Has anyone ever seen/created a MOD to do the following: (I tried and crashed my webserver! )

I would LOVE it if when a user was added, the database would also create a user file for the UBB (Ultimate Bulletin Board) system I have on my web site.

The file is a simple one stored in a particular directory (perhaps a $UBB_Member variable).

The file is named <username>.cgi and is a pipe delimited file.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
Dave

JPDeni,

The following text is the format of the user files that are created with UBB:


IMHO, it would take a lot of effort to get UBB to work with DBMAN or any other third party script.

Regards,

------------------
Eliot Lee....
Former Handle: Eliot
Anthro TECH, L.L.C
anthrotech.com
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I would have to actually see a sample file in order to be able to begin to tell you.


------------------
JPD

I'm sure there's a bunch of people that would be interested in a mod like this. I know I am. I've seen a few conversations over at the UBB site about making a mod like this but nothing ever came out of it.


------------------
Jason
Extreme mtb
http://extreme.nas.net

Well, it would be very complicated. The problems are the following:

1) UBB creates separate user files versus DBMAN, which has one database file.

2) UBB also includes a lot more user information than DBMAN.

3) UBB does NOT encrypt passwords. DBMAN does through the Secure Password Lookup Mod.

4) The structure of the UBB user files is a lot different than the DBMAN user database file.

5) The authentication schemes between the two scripts are quite different.

6) UBB is more modular than DBMAN, meaning that you would have edit many files to make it work.

7) File extensions between UBB and DBMAN are different (connected with the separate user file issue).

These are a few problems...there are many more, which I do not have time to list at this time.

Regards,

------------------
Eliot Lee....
Former Handle: Eliot
Anthro TECH, L.L.C
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[This message has been edited by AnthroRules (edited May 12, 2000).]

It would be possible to create the files for UBB at the time of signup. It's the format of the files that is the question. I see a number of blank lines in what Eliot posted. Do the UBB files have those blank lines in them?

What would be very difficult to do is to have the userid and password automatically entered in the UBB. The user would have to enter them when posting.

If there is a directory where the UBB files are written, an account could be created for UBB at the same time as an account is created for DBMan. That is as much interactivity as you can expect from the two scripts, though.


------------------
JPD

well. All the MOD would have to do is create a file and write to that file the fields AnthroRules mentioned. There are no blank lines, each file contains only one line with the fields seperated by "|".

The UserName and Password are obviously entered at the time of (DBMAN) signup. The others could have default values entered.

Then later when the users logged in to the UUB they can edit/update the profile from the default value.

So at DBMAN sign up the MOD would have to create a file called <username>.cgi in the '$UBB_Members' directory. (Where $UBB_Members is set to the users UBB Members directory).

As long as this file is created before the passowrd is encrypted by DBMAN...it sounds posible to me (a novice). I tried this, but I don't really know anything about file I/O in Perl.

- Dave

It's definetely possible. Right now, users have to create a userid for UBB, JabberChat, EveryAuction, and now DBMan. I've been thinking about having 1 place to sign up for everything on my site. Something like:

------------------------------
UserID:
Password:
E-Mail:
.
.
.
------------------------------
All the fields needed for all the scripts that needs a signup. Then the script would go off and first check to see if the ID exists, then create/edit the ID files based on the info entered above.

I seem to keep adding stuff to my site that requires a signup. This would definetely make it easier for my members to have only one ID and password, and only have to change it in one place! I'll let ya'll know if I come up with something.

AJ

 
That is the correct format of the file...with spaces and all.

Regards,

------------------
Eliot Lee....
Former Handle: Eliot
Anthro TECH, L.L.C
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There does not seem to be a consensus about the structure of the UBB user files. Different versions, maybe?

I hate to start on something unless I'm sure about where I'm going.


------------------
JPD

The one I gave you is the one for UBB v.5.42a.

This is consistent with earlier versions.

I believe that theFew was providing an example of how the layout could look.

Regards,

------------------
Eliot Lee....
Former Handle: Eliot
Anthro TECH, L.L.C
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This is the format for UBB ver. 5.45c.
Each registered member of your UBB has their own cgi that contains the above info.

--------------
donm

The format isn't consistent because you can MODify the UBB with additional fields for other information (Like ICQ, AIM Name, etc). Plus each version number changes it slightly sometimes.

AJ

Which furthers the problem of integrating the scripts.



Regards,

------------------
Eliot Lee....
Former Handle: Eliot
Anthro TECH, L.L.C
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Two problems with "integration on account creation" approach come to mind:

1) if you allow passwords to be changed, how do you manage synchonization between two separate user DBs (DBman + UBB)

2) pesky login/logout/login/logout problem when swtiching between the DB and the forum

The ideal approach would likely include stripping out the authentication from UBB and relying on the more robust DBMan-generated session. I have tested this with discussion forum software other than UBB (which I would rather not use) in conjunction with the Session Cookie Mod I wrote last month, and it works fine. If I have time, I may post integration tips for WWWThreads (the software that this board uses-- BTW I like very much... thanks, Alex!!!) in the future. I also recall that Lois was working on a similar solution, but don't know if she has yet posted her solution.

oldmoney:

It wasn't me working on a solution . I can't remember who it was at this time though.

It could have been LeisureLee?

Sorry about that Lois... I just back-searched and it was Millsie. Must have been another stack overflow error on my brain's part...

Don't know if anyone is still interested in this but this is from a conversation over at UBB -

donm
------------------------------------------------------------


I need to know how to increase the length of the username field since we're using the email address as the username but check this out:
Here are the Cliff's Notes on how to integrate the ubb with your existing site:

The UBB uses Flat-text files for it's Member data, thus, when anyone "Registers" on your site, the existing routine could be altered to include a subroutine. There are 3 files that you should be concerned about - they are
detailed here:

Here are a few lines from Memberlist.cgi on my machine:

bharris|!!|00000002
Nitesh|!!|00000003
Rosemary|!!|00000004
Ted|!!|00000005
Don|!!|00000006
MFaber|!!|00000007
MFarris|!!|00000008
Peter|!!|00000009

Simple pattern - Username - pipe - exclamation - exclamation - pipe - Member file number

Here are a few lines from Emaillist.cgi

bharris@infopop.com| |00000002
nitesh@infopop.com| |00000003
rosemary@infopop.com| |00000004
ted@infopop.com| |00000005
donco@infopop.com| |00000006
mike@infopop.com| |00000007
mfarris@infopop.com| |00000008
peter@infopop.com| |00000009

Again, simple pattern.

member e-mail of record- pipe - pipe - Member file number.

The Member File cracked open and explained:
bharris (Username)
******** (User password)
bharris@infopop.com (user e-mail) http://bigbunny (Homepage)
WriteAdmin& (User Permissions - I am an Admin on this board, most will be
Write& Only)
Director of Operations, Infopop Corporation (Title)
Snoqualmie, WA - USA! (Location)
71 (Total Posts)
Administrator (Status - Junior Member would be default)
VB, Java, Perl - My son, Chase! (Hobbies - Interests)
10-18-1999 (Registration Date)
yes (Allow others to View your e-mail address if they view your profile)
Regards,

Brett Harris - Director of Operations, Infopop Corporation.(Signature)
(ICQ Number would go here if you had entered it)
yes (Allow board Admins to send you mail related to the board or site)

Effectively what you will do is this:
Once the user registeres on your site this sub-routine will
1) create the Member file as above with the structure as indicated
2) Add the appropriate line in the Memberfile file
3) Add the appropriate line in the Emailfile file

To polish the whole illusion off and set the cookie for the user you will use this code within the registration application that sets the cookie:

Here is information you can get on your own UBB by calling

Look for HTTP_COOKIE

HTTP_COOKIE: lastLogin=2451599.1935; LastLoginDT=02-24-2000 :35 PM;
sessionLogin=2451599.1708; sessionLoginDT=02-24-2000 :08 PM;
UserName="MyName"; Password="MyPassword"
Likely you will want to set only Username and password. These are plain
text. the lastLogin and sessionLogin are Julian dates -- incase you need
them.
They also will be set by UBB as the user goes into forums.