| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| gotwind |
Posted - 06/05/2008 : 20:57:28
Hi all.
I am looking to move the forum and all content to my gotwind domain space - I should have done it from day 1 really.
At present it is free, and hosted by ForumCo.com, but we do have to tolerate all the adverts, also, all the keyword content points to ForumCo.com and not gotwind - to help the google ranking, and reach out to other like minded people.
I can't see an easy way to export all the 4483 Posts in 674 Topics and 317 Users?? - Even if I upgrade to a full forum account - for just a month - $10
Is there anyone here in the web/forum business to suggest a possible solution?
I would hate to have to start the forum from scratch - and wouldn't do so.
Ben. |
| 6 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| gotwind |
Posted - 12/05/2008 : 17:11:30
Thanks a lot Speo.
I will pass all this info onto my team - it's a little over my head :)
Ben. |
| speo |
Posted - 12/05/2008 : 06:10:07
Ben, I was affraid point 1 would be a show stopper.
Ugly partial solutions:
At least, after you move to a new host, you can make a copy of this page (save as): http://gotwind.forumco.com/forum~FORUM_ID~2.asp then post it to the new forum (after changing the look and feel to match the new forum). This way, you can let people see on the new forum, the list of threads from the old forum. The links will point to the old forum and if somebody is clicking on them, you can open the thread in a new page (by adding the "target" attribute to all links in one shot).
There are 45 pages like this one. Can you change the number of topics displayed on each page? That will decrease the number of pages to be saved.
Also, on the new host, you can display the "saved pages" inside a frame, so, nobody will leave the new host, and people will be able to browse the old threads inside a page published on the new host.
Hmmm... how about this: build a page on the new host that contains the new forum at the top, and a frame at the bottom containing the old forum?
You can try this: create a new file on your pc and call it abc.htm
Open the abc.htm file with notepad and paste inside the followinc code, then save the file and run the file in your Internet Explorer or Firefox by double clicking the file:
<FRAMESET rows="100, 200">
<FRAME src="http://gotwind.org">
<FRAME src="http://gotwind.forumco.com/forum~FORUM_ID~2.asp">
</FRAMESET>
Of course, you can play with the code to make it look much better.
Speo
www.windpulse.com |
| Sundowner |
Posted - 09/05/2008 : 11:01:04
Hi Ben,
Would it not be an idea to have a link to this forum (but have it closed to new posts) on your new website with its new stand alone forum.
People could still access the information but if they wanted to post they'd have to sign in again onto the new forum.
Sundowner.
Sundowner....huh.........thats what they call us.......Sundowners |
| gotwind |
Posted - 08/05/2008 : 20:55:52
Thanks Speo and oz sprog for the advice, appreciated.
I think I am stuck at point 1 - difficult to export data unfortunatly.
I guess this is how the free forum sites get you.
I have a team trying to work on a solution here, locally - they also said it would be difficult.
It can be done apparently, I would manualy have to enter all the user names and every member would have to re-enter a password upon first sign in on the new gotwind forum.
It might deter a few, re-registering , but not the regulars I suspect - I can bulk email all members of such a change if it is possible.
Cheers.
Ben. |
| speo |
Posted - 08/05/2008 : 04:39:10
As oz mentioned, it's not straightforward.
The steps would be:
1. Export Data (user profiles and threads) from the current host
2. Identify the new host's data structure
3. Transform the structure of your exported data to match the structure of the data used by the new host
4. Import the data in the new host forum
With the current host can you perform step #1 ?
If yes, in what format is the data exported ?
A better way to do it would be to build/buy a discussion forum software (you can find good ones for less than $200, I found even free ones few years ago) and find a host that allows you to upload your own software and database. This way, you stick with one data structure in the future and whenever you want to change the host, take the database backup and your forum software and upload them to another host.
Here is an example that popped up when I searched on Google contains even the Access database: http://www.toastforums.com
If you consider this option, you can :
- download the trial version
- install IIS and Access/SQL Server on your machine AND ALL THE SECURITY PATCHES RELEASED UNTIL TODAY
- install the forum's trial version
- run the forum on your machine
- if you can handle it and want it, convert the exported data to the structure this new forum requires and you are all set with a new forum containing the old threads.
You can contact me directly if you want.
Speo
www.windpulse.com |
| oz_sprog |
Posted - 08/05/2008 : 01:09:47
Being a web developer, I don't see the task being that easy. Even if you have access to the database to export the tables/data you can't guarantee that the new forum software will have the same table structure, unless you can find out what program this setup is based on and install the same one on your server. Sometimes a fresh start is needed :(
www.perspective-images.com |
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