The faster, easy, powerful and secure
WordPress and phpBB together as one (and a mix of useful things)
INSTALL AND HOW TO
NOTE that since 2.4.6> IT IS REQUIRED Php version 7 or better
WordPress phpBB integration by email
First of all: what it happen to my WP and phpBB installing this plugin?
Nothing. This plugin use cookies, and do not modify nothing into phpBB or WordPress. Believe it or not, to work it only require 6/7 db rows on WP db options table, cleaned up when plugin uninstalled. Read all this page and hints
Using this plugin as standalone into WordPress, without installing the phpBB integration extension
phpBB WordPress common tasks extension
require as MANDATORY to allow users to change email and register ONLY in WordPress OR phpBB. It is possible to leave users to update their email and register on both WP and phpBB, only if in phpBB has been installed the integration extension (…what it change/add the extension into my phpBB? Nothing)
See after, how to use the integration extension here: phpBB WordPress common tasks integration extension
It is also MANDATORY to transfer all old existent WordPress users into phpBB using the WP to phpBB transfer process before the integration start. Follow the easy steps required.
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)
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 connection values into plugin admin page
Configure WordPress and phpBB
phpBB side
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 may 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
Allow email address re-use: (may) 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):
set to 365 (or what you like but not 0)
Validate browser:
Enables browser validation for each session improving security: Set to YES
Save settings.
phpBB cookie SETTING
Set the phpBB cookies to be available across the entire domain:
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. If on subdomain, like mysub.mysite.com, set it as above using only 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, so old cookies on browsers will not be used anymore:
Cookie name: example if phpbb3_forum change into phpbb33_forum or what you like
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 (use the WP w3all tasks to change user’s email in phpBB or WordPress) if there are, (maybe) before to start the Transfer -> WP users into phpBB. Or after the transfer, check that it is all ok about this. It is may mandatory to have unique username/email pairs in phpBB.
Based on how you are integrating, 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)
WordPress side
NOTE that since 2.4.6> IT IS REQUIRED Php version 7 or better
Install the WP w3all WordPress phpBB integration plugin, so go 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. This is a mandatory step
You should may consider to do the same, transferring all old existent phpBB users into WordPress.
Check if there are duplicated emails/usernames in phpBB by using the check utilities, change duplicated emails/usernames where required.
Activate, configure and save Login and Topics Last Posts Widgets if needed
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 into the other or same CMS. If installing with any other user than the 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, but with mismatching username. Remember to follow rules when integrating with mismatching pairs usernames/emails. It is may MANDATORY that users can change email and Register ONLY into WordPress if you do not install the phpBB integration extension.
Old transferred WP users can login using their WP password in WP, while may have to reset their password to correctly login using the phpBB login side (because the WP hash is not recognized in phpBB until an user’s will not reset his password).
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
Commons how to and shortcodes list
How to: no panic instructions
How secure is phpBB WordPress integration
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 – to parse/display single phpBB posts into WordPress
How to SHORTcode – last phpBB topics/posts into WordPress
How to SHORTcode – last phpBB topics/posts into WordPress by Forums IDS
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 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)
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 (read each)
TO FORCE PLUGIN’S DEACTIVATION: open file
/wp-content/plugins/wp-w3all-phpbb-integration/wp_w3all.php
+- on top of the file
|
1 |
/wp-content/plugins/wp-w3all-phpbb-integration/wp_w3all.php |
there are two lines:
|
1 2 |
// FORCE Deactivation WP_w3all plugin // // $w3deactivate_wp_w3all_plugin = 'true'; |
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, is updated on WordPress only when the same edited username will visit WordPress side. In this way, user experience do not change, admin experience instead can be confused, 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 users in WordPress following this rules:
- 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).
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 are added on fly when they login in WP side or when they visits as logged in phpBB the WP side if not transferred).
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 awesome to have phpBB and WP integrated like this: remember to help on maintain the plugin’s healthy. Report bugs on forums and support Your awesome integration!
WordPress and phpBB are ready to run together as one. Enjoy.