BuddyPress

BuddyPress -> I cannot figure out what is going on or how to get this to function correctly.

Back Story:
I am testing the use of BuddyPress as the new community format for a website. I converted a very large PHPbb database (13K+ users, 15K+ topics, & over 250K posts) to bbpress 0.70 then upgraded from each version of bbpress to current 1.0.2

Then I added BuddyPress plugin. I re-searched & figured out that I would need to create groups in order for the group forums to work.

Problem:
1) The forums still do not display when you click on ‘Forums’ (sitedomain.tld/forums/) from the main navigation link. However, they do display when you click on forum link in the group section (sitedomain.tld/groups/1/forum/)

2) Users/Members do not display (with the exception of the administrator) when you click on ‘Members’ (sitedomain.tld//members/) – I would like to have all (13K+) members display. How does one handle this.

I realize that you are suppose to have on problem or question per submission – however, I believe that these are interconnected situations.

Any assistance toward clearing this up would be greatly appreciated.

The default view for the member directory is “active members”. This will only show users who have logged in since you activated BuddyPress, and are therefore considered active (last_activity meta is present). If you change the ordering to something else, the members will show.

Technically this comes down to if a user’s “last_activity” record is present in wp_usermeta. I suppose you could pre-prime the last_activity record by something like this: http://buddypress.pastebin.com/USrLFAFH It’s not tested, but I think you could put it in your functions.php. Remember to remove it after one execution, however(!)

Paul -

Let me try to understand. In answer to my Problem 2 – it is because I am the only member to be “active” (ie visit the site) therefore I am the only one displayed? So when another member “visits” they will be come active an be displayed. Correct?

Then Buddypress is using the list of members from the database table bb_users instead of wp_users. Correct? Note: These are both inside the same database.
- – -
What about the problem with the forums?

Thank you for the input & assistance.

BuddyPress doesn’t use bb_users at all, only wp_users.

You have a standalone installation of bbPress which is where your users database is (because you mentioned bb_users, I expect)? Can we just clarify that you’ve installed WordPress, and activated BuddyPress?

Have you integrated your standalone bbPress install at all? If so, how? Via the “Use an existing bbPress installation” button in the BuddyPress Forums Setup page?

Interesting… I was under the impression that because it offered the “Use an existing bbPress installation” it somehow integrated the users? Well that isn’t very nice to fool me like that? lol

Paul – You are correct – I have a standalone installation of bbPress & have a users database (bb_users) I’ve installed WordPress, and activated BuddyPress?

I am attempting to use the 13K+ members of the current website as well as the information to integrate into a more “Social Media” Community format. PHPbb (extensively modified) was what I was/am using currently.

What do you suggest I do? Import the bb_users into wp_users? Then import the bb_usermeta into wp_usermeta?

Hmm it depends how you want your site to work. At the moment, it’s a one group to forum mapping. That means, for each forum (or sub-forum), you’re going to need a group.

How many (sub)forums on your existing site? If you have more forums than you want BuddyPress Groups created, we need to do some more work to configure your setup to integrate your WordPress into an external bbPress installation. This is not technically easy, and would involve you creating a separate theme for the bbPress site itself.
A benefit of this approach is that you have full access to a traditional forum look-and-feel (bbPress’).

If, however, you’re happy with how the one forum to group mapping works with BuddyPress, you’ve already done the installation (i.e. clicked the button that said “use an existing bbPress installation”). What you’ll need to do next is move your users from the bb_users table into wp_users (and usermeta too if you want, but be careful and consider if you need to do that), create some groups and then edit their database entries to point to the existing bbPress tables.

Paul – Thanks – I think I am grasping this…

(Please pardon my ignorance. I am used to having to rewrite code in PHPbb not move info around in the database. A bit different.)

I currently have 16 forums – most are just separated into subject not necessarily another group so I may have to manually merge these… Not difficult with a few SQL statements. I can probably get these down to like 5 groups. The members/users will have to get a bit used to the change – but it shouldn’t be to difficult.

As far as moving the members/users I can just import the bb_users into wp_users (voila!) 13K+ members –

Please correct me if I wrong – so, I don’t need to import the bb_usermeta into wp_usermeta??

Thanks again…

Hopefully someone else will chime in, but the only thing you may lose by not importing the bb_usermeta would be any customisation a user has done to their “display name” or “nice name”; it’d default back to that person’s username. They’d have to just type their preferred display name back in to WordPress or bbPress, so nothing tricky. So, I don’t think you need to.. probably.

I get the feeling you’re aware of this, but I’d suggest having a test-run of this to find out how well it works (or doesn’t) before doing it on your live database. Also, check that bb_usermeta and wp_usermeta have the same columns, you may need to massage the import a bit.

Once you get the users into WordPress, and you can log in as one of them, we can see about associating existing bbPress forum posts with a particular BuddyPress Group’s forum. I’ve not done that myself so hopefully someone who has can guide.

Paul -

Currently this entire thing is a trial run!!

I have been working on several different things: WordPress w/ bbPress; WordPress w/BuddyPress; and Social Engine (what a coding nightmare!!) I will have to tweak anything to meet the specific required needs.

I like WordPress – it’s use of php is clean and simple to follow. PHPbb was great as a forum but misses on the current need/want for a “Social” network, plus not very Search Engine Friendly!

Re: moving standalone bbPress forums to BuddyPress group forums, I would recommend reading an excellent post by BP moderator, Boone Gorges:

http://dev.commons.gc.cuny.edu/2009/12/06/upgrading-from-buddypress-1-0-to-1-1/