Two domains, two licenses, one server, one vB, possible?

[mini2]

Hello,

Like some advice please, I've asked for some feedback/help at vBulletin.com, but nothing much doing over there as yet.

I would like to share my forum (www.mini2.com/forum) between two websites I own and run (on the same server, obviously). Both sites will be on the exact same subject (just from different 'angles'), which is why I want a complete 'mirror' of content.

I would like the forum to have two different looks, and two different domain names, so in effect they appear and act as two completely seperate forums. I want all links in each one to the correct domain name. All emails to be from the correct site, and all references to be for the correct site.

So basically, I want to share content and members, but to visitors to domain1 they only ever see any references/links to domain1, and visitors to domain2 only ever see any reference/links to domain2.

All I can think of is that they'd need a different config file, and somehow they would need a different settings database table. Although I've no idea just now how to do this.

I've had using 'styles' suggested, but that's not going to give me the COMPLETE seperation in terms of admin contacts, subscription email 'from' and links etc.

I've searched, but drawn a blank.

Any help or thoughts/ideas much appreciated.

Thanks.

Paul
www.MINI2.com

[mini2]

Thinking about this further, the only things I can see that would need to be different to create this seperation would be that you'd need...

Two different setting database tables.
Two different config.php files (but that's no problem as they will be two different installs).
Possibly two different template tables, but I could probably work it with one.

I would have to probably hack the code and change all references in domain2's install to the alternative table(s).

Anything else people think I might be missing, or that you might like to add?

If/when I do this I'll of course share results, however frightening.

Paul

[mini2]

Nearly done this, 9 files modified, and two database tables need copying.

If I get this to work I will publish details later, although I'm actually working this now on vB3, so I wont post until we're allowed to.

[AmericanWoman]

I'd be very interested to hear how this is going. We're working towards launching a similar concept (across 10 domains and subs!), and the logistics of a shared vBB database are getting complicated.

[mini2]

It's basically done, although I'm not sure I'll use it now! Still might.

The only catch I've encountered (and I will try and work this out probably later this week) is this.

I sign up and use domain1.com, I surf it, post on it, join in on it all fine. Everything I do is reflected on domain2.com, and everything there is reflected on domain1.com.

I've managed (although it took a bit of manual tinkering) to allow different names etc. too, even for forums and categories.

The ONLY issue I've encountered which gives the game away to the user is that private message and subscription notifications are always sent from the domain the private message or new post is posted to. I.e. a user of domain1.com gets sent a PM from a user on domain2.com, the email comes from domain2.com. The same on email notifications.

[mini2]

I've been surprised how incredibly easy it's been, especially considering some of the offers of 'solutions' I've had which don't, or barely, hide the fact they're a shared forum at all!

[AmericanWoman]

We wouldn't care whether the user became aware of it being a shared site, as they'd know about the superentity prior to being aware of subsets.

Easier to explain with examples.

www.acuraworld.com --> this is the superentity, and all that exists right now. It's getting terribly cluttered, so next year we're hoping to launch each of the models as their own subdomain (tsx.acuraworld.com etc), and leave the existing metadata and integrated sales/off-topic intact, while allowing each model to have its own complete community and regional meets/clubs.

Going to be a massive project, and I've been trying to work it all out on paper. I'm glad someone else is doing this same kind of thing already - I'll have to pick your brain!

[fmoise99]

I'm interested in this too. I am will too help out in the testing & developement of this.

[Erwin]

Not hard to do with $HTTP_SERVER if statements in php_include template or global.php The domains should be totally transparent really since the templates are not domain name dependent - at least in vB3.

[AmericanWoman]

Yesterday at 08:32 PM Erwin said this in Post #9
Not hard to do with $HTTP_SERVER if statements in php_include template or global.php The domains should be totally transparent really since the templates are not domain name dependent - at least in vB3.

Therein lies the problem - I refuse to take on even trying to plan out an integration effort of this size without knowing what vb3.0 is going to look like.

Any idea when it's coming to the RC stage, at all, or how far it is from full release?