SMF to XenForo

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qureshi007

qureshi007

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Dear sir I have a website where I am using SMF forum but now I want to change smf and use xenforo for forum but I have a problem that I have my previous posts on smf whom I do to want to waste you can see my old data and posts at my site http://www.achisite.com/ so is there any method available for migration of smf forum to xenforo and is there any discount coupon available ?
 
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I've tried the conversion 2 step with mybb and phpbb and neither was very effective. Several problems would require weeks of work to fix. Can anyone tell me if the conversion tool in vb is more effective? What problems were encountered if any?
 
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Bionic Rooster said:
I've tried the conversion 2 step with mybb and phpbb and neither was very effective. Several problems would require weeks of work to fix. Can anyone tell me if the conversion tool in vb is more effective? What problems were encountered if any?
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I'm sorry I think you misunderstood. Someone suggested doing the 2 step convertion. smf =>mybb or phpbb. Additionally they suggested smf=>vb or ib. So I tested the first 2 without complete success and so I'm now wondering and asking if anyone has converted smf=>vb.
Xenforo doesn't have a conversion for smf so 1 of the 4 suggestions would be required to work before purchasing Xenforo. If those 2 step conversion don't work then there is little point. Make more sense? I hope LOL
 
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Bionic Rooster said:
I've tried the conversion 2 step with mybb and phpbb and neither was very effective. Several problems would require weeks of work to fix. Can anyone tell me if the conversion tool in vb is more effective? What problems were encountered if any?
Click to expand...
Bionic Rooster said:
I'm sorry I think you misunderstood. Someone suggested doing the 2 step convertion. smf =>mybb or phpbb. Additionally they suggested smf=>vb or ib. So I tested the
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I don't think he did.... unless you were mis-spoken when you posted the highlighted part. :whistle:
Pretty sure the demo won't let you do a test import.
 
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Both mbb and phpbb are free. I tried their conversions from smf=>mybb and phpbb. Same as what your second quote of me says. And yes the demo does allow conversions if the path is set to other than 'localhost' you just have to point to the server where the database actually lives.

Edit: I re-read your comment and yes your right, I did mis speak in referance to "2 step". I did the 1 step of converting smf=>mybb and phpbb in preparation for the "2 step" . LOL
 
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I'm currently running a SMF forum with around 50000 posts and we will be moving to another forum software. Right now XenForo looks like the best choice. I have tried Kunena and phpBB and none fulfills the needs.

One major concern is the conversions. Having already tried to migrate to phpBB I know that things like user permissions and user names are messed up. I had the same problems with Kunena moving via phpBB.

Of course everything can be overcome but the user permission concerns me as it will take a while to clean that up. Anyone with experiences in doing an actual conversion that can point to a place were I can read about how to plan and execute. Would like to size the work needed. As we are running complete on voluntary basis with no revenue generated from the forum keeping the cost down would be positive.

Of course, a importer for SMF would be the ideal solution but it seems like it's not in near future.
 
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Did a trial run moving to MyBB and it will be problems there as well. User permissions for boardsand private messages are not transferred. Reading MyBB forums it seems like this is a known problem for long but no bug fixes have been developed.

What I can see on dry-runs, ie only doing the first step of the migration the problems per forum is:

phpBB:
User permissions are not transferred correctly, access to boards and worse administrative rights
Log in names are removed (in SMF you can have one log in name and another name shown)
Special characters (Swedish UTF-8) are in-correctly translated
Quotes are not correctly migrated (there is a fix to apply so this can be fixed)

MyBB
User permissions for boards are not transferred (easy to fix in MyBB)
Private messages are not transferred

Hard to judge which route will take most effort to fix not knowing how the next step of the migration will work. Any experiences of moving into Xenforo? If the import in Xenforo will add additional errors that is a major drawback. Reading forums etc it seems like the migrationfrom SMF to VBulletin is fairly smooth but it's not the platform I would like to implement. On the other hand, getting the data correctly into any new forum is key from a user perspective.

Any insight would be appreciated
 
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@shorepower I've done the same as you with similar results. Doing the 2 step conversion with any platform is going to be a nightmare of hours if not weeks of fixing. I guess if time fixing is an issue then people will have to wait for an official conversion release (if they are planning on one)
 
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Bionic Rooster said:
@shorepower I've done the same as you with similar results. Doing the 2 step conversion with any platform is going to be a nightmare of hours if not weeks of fixing. I guess if time fixing is an issue then people will have to wait for an official conversion release (if they are planning on one)
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Thx.

Yes, a one step conversation is highly preferred from both a time but also minimizing error perspective. Seems like many newer forums, like Kunena and Xenforo for some reason do not support migrating from SMF.

We have been running SMF since 2007 and from being a platform with high ambitions it's now slowed down to an almost absolute stop, making it's users looking on alternatives.

An another idea is if it's possible to migrate via both phpBB and MyBB. As it seems (not having tried the final import) MyBB is a smoother route and IF the private messages could be taken from phpBB it would remove the last hurdle.
 
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I've been a long time user too, since 09 and have lost faith in "free" forum platforms. With SMF the new crew seems to use the excuse of "hey we are all volunteers" when asked about 2 year time delays in fixing "major security breaches" or moving forward with production. IMHO I think loosing all the major devs in the past few years to infighting and allowing their code to be forked has just put the nail in their coffin.

But moving on, yup there are many who are looking for more progressive alternatives but the major problem is finding one that suites your purpose that has supported official conversion script. I'm looking at switching to Xenforo as well but there doesn't seem to be a conversion in the works for some time to come. I'd have to do the 2 step at least 10 times to switch all my forums over and that is way out of my time line or expertise. So any direction I move in is pretty much up to the platform that makes it easier for me.
 
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shorepower said:
Reading forums etc it seems like the migration from SMF to VBulletin is fairly smooth but it's not the platform I would like to implement.
Click to expand...

And migration from vB to xF is simple enough, so maybe that's your answer - SMF > vB > xF ?

I am sure you could find someone on here who has a vB licence that would do stage 1 or both stages for you, for a small fee, saving you wasting money on buying a vB licence.
 
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DoctorWatsOn said:
And migration from vB to xF is simple enough, so maybe that's your answer - SMF > vB > xF ?

I am sure you could find someone on here who has a vB licence that would do stage 1 or both stages for you, for a small fee, saving you wasting money on buying a vB licence.
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@Jake Bunce does conversions via vB. It would be worth giving him a yell about it.
 
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Does doing the 2 step conversion with vB keep members avatar association intact? When I tried the 1 step with mybb and phpbb they were no longer associated with the members profile or messages.
 
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Doing some reading via Google (all older posts from 2007'ish) it looks like it is hit & miss. Didn't spend a lot of time researching it as I figure someone who has vB would know or the research could be done by those needing to know.
 
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