UBB.threads PHP Forum Software Community Forums UBB.threads Importer Support Import from vBulletin

Definitely something I want to get done. I've been working at making the importers a bit more portable, so it's easier to write them without having to duplicate a ton of code.

Since I can probably re-use a bit of the PHPBB2 importer code for 3.0, it probably won't be too bad. Possibly after I finish the SMF and VB ones.

I believe there where a few things "left out" when I last checked the phpbb2 importer; this was some time ago when we where first looking at it.. when i had a phpbb2 forum to import lol... The discussion in pt's covers all findings from back then; if you still have it...

So any updates on the vB importer then since it's been a month & half or so?

7.4.1 got in the way, however the SMF one is finished and is in testing with a couple customers (was pretty basic so it was quick). Vbulletin hopefully coming soon.

Any news on the vbulletin importer?

I am thinking that the importers do need a little love before hardcore dev on v8... Seems to be a lot of customers waiting to flock in from FUsionBB, VB, Phorum, etc...

would be nice to see some hardcore love on the documentation too.. prior to 8.0

Yeh, I'd be more than willing to dedicate some time on some things, but some items need love that I don't use, namely the Paypal integrations...

Do you have a new time frame for this importer?

Your right, many do.

Guess PHPBB3 needs to be added to the list as well now lol...

Ok, so here's the scoop. Currently importers are a pretty big pain in the rear. Each has to be completely written from scratch. They are also very hard to maintain every time we do database alterations.

What I plan to do is write some sort of core code that can be used for all importers and then for each forum we want to bring in, we just need to write a much smaller portion of code.

I have 1 person that has offered to tackle this actually, but need to see if they really want to do it as it's a pretty big job. Otherwise, this will probably have to wait until we're done with v8.

Why not have the importers for a specific version of ubb.threads only, and keep that version available for download for migration purposes? Just like 6.5.5 is available for just that reason.

I'm kind of hoping to hear "Because the member area already looks like crap" ...

I think I do a pretty good job of keeping it orderly, thank you very much.

Gizzy has a point though, in that it does get confusing, Yarp, having a different importer for every version of threads and every version of (whatever your importing from goes here). I used to maintain these long ago and it gets to be darned near a full time job. Every time we make a db change we fix the importers. Every time someone else makes a change... we have to fix their importers. If they make a whole version jump, like v2 to v3 we have two importers to keep up. I do not envy whoever takes on this task.

This thread/topic/request is heading towards its three year anniversary and there still isn't an import for vB? Wow. Sigh.

Yeah, a bit of a disappointment for sure. The main problem has been the complexity of writing importers, some are fairly easy, some are very troublesome to get right since each one currently has to be written from scratch.

I'm working with a couple people that may be doing an entire import system for version 8. Still in the planning state at this point, but the goal is for a system to allow for quicker turnaround time. Instead of having to write an entire importer each time, we'll just need to write some functions to grab the data we need out of what we're importing from. We also plan on having the ability to only import certain portions instead of having to import the entire forum.

Rick,

This is a huge thread, with lots of good back and forth. I am looking at the possibility of merging in a vBulletin set of forums. Any progress on an importer on this?

Thanks!

Neil

We don't have this for version 7.x, but we will for version 8. We're completely rewriting the importer system to accomplish a few things such as quicker turnaround in creating new importers.

This one was close to being finished, but things changing on both our side and their side kind of shelved it. With the new importer system we'll have an easier time not creating and keeping things up to date.

Hi,

Are there any updates about a vBulletin importer? We're interested in converting but would obviously need to be able to import our database.

Thank you!

Yes, we have an importer available now for vBulletin.

It has been out for a while as far as I know.
https://www.ubbcentral.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=230298

Thank you. Sorry for resurrecting and old thread but I thought this was the latest one on the topic.

The following importers are all available from the members area:
From UBB.classic 6.7.x
From UBB.threads 6.5.x
From PHPBB 2.x
From PHPBB 3.x
From SMF 1.1.x
From vBulletin 3.6+

Thanks for the importer. It will be very useful for me to import my old board.

Slight bump. I'm doing a test run importing from vB3.8.4 and the lengthy thread import seems to have run fine, but as soon as it gets to the mods it stalls:

No 'continue' type link, just this text, and the page source makes clear the script has stopped dead in its tracks (no </body> for example). Any idea what could cause this?

Try to refresh the page; it should just continue where it left off

If it continues to choke on that point, just open up a support ticket and we'll get it figured out and fixed for you.

I didn't get it either, lol

It was a joke about the creator of vBulletin being unhappy that someone would want to import a vBulletin into a UBB.threads. Sarcasm....

ok i have imported vbulletin 3.5 to ubbthreads 7.b2.
First i have imported to ubb 6.5.5 whit the yaml file.
Nex install ubb7.2b and import from ubb 6.5.5 now runnig the board live.
Only the qoutes from vbulletin are not good and no pm's are imported.

I think that you should just be able to go from vBulletin v3 directly to UBB.Threads 7.2 then upgrade to the latest from there.

Your method, of going through the old YAML file, won't import private topics as far as i know.

Hey, in 2018, can this import from vBulletin 4.x?

The only available vBulletin importer that is in the member area is for vBulletin v3.8.x, which was released on Oct 26, 2009; nothing newer is available. Additionally, this importer was released along side UBB.threads v7.5.4.

Personally, I have not done any testing of the vBulletin importer with any current build of either product; I'd advise any testing on importing data with an old importer to be done with the version of UBB.threads that is closest to the release date of the importer.