Change the forum ID number for the forum here f=?

[bluidkiti]

I have an old forum that has had forums deleted off of it. Now the forums do not run in numerical order. Example below of what you may now have:
http://www.yourforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=1
http://www.yourforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=3
http://www.yourforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=4
http://www.yourforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=8
http://www.yourforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=10
and so on and so forth instead of:
http://www.yourforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=1
http://www.yourforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=2
http://www.yourforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=3
http://www.yourforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=4
http://www.yourforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=5
because you have deleted forums in the past.

Is there a way to change the forum ID number of the forums in the first group so you can once again have the forums in numerical order like the last group?

The real question I have is: Is there a way to change the 10 in this link http://www.yourforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=10 to a 5 so it reads http://www.yourforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=5?

hum, what would it change on your site?

there is no real need for this, as you can basically show your forums the order you want by the settings in your forum manager?!

[bluidkiti]

I would like to have them in order if possible.

Would doing this break my forum?

not breaking, but each threads posted in each forum is attached to the forumID they are in... you would have to have a code that also change that detail... (and the database is "auto-increment", that means it would give a higher number to the next forum you create anyway, breaking your order again)

having them in order is always possible inside the forum manager itself, check this:

Admin CP+>> Forums & Moderators >> Forum Manager

at the right side of each forum you have a field with a number, and you see on top of the list that the field is named "Display Order" ... you simply have to change the number for each forum, ordering them the way you want...

[bluidkiti]

but each threads posted in each forum is attached to the forumID they are in

True, but we are able to move threads from forum to forum therefore changing the original forum ID that the thread was originally in. The same with posts, we are able to move posts.

yeap, because someone coded the engine that do the trick... actually there is no such code for what you need, so you will have to find someone to make it so..

[bluidkiti]

Actually I figured out how to do it just a moment ago. You can go into your database and change the forumID there for the forums you wish to do so but you have to keep in mind that when you do so you either need to change all the other information in there so the threads and posts move with the forum once you change the forumID. If you don't change the other information then after you hit save you have to go back to your board and move your threads and posts back into the forum you changed the ID for. Oh yeah, you also have to update your forum information in the admin CP. btw I am trying all this out on a test forum.

[Lynne]

Don't forget your access masks and your moderators and there are probably other things too.

Nobody is going to care about the forumid. Believe me, only the admin cares. How often do you look at the forumid at any site you go to that isn't yours? I could tell you the forumids of all my forums on my site, but not a single one here.

[bluidkiti]

Thank you Lynne for bringing up those other 2 things. I will recheck those when I am done. There is some work involved in doing this but I am willing. I have my reasons for wanting it like this and that's enough for me. I also have the time to do this. If anyone else has anything else they think of that I might need to change in doing this or suggestions, I am very open to them. Thank you for your help with this. It is very much appreciated. :-)

a detail about the dB... you'll have to play with the auto-increment element to make it the same number you're at, because you would have a gap in-between your old forums and the new ones you will create... ok, it's mostly impossible to be logical in this: you have to complete your forum restructuration, then export your actual forum table only, with the content, and then check the auto-increment at the end of the table creation. you delete the table and import back the new modified one... test it before on your test forum.