integration with SMF forum

I used Security Assist to set up multiple user levels with my Dreamweaver php site. The client asked for a forum - we installed SMF through our cpanel and the client intended to manage the forum themselves. However, they would like the site members to automatically be logged in to the SMF forum when they are logged into the php site. I'm told I have to "integrate my custom php pages with the Forum and modify the Forum software." I don't want to jeopardize the integrity of the site and confer to you at WebAssist as to how this should be handled.

this will be pretty tricky to accomplish. the forum will use it's own registration scheme with it;s own database

it will require hand coding have site registration through security assist automatically create a registration in the forum system as well.

you would also need to code the site login page so that it logged into the forum database as well as login into your own database, this is beyond what we can help you with through this forum, if you need assistance with implementing this, we could help in ap premiere support appointment.

Is this something that you think should be avoided? When someone registers for an SMF forum they agree to terms and are verified through email. Adding members directly from our site registration system will avoid that step - which I kind of see as a tutorial of sorts. Also, users login with their email address. I don't think we want to identify forum posts by email? This is a forum site that you use, tied to your site. Is it separate - using a free tool like SMF? I'm looking for best practice suggestions here. Thanks.

we use vBulletin as our forum and had to do a lot of customization work to get it functioning, it was not a simple out of the box up and running situation.

The login username doesn't have to be how the user is identified in the forum. Our own system uses email address, and email verification, but does not show the email address in the forum. (A double opt in tutorial is on the way....)

If you are not comfortable with custom coding, i would not recommend trying this, or we could assist you in a premiere support appointment.

I will need to know a few things before ordering premier support. Is SMF OK for you to work with to help with this? Do you need me to buy something like vBulletin first? How long will it take for the tech to complete - one hour? Less? I'll need to know these things before I can committ.

the SMF forum should be fine, I don't personally have any experience with it, but user login is pretty standard across systems, it relies on setting session variables.


IT's impossible to tell at this point how long it would take to complete, but I don't think it should take longer than 2 hours at the most.