How to install xF without breaking existing vB install?

[crossovernetwork]

I expect this one will get asked a lot next Tuesday, so I figured it'd be good to get some thoughts on this.
[As a precursor, part of my reason for asking is that when I went from wowbb to vB3 I accidentally broke my wowbb install and had to import my database and get vB running right away.]

so, for example my current vb4 forum is at domain/forum using a databse called 'datafor_vb' (it isn't actually called this, it's just an example.)
I want to install my shiny new, exiting xF to my webspace, so that the rest of my admins/mods can get to play with it and generally be as enthusiastic about 'teh shiney'(sic) as I am.
lets say I want to install it to domain/testxf. and use a test_xf database. is that going to be easy enough to do without wrecking my current install? also presumably I'd want to import myvb4 database into my test_xf database when the vB4 importer comes along.
Also presumably I could delete the test_xf database and re-import my vb4 into a new one once I'm ready to go live when xF is considered stable.

 

[steven s]

...what?

What reason is there for not allowing a table prefix?

Uniformity?

 

[Deleted member 2163]

Uniformity?

I don't see that as an acceptable reason for not allowing customization of the table prefix. How is {prefix}xf_{tablename} any less uniform than xf_{tablename}?

I'd argue that this will just make it easier for exploits to be widespread since a hacker can simple assume that the database table is xf_users (or whatever the users table is named). Before it's pointed out, I do realize that obviously this is an example of security through obscurity. HOWEVER, exploits are obviously not planned on, and there will undoubtedly be some, even in the gold releases... people are clever.

I hope a dev will chime in here, as I don't see any possible advantage to not allowing db table prefix customization.

What if you wanted to test a plugin or something in a subfolder of your site? Say you're on shared hosting and you have a limited number of databases you can create. You go to install XF in the subfolder and one of two things will happen: either a) you get an error saying the tables already exist/that the board is already installed OR b) your existing forum data gets wiped out because you reinstalled with a fresh copy. For the vast majority of people this would be disastrous because most people (for worse, to be sure) don't back up their data (LOL WHATS SQL? PHPMYWHAT?) regularly or at all.

 

[Blogojevich]

will there be import tools available for vB4 Suite databases?

EDIT: Nevermind
http://xenforo.com/community/threads/vbulletin-4-importer.4407/