XF 1.1 Have I completely F**ED up? [[migration questions = help please]]

JacquiiDesigns

Well-known member
Okay - so I've been working on migrating my board to xenforo. I did an import several weeks ago (as you can see here) and have been working on the style and a whole lot of other stuff on the development board.... I've posted a few new threads on the dev board and had created a couple test members.

All of this before I read THIS THREAD. :(

I thought I'd be able to reimport once things are situated. In fact - I've tried to do a new (what I thought was a completion of...) import and I see the following:



So now I think I've complete f**cked up. ARG - I'm hoping someone can tell me that I haven't... I'm just ready to do this and get the XF board online in the next day or so.

So my question is - will it be possible to do a reimport, keeping the same thread IDs, user IDs, etc. that match the original vB forum content?

Please someone tell me that it is possible and that I haven't completely f**cked up. Also - if I have - then perhaps there is a work-around so that this work isn't lost.

Much appreciation for your suggestions and assistance!

Jacquii.
 
I'm not sure I understand.

Are you currently trying to reimport the vBulletin database into a XF installation where you've already imported the vBulletin database?

If so, you've not ****ed up, but you can't do that.

You would need to do a clean installation, do the current import and then set everything up again, but you specifically mention style... that can be exported and reimported to the new install in a matter of seconds.

Installing add-ons is relatively easy as well as you can just make a backup of your dev XF files. All you need to do then is install the XML files so you don't need to download and upload everything from scratch.

Keep the dev copy live and you can pretty much just replicate everything else by having the dev and live sites open in separate tabs.
 
I'm not sure I understand.

Are you currently trying to reimport the vBulletin database into a XF installation where you've already imported the vBulletin database?

If so, you've not ****ed up, but you can't do that.

You would need to do a clean installation, do the current import and then set everything up again, but you specifically mention style... that can be exported and reimported to the new install in a matter of seconds.

Installing add-ons is relatively easy as well as you can just make a backup of your dev XF files. All you need to do then is install the XML files so you don't need to download and upload everything from scratch.

Keep the dev copy live and you can pretty much just replicate everything else by having the dev and live sites open in separate tabs.
Thanks for your quick response Chris!
Yes to your question - I'm trying to reimport the vB database on the current XF install at http://xen.jpicforum.info -- I'm trying to do so without having to reinstall the script/add-ons/etc... I have current database backups of both scripts.

So I should do a clean install? Then a fresh import? Then add the style? What should I do with the database backup? If someone can give me a step-by-step - I'd surely appreciate it.

Thanks again!

J.
 
Probably best to start over. Install xenforo, import your old database and once you're finished with that you can start on your style.
Once you start your import finish it before doing anything else.
 
I was actually trying to avoid starting over. I'm lazy by habit and loath work. So the extra 3-4-5 hours or however long it'll take to redo this stuff is not making me smile at the moment ARG...
 

As in run the same import twice on the same database?

You should import into a new installation of XF. Use your test forum as a point of reference in manually applying any custom development to the final import, as opposed to building onto your test forum and taking it live. There is no easy way to deal with the duplicate content if you import again into the same forum.

With that said, it has been done:

http://xenforo.com/community/threads/import-question-second-import-over-old-one.16663/#post-311819

But it's a dirty thing to do and may cause problems later.
 
I see what you're trying to do - import into your test site to save having to redo the styling, usergroups, add-ons, etc. all over again.

Unfortunately you can't - you need to import into a "blank" or "fresh" install of XF; but your test site work isn't wasted because you now know that it will work as you want, you can export your style and import to the proper site, and if you have both your test and proper site Admin Control Panels (ACPs) open you can easily copy the settings over which will save some time again.

It does mean extra work though.

Good luck with it. (y)

Cheers,
Shaun :D
 
Thanks for the words of advice you guys! Jake - the link you shared is exactly what I had in mind - I think though that I am going to simply reimport into a fresh install and take it from there.... Clean database, no issues.

And yeah dutchbb = practice makes perfect. This has definitely been a learning experience.
 
I thought I'd be able to reimport once things are situated. Jacquii.
Lots of people think the same way .... it's not your error really. When people keep making the same mistake, there must be a reason. You aren't the first person with this problem.

In *RETROSPECT* where did you look for import information ? Was there any warning about you can *ONLY* import into a fresh xenforo install ?
Do you have any ideas Jacquii to prevent this down the road ?
 
Honestly no issues importing over an import even several times which is what I did on my live forum and never had any issues.

You have to know what you're doing though, definitely a safer bet to start from scratch and only reimport xml and maybe settings-related tables
 
Honestly no issues importing over an import even several times

It would be very gracious of you to document how you do it. So that MsJ and future people would have some guide to either get someone else to do it for them (maybe schmitzIT ?)

If you run into any trouble (doing a second import), please don't hesitate to get in touch :)

Much appreciation for your suggestions and assistance!


You might want to contact SchmitzIT for help. He's a very fair and knowledgeable guy.
 
Hey guys thanks again for your assistance! I did decide to simply install XF in another directory, taking the import into fresh install approach. It was 11 hours more work - but this definitely has been a learning experience that I hope to channel with future XF clients of mine...

I've worked with the impex script quite a few times and never had this issue, as I'm pretty sure you can do multiple imports with impex without having the duplicate content issue like the XF migration script.

Lots of people think the same way .... it's not your error really. When people keep making the same mistake, there must be a reason. You aren't the first person with this problem.

In *RETROSPECT* where did you look for import information ? Was there any warning about you can *ONLY* import into a fresh xenforo install ?
Do you have any ideas Jacquii to prevent this down the road ?

I didn't look really. I just assumed that I'd be able to do multiple imports until the final import was finished. In hindsite - I suppose there is something about reading the import procedure manual before proceeding migration with a forum script you're not so familiar with LOL. Don't ask me why I didn't - but I should have...
 
If I recall correctly I did a multiple import into xenforo. My main DB was IPB and I had a vB DB that I imported as well. This was all done at the same time and once it was finalized I was done.
 
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