Joomla-Phbb Bridge (Main Page)

Last times explanations updated : 6 january 2008
Last times files updated: 18 april , minor fix related to passwords, thanks to "mr freak"

Here I offer a free bridge between Joomla and Phpbb. This one should offer significant advantages over existing solutions: easy install, no hack of the Joomla's core required etc ... Please do not link directly to the provided files; link to this page instead. Bridge tested between Joomla 1.0.15 and phpBB 2.023.

Notice about Joomla 1.0.13 and later: Despites the "salted passwords" introduced by Joomla 1.0.13 , the bridge works fine. However, if you plan to unbridge, it won't be as easy as before. Users added to phpbb after bridging (and only these ones) , will end up with "salted paswords" stored in phpbb's "user table"...

Get the files right now; but make sure you read instructions after the link.

Gzip compression ? The bridge doesn't like it. Ensure it is disabled for phpbb (the case by default)
2

OpenSef user ? Some OpenSef versions induce problems for the bridge. To disable OpenSef only when the bridge is in use, follow these steps : Make a menu item to the component . Now in the configuration panel of Opensef exclude that menu item. You don't need that menu item anymore, so delete it.
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CB user ?. The bridge doesn't rely on CB's API. Despites this, it can work in conjunction with CB. There's just a trivial problem of being redirected to the right pages (on login, on registration etc... ). More infos here.

This bridge relies on the joomphpbb_bridge table. Create it inside your forum's database by using the provided script joomphpbb.sql. This table allows to bind a joomla user with a phpbb user; i.e even if the user changes it's userame in its Joomla profile or in its Phpbb profile. A Phpbb user is bound with a Joomla user, when a logged Joomla user visit the forum for the first time.

Now install com_phpbb.zip inside Joomla. Important: Add a direct link to your Phpp install in your Joomla website menu (example: http://www.mysite.com/phpbb/) . Do not link the Phpbb Component! Remark: the component is required by the bridge even if you don't link to it.

Now you'll have to hack your login.php file and then process 13 files with the help of the dos batch file provided . If your phpbb version is 2.023 (and not modded) , then this work is already done; just copy the 26 .php files provided in the folder "phpBB-2.023/hacked files" and put them in your forum's root (you'll overwrite 13 files). Otherwise full explanations concerning this step are done in hacks page. Remark: you can get old phpbb versions here.

Copy files joomphpbb_conf.php (previously edited) and joomphpbb_engine.php in your forum's root. Now, your bridge is almost functional. You just have to fix some problems related to your current phpbb template. If you use the default Subsilver theme (for phpbb2), then the work is already done (otherwise get some hints here). Copy all files provided in "subSilver/hacked files" and put them in the "templates/subSilver" folder of your phpbb forum (some files will be overwritten).

You can easily disable integration of your forum inside the Joomla's Template (while keeping main bridge features) : you just have to edit your joomphpbb_conf.php file and set variable $joomIntegrate to false.

Once the bridge installed, admistration of Phpbb stay almost independent of Joomla. The same user can exist inside Joomla and Phpbb, but with different rights. However, a user must be registered first in Joomla, in order to connect to the Phpbb forum. This means that all Phpbb users you had before installing the bridge should be merged with Joomla users in your database. This is the purpose of the provided quickmerge.php script. This script needs the "phpbb_users" table to be in your Joomla database in order to work. If you are using a single database for Joomla and Phpbb, that's already the case. If you are using two separate database (one for Joomla and one for Phpbb) you can always perform a copy of this table and then delete it afterward. Then edit the first few lines of quickmerge.php, and modify the setting $myTable if necessary. Then copy the quickmerge.php script to the root of your Joomla website and run it from a web browser. All users added by the script belong to the "Registered" group.

Note: To access to administration panel, a Phpbb administrator must authenticate. The password asked correspond to the one stored in phpbb user profile.