About the importing process...

[Bonsai Coder]

If I am importing into xenForo from a vBulletin install, is there any part of the process that is destructive? For example, could I keep my old site up, import once into xenForo, tweak settings (themes, products, etc), and then import into xenForo a final time? (after which I would take down my old site)?

 

[TPerry]

You cannot import into the same DB twice over each other. You will end up with duplicate data. You can drop the data in your new XenForo DB and import it again as fresh with no problems.

You can import, tweak your style to where you want it, then export that style out and save it. Then, do a fresh import of the data, re-install the add-ons and import your style (that's the basics in a nutshell).

 

[Bonsai Coder]

Just to make sure I understand...
(1) I can import the data from my original site and mess around with it.
(2) Then I can create my style, practice with add-ons, etc until the site is just the way I want it.
(3) I then export out the style, and make sure I notate all the add-ons that I have on the site.
(4) When I am 100% ready, I turn off my old site.
(5) Then I do what with xenForo to prepare for the final "install"? Do I delete the testing xenForo database? Do I have to do a complete reinstall of the xenForo forum software? What do I need to do to start with a "blank slate"?
(6) Then I import the final copy of the database from my old site.
(7) I import the saved style, and reinstall the add-ons.
(6) I turn on the new site.

 

[TPerry]

Just to make sure I understand...
(1) I can import the data from my original site and mess around with it.
(2) Then I can create my style, practice with add-ons, etc until the site is just the way I want it.
(3) I then export out the style, and make sure I notate all the add-ons that I have on the site.
(4) When I am 100% ready, I turn off my old site.
(5) Then I do what with xenForo to prepare for the final "install"? Do I delete the testing xenForo database? Do I have to do a complete reinstall of the xenForo forum software? What do I need to do to start with a "blank slate"?
(6) Then I import the final copy of the database from my old site.
(7) I import the saved style, and reinstall the add-ons.
(6) I turn on the new site.

1) Yes
2) Yes
3) Yes
4) Disable logons/posting so that nothing changes during the migration
5) Drop the tables in the DB you were "experimenting on" OR create a new DB to run the "official" install of XenForo from and use the other as a Test Bed install DB for a test site.
6) Yes
7) Yes
8) Yes - but you may still have a few tweaks to do as you will need to redo some of the permissions and user groups possibly. That is what you need to document in step #2 also.

 

[Bonsai Coder]

Excellent! Thank you!

 

[Paul B]

There is a basic guide here: https://xenforo.com/community/threads/importing-guidelines.25325/