XF 1.5 Best Process after Test Imports?

[NickH]

I have done a test import from VB on my forum and I want to get plugins / addons installed and make the forum look great ready to go live.

Obviously as this is on a test location, I need to be able to re-run an import once I am ready to go live.

Is there a simple way to empty the forum ready to import again?

 

[Paul B]

This thread explains how to go about it: https://xenforo.com/community/threads/importing-guidelines.25325/

You will need to start over with a new XF installation.

 

[NickH]

Oh, so I will lose any modifications / addons I do?

I'll use this as a practise and then go live and import while it is closed!

 

[Kintaro]

it would be awesome if was possible to repeat the import filtering only the new content! :

 

[Kintaro]

@Mike @Brogan @Chris D
do you think is possibile to make an import, test it and personalize it and then truncate some db tables so the next import can be done without duplicating content but keeping the previous configuration/template/addons?

 

[Paul B]

It's not something we would recommend or be able to support.

 

[Kintaro]

it would be useful to know what db tables are touched during the import process

 

[Paul B]

Most of them.

 

[Mr Lucky]

Oh, so I will lose any modifications / addons I do?

You won't lose style modifications, you can export the style and then reimport it.

 

[Kintaro]

You won't lose style modifications, you can export the style and then reimport it.

right, but I'm going to lose xenforo configuration.
installing configuring and only after that importing is a "no go" because without some content the configuration can't be completed

knowing what tables to truncate before a re-import could be useful and cut migration time, what kind of problems could come up doing that?

 

[Alpha1]

Look into slaviks ghost.

 

[Slavik]

@Mike @Brogan @Chris D
do you think is possibile to make an import, test it and personalize it and then truncate some db tables so the next import can be done without duplicating content but keeping the previous configuration/template/addons?

I have done this today for a very large site. It has some requirements but it is possible and not something I would recommend lightly.

 

[Kintaro]

Oh ok great!

Is it possible to have some more info about that?

I think that is a procedure that can help admins to limit downtime during migration to xenforo.

Is it far more complicated then truncate a precise list of db tables just before re-importing, leaving intact the ones that import doesn't touch?

Is there's the need to modify some other tables without truncate them?

 

[Slavik]

Nice big disclaimer

Spoiler: This is not recommended nor something of of the XF staff would support and only for reference.

Spoiler: Like really, you probably should just do it the normal way.

Spoiler: Don't say you weren't warned!

It requires some basic things, node mirroring from vBulletin to be maintained (no deleting or adding any on the test site) usergroup mirroring, but after you have set up your permissions, set your styles up and set up your options and addons which a) do not modify tables and b) you dont import any data into said addons.

Just re-run your import on a clean XenForo, dump out the required tables of data:

mysqldump database2 archived_import_log xf_conversation_master xf_conversation_message xf_conversation_recipient xf_conversation_user xf_deletion_log xf_edit_history xf_ip xf_liked_content xf_moderator_log xf_poll xf_poll_response xf_poll_vote xf_post xf_profile_post xf_report xf_report_comment xf_stats_daily xf_thread xf_thread_read xf_thread_user_post xf_thread_watch xf_user xf_user_authenticate xf_user_ban xf_user_external_auth xf_user_field_value xf_user_follow xf_user_ignored xf_user_option xf_user_privacy xf_user_profile xf_user_upgrade_active xf_user_upgrade_expired xf_user_upgrade_log xf_warning xf_warning_action_trigger xf_tag xf_tag_content > tables.sql

then bring them into your pre-configured board.

mysql -u USER -pPASS database1 < tables.sql

And rebuild all your caches and then import any addon data.

 

[Kintaro]

Nice big disclaimer

Spoiler: This is not recommended nor something of of the XF staff would support and only for reference.

Spoiler: Like really, you probably should just do it the normal way.

Spoiler: Don't say you weren't warned!

It requires some basic things, node mirroring from vBulletin to be maintained (no deleting or adding any on the test site) usergroup mirroring, but after you have set up your permissions, set your styles up and set up your options and addons which a) do not modify tables and b) you dont import any data into said addons.

Just re-run your import on a clean XenForo, dump out the required tables of data:

mysqldump database2 archived_import_log xf_conversation_master xf_conversation_message xf_conversation_recipient xf_conversation_user xf_deletion_log xf_edit_history xf_ip xf_liked_content xf_moderator_log xf_poll xf_poll_response xf_poll_vote xf_post xf_profile_post xf_report xf_report_comment xf_stats_daily xf_thread xf_thread_read xf_thread_user_post xf_thread_watch xf_user xf_user_authenticate xf_user_ban xf_user_external_auth xf_user_field_value xf_user_follow xf_user_ignored xf_user_option xf_user_privacy xf_user_profile xf_user_upgrade_active xf_user_upgrade_expired xf_user_upgrade_log xf_warning xf_warning_action_trigger xf_tag xf_tag_content > tables.sql

then bring them into your pre-configured board.

mysql -u USER -pPASS database1 < tables.sql

And rebuild all your caches and then import any addon data.

Wow thank you Slavik! the only thing I didn't understood is the "mirroring" one.
For mirroring do you mean that we have to:

1. import nodes and usergroups maintaining the same IDs
2. Don't modify them once imported

This is true for other sources too or only for vbulletin?

 

[Kintaro]

Dont' try this at home!

is this wrong?

1. fresh install xenforo
2. import data from the existing vbulletin
3. check the nodes and usergroups ids if are the same (is this correct?)
4. don't install addons that change db tables from this list* (or only the nodes and usergroups tables?)
5. don't import any data in addons
6. configure xenforo without change (add/modify/delete) any nodes and usergroups and proceed to:
   1. configure xenforo options
   2. configure addons options
   3. customize style
   4. configure permissions
7. fresh install another xenforo (called "bridge")
8. import again from the source in the "bridge" installation (not configured)
9. dump the tables on the list* with this** from the "bridge" db
10. bring them in the "configured xenforo" with mysql -u USER -pPASS database1 < tables.sql

before 10. I don't need to truncate that tables? the 10. will not duplicate content?

* db tables list:
archived_import_log
xf_conversation_master
xf_conversation_message
xf_conversation_recipient
xf_conversation_user
xf_deletion_log
xf_edit_history
xf_ip
xf_liked_content
xf_moderator_log
xf_poll
xf_poll_response
xf_poll_vote
xf_post
xf_profile_post
xf_report
xf_report_comment
xf_stats_daily
xf_thread
xf_thread_read
xf_thread_user_post
xf_thread_watch
xf_user
xf_user_authenticate
xf_user_ban
xf_user_external_auth
xf_user_field_value
xf_user_follow
xf_user_ignored
xf_user_option
xf_user_privacy
xf_user_profile
xf_user_upgrade_active
xf_user_upgrade_expired
xf_user_upgrade_log
xf_warning
xf_warning_action_trigger
xf_tag
xf_tag_content

**
mysqldump database2 archived_import_log xf_conversation_master xf_conversation_message xf_conversation_recipient xf_conversation_user xf_deletion_log xf_edit_history xf_ip xf_liked_content xf_moderator_log xf_poll xf_poll_response xf_poll_vote xf_post xf_profile_post xf_report xf_report_comment xf_stats_daily xf_thread xf_thread_read xf_thread_user_post xf_thread_watch xf_user xf_user_authenticate xf_user_ban xf_user_external_auth xf_user_field_value xf_user_follow xf_user_ignored xf_user_option xf_user_privacy xf_user_profile xf_user_upgrade_active xf_user_upgrade_expired xf_user_upgrade_log xf_warning xf_warning_action_trigger xf_tag xf_tag_content > tables.sql

 

[Kintaro]

do you think is correct @Slavik or iii miss something?

I have some doubt only on step 3 and 4 (see previous message)

 

[Slavik]

Seems pretty right, your best bet is to have a play doing a few tests.

 

[Kintaro]

sorry to bother you again but I have another question... do you think that can be possibile to export configuration options exporting and re-importing is in a brand new installation (with the same addon/nodes/usergroups)

 

[andy_mk3]

The way I did it was set up my test forum 100% with everything ready. Then for the transfer, I started with a fresh install of XF, installed all mods and style alterations, go through all settings etc. Then when ready, closed my VB forums while I did the import, sorted out the usergroups to be XF friendly, scan through all the permissions and various other things. The switchover went with little issues at all.