access user and phpbb question

Hi,

Still a big fan of Access User. Wondering if there is any pre-written mod that integrates phpbb and Access User (?). I've searched the site and haven't found anything to that effect so my guess is that the answer is no...just hoping.

why do you need a mod for the registration of phpBB?

(btw. just installed SMF, this forum soft rules ;))

I only installed the phpbb forum about 10 days ago (i must admit I hadn't been exposed to SMF which i just checked out and  does look superior to phpbb).

Users currently would have to register separately for the php board and for access user.

in an ideal world, i would consolidate the registration processes for access user and for phpbb so that users only need to register once, this registration would allow them to be a member of phpbb forum and grant them a certain access user  status.

Is there any forum software out there that integrates more easily with the access user class? (if so--given the youth of my newly installed board, i could easily ditch phpbb for another flavor).



of course, this isn't an ideal world! (if nothing else, I at least think i'll look more carefully at smf!)

I know there is an API for SMF, check the forum here:

http://www.webdigity.com/index.php/board,34.0.html

I guess it should no bes o hard to combine both...

thanks Olaf,

will look at that thread.  keep up the good work!

I am also looking to integrate with SMF (or any other forum), I'll check out the link you posted but any tips or hints are much appericiated :)

We use the Joomla to SMF bridge a lot (about 90 sites) and it works well.  You might try it for a roadmap from access_user to SMF.  If you can use the Joomla content manager for your web pages to restrict access - this might be an option also.

We did one site where we used access_user and SMF together.  It is not for the faint of heart although it is not that hard either.

We loaded the A/U users table into the same database as the swf_users table.  Made BOTH work... Then we started modifying access_user_class.php to use the swf_users table. Example A/U login was changed to SMF username.

If I remember we had to add an extra code to interpret one or two fields that were not the same.  We ended up with code that allowed someone to register / login with the SMF site and see our modified access_user site after login.

In hindsight an easier way would have been to use the access_user_class.php functions used in "page_protect" as a road map to use the SWF database for both.  Or do a little digging into the SWF code and find what they use for page protect and insert that into your webpages.

I must admit, I love your idea!  Wouldn't it be great if access_user was written so it could use the SWF database or had an option to do so?  We use both so often that it would be nice.  I can see many uses for custom build web pages with an access_user login / page protect and an SWF forum with the same login!

On the other hand, I think it is too much to ask Olaf to change all his field names to fit those of another database!  Even if I think access_user / SMF would make a fantastic combo!

You should also look at things from the other end!  SMF has a fantastic board on Portals, Bridges, and Integrations at:
http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?board=33.0

You might want to type in api / this board / search.  To see ways to integrate SMF into your website.

Likewise a search for access user might be a wise choice to see if anyone has posted an api for an SMF to access user API or bridge.

Likely not the easy "tips and hints" you wanted, but some solid ideas for how to get the job done that you need!

If you push through with this, be sure to post your results!

Regards,

LAN

PS SMF has an SMF API you might be intrested in at:
http://www.simplemachines.org/download/?tools

It has a number of really good comments that might help you integrate access user and/or SMF to your website.

Don't use the above link, it is old... try this instead...

Because it is a little hard to find, the best (latest) SMF API (api.php) is found at:
http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=158082.0
REPLY #2

I haven't looked at any code for SMF, but I wouldn't imagine it would be too hard to have a script take the variables in the current access_user when someone signs up and throw it into the SMF database?

I'm going to give it a look at sometime this week though.

Hi riscphree, e9,

Actually, SMF has both an API and an SSI written in PHP

If you just need login (without the forum), use the API.  In fact you can use the SMF API as a stand alone authentication script (the same as access_user) by just creating the SMF Settings.php file and database... It is pretty simple and adds themes to your web design.

Besides the advantage of themes, you are also ready to transparently add SMF with no additional configuration of your site. One login and you are good for the site and for the SWF forum.

In the past we used access_user on most of our non forum sites, until the new SMF API was released (be sure to download the one from the community as the one in tools is a bit old).  Now we are use the new SMF 1.1 API for stand alone logins (ready to add an SMF forum later).

If you need both a login for your custom pages AND a fantastic forum, load up SMF!  Built in is SSI.php.  Include that in your custom site and you can post things in your site from your forum (last five post titles, etc., and much more).  Plus there are functions for login etc... These are pure simplicity!  Again the SSI.php means your custom built site and the forum only need one login.

To make it easier they include ssi_examples.php and ssi_examples.shtml to show you how to do everything the easy way!  It simply rocks!

Sorry, Olaf, I sound like I am raining on access_user's parade and that is not the case, access_user is a great login class... IF that is ALL you need. 

HOWEVER... if you are making a custom site and wanting to integrate a great forum, then SSI.php in SMF is really the way to go.

Because it is a little hard to find, the best (latest) SMF API (api.php) is found at:
http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=158082.0
REPLY #2

SSI.php is part of SMF

Thanks for the advice, I will definately check it out and see what I can do with it!