What is the status of UIEForum?

UIEForum has never gone into "not supported" status ... Where did you hear that it had?!

I took it offline due to some security concerns that chx had with the module (as ever, he remains an ardent anti-uieforum follower) that he raised with me recently. Out of courtesy, I took it offline while I examined the problem.
The next major release of the code will be when I move the module over to use drupal's node system, which will have to be completed before I can move the codebase over to D6.

There's no current ETA on this, and I'm really not looking forward to doing it. Drupal's onward-and-upward way of releasing new revisions is really beginning to take its toll on me. When every single part of the api changes *again*, I start to get a tad annoyed.

Anyway, you have nothing to worry about, the module is still alive and kicking, and as long as I'm involved with http://unreal.ie it always will be :) The core forum simply cannot do what normal forum users expect, so UIEForum isn't going anywhere just yet.

Thanks for the question though, and I hope I answered it to your liking.
Daniel

Zorro, we appreciate all the work you have done/will do on the module...cheers.

Could anyone reccomend a replacement or a similar module to UIEForum for Drupal v6 ?

The project where the efforts should go is http://drupal.org/project/advanced_forum

I'm using UIEforum on my website and will probably update Drupal from 5 to 6 within 2 months - any suggestions to how I can preserve things from said forums? It would be a real shame to lose it.

I've been looking over the advanced forum module, and talking to Michelle (the project maintainer).

A UIEForum->Core Forum export script is almost complete, so if you're urgently moving to D6 you can still keep all of your content, albeit without UIEforum (as there is no D6 port yet)

Thanks for that Zoro :) And not just for thinking about that export script and making it, but making and maintaining the uieforum script in the first place. I think I can't imagine how much time and effort goes into it (as well as the time needed answering people's questions in the issues area). :)

Any news on the export script Zoro? I realise it's only been a month, but I'd love to know if you've gained any progress. :) When it is finished, where can we find it?

Every time I see this issue I feel bad about #4. I just want to say that if Zoro wants to move his users to using AF, that's fine and I'll do what I can to make sure the users are happy with the move. But AF isn't necessarily better than UIEF; it's just a different approach. There's room in the Drupal world for both modules. It's up to Zoro if he wants to continue.

Michelle

Michelle: I've gotten very used to chx's snappy remarks when it comes to this module, so no need to feel bad :)

@#8 - The conversion script from UIEforum to core forum is pretty much complete. It takes a long time to run, however (up to about 4 hours on a local test install to move 80-85k posts from a dump of unreal.ie's UIEForum to nodes)
I've to investigate ways to improve this, but the body of the script itself is complete, and working.

If you're absolutely desperate to move away from this module then this export/import script will let you do that! After running it, you're then free to move to either AdvancedForum or the core forum itself.

As for continuing on with this module - I'm in 2 minds. I'm pretty much resigned to moving into nodes, regardless of the benefits of a dedicated structure for the forums/threads/posts that currently exist, as the benefits for using nodes greatly outweigh the structure argument.
However, I'm still not convinced that replies-as-comments is the correct approach for a forum system, so I can't say exactly what direction I'm going to take with this at the moment.

If anyone else would like to make any suggestions, please feel free, I'm all ears!

Daniel

Michelle: You're absolutely right and I don't know why I didn't address it. I just posted something about loving the addon and the efforts but didn't distance myself with so many words from that person's attitude. The drupal community is awesome, the feedback given (usually ;) ) excellent, and it's a shame someone just chooses to behave like that.

Zoro: I wouldn't say "absolutely desperate" mate, we've been using this module for something like one and a half, two years now :) so while we may move on it doesn't matter that your efforts to make it have been useless, we've enjoyed posting in it daily. I think for now we'll move to the standard forums --my website is growing and we're a bit hesitant to get too many things that may make upgrading difficult later :) (we're already drupally challenged). Thanks a lot for the port and I'll let you know how long it took ;) Where can I find it?

Replies as comments.. if themed correctly it could just be made to look like a flat thread right? Or am I thinking too simple :)

Asinnema: I'm very glad that you've found something I wrote so useful for such a long time, I really am :)
The import/export script isn't online at the moment, but if you'd like to try it out I can send you the current version. What it actually does is completely replaces the existing uieforum module (and therefore disabling it, stopping it from actually behaving like a forum), with some menu hooks that push all of the uieforum data down magic tubes into Drupal's buckets.

:D

You're correct in saying that comments can be themed to look like a "normal" forum, but the issue I'm facing isn't just with theming (advanced forum does a very, very good job of that, you should check it out), but with the logic involved with storing replies as comments. Simply put, I don't believe that *any* reply to a forum thread should be a comment - they should be nodes.
But, of course, Drupal will have kittens if I just dump 80k nodes into the node table, and loosely tie them together using another mapping table.

*grouphug*

Regarding the script, does that mean we'd need to copy the UIEforum structure in the Drupal forums first? :)
I'd love to have the current version - you can e-mail it to me at asinnema@xs4all.nl .

(And I happen to like kittens)

The drupal community is awesome, the feedback given (usually ;) ) excellent, and it's a shame someone just chooses to behave like that.

Behave like what? Like fight against a totally broken and insecure approach to forums which of course looks very enticing but it's still wrong. Basically, it's a separate full blown CMS besides Drupal. I told you years ago it's wrong, you never heeded to my advice and now I get chewed out? Fantastic! People will take functionality over security and performance any day, I can see that.

Also, I happen to have millions of nodes and Drupal still runs happily.

I'd forgotten about this thread... @chx - I appreciate your support and it's sweet of you to steer people my way. I just thought it was a bit much to do it in Zoro's queue. I don't think there's anything wrong with him offering a different approach to forums. It's no worse than the other bridges out there. As much as I'd love to post in the phbb & vb integration modules' queues I do resist the urge. :)

Michelle

I would also like to test the script as we are pretty much all set to move to v.6 except forums bryan.tebow@gmail.com

Thanks again for a great module, we put it to great use!

I would like the script as well ianmattcook@gmail.com.

Thanks a lot.

Behave like the end justify your means; which is trolling another module author's forum by making heated comments that don't serve anyone. People can choose for themselves which module to use, it's not your job to "fight" for or against it, and it certainly doesn't make me want to look beyond what you're saying to actually try to see your point of view.

@asinnema - Please don't dredge this up again. It's been done for a couple of weeks.

Michelle

Is the version for drupal 6 available or will it be soon? If maintenance on this script is stopped, we like to convert to the Advanced Forum. Is that convertion script public available?

Does UIE forum use all nodes? AF is becoming compatable with nodecomment s(ETA by the end of June) o it may be easier to convert to that if that is the case rather than trying to convert your nodes to comments.

Michelle

Nope, it doesn't use nodes. I have a conversion script for moving from UIEForum to core, but the performance of the script is a dog so I haven't released it yet.
As for the nodecomment approach - I'd be very happy to alter the script to create new nodes instead of comments - I hate that comments aren't nodes themselves :)

And no, maintainence of UIEForum hasn't ceased - I just haven't done anything recently ;)

AF will be compatable with both, and nodecomment can convert from comments. So it doesn't matter which way you go. I just thought it might be an easier task.

Michelle

Excellent news Michelle - thanks for the update!

I guess the performance problem is caused by the x time a call is made to drupal api. Maybe its possible just to convert all the items with a few(?) SQL statements?

Any update on getting that conversion script available?

Could someone mail me the original script please? I've saved most of my old uieforums but I am trying to restore my old site so I can save some more that got lost. Because it is now not available for download, I can't do that :(

The releases are here: http://drupal.org/node/38829/release

Michelle

Is the conversion script available anywhere? Has anybody received a copy from Daniel? If so please could you send a copy to me at teardrop@zen.co.uk

I also don't care about performance but have to upgrade from v5 but really don't want to abandon the 19000 posts my 'little' community has built up in the forum.

Daniel are you still monitoring this issue queue?

Andy

Hey there Andy - I'm still monitoring the issue queue, yes. And apologies for not replying to your email sooner.
I noticed your post over on unreal.ie too, and was going to reply to you this morning :)

The script never got finalised I'm afraid.
Unreal.ie is looking to move off of D5 too, due to PHP 5.3 incompatibilities - part of this move will involve importing the forum content into drupal's node structure, so as soon as I have that sorted out again (it's been quite some time since I dev'd for Drupal) I'll post a script that will suck up UIEForum and spit out DrupalNodes.

Hi Daniel,

Thanks for the reply.

Didn't you have a script that you mentioned earlier in the thread was almost complete?

I'm happy to take it on (at my own risk) and play with it.

Andy

Yup - but we're talking at least 2 or 3 years ago :)
And that was before the move to D7 happened around here. It'll definitely need fixing.

I'll see if I can dig it up though

Any update Daniel?

Not from a UIEForum point of view, no.
I'm currently upgrading unreal.ie from D5, to D6 followed by D7. Once this is done, I'll be working on the code to pull UIEForum content into Drupal, so it can be used in a more drupal friendly way.

I hope to start work on the code in the next week or so - as soon as I have something I'll drop you a note here.
Do you have a deadline for when you need to upgrade your site?

Yesterday ;-)

Seriously though I'm doing what you are, going from 5 to 6 with the site which is 95% done in my dev environment. I'd like to have it all done and live by end of November.

Ideally I'd like to move the forum into Core/Advanced Forum at the same time I upgrade the rest of the site in live but if worst comes to worst then I (hopefully) can pull in the old (UIEForum) forum posts at some point after that.

I have free time at the moment so if there is anything I can do on the forum side in advance of you getting to it then please let me know.

I have a committee meeting with the club to present the upgrade plan and any costs next week. I may be able to persuade them to stump up some cash if it would help things along. It wouldn't be much and certainly not commercial rates but if it would help get things done by say end November then the offer is there.

Hi Daniel,

How did the conversion go? Due to the many updates of Drupal we have to upgrade too. Well what can you do...

We use UIE forum still, and thinking how to continue. Any progress on the conversion? If at least the main data can be converted, post texts and replies, we already be happy.

Cheers,
Martin

I've just completed the Drupal 6 port of UIEForum, and comitted it.
It should be available for download soon.

D7 is underway now.

This version of UIE Forum is not supported anymore. The issue is closed for this reason.
Please upgrade to a supported version and feel free to reopen the issue on the new version if applicable.

This issue has been automagically closed by a script.