What other approaches exist for mobile integration with Composr?
Answer
Other approaches, in various stages of development, include:
Tapatalk: A third-party forum app with an official Composr addon, offering a high-quality "out-of-the-box" Composr app experience.
Further Composr Mobile SDK development: Plans and issues relating to the SDK's evolution can be found on the Composr tracker, driven by commercial projects and feature sponsorship.
How does authentication work with the server-side API?
Answer
Authentication is handled automatically using cookies, similar to regular website requests. If cookies are not feasible, the response parameters device_auth_member_id_cn/device_auth_pass_hashed_cn/device_auth_member_id_vl/device_auth_pass_hashed_vl from the login endpoint can be resent as POST parameters in subsequent requests.
How do I access the server-side API for my mobile app?
Answer
The server-side API can be accessed via HTTP calls to http://yourbaseurl/data/endpoint.php. Results are returned in JSON format. The API utilizes endpoints with a 'hook' name and a 'hook type' categorization. Both REST-style and GET-parameter style requests are supported, with the latter recommended for simplicity.
What is the purpose of the Composr Mobile SDK Toolkit?
Answer
The Toolkit, part of the composr_mobile_sdk addon, aids in mirroring Composr website resources into a mobile app. It includes tools for generating iOS/Android string resources from language files and exporting theme images in a directory structure suitable for iOS/Android app image assets.
To connect to a Composr site, you will need to install the composr_mobile_sdk addon, which is not bundled. This addon provides scripting to generate app assets from the Composr site.
Composr Mobile SDK (CMS SDK) is a toolkit designed for experienced iOS and Android developers to build mobile apps that integrate with a Composr-powered website. It offers both Composr-specific integrations and a collection of standalone utilities for building apps, providing a common base between iOS and Android akin to the PHP and Composr APIs, enabling easier code porting while maintaining a native experience.
The Composr documentation provides extensive information. Additionally, you can seek assistance from experienced Composr developers, including the Composr team if your project allows for professional support.
Can I switch from a third-party forum to Conversr (Composr's built-in forum)?
Answer
Yes, if an importer exists for your current forum software, you can switch to Conversr during the import process. Composr will handle the forum driver switch and remap user IDs, but it's recommended to double-check permissions afterward.
The HTML website importer is an advanced tool for migrating static HTML websites to Composr. It analyzes the HTML structure to create zones, Comcode pages, and a basic template. It also attempts to fix links and file paths for Composr compatibility.
Import sessions track the progress and ID remapping for each import, allowing you to merge multiple sites or resume interrupted imports. This is particularly useful when merging multiple Composr sites into one.
Are there any limitations to importing forum data?
Answer
Yes, some limitations exist, particularly with specific forum platforms.
General: Private messages are often combined into private topics.
phpBB: Usergroup configuration and HTML entities may require manual adjustments after import.
vBulletin: Calendar recurrences, ratings (karma), and 'goes to coventry' are not imported perfectly. Attachments may need to be extracted directly from the live database due to potential corruption in SQL dumps.
Simple Machine Forum: Banning features may not import perfectly due to differences in how Composr handles bans.
Composr primarily uses database connections for importing. However, it also supports neutral data formats like CSV spreadsheet files and importing downloads from a directory.
Moving a Composr site involves transferring both the files and the database.
Files:
On the old server, ZIP the entire Composr directory.
Download the ZIP file to your computer.
Upload the ZIP file to the new server using SFTP/FTP.
On the new server, unzip the file.
Database:
On the old server, create an SQL dump of your database using the mysqldump command or phpMyAdmin.
Download the SQL dump file.
If your URL is changing, search and replace the old URL with the new one in the SQL dump file.
Upload the SQL dump file to the new server.
Restore the database on the new server using the mysql command or phpMyAdmin.
Important Steps:
File Permissions: After transferring files, ensure correct file permissions are set on the new server. You can use the fixperms.php script, the upgrader script, or manually adjust them.
Configuration: If database settings are different on the new server, update the _config.php file or use the config_editor.php script to change the settings for both the site and forum databases.
Base URL: If your URL has changed, update the base URL setting in the Installation Options editor (config_editor.php).
Caches: Clear the block cache using the upgrader.php script.
