Facades Resurrection - Run multiple unique sites with one VB database (BETA) (3.7-4)
 

This mod is being released AS IS...

The original mod was moved to the Graveyard. I suggest you read up on it here:
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=229858

I did not program this mod and can not provide any support.

The original coder was: ibautocommunity

He marked this as "resuable code" so I have re-uploaded it so someone might find this and further develop it.

If you can develop this please include credit to the original author- I didn't change anything but the version number and thread URL so I need no credit.

Please release updates on vBulletin.org for the benefit of the community.

Thank You.

PS. According to vBulletin you MUST have a separate license for each domain with unique content so this mod does not allow you to make multiple sites for free.

Use at your own risk. I do not even have this installed on my own site but it has been reported to work with 3.7.x, 3.8.x and 4.0.x versions... Make sure you make backups before testing on a live site.

This info was from the original post when this mod was released:
As you can see this mod was originally released by Internet Brands.

Reserved

Demo please!

I can't demo because as mentioned I don't have this installed on a publicly viewable install. There were a couple of demos mentioned in the original thread which I linked too, but I don't know if they are still using it or not.

Would this be a good idea? If you've got several "unique" sites which all rely on one DB, and that db takes a dump, you don't lose one site. You lose several. That is of course unless it's salvageable.

Just playing devils advocate in one of those, "worse case scenarios".

If you're properly backing up your database you should NEVER lose anything but up to the last backup which should be less than 24 hours of data...

The benefits of a single membership database, single install from which to administer and install mods and such would outweigh the chance of a major disaster IMO...several sites out there work like this now but they don't use this particular mod (or if they do they don't admit it.)

In its current state this mod might not be ready for prime time but it's a really good start.

Does anyone know why this was moved to the graveyard in the first place? Security issues, support issues, etc?

well as i see this's in BETA stage . and have some troubles .

in my opinion is done and i try to run this in one server - "private"

We had a discussion about this on vbulletin.com, I was told by other users it was probably at the request of the author- there wasn't any known security exploit or major error- it seems like Internet Brands simply decided for whatever reasons they no longer wanted to further develop this mod. Because it is so unique I (and others) felt it would be of service to the community to re-release it in hopes it might spur further development.

A few words backup, backup then setup an test enviroment where you can test it out never do this live.

The original author reported on vb,com today that he is working on a new version of this mod for vb 4.0.x. No estimate given on the release though.

I would rock the hell out of this.

thanks for posting this again
[high]* Brandon Sheley grabs a copy before it's gone :)[/high]

The demand is insane for this.

Thanks for posting it, this is exactly what is needed to spur further development. Isn't there anyone talented enough in the community to develop this?

This is my dream mod, I won't give up hope. VB 3 sites have run this successfully somehow.

I would love to read some experiences with installing and running this hack.

This is a very interesting approach. Thanks Sticky for pointing it out.

It's definitely different than the other approaches I've reviewed. I think this approach has many advantages -- as it doesn't require you to bifercate your database and hack all of your PHP files. It also has some disadvantages -- as it shares all of your same plug-ins. I'm not sure that's a good thing.

I'm looking at the code, and I'm not sure this will work with friendly URL's or vbSEO. Maybe I'll run some experiments on this tonight.

Updates? I am very interested, however unable to test. I will wait patiently on the tests others are running. =)

Very Interested

For a demo I have this on my site: http://www.webmasters-resort.com you will see a drop down at the top of the page where you can browse through and click on other sites which are all "linked" to the one database.

This modification was originally used to get things started however a number of updates and changes to the codes have been used in order to work out some small issues but they have now been resolved and working fine.

As you can see (if you go to the demo I posted above) the forums relating to the boards are all unique per domain name, however things like introductions, and general discussions are shared among all websites.

The important thing for this is to ensure that you have a license for each board you wish to run otherwise you will be going against the terms and conditions and your "network" will be illegal.

Could you please share your version that includes the updates and code changes?
I am much in need of this and it looks like its running well on your forums.
What limitations does your version currently have?

My version was having a search issue eg: when you go to members profile and click Find Posts started by [user] etc however we are in the middle of fixing up the code and hope to have it done tonight and then we will be testing it on the site.

Check out http://www.webmasters-resort.com to begin with, two of our boards (Sportainment and Sports Force) are offline while we change some things but it will show you how these things are working etc.

is this mod so you can share users across multiple vbulletin sites?

Yes... 1 user database over multiple forums- but you need to buy a separate license for each forum you run- even though it's only 1 install.

VB4 users check out this mod: https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=254197

I'm getting this error after installation:
My settings are:
[my-forum.com]|bburl=my-forum.com/forum|homeurl=my-forum.com|catids=13,56,335,3,9,46,14|styleid=1|


Does anyone have a clue?

I have over 400 forums. Do I need to enter all forumids in the catid array or only the main category forumids?

Yes and no, he did state it was to improve it and they did just that for 4.x here: https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=254197

Many of us had a copy from the first release that does not mean since it said re-usable code that I or anyone else would simply upload it (besides you apparently) without making changes and adding in features due to the reason it was removed and how it was specifically stated it would be revised and re-released for 4.x. On top of that, imo you don't have the ability to properly support or add new features for 3.x - If I'm wrong please correct me.

Edit: I was wrong about Joe I must admit, he is offering support for this to the best of his ability imo and also helping out moreso in the Cerebrus thread too so my sincere apologies for jumping the gun Joe!

1- Reusable code means yes I can reupload since the original mod is down...
2- I confirmed the above with vb.org staff beforehand
3- I did make minor changes
4- Many mods here are marked unsupported... even more are marked supported but aren't...
5- I could add some features if I thought it would be of value, within reason.

:) Why would you want to deny this mod to all the people interested?

That's not how I intended my words to be interpreted...

^ I mean based on your comments and current modification releases I simply don't see how your qualified to post this, agreed that your offering no support same as the 4.x version however your in her doing so with simple things so that tells me you don't grasp what's going on in the entire modification your only answering what suites you and then will fall back on "Not supported" or offer an excuse if someone posts a pertinent question imo. I hate to say it but I suspect your a script kiddie - hey I could be wrong as many have assumed that by my low class mod releases until they have a custom product coded and installed on their site so again maybe I'm wrong however when you state a ? mark after vB Class above and you mention in another post how you make it a point to state your a "Coder/Designer" on vb.org with the quality of your releases it makes me wonder, honestly it does in a professional sense and why I worded it "softly" to begin with, sorry to drag it out in the open further but I do not want to deny anyone I simply believe everyone deserves better.

As I said, if I'm wrong feel free to correct me, I've been guilty of foot --> in mouth before we're all human.

I'm not qualified to post this? Really? Maybe you could point me to the test I need to take before I have your blessing to post things?

Seriously... What does it say in my initial post... let me paste it here:

Nothing would make me happier than a better coder than I take over this mod and post it here for the community to enjoy. Besides the "re-usable code" I give explicit permission- nay, explicit encouragement for someone to further develop this mod.

I didn't post this for any other reason then to energize interest in development of this mod. Who knows who might come across this and get that coder's "itch" to take it and run with it.

I just don't get your anger over why this was posted- are you mad you didn't think to post it so now you're not getting credit for the 7 "marked as installed" credits? Because if you want to post it and offer your expert support in your own thread, please do, I will even post a link to it in the top post here directing people to your thread.

I've never heard the term "Script Kiddie" but I can deduce it's a derogatory name more advanced programmers give to those not so advanced... so I guess I am...

I don't know where I stack up in the scheme of things in terms of my vbulletin coding abilities- I'm a self admitted jack of all trades and master of none. Does this put me in the top 50% of coders here or the top 90%, I don't know, I don't usually get into d!ck measuring contests, frankly I know I'll lose. All I know is every week I help many people on this forum, I get lots of thank yous in posts and PMs and I know me being here has helped a large number of people use and enjoy their forums better than had I not been here- and that's all the thanks I need- although the occasional donation is appreciated.

I really have no idea about the VB Class error in question because it's a result of vBulletin 4.x code and I currently have _zero_ desire to learn or support vB4 besides the occasional porting of my own mods.

The reference to being a "Coder/Designer on vb.org" was a joke in another thread. I really don't know who decides who is a Member, Contributor, Coder, Designer, or Coder/Designer... I released a couple of BB Codes and gave some basic PHP help, then I made some graphics to help someone else and I login one day to see I've now been deemed a Coder/Designer... I found it funny at the time... Since then though I have released real mods, template edits, and the like so I guess I grew into it.

What is wrong with the quality of my releases? How have they failed to meet your superior standards?

I'm not a professional coder, I don't claim to be- I don't read journal articles on the pros and cons of new search algorithms. When I make a mod I have Google working overtime searching this site and php.net and anywhere else I can find answers. I'm sorry if you think that doesn't qualify me to release products on this site, but the ~480 installs I do have marked on legitimate mods I'm sure would disagree with you.

I guess you can't please everyone...

If BirdOPrey wouldn't have posted it here, it would not be around. He checked with the staff and with the author. Where is the problem?

Would it be better if a developer with higher qualifications takes this over and support it? Sure.
Are you nominating yourself Superman?

Well that's a known fact (pleasing everyone lol) and realize by my statement below to Alfa in terms of how I meant things following your read here. In short they are just a bunch of template edits, if your not interested in learning vB4 then why browse the 4 mod releases and take code you admitted just now to knowing and caring little about and try to convert for 3.x with a unsupported flag waving around above your head then offer support?

Alfa,

Not saying some of the things he is implying and simply pointing out the obvious on a few key subjects many people here overlook daily... why install something re-released by someone with less experience than the original developer? It's silly to do things like that, it's too often I run across contradictory statements by others that make me question their capabilities, motives, and other... It's bad enough we have had others blatantly release mods without permission, now we have those with less ability with the original author re-releasing, all I'm saying is that should not be allowed and it's asking for trouble. Is it a rule? No, should it be? IMO yes, will that change? Perhaps or perhaps not that is not my call however as I have seen with many here before me including staff it's also perfectly fine to speak your mind within reason so I'm not going to come back here and post again and derail the thread in the least but I will always maintain my position of not touching a free modification released in this manner and I urge others to do the same, be careful what you install from who and do your homework before installing a modification.

I'm certainly not nominating myself as I have a business to run and three children to make laugh on a daily basis - my support is on my own time and terms, not at the discretion of others who assume that by speaking my mind I'm some sort of righteous guru in the least and that by such assumptions they also assume I should defend myself, well I have but to what point? It's so simple, I before becoming "In the know" simply knew it was not my place to release something I was not 100% familiar with supported or not, I've always been fortunate to realize my current skill level and only offer what I know, others simply p*ss in the wind and hope to stay dry while counting money or installs, if it had anything to do with 480+ installs proving anything contradictory to my statement as noted above then we could continue with this but sadly I must now exit this conversation before it becomes a thread blown completely out of proportion with two who don't understand why I say these things ;).

Edit: I realize a lot of things. I see the post below but it still falls back to imo, I can speak my mind and still don't agree with it being released this way whether Anders was happy or not, you decided to poke and prod, I initially only poked. I understand you don't get me at all, that's been evident from your ramblings about a measurement contest above and 480+ installs. - Just to be clear, I want others to have what they "want" and no doubt there will be many who use this, comment in the thread just like Alfa but that was never my point, it's how you released it, permission or not that simply does not sit well with me.

"Jjust" template edits? You realize it's more efficient to make a template edit than a mod, right? You understand that directly editing a template brings better performance than making a PHP plugin which in turn injects HTML or evaluates yet another template, right? So all things equal a template edit to do X is better than a mod to do X... yeah it might not be easier for the admin but it's better for performance... so maybe you will rethink the expression "just a template edit." Also I did recently release my first "real" mod (AKA product installable mod) and will be releasing another one shortly.

I didn't take the VB4 code for this mod, this was a 3.8 mod and the 4.0 mod improves upon it and in doing so it loses 3.x compatibility. I was just curious if the mod would work on 3.8... I don't ever even browse the 4.0 forums usually, but I saw it specifically linked from a thread I was active in on vb.com so it caught my interest. I'm very interested in seeing this mod further developed... if it means someone develops it on 4.x then so be it- maybe someone will come along and downgrade it to 3,x later on. I'm just covering all my bases.

Support flag waving? So you're mad I'm offering support even though it's unsupported? I don't get you at all... I haven't even offered any real support- I just answer questions I think I may know the answer to, no matter who the thread is by or what the mod is marked.

The bottom line is if I didn't release this mod no one would have and a lot of people who otherwise would have had access to it would have missed out. ALSO the original author of this mod was HAPPY to see it re-released. To be quite frank there are forces involved here you don't understand, but you shouldn't need to understand them- you should see this and be happy.

Instead you make the "good" the enemy of the "perfect."

Listen I don't want to argue... I use my own forum for arguing.. I see you said you want out of this conversation... fine.. let's just agree to disagree on this... You don't think I should have released this mod, I do, and I did, so it's done. Lets go on our merry ways...

Agreed, not my style to derail a thread and no sense saying we won't cross paths in the future on a subject we both agree on :D, we simply don't see eye to eye on this subject as you said ;). Enjoy the rest of your night, I'm off to give the kids a bath myself Mr. Bubble anyone?

Any news regarding the further development?

It's unlikely there will be any further development of this mod, especially for 3.8. The 4.x version is here.

I'm using my own version of Facades in 4 forums. I haven't seen this mod's code, instead I use just three plugins.

One for global_start (overruling config.php data depending on the host I'm being visite from)
One for style fetch (forcing a style depending on the host, redirecting if someone tries to visit a thread or forum that belongs to another host)
One for cache_preordered_forums (hiding subforums not belonging to current domain).

You can see the result at

http://www.chw.net/foro/
http://www.mobilecloseup.com/foro/
http://www.niubie.com/foro/
http://www.fayerwayer.com/foro/


That's for the basic stuff. I've had to perform little tweaks to add some extra functionality, like forcing the same avatar and signature on every domain (NFS mounting of those folders), disabling vbseo for domains other than the main (I just couldn't make it work and I'm not installing a nulled to try otherwise) and tinkering with the sitemap plugin to exclude different subforums depending of the host from which it's being ran.

Thanks for posting this Joe. You're the man!!!

If I read what you're saying, you mention different hosts... does this mean each domain has it's own database? If so that's very different then what this mod does. There is a lot of demand for stuff like this, you should consider releasing your code either way- you'd be a hero to many. :D

No prob but once again I didn't make nor do I support this mod. All praise goes to the original developer.

Just one DB, the config.php file is the same, but I overwrite some settings in a global_start plugin (bb title, main site adress) and yes, I have 4 licences (as if 3.8 licences were worth something these days). Also, the 4 of them update from the same svn repo. This is just in order to keep every mod syncd.

The problem with releasing this as a product is I lack experience to do that. Most of the code is in the plugins and some conditionals on the templates. In those plugins my 4 hosts are hard coded.

The style for each host and the redirection if you're in the wrong domain (plugin in style_fetch hook)

Which forum is shown in each host: a plugin in the cache_ordered_forums hook:


and a change in config to display the right title and url (global_start hook)

(I don't need to change anything for chw.net since it uses the default config.php values)
And that's pretty much everything.