Forum Integration

[stevefriedman71]

I just wonder. I'm soooo happy w/ zen-cart and would LOVE to use zencart as a base for another site. but the would need an added forum and/or wiki. is there a way to accomplish that?
The site is supposed to be a showcase-store-community site.

[kobra]

There is inclusion for phpbb2 - but phpbb3 has changed enough that the earlier integration does not work...

Look at this site - it has Zen Cart at the home page - a knowledgebase - a wiki - and this forum and all skinned to appear similar...

No Integration - but that is not necessarily bad - you can explain that they can have a seperate login for the forum with a different name - possibly to protect their shopping account name and pass etc???

[stevefriedman71]

i LOVE you guys. i should never have strayed. you have suggestions about the file layout? you use one database for forum and one for store or can both be in one db and zencart and bb need one subfolder each?

[kobra]

i should never have strayed

Nosy!! Where did you go?

mysql allows for adding with prefix other tables for other applications -

I do not prefer to do this due to the limitations with most hosts on the DB filesize that can be restored and a Zen Cart DB can/will get large. So I suggest you use a seperate DB if allowed.

forum can be in another folder as in your_domain.com/forum or in a sub-domain as in forum.your_domain.com

[stevefriedman71]

beside our 2 sites i already have as stores only, we needed a 3rd site as a showcase (gallery) - store (if in stock) - forum.

I never found a good solution but went to dragonfly CMS for gallery/forum

but only b/c i didn't knew how to get a forum into zencart. and the forum there is unfriendly and - just today - tried to tell me zencart doesn't exist anymore... but i know better. i'll use zen in a blink of an eye and get rid of DF when i find a good way to add a forum. :)

[kobra]

when i find a good way to add a forum.

Not integrated to create account in/on both - but just select a forum script - be it phpbb, SMF, vBuletin, or??

Install it, skin it, and make an external ezpage link to it - in the header, footer, or sidebox
Or just a hard link

[stevefriedman71]

i meant integrated. customers/members can browse the gallery/store AND use the forum.
Dragonfly has a gallery and forum but lacks the store. I figured the gallery can be the store... ppl can see what we have and buy it when it is in stock or we make it as "ask for price" - can you tell i like zencart???

And DF had a forum wich i REALLY needed... the forum is the ONLY reason i strayed away...

If you give me a good way how to get a forum INTEGRATED i will GLADY do this. we NEED a store ability AND a forum in ONE site. Perferably only one login. Guests can already browse/ask for a rpice - so, that should be possible to read the forum... and only customers/members can shop or post in the forum.

[kobra]

Use phpbb 2.x