Miscellaneous Hacks - vbNetwork - share forums with other boards

vbNetwork

Summary

This add-on gives you the ability to share forums with other message boards without having to share any database information. The plugin runs through webservices and uses XML.

Release Notes
Currently the installation is easy but if you want to set up and run your own network it will help if you're familiar with XML. Joining an already existing network is fairly simple.

This plugin is developed using vBulletin 3.8.X and being tested on 3.6.X and 3.8.X. If it works on both of those, I will assume it works on 3.7.X.

If you would like my help writing versions for phpBB, IPB or other message board software, please feel free to contact me.

If you are interested you can join my existing network, but please note that it is mostly a trolling-based community of boards. Feel free to start your own network with other boards.

Product Specifications

1. several plugins
2. one cron job
3. file uploads
4. new DB tables
5. several phrases

Installation
Approx 2-5 mins

See the included installation instructions.

Upgrading/Updating

1. upload all files in the upload directory, overwriting any existing files
2. re-import the XML file, setting "Overwrite" to "Yes"

Configuration

See the included documentation for details.

Support

If you encounter problems or discover any bugs, please create a new issue at: http://code.google.com/p/vbnetwork/issues/list

Change History

• 0.9.0 (2009-02-20) - initial Beta release
• 0.9.2 (2009-05-03) - added (some) logging, fixed bug for 3.8.2
• 0.9.3 (2009-05-03) - added 'Delete' to Network Management, other minor changes
• 0.9.4 (2009-05-08) - added new board and forum management functionality, and some new minor features
• 0.9.5 (2009-05-09) - adds new option to sync network users via email, and added ability to change the network name
• 1.0.0 (2010-06-02) - Version 1.0 for vBulletin 3.8.X

Sample

This is one shared forum on three different boards (the content of this forum may be NSFW).
http://www.anothermessageboard.com/f...splay.php?f=29
http://www.juot.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=50
http://www.drunkensquirrel.net/com/f...splay.php?f=28

PLEASE CLICK INSTALL!

[Outbackmark]

How big is big? I have it working on one board with over 8.5 K members and 75 K posts and it is fine, works like a bomb, thanks Zethon very good stuff!!!

[OcR Envy]

No one took this up for porting to work with phpBB and SMF?

[BlueNinjaGo]

So, any plans on changing this out of BETA stage?

[|Jordan|]

Wow this mod is complicated to set up.

Some detailed documentation on how to do this would be great.

Doesn't make sense to release something so complicated with vague instructions. How do we beta test if we can't get it working?

It reminds me of those vague Ikea instructions on how to assemble a table. By the time you're done, you've assembled a shelf instead.

[xcesivvs]

This is a fantastiv Mod for me.

I sponsor a lot of forums and i have to post and repost the same message on all the forums, if i get them all to do it i can save heaps of time

I would love to see this pass Beta

[Outbackmark]

Just one little funny to report, when I turn on the "Check Network Emails" function, it posts a copy of incoming posts in a totally unrelated and non networked forum. I turned off the email check function and all is good again.

@Jordan I will try and put together some easy to follow instructions, having just set 3 boards up on a new network I think I have it beat.

[kwblue]

Originally Posted by Outbackmark

Just one little funny to report, when I turn on the "Check Network Emails" function, it posts a copy of incoming posts in a totally unrelated and non networked forum. I turned off the email check function and all is good again.

@Jordan I will try and put together some easy to follow instructions, having just set 3 boards up on a new network I think I have it beat.

I would appreciate those instructions too I tried like hell to get this working on just 2 forums and could not get it to work at all. I swear I am not that dumb!

[Outbackmark]

LOL KW, I have PMed the author asking his permission to repost the altered instructions, but no reply as yet.
If he has not replied in another day I will just post them.

[Bill from Cleve]

Originally Posted by trickfly

Sounds good, I installed it on my site here: www.symbiangalaxy.org

Anyone wanna join my network ?

This looks like a fun hack. I'm going to install it and share a thread with ya. PM me with a thread you want to share.

[Bill from Cleve]

Originally Posted by nutnut

Great idea! Any idea why this table didn't get created when I installed? I also noticed that when I try uninstalling the product and reinstalling the previous data doesn't get deleted.

Database error in vBulletin 3.8.0:

Invalid SQL:

SELECT * FROM forumnetwork_sub
LEFT JOIN network_node
ON (network_sub.node_code = network_node.node_code)
AND (network_sub.networkid = network_node.networkid)
WHERE (network_sub.networkid = 3) AND (subid = 75)
ORDER BY network_sub.node_code;

MySQL Error : Table 'x_forum.network_node' doesn't exist
Error Number : 1146
Request Date : Sunday, May 10th 2009 @ 11:38:55 PM
Error Date : Sunday, May 10th 2009 @ 11:38:55 PM
Script : http://x.com/forum/admincp/networkforum.php
Referrer : http://x.com/forum/admincp/index.php?do=nav
IP Address :
Username :
Classname : vB_Database
MySQL Version : 5.0.67-community-log

I'm getting the same error. My guest views are turned on and a reinstall / fresh upload didn't help. Any Ideas what we are doing wrong? I'm using Mysql 5.1.30