can you downgrade 4.0?

[Florida13]

i really dont like 4.0 and i was wondering if there is anyway you can downgrade your vbulletin forum from 4.0 to 3.8?

[Abomination]

Funny, I asked a similar question a few hours ago.

You should be able to able to download the latest v3.8 software if you have access to v4. As far as the v4 data -> v3 data, they do not support that.

Maybe there is an IPB program that can convert vb4 to IPB?

Then convert IBP to v3.8?

[Mayers]

I don't think there were huge database changes (compared to vB2 to vB3) that could stop you from writing you own or paying someone to make a custom downgrade script for you. Otherwise you'll have to get restore a copy of the backup you made before you upgraded to vB4.

or you can look around like Abomination said and try converting to a different script and then back to vB3.

[Brandon Sheley]

Your best bet is to upload the backup you made before the upgrade to 4.0

[Abomination]

Originally Posted by Brandon Sheley

Your best bet is to upload the backup you made before the upgrade to 4.0

That works as long as no one minds the loss of posts made while using vb4.

[Brandon Sheley]

you don't have much of a choice unless you want to spend a few hundred $'s to hire a programmer to try and make your DB backwards compatible

[Florida13]

man.. so there is no way to convert the members and posts ever since i have been using this 4.0

[Mayers]

Originally Posted by Florida13

man.. so there is no way to convert the members and posts ever since i have been using this 4.0

Find a different forum software convert to that and then convert that database to vB3. You'll just have to search around some of the free forum software out there and see of one of them support vB4.

[Lynne]

Originally Posted by Mayers

I don't think there were huge database changes (compared to vB2 to vB3) that could stop you from writing you own or paying someone to make a custom downgrade script for you.

I don't know what it was like from vB2 to vB3, but I do know there were huge database changes regarding attachments in the upgrade from vB3 to vB4.

[3Phase]

If the topic can drift just a little to the side ... would those who've actually implemented vb 4 think this was advisable ...

Create a test version and let those members who want to visit it for maybe a week, with major caveats that all posts on the test site during that week will be lost. The original forum carries on as always while this is going on. The original forum is the one that will be upgraded, if it is to be upgraded. After the week they vote in a poll on whether they can learn to live with vb4. Not whether they will love it so much, just if, well, they will abandon ship if vb4 is the only option.

Maybe that's too complicated ... but it would be great not to be in the same situation as the op.

[Florida13]

i dont know if i can get this done..

[Florida13]

anybody have any suggestions on what i can add to my forum to make it better?

[Brandon Sheley]

Originally Posted by Mayers

Find a different forum software convert to that and then convert that database to vB3. You'll just have to search around some of the free forum software out there and see of one of them support vB4.

This would be a good way, but with vBulletin 4.0 so new, not sure how many other scripts have importers for it

[Florida13]

so do you think i should just keep running it? vb staff told me that they are coming out with new stuff for it..

[Abomination]

Originally Posted by Florida13

so do you think i should just keep running it? vb staff told me that they are coming out with new stuff for it..

I would hope it would get better. It all depends on how fast you need it in 'what' condition.

I have no reason to doubt anyones coding ability, but they are leap frogging versions. It may take 2 revisions to get most of the larger issues resolved, then they may creep back in for a while. But eventually it should be functional.

If you are looking for plugins/skins those will eventually arrive as well.