Quick question,

I hope!

I've used, and setup, aMember on a couple sites and then added the phpBB plugin. I now have a client who is already using phpBB on their site, but now want to use the aMember software on their site.

I figure this won't be a big deal, but wanted to check before moving forward. What will be the process of adding the current BB module to the list of plugins. Once added, will the setup be a simple matter of setting the db prefix to match the current phpBB setup.

Thanks for your help!!

This "may relate" to my request of importing users by mysql way and not the import.txt way. By this one can mapp fields from a remote database. All the system as well as additional fields are known to amember scripts. So there only remains the question of field mapping.

In the last months, the staff have answered that they are working on it, however there are other things they are busy with. Since I had no urgency, this issue have remained undiscussed.

I see that it would be helpful to many users.

So until then, you only have a text file import possibility. Once the entries of usernames & emails are there, then you can mapp the plugin and rebuild after which everything will work fine. You may not map the fields accuarely, if you are looking for nightmares......

Obviously, there is more to this than I had thought. I have a "very" general knowledge of database configurations and use, so not sure I understood most of your phrasing. I rely on the control panel settings and try to avoid any "backend" manipulation.

My initial question is whether I will be able to add the current phpBB module to the aMember plugin list (easily)? Previously, I would just pay for the module and it was added, by aMember technical support (I assume). Since I already have an active phpBB, what will I need to do to add it to the list of plugins.

Secondly, I assume I would be pointing aMember towards the same database where the current bulletin board records are located (with a current prefix of phpbb_). Am I understanding that if, once the plugin is added, I configure the BB prefix to match the existing record's prefix (phpbb_), it will overwrite these existing records?

My apologies! I wish I had more background with databases.

Export the User database like loginname, email, password from the other database.

Click on the import link from the amember control panel.

See which fields are in the text file that has to get into the amember database and map them.

Import the user records. So all the users are in the amember database.

What do you mean by "add it to the list of plugins"? If the staff installed, I fail to beleive you that it is not listed in there, until you played with it or deactivated that plugin.

Most likely you mean how to have users in the amember database.

Most likely the plugin is in there, if the staff installed it.

So just import the users. Regardless of the plugin, you can still import the users into the amember database. For this it would be helpful to create a product first and mention it during the imports.

Thanks for the help, draj. I'm starting to understand what needs to be done.

To clarify the comment about "add it to the list of plugins," right now the client has a phpBB that they have been using for a couple years. They do not currently use (or have installed) aMember on their server. I guess what I'm trying to determine is if integrating a new installation of aMember, with a pre-existent phpBB, is going to be an issue.

Thanks again for your help (and patience). I want to make sure I understand all, before communicating with my client.

Hi!

Well, then:

1. Buy amember + phpBB plugin. Follow the readme instructions and setup i.e. activate.
2. Create a product i.e. subscription which will have a mapping of subscription directly to phpbb as product you created.
2. Export the user database from the existing phpbb database.
3. Create aditional fields is necessary.
4. Map field in the import routine of amember admin control panel showing which fields of amember will be mapped to the import database fields.
5. Import the users. Make sure to click on the (newly created) subscription mapping.

Following will happen after this:

- Users data will be imported into amember with the info of the import file.
- All the newly created users will be mapped to a particular subscription of phpbb.
- All the users records will be maintained through amember login & modification system.

Clear?

Very clear! I was wondering if I had to buy the phpBB plugin, since they already had the phpBB they are using now.

Thanks again for your assistance. Hopefully, I won't be back with anymore questions (regarding this).

Hi!

Plugin means and works like a connector! So if you wanna connect aMember to the phpBB, you can install a plugin for that program i.e. phpbb.

What plugin does?

It will map fields on the leftside i.e. aMember system fields and shoot them on the right hand side i.e. phpbb.

So if a user registers, then the username and password etc. will _NOT_ be entered firstly into phpbb anymore. It will get into the aMember dtabase. Thereafter when a user activates by validating his email, his data record will be shooted to the phpbb.

Thereafter you can also install a plugin of Joomla.

Then the user data will be shooted fro left hand side i.e. fom amember to both the plugins i.e. phpbb _AS_WELL_AS_ joomla databases!

Understand?

Here is does not matter, if the right hand side existed or not. If it did, fine, you will have to get that data from right hand side into the left hand side. Also if on the right hand side, if one existed, you can add a second one i.e. joomla. Later you can also add a thrid and fourth one. For all those additions, you will need a connector i.e. plugins for those databases.

Alex needs to have a much better explaination of all this...

Nice. I understand and appreciate the help. Thanks again.

Hi!

Yes, ofcourse, also in the future. Why dont you use it for the Wiki or manual? It will help many others to understand your creative concepts better...

I agree..this would be excellent to insert in aMember's Wiki.

Draj, I believe aMember will not create new or update the manual. All will be refer to Wiki for further info -- hope we can make the Wiki more of a Manual look-alike.

I did emailed to aMember Tech Support - there's a new version of Wiki that allows us to print out (printable button). That way, I could replace my binder whatever new chapter has been updated. Currently, I just use the browser printer -- but it waste a lot of white space all around.

Dave

Hi Alex!

From my technical understanding, I see "An Integration" to be different that "A Management".

According to my opinion:

Amember plugins are not an INTEGRATION PLUGINs! Amember _DOES_NOT_ integrate into an application at all!!!

Amember is a standalone application. AMember plugins are actually connector plugins.

Amember functions even if the integrated database or application disfunctions. So if the integrated database like joomla does not work, then the connector will also not work.

Hence it is and cannot be a an integration plugin.

According to my opinion:

Amember is a (MEMBERSHIP) MANAGEMENT APPLICATION WITH CONNECTOR-PLUGINS SYSTEM!

Regardless of a database being remote or local, aMember executes management of memberships and their relevant aspects of each membership.

This is achieved by installing a master/primary amember database nd all other databases serving as slave/secondary database.

What is primary database?

A primary database serves a central system of membership management. It supplies or feeds information of members and memberships to other databases. So if some informaton exists in one secondary database, it may not exists into anathor secondary database.

So aMember has a system where aMember database of memberships serves as a primary database.

To this primary database, it is possible to connect any number of secondary databases at anytime.

So you can start in the begining with a joomla as a secondary database and later on decide to add a drupal database as one more secondary database.

Therefore following is the technicl structure of your business model:

In the begining:

Primary/Master database: amember
Secondary/Slave database 1: phpBB

A few months later:

Primary/Master database: amember
Secondary/Slave database 1: phpBB
Secondary/Slave database 2: joomla

Perhaphs half a year later:

Primary/Master database: amember
Secondary/Slave database 1: phpBB
Secondary/Slave database 2: joomla
Secondary/Slave database 3: xoops
Secondary/Slave database 4: drupal

The membership management of amember is achieved by a system of plugins.

Description of Connector Plugins

Plugin means and works like a connector. So if you wanna connect aMember to the phpBB (for example), you can install a plugin for that program i.e. phpBB.

What plugin does?

It will map fields on the leftside i.e. aMember system fields from the primary database and shoot them on the right hand side i.e. phpBB serving as a secondary database in the above example.

So if a user registers, then the username and password etc. will NOT be entered firstly into phpBB as secondary database anymore. It will get into the aMember primary database. Thereafter when a user activates by validating his email, or makes payment if that is required, his data record will be added to the phpBB secondary database.

Thereafter you can also install a plugin of Joomla as in the example above after a few months.

Then the user data will be inserted from left hand side i.e. from aMember to both the plugins i.e. phpBB _AS_WELL_AS_ Joomla databases!

Here is does not matter, if the right hand side as secondary databases existed or not. If it did, fine, you will have to get that data from right hand side into the left hand side first (using export in phpBB, then import in aMember). Also if on the right hand side, if one secondary databases existed, you can add a second one i.e. Joomla a few months later and rebuild the all the databases to syncronise the membership information everywhere.

Later you can also add a thrid and fourth one. For all those additions, you will need a connector i.e. plugins for those databases. Further, all those new additions of secondary databases are independent to all other existing secondary databases.

As it is seen, all the secondary databases depend on one primary database i.e. aMember. But all the secondary databases DOES NOT depend on other secondary databases.

It is therefore, if you have an existing user database of for e.g. phpBB or joomla, you need to get all the membership information into the Master aMember database so that the one way connection from a Master database works to all the other databases.

I hope that the above description says well of what amember is.