Authentification

Actually if you can use cookies, it is fairly easy to set up phorum to think it has been logged into by a user. All you have to do is set the session field in the user table to a unique number and add an appropriate line to your user's cookie. (this can be done by calling a simplified phorum login program).

Cookies is what was used with the Wordpress plugin. Maybe that is the best way.

I think a comprehensive module with would be helpful for many webmasters out there. I am well on the way to solving my integration.

Whatever the phorum dev team decides in the way of modules is fine with me. I am open to building one in the future, however my php skills aren't up to par yet.

Quote
mmakaay
I need it too myself and my plan is to make a nice php include file for easy syncing of external users with the Phorum database, and extend the software around my own user database with this. Next to that I will disable (through templates and a module) the functions that may not be used on Phorum (like signing up for an account).

Better ways to fully integrate an external user database into Phorum are always welcomed.

Very interested in what Maurice is coming up with along these lines.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/31/2006 05:04PM by kevwit.

Brian -

Slight sarcasim since I know it isn't a priority, but I was refering to this thread and the Mambo thread combined. Authentication integration in general. You seem to of worked on the theory of the process; maybe decided a general solution won't work? Maurice sounds like he is building something for his site that a few of us might reference.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/31/2006 05:07PM by kevwit.

I'm indeed building something at this moment. The result of this work will be something that will look very much like this:

A special template set.
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Things like registration and user authentication are not available and the control center has some more logic in it.

A Phorum Module
---------------

- A Phorum module that disables certain functionality at the application level, so smart users can't still call auth/registration pages by self-crafted requests.

- The Phorum module also has a couple of data types defined, for which you can tell if that type should be handled by Phorum or by the master application. E.g., you could tell Phorum that the signature and privacy settings are provided by the master application and that group management and forum settings are still handled by Phorum. Changing these feature will have impact on the functions that are available on the control center.

- In the settings for the module, you can enter some URL's for redirecting when certain functions are accessed. This way you can for example redirect the user to your master application's login page instead of displaying Phorum's login page.

Library for the master application
----------------------------------

This library will contain functionality for synchronizing user data to the Phorum database and for setting up the environment so Phorum will see the logged in user too.


I'll post some software as soon as it reach the highly-unstable status ;-)

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Maurice Makaay
Phorum Development Team
my blog linkedin profile secret sauce

That's so cool. I can't wait to see this implementation. Honestly, even if I know about php, but I'm not a sophisticate PHP programmer. So having to learn a new system and build the best solution for this integration will be such a big deal for me, especially most of us are coming from the other application concept. I know how to deal with MODx, but I still need to take the learning curve in studying the backend of phorum first, before I can build a one-stop-solution for user integration.

By having maurice on the development team, I believe the project will be done faster, and in a better way as well, compare with what we can come up with.

Btw Maurice, let me know if you need my help. I wouldn't mind scanning the files and update it, as long as you describe in detail of what I need to do. ;)

Feel free to holler me at wendy at djamoer dot net.
Thanks for your willingness to help us.

Any progress with this? I have a new site written in ASP with a MySQL database, and really want to allow users who register at the site to have access to Phorum as a message board!!

I'm running it for ages already myself ;-)
See the embed phorum thread

The fact that you're running an ASP site might be a show stopper for this though. The embed Phorum module is targeted at a PHP master system which includes the Phorum system.

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Maurice Makaay
Phorum Development Team
my blog linkedin profile secret sauce