OK. The results are in!
After a tremendous amount of R&D, and
way too many hours without sleep. I've finally
decided to go with the approach
sjs (Samuel Goldstein) did with
PunBB / Protected Pages.
I spent quite alot of time with the
phpBBX TAG based plugin that helps integrate phpBB2
into CMSMS. But it also has dependencies on
Frontend Users. Which, unfortunately
increases the overall complexity by:
- Requiring the installation of another module
- and, while FEU does add additional functionality to managing users, it duplicates much of the functionality already available in the User Admin panel
- which makes user management more complex than required/necessary for this project
Of course much of this is moot, if you already have, or intend to install/use FEU. But, I wanted this
to be as generic and simple as possible for the end user. This will better insure it's stability, and
usability for the end user/ administrator. So ultimately, this needs to be as "stand-alone" as possible.
Dependencies should be limited to CMSMS & UNB. I can/should incorporate any user management
requirements into
this module. Not require the end user/admin to get & figure out how to use
yet something else.
I also considered an approach using
nuSOAP. As described
here. I liked this approach better than
FEU, because (as most already know)
nuSOAP is already a part of CMSMS. I also haven't completely
given up on this approach. As using this type of approach would allow me to incorporate
any forum
into CMSMS. So, when done with my
current choice of directions. I'll come back to this.
I like almost everything about the way
sjs went about creating the
PunBB /Protected pages module.
But I wasn't keen on the forum living in the Modules directory. I suppose this isn't necessarily a real big
deal. But I was hoping to ultimately keep the forum installed in it's native fashion. Using this (my) app-
roach also seems to make it less complicated for the CMSMS admin, in laying out their content. So I
can easily accomplish this by using
sjs's current installer, then use the built-in powers that PHP
provide
fp to pack the finished install and move the newly created archive and unpack
it into the CMSMS root folder. Of cource I'll be doing alot of work rewriting the install procedure
and so-forth. So that the forum installation recognizes it's final resting place.
I'll also be adding and subtracting from
sjs's current module to better lend the final product to
allow upgrading both the forum and CMSMS itself. This will include packing up (archiving/backing up)
the forum prior to upgrading the forum. This probably isn't very necessary, as almost any data will be
living in the DB anyway - which of course, everyone backs up on a regular basis -
right?
But diong it this way clears the path for the newer version of the forum and adds another layer of
comfort for the CMSMS admin.
Well, I have more to add here. But while all of my progress is still fairly fresh in my mind. I should get
back to this project in hopes of getting a final
working product soon.
edit
I should also add; Incorporating links to the forum will be as simple as adding a TAG to your menu/menu
template, or anywhere else you wish a link to be available.
/edit
@sjs If your watching, would you please add anything you think might help in propelling this?
Also, if you're OK with it, would you be opposed to my maintaining/changing your
PunBB / Protected Pages
module to reflect my described approach? I've noticed in some of your threads about it, that you've been
fairly tied up lately.
Thanks in advance for your input, and all the work you've already shared.
