Mods/Converter issues regarding forum Prefixes?

bigaldizzler · Post by **bigaldizzler** » Sat Jun 20, 2009 3:31 am

Hey everyone,

For those who are using a database prefix other than phpbb_ for their forum or have switched from one forum software to another to another etc. do you ever experience any issues with mods and converters because you are using a prefix that is not the default during installation?

I am curious to know if I should just leave my prefix as default to save myself the headache (issues with mods/converters) as I am not quite sure which software I am going to be using for the long run. I am thinking about giving my forum database a generic prefix name e.g. forum_ instead of a the phpbb_ or othersoftwarename_, as I may switch around different software which may not be phpbb_...thanks!

onehundredandtwo · Post by **onehundredandtwo** » Sat Jun 20, 2009 4:21 am

MOD authors are supposed to allow for that, I made sure when I created my MOD that it would create the table on the first view using the set up table prefix for phpBB.

If you're having problems with a MOD, contact the MOD author and see if they can help you.

onehundredandtwo.

Eelke · Post by **Eelke** » Sat Jun 20, 2009 12:31 pm

The scale of problems largely depends on how common it is to have a non-standard prefix (and thus, how likely it is for problems in this respect to be found quickly). In case of phpBB3, I think it is extremely common for people to have a non-standard prefix, because there will be a lot of boards that were converted from phpBB2. When you do a conversion from phpBB2 to phpBB3, running both on the same database, phpBB2 is likely to use phpbb_, so phpBB3 must use something else (often, phpbb3_).

bigaldizzler · Post by **bigaldizzler** » Sat Jun 20, 2009 6:48 pm

Thanks for the input...it seems like I should not encounter too much problems if I choose to use a different prefixes other than that specified by the software.

I remember reading forum post dont remember from which site where a few users had issues with a converter because their forum software where not using the assumed default prefix, but thinking about it now, I dont think it would makes since for a mod writer or a converter to assume a "specified prefix" as users are not forced to install their forum with a specific database prefix...hope I am not wrong...

I am only asking all this because I maybe bouncing from one software to another and dont want a phpbb_ prefix running another software or a another software running a phpbb_ prefix ect. thats why I am going to call it forum_

Eelke · Post by **Eelke** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 2:13 pm

I can't really speak for other software packages, but the most likely way for a conversion to work is for a completely new set of tables to be created for the target package, and data to be transferred between the old package's tables and the new package's tables. That's how phpBB does it, anyway. Unless the table structures are very similar, that will be by far the best approach to any conversion.

advertisements