Categories And Domains
 

Hi I would like to implement the following setup and point different categories to different domains as follows.

- General Chat - www.mainmobilesite.com
- Topic 1 category www.mobilebrand1.com
--- Topic 1 subforum 1
--- Topic 1 subforum 2
- Topic 2 category www.mobilebrand2.com
--- Topic 2 subforum 1
--- Topic 2 subforum 2

I am not sure how this will work but all the categories need to link back to the main site and show they are a category of the main site keeping the new posts updated etc etc to confirm with licensing.

So if any one knows how to do this please let me know, I do have the following questions to set this up??

1) If I point a category to a domain how do I configure that domain on my host and vb setup? I know how to use URL's to make a category but how to make the domain display the category if that makes sense? Say I have

www.mobile1.com

How do I make mobile 1 display the category it needs to? Do I need to park all my domains onto the folder where the VB install is? I have a VPS so I have root access and know my way around a shell?

2) I am assuming this will not harm SEO as there will not be any duplicate information?

3) How does login / logout work passing between domains? I saw on the parrot site that once you visited a category a java script would pop up asking you to login again and it would automatically login you into the new domain? Is there a hack to do this? I saw cookie cutter for 3.7 but I am on 3.8.

4) How do I ensure the new posts section is updating across the domains? I am assumning that would come from answer 1??

Look forward to some suggestions so I can get my site off the ground :up:

3) I'm pretty sure that when you set the cookies up correctly (not default, but a custom setting), then you should be fine going between the different domains. I think... I've never done that.

4) Since you will only have one instance of vbulletin and thus one database, then any post made anywhere will be available in the database.

Thanks for that, now I just have to figure out how to configure the domains etc....

--------------- Added [DATE]1236977326[/DATE] at [TIME]1236977326[/TIME] ---------------

I got the cookie thing sorted.....

Just as a test I i backed up my entire vb install and put it in another domain, installed CES cookie cutter and I can share cookies between both domains.

So just need to figure out the configuration of the following now and I am done!

1) If I point a category to a domain how do I configure that domain on my host and vb setup? I know how to use URL's to make a category but how to make the domain display the category if that makes sense? Say I have

www.mobile1.com

How do I make mobile 1 display the category it needs to? Do I need to park all my domains onto the folder where the VB install is? I have a VPS so I have root access and know my way around a shell?

If you search on "domain" in "all mods" "titles only", you'll find some mods for using a different style for different domains. I'm not sure if that would help out. It may have a query in it that would be useful for you to show certain categories based on the domain.

Thanks for the help Lynne its appreciated. Now I am not a code junkie and have only just been reading on this...

I think you need to do the following, firstly two folders for each domain

Main Site
Category Site

Main Site and Category site are just copies of one another same config file and database file all just pointing to the one database. If you visit either site you get to the same information.

One this is done then you need to do the following,

1) On the category site change the forum display code so that when the site loads you only see a category rather than all the forums? I don't think this can be configured in the admincp as this will break the main site

2) Modify header and footer of category site so they have main site details and the url's do not get overwritten and ensure the subforum links are there to show the person they are in a category site of the main site.

Now I was reading some where about $vbulletin variable but not sure what it does.

So does anyone know how to change the code layout of the forum sowhen you load a domain you only see a specified category? Is it done through a variable or some other way.

Could be going about this the wrong way but just want to see how others are doing it!!!

Appreciate the help! :):D

Is it a complete separation? or just to show some categories and hide some others?
If an user know the forumid, will he be able to access the child forums of a category?

Not a complete separation site just display a category on a new domain and the header and footer of the category needs to be the same as the main site.

The configurations is as follows,

- General Chat - www.mainmobilesite.com
- Topic 1 category - www.mobilebrand1.com
--- Topic 1 subforum 1
--- Topic 1 subforum 2

Does that make sense?

You can see a similiar setup here,

http://www.papegaaienforum.nl/

If you click on "Ara Papegaaien" it takes you to

http://www.araforum.nl/

But the header and footer point you back to the main domain http://www.papegaaienforum.nl/

Got it, I believe I can do it.

Does it require a new license for every domain name?

Regards

Thanks Milad,

Licence issue was discussed in an earlier thread and this is the response.

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....55&postcount=7

Have sent you a PM to discuss further.

If anyone else has information they can share how to do this I would appreciate some input?

Hello

Thought about it, there are many possible implementations, we can pick up the best, for both performance, and appearance.

Will talk to you through PMs.

Regards

Thanks for the info Milad I will take your paid offer into consideration.

Still trying to have a crack myself? Anyone else done this?

I have come to some information but not sure how to do it.

1) Rewrite URL so say for example

http://www.mycategorydomain.com/forumdisplay.php?f=4

Would be re written as

http://www.mycategorydomain.com/index.php

Not sure how to do it myself but this may not be good for seo

2) Change forumdisplay template to show only the category you need. Not sure what to edit, had a look through and did not make much sense of it. This still could be bad though as you may end up with duplicate content across both domains when running a sitemap etc.

3) Change forumdisplay.php to only list the one category. This seems like the best option that I can see as I am guessing if forumsdisplay only generates ones category it would be good for seo as there would be no duplicate content across the domains.

Any out there know how to do this?