Forum Module

[Steven Holder]

Im planning on taking an exsisting forum software like php-bb or maybe starting off with something a little simpler and making it into a module for websitebaker. If anyone has any helpful ideas or suggestions, throw them out to me.

Oh yeah, great job with websitebaker, if not the most easy to use, the most easy to customize CMS out there, period.

[andrea]

I think that PunBB or Easy Forum are best suited for this task.

[Steven Holder]

It would be best if we could find one that looked good that did not use MySQL or that we could easily configure to use the same User/Databse that WB uses.

[fienieg]

punbb is for that task really suited...
You only need to add some collums to the WB user base, and use table prefix, for punbb! So you do not get in the way of WB...

[Ryan]

I would love to help on such a project but don't really have the time, sorry. I can't wait to see the results!

[Steven Holder]

After I finish my work, I work on it in my spare time. Since I have alot of work, It could take some time, but I am looking into punBB. I can easilly implement it so It works with WBs database, but making it into a module so that people just have to hit the install button then create the Page w/ the forum, thats the hard part.

Oh yeah, ryan I have an Idea for the next release version, even though this may not be the right place to put it. WB should have its forums intergrated so that when someone signs up for a particular site, they are already signed up for the forums. Like how they intergrated phpBB and Php-Nuke.

[Steven Holder]

Problem #1:

The module requires the install.php file to create the module in websitebaker.

The forum software require install.php to create the forums config.php file.

Solution:

Before installing the module, the user must unzip it, edit config.php to their stats, then rezip it, then install the module.

Problem #2:

The module requires delete.php, as does the forum software.

Solution:

Haven't thought of one yet.

Other Problems:

There are more files w/ the same name....

[fienieg]

If you create a module, it comes in a sepparrate dir..
so if the install.php and delete.php are the same as for WB, it doesn't matter, there in sepperate dir's...

the only problem is the user_db for the forum and WB, they need to be syncronized...

[Steven Holder]

Yeah, it may come in a seperate directory, but in the module i am making, the file forum.zip cannot have 2 index.php, install.php, and whatever else...

There Is probably a better way to do this since I was just looking at the PickLE gallery module to base mine off of...

And yes they do need to be syncronized. (My english is very good.. o_O)

[fienieg]

It's also possible that, you don't install anything, except the files, to the install dir...

and modify the orginal forum install.php so it will read the db data from the WB config file, and if you installed the "forum" module, that you need to do the regular install of the forum, that way you can customize even phpbb and vbullitin... (the only problem is the user_db settings, how to customizing them, and make sure that when you run the regular install of the forum, that you don't wipe out the initial user_db of WB   )

[Steven Holder]

when you make your forums, you have to set up the database w/ a diffrent prefix than that of the WB one, even if they are on the same database. If you dont, punBB and WB interfer with eachother.

[fienieg]

when you make your forums, you have to set up the database w/ a diffrent prefix than that of the WB one, even if they are on the same database. If you dont, punBB and WB interfer with eachother.

Yes i know that, but what i'm saying is, that the install of for example punbb, needs to be customized... so the installation of punbb won't interfear with the db of WB...

so in you're database you have
- regular db of WB
- prefix_ forum_db

the only problem is, linking the user_db of punbb to the user_db of WB...
and making the user_db of WB suited for punbb (same collums etc..), so you can include "posts made", and the collums nessairy for the punbb profile page... avatar etc..

if that is finished, you must intergrate the user login / signup of WB with PunBB, otherwise you're not able to login with WB or PunBB

[Steven Holder]

Oh, the olny users I add to my WebsiteBaker pages are admins, the rest can sign up to the forums... As there is no Interactive content included with WB, there is no reason to have other users sign up with WebsiteBaker except the Private / Public pages things.

[fienieg]

If that's the case, then what's the problem ??
just dump the files into a zip file, write name... (forum   )
and after you've done that, run the regular forum install script!
and use another prefix for the forum, and you're up and running

[Steven Holder]

erm... making the forum install is the problem... like a WB module, i can install it to my webserver and then just wrap it in, but other non-technically inclined people may not want to do that. So i want to make it so they go Add-Ons > Modules > Install > Browser for Forum.zip > Hit Install > Go To Pages > Create a New Page w/ The Forum Type > Go to that Page > Set up the forums.

[Hans]

I agree with SilverFeces. WB has to stay as userfriendly as it is nowadays. It is - as far as I see - intended for people (like me   ) that want out of the box solutions when it comes to modules, languages and so on.
You should'n have to dig into tables. But one question.
(Why) isn't it possible to make a forum outside WB and use the wrap function to make it part of the WB site?

[fienieg]

erm... making the forum install is the problem... like a WB module, i can install it to my webserver and then just wrap it in, but other non-technically inclined people may not want to do that.
So i want to make it so they go Add-Ons > Modules > Install > Browser for Forum.zip > Hit Install > Go To Pages > Create a New Page w/ The Forum Type > Go to that Page > Set up the forums..

just put all punbb or easyforum (small and easy forums) files in a "forum.zip"...

Then it is:
Add-Ons > Modules > Install > Browser for Forum.zip > Hit Install > Go To Pages > Create a New Page w/ Link type > Click on the link > Run Forum Installation

OR

edit config.php (forum config) to read the value's from the WB config page
extract an ready made forum_db WITH prefix, and turn that into runnable SQL code, so the WB module installer can run it, and add the forum_db things.. And don't forget, that some value's of the SQL code, also need to be adjusted from the WB config page...

[Steven Holder]

But one question.
(Why) isn't it possible to make a forum outside WB and use the wrap function to make it part of the WB site?

It is, in fact thats what Im doing until I finish this module. I am also making afew more modules like a Review system but as I have tons of work and the new semester has started back up at college, I can olny do as much as I can do..

[fienieg]

Yes i have the same problem  
I'm always coming up short of time at the end of every day  

[Ryan]

I think that intergration of an existing forum script/program is not the right answer - maybe someone should try writing one using all snippets of code from an existing one, but totally reconstructing the db tables if needed, etc. I would be happy to write a forum module in 3 months time.

[yugnats]

I would be happy to write a forum module in 3 months time.

that will be awesome! i cant wait:)
well, in the meantime i will try wrapping punnBB:)

PS. Ryan, thanks for such an excellent little CMS!

Stan

[fienieg]

we're working hard on building a forum...

[yugnats]

we're working hard on building a forum...

any good results? anything useable? i haven't looked at punnBB yet so not sure what it will be like to install. it sure looks like it has strong community support though. thanks, stan

ps. i am sure sitebaker will soon have a strong community also:)

[Steven Holder]

meep, punBB is what will make websitebakers community system strong... lol. Seing as it has none now, im just playing with all the tables so this will work good. I can olny do a little per day though.

(It helps to read all the posts before making a comment, so you know what is going on.)

[Anonymous]

(It helps to read all the posts before making a comment, so you know what is going on.)

are you talking to me? what did i miss?
thanks, stan