Re-importing my old forum

[sitwi]

Hi

I've been cheerfully creating a test site based on an import of my current phpBB forum, and have installed several add-ons. This part of the import process must have escaped my attention, though:

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To completely remove any data related to an import, in order to do it again for example, the original XenForo database must be restored and all avatars and attachments must be deleted from the data and internal_data directories.

If I drop the contents of the entire database and then reimport, would it simply be a matter of installing the appropriate xml files for each add-on again, and then reconfiguring them? Or am I asking for trouble with XF looking for DB entries which aren't there before I even attempt to install them?

I'm guessing that I'd lose user group configuration, permissions etc. I had thought it was just a case of running the install again and being selective about what fields it imports (posts and forums, for example) but I guess I need to start again from scratch.

At least I know the test site works!

Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you.

 

[sitwi]

Ugh. I apologise - my questions are all answered here:

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

Please delete if appropriate.

 

[sitwi]

Actually, I gues the latter part of that question still applies - if I still have the add-on files retained on my server after I've restarted the database from scratch, can I just re-run the XML install files?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Jake Bunce]

Actually, I gues the latter part of that question still applies - if I still have the add-on files reatined on my server after I've restarted the database from scratch, can I just re-run the XML install files?

Yes.

 

[SchmitzIT]

Actually, I gues the latter part of that question still applies - if I still have the add-on files retained on my server after I've restarted the database from scratch, can I just re-run the XML install files?

Thanks for any advice.

It depends. If you use the script posted in the thread you refered to, you'd not need to reimport the XML for the add-ons at all, as the only tables hit by the script are the content tables.

If you do wipe all content of all XenForo (and add-on) tables, you would of course have to reimport.

 

[sitwi]

Thanks, SchmitzIT. I'm not nearly competent enough with mySQL to attempt that, though!

If I drop the entire database, then reimport, would it retain the styling, since the CSS would have been written to previously, or would I need to sort that out again?

 

[SchmitzIT]

Thanks, SchmitzIT. I'm not nearly competent enough with mySQL to attempt that, though!

If I drop the entire database, then reimport, would it retain the styling, since the CSS would have been written to previously, or would I need to sort that out again?

No. The styling is also contained in the database tables. However, you can try to export the style prior to recreating the database. That will generate an XML file, which after you're done, can be imported again.

This can be done in Appearance -> Styles.

Whether or not you would be best off starting from scratch or wiping the imported/test content greatly depends on your personal situation. In our case, we spent many months preparing, installing updates, tinkering with configuration settings, and basically eventually decided it might be in our best interest to just wipe the imported content.

However, if most work you did was in the style, and you have a relatively small amount of add-ons and other changes done, starting afresh might be better for you.

If you require any assistance, please don't hesitate to ask

 

[sitwi]

However, if most work you did was in the style, and you have a relatively small amount of add-ons and other changes done, starting afresh might be better for you.

If you require any assistance, please don't hesitate to ask

Hi there SchmitzIT, I"m not really clear on what you mean by this part. If I've installed my add-ons and customised for a particular style, and that is not the default, is that going to cause problems for me when I come to reimport?

I've just clocked the link in your sig and I think I'm going to need your expertise... private message heading your way!