Drupal integration

zelig2

I've had a Vanilla forum up and running for a few months now (still running 1.0). I've got the main users I plan to have for the site. I've started wanting more features for the users. Namely some gallery options and blogging. I've been playing around with Drupal for the weekend and like what I see. I'd like to integrate Vanilla into Drupal so I can have the features of Drupal along with the style/performance of the Vanilla forum. Since all my users are already established I was wondering if anyone has configured Drupal's login so that it works for the Vanilla database? I know we've got a Drupal dev here who was working on some integration stuff during the 1.0.1 release. Anyone else have the two running together?

Mark

If you know anything about how drupal works, this wordpress integration document should be a pretty good guideline for what it will take to do the drupal integration.

zis

Hi, dunno if it's the right place to post that. I come from the world of drupal and know drupal pretty well. I looked at the wordpress integration doc and am working on a similar one for drupal. It is quite easy to do. But there is one small thing I'd like to know.. Drupal stores the user info on 2 tables. The user table which contain the username pass and some other info and a profile table that contains other custom fields. So I'd like to know if there is a way to define 2 tables for user data in the database.php file. Thanks. zis

apg88

I am trying to do the same with my own CMS. I'm not sure what is better, to use my user database for vanilla, or to do the opposite. I also need to be able to create vanilla topics dynamically from my own code, is there an add-on that does it? If not, where can I get started so I can make it? Thank you, Alvaro

Stash

Zis, I'd certainly be interested in your extension when you're done. Unfortunately I can't help with your query, but I'm sure someone who knows about databases and Vanilla will be able to help you out. Remember to create a nice announcement in a new thread when you've done the extension, and if you need any help beta testing, just ask and I'll help out however I can.

zis

Thanks for your replies everyone.. I sure will announce it when i'm done. Actually i've got all the points covered and if you modify the drupal users table it works. But in drupal it is very bad practice to modify system tables. And for that particular case, their is a special table to add all custom user data. So if anyone knows how to map user info to more than one table in vanilla, it would be great. Zis

Stash

Will this work for Drupal 5 or just 4.x ?

zis

It will work for both. the user and session management didn't change much between 4.7 and 5 If you have any specific features you'd like to see, list them in this thread. zis

apg88

Well, accessing the tables directly is a bad idea. A vanilla update that changes the database structure would wreak havoc on the site. What should work is a set of functions that can be loaded from any PHP scrip on my site in order to control Vanilla. For example, have a createUser() function that will populate vanilla's database. Also an editUser(), deleteUser(). createTopic(), etc... I will begin to study some of the vanilla code to see if I can figure something out. Do you have any suggestions on what files to look at? What are the files that take care of posting? I mean, I see post.php, but all it does is include many files... What I want to accomplish first is just to create topics from a PHP script not in vanilla's folder. I don't care if I have to make a user account for it first, I just want to be able to post. Thank you, Alvaro

guest

any updates here? I'm keen to get this plug-in as well.

Stash

Yeah zis, have you got this up and running yet? Any comment on what apg88 said?

guest

I also like this idea, is this running?

zis

sorry for my disapearance. actually what happened is that i could find absolutely no documentation on the vanilla query builder and other underlying architecture.. i got busy and lazy since.. i'll look back into it soon and let you know of any progress..

MPV

I 'm also interested in this plugin, keep up up to date on your progress.

Mark

The sqlbuilder is kind of a pain in my rear. I wish I had come up with a totally different method for querying the db, but it's too late now to redo that. Maybe in version 2.

There are tons of examples of how to use it in the core files (look for any of the *Manager.class.php files).

MySchizoBuddy

Mark do u have a time line for v2 have u started thinking of what you will do for v2, or its all up in the air right now

Mark

Too many other things to work on. I can't even begin to think about version 2 right now.

I have another project I've been wanting to start for over a year. That one is next on my agenda, for sure.

jeffk

Has anyone had any luck with using both of these products together in some way? any way? I love them both and would love to somehow integrate them. Even if is as 'simple' as a shared login or profile.

ronoxQ

I agree with JeffK. Anybody working on integrating Drupal and Vanilla?

angelic_venus

Well, I have just started the first steps of integrating Drupal and Vanilla. I have so far gotten the Vanilla install talking to the Drupal user table for it's information with success (there are a few snags, with IP addresses and account creation timestamps). Next step, is to adapt the Authenticator module to play ball with the sessions Drupal creates. I am doing this one way, I want -all- session and user management to be handled by Drupal (excluding forum preferences), even down to user profiles. So I am going to be removing the login from Vanilla, and will also be writing an extension which changes all links to user profiles to Drupal's user pages, all account settings will be adjusted through the Drupal interface too. When I have this working, I will adapt the Wordpress integration document to a Drupal one, and will release the extensions if people want them. Adam.

Stash

People will want them - so we look forward to the completion of this work