement open-source packages when they solve a need that's not my main focus, phpBB is really a bitch to maintain with any kind of custom integration / modifications.
I hear though that v Bulletin is much better in this respect. Too bad it's not free.
An alternative is to use phpBB own user tables to manage your application users.
Personally, I opted to implementing my own forum system as I was quite fed up with the new templating system/caching in the new phpBB 3 (pretty horrible in my opinion). Though I usually opt to implement open-source packages when they solve a need that's not my main focus, phpBB is really a bitch to maintain with any kind of custom integration / modifications.
I hear though that v Bulletin is much better in this respect. Too bad it's not free.
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alex.barylski
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Re: Forum integration
Problem is, I'm walking into an existing project that already has an existing user table.An alternative is to use phpBB own user tables to manage your application users.
Haha. I've heard nothing but horror stories in regards to phpBB. I have managed some success with punBB.Personally, I opted to implementing my own forum system as I was quite fed up with the new templating system/caching in the new phpBB 3 (pretty horrible in my opinion).
I'll probably stay away from phpBB -- going on what I have heard of the software over the years.Though I usually opt to implement open-source packages when they solve a need that's not my main focus, phpBB is really a bitch to maintain with any kind of custom integration / modifications
I need to use an existing solution unfortunately. I walked into a project 15 months into development and the code is disaster zone. I'm getting the feeling they are gettin desperate and kind of expect me to save the thing as everything is built as transaction scripts. To make matters worse they have scripts like:
members.php
Which implement several modules, like
members.php
members.php?view=listings
members.php?view=update
members.php?view=create
This makes for some seriously nasty code so all I want to do is remove the un-finished forums, classifieds, blogs, etc and replace them with completed open source projects, but they need to be integrated at least at the login.
I can't help but feel this is going to be almost as much effort as re-writing the damn thing.
Actually thats kind of the idea...but for obvous reasons I don't want to re-write all of these systems, just the core, so hopefully I can tie in the various OSS solutions as well.
Cheers,
Alex
- kaisellgren
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Re: Forum integration
I have integrated my current project into PunBB, MyBB, SMF, phpBB, vB and IP. Board.
The word "integrate" is not selt-explanatory. What would you like to integrate? If you just want to allow users to log in from your site and wice versa, then you just need to take a look at the table structure and how the board hashes and handles the data.
If you have special requirements for your users table, then obviously you can't just customize the board user table that easily especially if the integration has to work with default installations
in that case you need to have two profiles. The users can modify their forum profile and website profile. Then depending on the place either of those two is shown. In the website you show the website profile and the forum shows its own respectively. Just make sure there is a relation between these two tables. That's why we are using relational database management systems.
phpBB is a pain in the smurf. I thought it would be easy to "integrate" it, but was not.
The word "integrate" is not selt-explanatory. What would you like to integrate? If you just want to allow users to log in from your site and wice versa, then you just need to take a look at the table structure and how the board hashes and handles the data.
If you have special requirements for your users table, then obviously you can't just customize the board user table that easily especially if the integration has to work with default installations
phpBB is a pain in the smurf. I thought it would be easy to "integrate" it, but was not.
Re: Forum integration
It wasn't too difficult for me, was a pain though, as long as you know your way on find & replace you'll do fine. By integrate I mean we wrap it in another template & change some CSS, then either modify 1 of the apps to talk to the other's tables directly, or run a synchronization cron every few minutes to update accounts as they change. Normally I don't integrate anything beyond username & password