Converting mybb : What is Path to MyBB installation?

[Adam chesters]

Hi crew.  Trying to convert a mybb forum into a hosted IPS forum. 

Database login etc is fine, and I could convert profile fields and member groups, however when going to convert members it's asking for Path to MyBB installation.  Nothing I put here is working.  I found a post saying this should be an absolute path, but that doesn't seem to work either. For reference the existing installation is hosted on a windows machine.

My forum folder is in htdocs\mybb . I've tried various paths from a full path including c:\, to the htdocs\mybb folder, or even just \mybb.  No joy.

Any ideas? Have filed a ticket, but no response yet.

 

 

[AndyF]

Welcome! :)

Before I read your topic (from just the description) I was expecting to say to try a full as well as direct.  You could try a forward slash instead of a back slash between each directory name to see if that helps, its slightly unlikely however there is little harm in trying. Support will be able to advise on this however.

What you could do however is see what the IPS Suite is "using" as that may help with any path issues and the format expected. To do this go to the Admin Control Panel (In the IPS Suite) then on the main dashboard area on the left click "Files" (its just under the overview text) then click the "Storage Settings" button on the right. Don't make changes here at this stage though, just see what it is using for paths, from this you should then be able to hopefully work out the correct one to use for the source data, the MyBB filesystem in this case.

[Adam chesters]

It turns out that on cloud hosted plan you must send both the DB and any files to the team, who will them upload/make them available to the IPS hosting.  This is not stated anywhere in the conversion control area, and is still a bit vague if you read the guide.  Apparently they will provide the path details once this is done.  

I sent the files *14 hours ago* and this next "step" still isn't done. One feels there must be a smoother process for this, even if it's just some more "warnings" / info on the conversion panel, which seems installed by default, for cloud hosted customers. 

As per support replies.

Quote

 

Hello,  If you are converting from another software, we would need a mysqldump of your old database and the files needed for the conversion, we will setup a new temp site for you to run this conversion on.

Please let us know if you can provide those items.

 

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And

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Hello,  The new site you have here is in our cloud, we will need to setup a new temp site for this conversion, as conversions cannot be ran in a cloud based setup on our side.  We would need the mysql database dump, and any files needed for the conversion, this is normally attachments, profile images, avatars etc. If you are converting a gallery, we would need those images also.

 

[AndyF]

Ah OK. Did not realise you were using a Cloud plan, where you do not have access to Cpanel and suchlike. Generally its not difficult once both the source and target are sat on the same server (ideally in the same account)

I'll make sure a member of staff reads your feedback regarding the information concern though. :)

[Adam chesters]

My thanks. 

I've just proceeded through the experience and while database details were provided, the required path name was still not, using your directions I found the correct one. Upon completing the first step I clicked "finish", and only then found you're meant to go back and complete additional steps (like forum structure etc) before clicking finish, which I can't do because now the partial merge is already "Complete". 

This is a really frustrating system with incomplete information and frustratingly vague documentation. Now I have a finally gained a better understanding I think I'll be able to complete it again, but I'm sitting here waiting another 6-12 hours for support to try again. 

[Faqole]

54 minutes ago, Adam chesters said:

This is a really frustrating system with incomplete information and frustratingly vague documentation.

Hello,

Did you read this documention here? It is good detailed and very helpful.

https://invisioncommunity.com/4guides/getting-started/migrating-from-another-platform/

[Adam chesters]

Yes, I did. It is not helpful as is extremely outdated. Especially the cloud instructions

For instance, step 6, 

Quote

6. Now you can download and install the converter application to your hosted community. 

Is not required, it comes installed by default. 

Quote

10. Once the conversion is done, you will be prompted to "finalize" the conversion. 

This is simply not true, because the first step (member import) takes several steps, but then you need to go back and do forum structure, etc. Only the first step, importing member information, is "Done" at this point. Not forum structure, gallery, blogs, etc. 

At the beginning with the drop down menu containing only one option, when you finish that first step importing all the members etc,  you get presented with this message, 

If you click on "begin another conversion", you get presented with the further options to import folder structure etc. However this is not intuitive as I assumed this referred to converting another database, and that this one was complete, so I clicked finish. Nowhere is it referenced or documented that "Begin another conversion" actually means "Continue converting other parts of this database you haven't imported yet".  

[Rhett]

If you are in our cloud, you will need to submit a support ticket, we will obtain your data and setup the conversion site for you to process this.

 

[Adam chesters]

It's all complete now, but only because the path name etc was provided by the crew above, and I looked  at the storage panel to get it. 

The provided database information alone is not enough to complete the process, and finding the storage path isn't in the documentation.

The conversion also imported duplicate posts and has left formatting tags everywhere that have not come across to IPB's formatting correctly. Minor issue for me, but for a larger forum likely a bit of a pain.

I will say that despite a confusing process, the support team have been great at helping me through it step by step, and generally responded quickly. I just think the process needs a fair bit of improvement to be a more streamlined/intuitive experience and save their time, and mine!