WordPress phpBB integration

The faster, easy, powerful, light and secure

Standalone WordPress and phpBB installations, running together as one.

INSTALL HOW TO AND CONCEPT

note that if you let users to login, register and change email only in WordPress, there is no need to install the phpBB extension.

to use this plugin with easy, you should read all this page and may return here for any doubt (or post questions on support forums if still in trouble). Read all inline hints into the plugin admin options before to apply your preferences. This plugin do not modify nothing into your WP database or installation files. You can run phpBB and WordPress separated, but together like one. You can return back to what it was in any moment just disabling the plugin.

NOTE: IT IS REQUIRED Php version 7.2 or better

WordPress phpBB integration by email

what it happen to my WP and phpBB installing this plugin?

This plugin use cookies, and do not change nothing into phpBB or WordPress files or db, only update the user’s email and password (and URL) when profile updated, and add users into the linked CMS when they register. It only require 6/7 db rows on the WP db options table to work, cleaned up when plugin uninstalled. Read all this page and hints

To display posts in WordPress, from a phpBB hosted into another domain, just skip the user’s integration and read this: use the WordPress phpBB integration just to display posts into WP from a phpBB hosted into another domain

Using this WP plugin as standalone into WordPress, without installing this phpBB integration extension -> phpBB WordPress common tasks extension

require as MANDATORY to allow users email/password change and to register, ONLY into WordPress OR phpBB. Will be possible to let users to update their email and register on both WP and phpBB, only if in phpBB has been also installed the phpBB Integration Extension phpBB WordPress common tasks ext ( … what it change/add the extension if installed into my phpBB? Nothing. It will only update email and password (and URL) in WordPress when the user’s email or password (or URL) will be updated into phpBB, or add users at same time in WordPress when they register in phpBB, if option active). Yes it is possible to let users to register, update their email and password only in phpBB. It is anyway recommended so, to install the phpBB extension because if not, when users will register or update their profile in phpBB, the same will not happen at same time for the same user in WordPress, until the same user will not login or will visit the WordPress side as logged in phpBB. Remember! This is a WordPress plugin that so run only into WordPress!

If you want so (it depend by the way you’ll go to configure things) see after how to easily use the phpBB integration extension here: phpBB WordPress common tasks integration extension

Note that it is (maybe) mandatory to transfer all old existent WordPress users into phpBB using the WP to phpBB transfer process before the integration start. Just follow the required steps to be up and running in short, or they will be added in phpBB (if a same email or username do not exists into phpBB) only when they will login into WordPress.

If you do not go to pair usernames/emails, remember that the plugin login/profile update work by email so an user with email me@you.us that login in WP, will be logged in phpBB as the user that own the same email. The same goes at contrary: a phpBB logged in user will be logged in WP as the user with the same email. If there are more user’s sharing same email in phpBB, then all those users will have the email updated to the new one when the WP user that own the same old email will go to update with a new one. If there are users sharing same email in phpBB, and the WP user with same email login in WP then visit phpBB, will be logged in phpBB as the first user ID found by the SQL query that match the email. So that to login as others phpBB users that are sharing the same email, these users will have to login in phpBB or will never been logged through a WordPress login. To share same email between users is possible feature in phpBB, but never in WordPress.

It is also time to inform all the lovely and cool people about how bad is my English … i am sorry!

Setup phpBB as follow, then setup db connection values into the plugin admin page, then transfer WP users and fix issues if there are. May setup the integration as NOT LINKED activating related option, until tasks have not been completed

Configure WordPress and phpBB

WP MU-MS (Network installations) integration: before to follow, read how to activate this feature and how WP_w3all plugin is required to be configured on each subsite WP_w3all for WordPress MS MU (Network installations)

phpBB side (Required Settings)

change username and email permissions

If it haven’t been set already, configure phpBB permissions for ALL users to NOT ALLOW username change, and DO NOT ALLOW email address re-use. Check that this is it for all of your phpBB users, it is maybe (maybe not) mandatory to have in phpBB: unique email/username pairs. Use the Transfer and Check plugin’s options if you are not sure that this is it, it will check in one click

On ACP under
BOARD CONFIGURATION -> User registration settings

Allow username changes: set to NO (but it is not mandatory, since the integration works by email)
Allow email address re-use: set to NO

Save settings.

limit username chars

like above,

on ACP under
BOARD CONFIGURATION -> User registration settings -> Limit username chars:
DO NOT choose the Any character, or ASCII option. Instead choose from the others available: Any letter, Number and Spacers, or Alphanumeric options. So if you let users to register in phpBB, you’ll be sure they are added in WordPress with the same username (but usernames can mismatch if necessary, because the integration work by email: an existent phpBB username containing unwanted chars in WP, where possible, will be added into WordPress purged of these chars, or excluded if the resulting purged username is empty)

Save settings.

Then into phpBB ACP under option Security settings:
Option: Allow “Remember Me” logins
set to: YES

“Remember Me” login key expiration length (in days):

may set it to 365 days (or another value)

Validate browser:
Enables browser validation for each session improving security: Set to YES

Save settings.

Set the phpBB cookies to be available across the entire domain if it is not already:

Go under ‘phpBB ACP admin -> Server Configuration -> Cookie Settings’
Set the Cookie domain value as (for example):
.yourdomain.com

NOTE: if localhost, may leave the value as is, localhost or empty value. If on subdomain, like mysub.mysite.com, set it using only the domain name so .mysite.com
(older browsers still implementing the deprecated » RFC 2109 may require a leading . (dot) to match all subdomains, so .mysite.com)

now change the cookie name, if the domain name has been changed, so old cookies on browsers will not be used anymore in the case that the domain settings changed:
Cookie name: example if   phpbb3_forum   change into phpbb33_forum or what you like (letters, numbers and underscores)

Cookie path set as single fraction slash: /

Be sure to set correct values.

If changed, save settings, logout, and log back into phpBB.

As said above, you may now will go to check if there are phpBB users sharing same email address, by using related WP_w3all check option. Resolve shared emails issues if you want (use the WP w3all tasks to change user’s email in phpBB or WordPress) and if there are, (maybe) before to start the Transfer -> WP users into phpBB, or after.

Based on how you are integrating WP and phpBB, and if using or not the integration extension installed into phpBB, you’ll have to choose to disable the registration in phpBB or WordPress and choose where user’s can update email/register. Note that it is possible to disable the Edit account settings module in phpBB via
ACP -> System Tab -> Module management -> User Control panel
disable the Edit account settings module (where user can change email and update password in phpBB ucp)

WordPress side

REQUIRED Php version 7 or better

Install the WP w3all WordPress phpBB integration plugin then on WP admin open

Settings -> WP w3all

Setup required database connection values

and the URL setting

as required (follow inline hints)

NOTE: If your WordPress is served under https, then force also phpBB to be https, and vice versa, or http if WP is http. See this post for an help on how to resolve this, if necessary https/http

Use the wp_w3all transfer and check options and add all old existent WordPress users into phpBB

You should may consider to do the same, transferring all old existent phpBB users into WordPress. Or they will be added in WordPress only when they will visits, as logged in phpBB, the WordPress side, or when they will login in WordPress.

Activate widgets or use shortcodes.

Done

read all IMPORTANT NOTES (and FAQs)

The phpBB install admin (uid 2) and WP install admin (uid 1), are NOT linked. Be sure that these users have unique email not shared with some other user in phpBB or WP. If installing with any other user that IS NOT WP UID1 default WP install admin, BE SURE that an user with same username and same email exist also in phpBB. Or an user with same email address. So, if user myuser with email myusermyemail@me.you is the admin installing the plugin in WP (and it is not the default WP uid 1 install admin) then an user myuser with email myusermyemail@me.you need to exists also into phpBB. Or almost an user with same email. Remember to follow rules when integrating with mismatching pairs usernames/emails. It is may MANDATORY so that users can change email and Register ONLY into WordPress if you do not install the phpBB integration extension into phpBB.

Old transferred WP users can login using their WP password in WP, while may have to reset their password to correctly login in phpBB, because the WP hash is not recognized in phpBB until an user’s will not reset his password (in phpBB or WP).

If you wish to embed phpBB into a WordPress page with responsive iframe, follow read. Iframe or NOT

read also the Common How To and FAQs sections more below on this page

Template embed phpbb into WordPress

If you wish to follow adding the phpBB responsive embedded iframe into a WordPress page:

open Settings WP_w3all, under WP_w3all -> phpBB embedded on WordPress Template option
READ all inline hints and instructions, and avoid a know problem: the WP page named like the phpBB install folder, that reside into same WP root

Note that there is now a new way to template integrate the phpBB iframed via shortcode since 2.5.6>:

How to SHORTcode – the awesome template integration using shortcode

phpBB WordPress template integration (iframe v5)

Commons how to and shortcodes list

How to: no panic instructions

How to phpBB WordPress integration security

How to WordPress Multisite: WP_w3all for WordPress MS MU (Network installations)

How to SHORTcode – the awesome template integration using shortcode

How to SHORTcode – phpBB PM notification in WordPress

How to SHORTcode – phpBB user notifications in WordPress

How to SHORTcode – to parse/display single phpBB posts into WordPress

How to SHORTcode – last phpBB topics/posts into WordPress

How to SHORTcode – HeartBeat Last Topics Shortcode

How to SHORTcode – last phpBB topics/posts into WordPress by Forums IDS

How to SHORTcode – login form (since 2.7.6>)

How to SHORTcode –  last topics grid in WordPress with topic’s attachment (img or file)

How to SHORTcode – phpBB RSS last posts and/or any other FEED into WordPress

How to SHORTcode – w3all custom iframe

How to use the WordPress phpBB integration to display phpBB posts into another WP site from another domain

How to (advanced): WP roles and phpBB groups switches

How to style widgets and shortcode output if they need to be adjusted to look like my theme

How to force users addition in WordPress when they register OR login only in phpBB side (obsolete)

How to WordPress phpBB integration without linking users

How to 1001 ways to integrate phpBB and WordPress (obsolete, now maybe are 1002!)

What about phpBB usernames that contains characters not allowed in WordPress? (may obsolete)

For more answers check Sticky Posts on phpBB WordPress forum and on WP_w3all – phpBB and WordPress – common help forum (may some are very old and obsolete concepts)

FAQs

TO FORCE PLUGIN’S DEACTIVATION: open file

/wp-content/plugins/wp-w3all-phpbb-integration/wp_w3all.php

+- on top of the file

there are two lines:

remove // that prepend the $w3deactivate_wp_w3all_plugin = 'true'; line

  • A deleted user in WordPresswill be deactivated (not deleted) in phpBB at same time. How to DELETE USERS on both CMS: wp_w3all do not add a delete option for phpBB users by default (if not installing/using the phpBB WP extension), but you can remove users on both phpBB and WP with easy in this way: delete users in WordPress, so respective users (with same email) will be set as deactivated in phpBB: go in phpBB ACP, choose -> Users and Groups TAB: prune/delete (in one click) all phpBB deactivated users accounts.
    But note important: you could use this behavior as good antispam method. A deleted user in WP with WP_w3all plugin active, will be deactivated into phpBB, until an admin do not will change again his state. And until the user isn’t removed or reactivated in phpBB, the associated email will not more be able to login/register in WP.
  • WHAT ABOUT phpBB BANNED USERS?
    Banned users in phpBB can’t login or register in WordPress.
    The banned phpBB user (by username, IP or email) will result effectively banned also in WordPress.
  • Important note about Profile fields update: if it is not installed the phpBB WordPress extension into phpBB, any profile fields (URL, EMAIL and PASSWORD) modification/update, if done in WordPress by admin or user, is done at same time also in phpBB. Instead, any profile modification about url, email and password done on phpBB side by admin or user, will be updated on WordPress only when the same user will visit WordPress side. In this way, the user experience do not change, admin experience instead can be confusing, if you are not noticed about this behavior (that is maybe obvious, because this is just a WordPress plugin, that so run only on WP side). Use/install the phpBB WordPress extension, so to avoid this kind of problems, if you wish to allow users update their email or url into phpBB profile.

About users permissions, and how users are added on WP. On phpBB, users groups legend say: “Pre-defined groups are special groups, they cannot be deleted or directly modified. However you can still add users and alter basic settings”. Based on this, the WP w3all plugin will add phpBB users in WordPress following these rules (when they are added because registered in phpBB):

  • Administrators on phpBB = Administrators on WP
  • Global moderators on phpBB = Editors on WP
  • All others phpBB groups = Subscribers on WP
  • Not active users in phpBB = not added in WordPress

* *Users groups or roles updates are completely excluded be the integration. Not considered. You can not expect that an user, if switched to some role in WordPress, will be updated to some other group in phpBB and/or the contrary (will be option when it will be added on next plugin versions: by default, the plugin code will follow to ignore user’s roles or groups switches).

** a basic option has been added into latest plugins versions 2.7.0>

If there are existent users on WP when you start the integration, it is mandatory to transfer WP users into phpBB with the transfer process (old existent phpBB users can be added on fly when they login in WP side or when they visits as logged in phpBB the WP side, if not transferred using the related transfer process).

About User ID 1 in WordPress and phpBB user ID 2 (default install admins): note that these two users are completely excluded by the integration, so it is possible to see on widgets, shortcodes or some other situation, that the result will not be the same like others users. The login widget if used, display nothing for admin uid1. Or if logged in WP as UD1 and then with another tab on browser a login with another user is done in phpBB, nothing will happen. The user ID1 in WP will follow as logged, and the phpBB user also (the auto user login switch will not happen). Because substantially, until logged as UID 1 in WP, the plugin code do not run for certain features. The UID1 in WP require to be logged out in WP because it is totally excluded. Same goes for UID2 in phpBB. If logged in as phpBB uid2, the plugin code in WP will not fire.

If it is all working, it will be nice to have phpBB and WP integrated like this: remember to help on maintain the plugin’s healthy. Report bugs on forums and support

WordPress and phpBB are ready to run together as one. Enjoy.

Do you want to support me? https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/alessionanni/

Do you like to have me to install and adapt this plugin to run into any WordPress or phpBB and optimizing any aspect? I’ll do all tasks for you:

Contact Alessio Nanni

WP w3all phpBB – WordPress phpBB integration plugin

Appreciations: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/alessionanni/

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