Importing Discus into a new VBulletin board

[docvader]

I'm in the process of setting up a new Apple Xserve to host the ever burgeoning discussion forum on my web site, russbo.com, and I was thinking of changing from Discusware's Discus forum, to this VBulletin. (I am overly impressed with the functionality and professionalism of your board). Problem is, I have over 8500 messages on the current Discus board, most of which I would like to keep because of its informative value.

I realize that currently there are no hacks for importing Discus to VBulletin, though some people have done it. Quite frankly, I am not computer literate enough to do this importation myself. I'd be willing to employ someone to do this for me, once I purchased the license for VBulletin, and had it set up on my server. VBulletin appears to offer all that I wanted in my new forum, but, it's hard to leave all the data that has been accumulated over the past two years.

Any suggestions? I'd greatly appreciate some help with this issue. Please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Thanks! Appreciate the time and effort.

Richard Russell
doc@russbo.com

[ManagerJosh]

I'm not familar with the board you use. Is it MySQL powered? Etc..

[docvader]

Hi Josh,

Thanks for the quick reply.

The Discus site is here : http://www.discusware.com/discus/index.php

It says it has a "(Pro) Optional MySQL database back end for even better performance", though I'm not aware how to implement this, nor am I aware that I'm using it. The board seems to run via PERL and cgi scripts.

MYSQL appears to be an option, according to the following:

"DATABASE REQUIREMENTS (OPTIONAL FEATURE)

Discus and Discus Pro 4.0 offer an optional interface to a back-end MySQL database. (All features of both software packages will work even if you do not have such a database available.) To store Discus data in a back-end database, your server needs:

MySQL database software running and accessible to you
The ability for you to create and alter tables in database
Perl DBI and DBD::mysql modules to initiate connections to database "

According to the builder of Discus, "The administration instructions for Database Manager are complete and provide the needed information. Changing between flat text files and the MySQL database is a straightforward process, where you supply parameters to connect to the database, then initialize the tables, then import the data from Discus, and finally toggle the database on within Discus. All of this is handled within the Database Manager"

I just have not looked into converting it to the MSQL database. To be honest, MYSQL is a bit beyond me. ("If I can't shoot it and kill it on a computer, I can't do it..." )

Here's the link from the Discus board, as to how to import data into MYSQL:
http://support.discusware.com/center...40/dbmgr02.php

Josh, I appreciate your input on this. I would really like to convert over to Vbulletin, not only because of the capabilities of your software, but because of the huge gathering of support that it seems to have.

Thanks!

Rich

[docvader]

Oh, the forum that I'm currently using is here:

http://www.russbo.com/cgi-bin/discus/discus.cgi

Thanks again,
Rich

PS: BTW, nice Sims website. Impressive!

[ManagerJosh]

are you using a MySQL Backend?

I might be wrong, but it resembles UBB a lot.....

[docvader]

No, I didn't configure it to use MYSQL. I'm just using it as the default text file/perl/cgi script. But from what I've read on the above mentioned pages, it appears that an existing board can be configured to use mysql.

This link describes the importation of the Discus text files into a mysql database:

http://support.discusware.com/center...40/dbmgr04.php

Thanks,
Rich

[ManagerJosh]

Originally posted by docvader
No, I didn't configure it to use MYSQL. I'm just using it as the default text file/perl/cgi script. But from what I've read on the above mentioned pages, it appears that an existing board can be configured to use mysql.

This link describes the importation of the Discus text files into a mysql database:

http://support.discusware.com/center...40/dbmgr04.php

Thanks,
Rich

Basically all it does is give you instructions on how to convert your stuff into a MySQL. Could you tell me which version of the Discuss forums are you using?

I see a normal version and a pro edition.

The import procedure will definitely require MySQL. If you could provide a copy of the MySQL (just the structure), i want to confirm my hunch that a lot of it resembles UBB.

[docvader]

I'm using the Pro version.

As for MYSQL, if it's not on the server, the Discus people recommend getting it off the mysql website. I guess it's just pretty standard.

Thanks,
Rich

[filburt1]

Check out Marc Liyange's site, he has premade packages of MySQL and PHP for OS X

[ManagerJosh]

just wondering filbert, how does this relate to OS X?