Separate Sub-domain

Anyone ever try using vbArticles under a separate domain then the forums?

Over at FortFrances.info we are running the forums under talk.fortfrances.info and the articles under news.fortfrances.info. It's actually been rather easy at times to mold it into a news, and frustrating at times too.

For instance, when viewing the individual categories the "Next Page (2 of 2) >>" it points to the forums rather then the news domain. Anyone know where the file is to change that, or how one would go about changing that?

[krispy1812]

Essentially what you have done is created a SUBDOMAIN. (or two sub-domains in your case, more info at bottom concerning this)

Anybody who has the SUBDOMAIN capability with their website is able to do this. The SUBDOMAIN function is created using the DNS (domain naming) system, and essentially creates a 'new domain', albeit a SUBDOMAIN of a TLD (Top Level Domain).

You can call your SUBDOMAIN anything that you want, like forums, bb, board, members, news etc etc. It will work with the same characters that you can use in a top level domain.

For this feature to work correctly, you MUST create the sub domain folder using the SUBDOMAIN features. Some webhosts allow users control panels, like CPanel, where this feature can be activated and sub domains are created. Some hosts allow subdomains but require you to open a support ticket or email them with your chosen SUBDOMAIN name, and they will manually add it for you. Again, some host do not allow this feature.

IF your subdomain has been created correctly, it will simply create another folder in your FTP folders area, using the name you gave it. Assuming that you use the name 'news' for your subdomain, your PROPER URL address for the domain would be:

http://news.yoursite.com

You can also still access the site using the url http://www.yoursite.com/news/ , BUT, this is NOT the url or address that you should use for installation.

INSTALLATION:
When installing your vBulletin into your subdomain, simply ftp your vBulletin up to the newly created folder, in this example, it is 'news'.
THEN, point your browser to the CORRECT SUBDOMAIN URL for installing:
using our example, this would be
http://news.yoursite.com/install/install.php
WHERE YOU WOULD REPLACE THE 'yoursite.com' portion with your correct domain name, MINUS the 'www'.

If you have pointed to the correct URL (http://news.yoursite.com) , then the installation process SHOULD have automatically input the CORRECT SUBDOMAIN details in the domain information boxes that would appear for you to verify during the steps of the install process. I think it's around step 9 or 10, but can't remember offhand.
You should check that this is correct.
You can also check the information from your ADMIN AREA under the vBulletin Options tab, then select SiteName/ URL / Contact Details. On this page, you should be able to verify that the forum is correctly addressed as:
http://news.yoursite.com , and this address should be in your Forum Name/ Forum URL details.


INSTALLING IN ANOTHER FOLDER WITHIN THE SUBDIRECTORY AREA:
You can use the subdomain as a main category area, in this example, assume it's a 'news' section of your website, which would have all your main news areas and links, AND have a seperate folder for your vBulletin board. To do this, you would simply ftp to your site, and create a new folder WITHIN the subdomain folder. Lets assume you call it forums, you new url would then be:

http://news.yoursite.com/forums/ (access install at - http://news.yoursite.com/forums/install/install.php )

Then simply edit your main news area index page to insert a link for the forums, ensuring that you use the correct URL address for it, ie:
http://news.yoursite.com/forums/

USING MORE THAN ONE SUBDOMAIN:

I believe it might also be possible also to create two subdomain sections, as the original poster has done, and also install the vBulletin into BOTH subdomain folders, and have them use the same database, with all the same info available in both sections.


I hope this helps