Announcement: Software Conversion - Community Downtime

**Andy R** · 03-02-2009, 10:02 PM

Fellow iRV2 Members,

It's with great pleasure to announce the upcoming conversion from our current forum software to a new format called vBulletin. The conversion will take place this weekend (March 6 to March 8). I plan to turn off the forum section of iRV2 very late on Friday night and start on the conversion process.

In order to set everyone's expectations the forums could be down all the way until Monday morning. I have practiced the conversion about 50 times so far trying to work out all the bugs so I am getting pretty good at it. Unfortunately there is a ton of clean up work that will need to take place that I have not practiced and this is the unknown factor of the process. As soon as I can have things in a stable format I will reopen the forums. At that point your feedback will help guide me to issues that need to be resolved and after a couple days we should have 99% of the issues resolved.

A few things to note about the conversion:

PMs will not be imported:
The current system uses a system of "Private Topics". Basically these private topics are just like the discussions (threads) but only certain members are allowed to view them. The new software does not use this logic since it uses a From: and To: type setup. We have been trying to map the system to save the PMs but it's simply not working.

The old software will remain online for the month of March. Members will need to save any important info in PMs before the old forums are powered down.

Note: I know this is a total bummer. We tried very hard to make it work and simply could not fit a square peg in a round hole elegantly enough to pull it off.

A Password Reset Will be Required:
Passwords are encrypted in the database for our members security. That means we cannot import your passwords because we do not know them. All members will be required to reset their passwords after the conversion is completed. There will be a big link at the top of all the forums to reset your password.

The process to reset your password will be to click on the reset link. At that point you will be presented a page where you enter your email address and hit submit. A new password will be generated and emailed to you at the email address listed in your account. Please make sure your email address is current (Go >> Personal Zone >> Profile >> Edit Profile and Check the "Change Account Email" option).

We will be available to assist all members with issues that arise. Please email us at webmaster@irv2.com if you have any problems.

Other Notes:
New URL - The forums are currently running on a 3rd party service called Eve. The site is running on their servers using the infopop.cc domain name. We will be moving the forums to the iRV2.com domain name. I will try to find a way to automatically reroute our viewers to our new URL but I have a few issues to iron out this week regarding that. If I am unable to setup an automatic redirect there will be a big bold message at the top of the old site with a link to the new forum software.

One login for all sections of the site - After we are settled with our new forum software the goal will be to start integrating the other system that currently make up our site. That means we will not be required to have a separate login for the photo gallery, campground reviews, classifieds, etc. I will post more about this as the integration process on those gets underway.

Personal Settings - We have attempted to bring over as many setting as possible. There will be some setting which will need to be reconfigured in the new software. We will post about these once we are live on the new software.

I'll see if we can setup a chat room in place so everyone can keep on chatting even though the forums will be down.

That it for now. I will post updates on the home page as the weekend progresses to keep everyone in the loop. Wish me luck!

SeeTheUSA · 03-03-2009, 04:16 AM

Sounds like a bunch of work, Andy, for you and your team . . . good luck! The rest of us will anxiously await your return.

Hard to imagine a couple of days without iRV2 !!!

TXiceman · 03-03-2009, 04:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by SeeTheUSA:

Hard to imagine a couple of days without iRV2 !!!

I agree...ouch,

But we will survive and be better when things are back operating.

Ken

Chickadee · 03-03-2009, 05:40 AM

Andy R: I know ya don't need this now...but...under your instructions re: ...Password Reset...you stated that "A new password will be generated and e-mailed...". Does that mean we won't be able to reset and use our current "password", and that the system will select and assign some new password? Sure would like to retain, reset, and use my present password if possible. If too busy, just ignore this....I'll figure it out. Thanks. Steve

**Route 66** · 03-03-2009, 05:51 AM

Quote:

Does that mean we won't be able to reset and use our current "password", and that the system will select and assign some new password?

Once you login with the new system generated password, you will be able to change your password to your "old" password.

bsavage · 03-03-2009, 08:42 AM

Good luck! Sounds like a lot of work, but I bet it will be great!

Brenda, of...

Max Hubrich · 03-03-2009, 10:30 AM

Ah shucks----

Just as I was getting the hang of how to post pictures---

**NLOVNIT** · 03-03-2009, 03:56 PM

I hope everything goes as smoothly as possible.

Did anyone notice that the annoucement says we'll be down Mar 3 -6...today is Mar 3 & it's not Friday, or at least I don't think it is...is it?

Lori-