Move one vBulletin forum using vbSEO to new XF site

[jdeg]

I have one forum (and it's sub-forums) on a vBulletin install with vbSEO that I would like to move to an entirely new XF site. I wanted to make sure I have to process down before I start moving things.

1. Copy database to new XF site
2. Import everything
3. Prune other forums and users that are not needed
4. Write redirects from original site to new site using modified version of http://tools.geekpoint.net/xfseo/ (modified to include an individual forum)

Is there anything I'm missing? Has anyone done this successfully?

 

[Jeremy]

This correct, I don't see anything missing. Plenty people have moved.

 

[jdeg]

Right, but I haven't seen anyone move an individual forum of a site to an entirely new site while leaving the other forums on the origin site in tact.

 

[whynot]

Right, but I haven't seen anyone move an individual forum of a site to an entirely new site while leaving the other forums on the origin site in tact.

My test forum is an example of that.
I have my VB forum at mysite.com/forum.
I imported it to mydomain.net/forum, as an XF forum.
It's fully functional but password protected, search engines cannot find it.

As soon as I'll be ready to setup XF as mysite.com/forum I'll do it without pain.

 

[jdeg]

@whynot - The entire site or just one forum within the site?

 

[Steve10]

You might want as much of your prune of forums and users as possible before you move to Xenforo, but it shouldn't be much of a difference.

 

[Jeremy]

@whynot - The entire site or just one forum within the site?

This is possible. The importer leaves the source database in tact; you may just have some difficulties redirecting traffic.

 

[jdeg]

do the thread id's stay the same?

 

[Paul B]

That is an option when importing.

If you are importing into a new installation with no existing data, you can retain the existing IDs for imported users, forums, threads etc., so that thread 345 from your import source will map to thread 345 in your XenForo database. If you have existing XenForo data, this will fail.

 

[jdeg]

That is an option when importing.

thanks, good to know

 

[whynot]

@whynot - The entire site or just one forum within the site?

The forum from one site to the other site.

 

[jdeg]

Is is possible to select only the forums that you want to import, or is it just 'import all posts'

 

[HWS]

You might want as much of your prune of forums and users as possible before you move to Xenforo, but it shouldn't be much of a difference.

I second that. You should slim down your database (forums, posts, users, usergroups, etc) at the vb copy before importing to XF.

 

[Moshe1010]

That is an option when importing.

That doesn't really match if you have deleted threads. Should the "main forum" that is created by default stay when you import or delete it? I've imported and the IDs changed and I was told that it's normal and the redirects would take care of that by the log that is created when importing.

 

[Jeremy]

If you choose to retain IDs the IDs shall remain. With or without deleted threads.

 

[Moshe1010]

If you choose to retain IDs the IDs shall remain. With or without deleted threads.

Just to clarify:
http://www.domain.com/showthread.php?t=55
is (after import)
http://www.domain.com/threads/55/
?

Because instead of 55 I have 36 and I chose to retain IDs. User IDs are the same, thread IDs aren't.

 

[Jeremy]

They should have remained the same, I'm not certain why they haven't.

 

[whynot]

Just to clarify:
http://www.domain.com/showthread.php?t=55
is (after import)
http://www.domain.com/threads/55/
?

Because instead of 55 I have 36 and I chose to retain IDs. User IDs are the same, thread IDs aren't.

Any threads already in XF when you imported into it VB?

 

[jdeg]

So I still have to use this showthread.php right? How do I do that if I'm only redirecting one forum to a new site?

 

[jdeg]

Actually, I guess you don't have to use that script if you retain the ID's. If that's the case all you need is the proper rewrite rule, correct?