Imperial Proclamation: phpBB, Free Hosting, and a Transfer

[Delphi]

By whom?

[Ryan]

Go for it.So long as you have access to the server and can, thus, make annual backups of the php database (which is relatively easy), then you don't need to worry.If Mr. Dean here even decided to go Bill on us and throw us out in the cold, if backups are made then you'd simply be able to transfer the material to a new server.It also matters not what server you host the forums and site on. The .org address is basically a mask - essentially the same function we used cjb for years for - and can be redirected to point and mask pretty much anywhere.What I would suggest for both Fax and Erik, and possibly a third party between them involved with the technical matters (like Foghorn or Scott), is that when you do a database backup, burn a copy to cd and distribute it between you three so at least three people have a constant backup and fail-safe.Yes, I admined a phpbbs for three years... Useless art is simply tolerated vandalism. I am a vandal.

[Greg Dean]

Thanks, WarVoid. That was my point.. I just was bad at getting it across. Well said.To note - Sean has set the forum up, and I'm in the process of setting up the subforums, and then I'm going to run a test to see how well the converter tool works. Keep your fingers crossed, ladies and gents.

[Lachlan Powers]

The best thing to do with backups is set up a few gmail accounts and give passwords to different people... then set up an autobackup to send the backed up file daily to all the accounts. Thats what the GC does. ejen ranti taicardainre (Lachlan Powers)The Grand Commonwealth - Aerlig - MNN - Treesia - mncentre - EIFA - Lemuria

[Greg Dean]

Good idea! Gmail works very well as a storage account.

[Lachlan Powers]

It most certainly does, and assuming you can do cron jobs it works brilliantly. I have backed up from the database before to ensure it works, and had no problems at all. ejen ranti taicardainre (Lachlan Powers)The Grand Commonwealth - Aerlig - MNN - Treesia - mncentre - EIFA - Lemuria

[extreme007]

yeah.. no problems... that's why the GC forums are working perfectly at this very moment. Discover, Invent, Theories, Experiment,Advance Science,Advance Extremism,(in Karnali, Republic of)

[Scott of Hyperborea]

Delphi is showing me how to use a PHPBB right now. Although there are a couple of features that may present problems (like individual color schemes for different forums) all in all it seems pretty easy to work with and I quite like it.

[Greg Dean]

The individual color schemes are an option - you can lock it to one particular theme if you like.

[Ryan]

Lachlan's idea also works quite well. Gmail is great for storage, and will probably last until Google goes bottom up.Or those two youngins running it find themselves wives. And indeed, the customizability is still there. Except in the case with phpbb, you use a CSS (Custom Style Sheet) to implement a forum scheme. A CSS file is basically a list of HTML directional codes telling the forum what to look for and like. Colors, image addresses, etc. The phpbb remains pretty static. All that really changes are the CSS files, of which you can have an infinite amount.The only thing I don't like about phpbb is that the controls are hokey and aren't as user-friendly as EZBoard. Your best bet for doing up a custom CSS scheme is to do it on your harddrive first with a test page, and then upload it.Scott, you might want to read this:http://www.phpbb.com/guide/phpBB...Guide.html Useless art is simply tolerated vandalism. I am a vandal.

[Scott of Hyperborea]

Greg - by individual forum color schemes, do you mean that it would be possible to have, for example, one color scheme for General Discussion and another for the Kaiser's Court? If so, how would you do that?Ryan - Hey, thanks.

[Greg Dean]

It's more than just color scheme, really - you'd have to create a unique "Theme" for each - but in the forum admin, you could set each forum to have its own theme. Pretty easy, really.

[Lachlan Powers]

Check out the phpBB site... there are hundreds of mods you can add... different themes is one of them. A very good one to add is quick reply, like the GC has. Saves much time. ejen ranti taicardainre (Lachlan Powers)The Grand Commonwealth - Aerlig - MNN - Treesia - mncentre - EIFA - Lemuria

[Sir Ophiuchus]

Since I frequent several boards with quick reply, I'd have to agree with this - it's an incredibly useful feature.

******************
Arguments are to be avoided; they are always vulgar and often convincing.
- Oscar Wilde

[Kaiseress Semisa I]

The otehr thing is that (I believe) each user can set up and have their own custom color scheme, which would solve the color issues we've been having.

[Greg Dean]

Well, for the most part. Really what it means is, users can select which of the themes available to them they would like to use. Those themes must be uploaded by the admin to the server ahead of time, of course... but we could have a variety of themes, and let users choose which they prefer.

[Sebastien Alexandre]

Also a note, php allows the use of subforums... which could go like, in example:Duchy of Kildare (forum)> Barony of Antya (forum)Imperial Government (forum)>The Landsraad>The Imperial Judexso on and so forth

[Greg Dean]

*wry grin*I actually took the initiative and, for the most part, started doing that kind of thing. Mostly with the Duchies/Baronies. We could also create sub-forums for each of the Baronies that include the Counties therein, which could be moved around based on current affiliations and whatnot.

[Kaiseress Semisa I]

Ex-cellent.

[Nick Foghorn Leghorn]

yes, Antica used to have the ability for each user to choose their own forum theme. However, there was a set list of themes, not an editable theme for each individual user. ________________It is a damn poor mind indeed which can't think of at least two ways to spell any word.-Andrew Jackson

[Delphi]

Quote:Those themes must be uploaded by the admin to the server ahead of time, of course...Way to pay attention to what was already said, Foghorn.And sub-fora are an add-on now, but in Olympus won't be an add-on, likely.

[Shyriath]

*Thinks he is being convinced*

[Sir H4773r 3lfs0n Ace PhD]

the subforums, yes. Customizable themes, yes...and hes Greg Fucking Dean! sorry, mild idol worship. im not gonna stalk you.LET THE MIGRATION BEGIN! "That is fine. You are allowed your opinions. The law, however, belongs to me." - Kaiseress Semisa I

[Greg Dean]

Things are slightly delayed... partially due to the holidays, partially due to an issue with the ezBoard to phpBB conversion tool. Looks like the subforums mod is causing some minor issues with the script. The guy who made the script is looking it over though, to see if he can find a workaround. I do have a working forum with Subforums at current... so that's good. And all the forums w/descriptions that exist here exist there as well... I just want to refrain from linking it just yet, because when the converter runs it needs to copy into an empty forum. And frankly, I want to make sure the damn converter works in the first place. That'll be the first step. The next step is getting to work on a Shireroth theme(s) for the new board. I can find a few stock themes for the moment that will do nicely, and we can work on a custom one from there. First step though - converter tool. I'll keep everyone posted.

[Hypatia Agnesi]

I would be very pleased if one of the themes you set up used the forum colors we have right now (and preferably one of the backgrounds as well). I like them, personally, and I don't find them overly hard to read. *throws grenade for the hell of it*BO0O0O0O0/\/\!!!!!!

[Hertug Gordon II]

Lets make the switch!

[Scott of Hyperborea]

I'm the Minister of the Interior (the government official nominally in charge of forums), and I would be happy to help with anything you need (although I know nothing about PHPBB conversion.) In particular, I could deal with themes, modding, making forums and subforums, and setting appropriate security clearances.And I could promise not to use any more animated GIF Christmas lights - that's a very temporary gimmick, and even *I* understand how annoying they look.

[Greg Dean]

*laughs* GOOD. (j/k)Well, with the conversion, it's mainly a matter of waiting for the supprt people to figure out how to fix it. Once I get that, I can copy over the threads and whatnot with relative ease.I don't know much about editing the actual themes either... I've been spending my interim time trying to hack together a theme I found, but it's proving...problematic. Coding themes for phpBB can be MUCH more customizable... but they also need a large amount of know-how.As soon as I get the bare basics of what needs to be done done, I'm going to hand things over to you, basically. I will, of course, offer my services if you so desire, but it'll be all yours at that point. I just want to make sure I'm giving you a working product before then, you know?

[Lachlan Powers]

Whats the conversion problem? Are you using the convertor that puts itself in the Admin panel or the older one? Cause I have converted nearly half the Treesian forums now for a test with no problems. ejen ranti taicardainre (Lachlan Powers)The Grand Commonwealth - Aerlig - MNN - Treesia - mncentre - EIFA - Lemuria

[TonerMan]

Unix or Windows Server? Holy Warrior of NeeCommanding General of the Y.A.C.