Transition to New Forum Software, This Forum's Data May Die

[rodndtube]

My hosting service provider recently informed me that my current version scripting software, PHP 5.x is being discontinued and that I must update it to PHP v7.x (so it will move to v7.2). The current version of the paipo forums software, phpBB 3.0.14 will not run on PHP v7.x, meaning that this forum will likely disappear unless I can somehow migrate it to the current version of phpBB 3.2.5. That is a possibility but appears to be a real crap shoot--I can't do any other interim updates as there is a bug that nobody has been able to trace.

So... any threads or information of special interest to you should be archived by you on your home devices. Sorry about this situation. I am about ready to throw in the towel as it is with regards to this whole transition as what they call "real life colliding" with an arbitrary deadline of 3 weeks to make the transition.

Make your back-ups ASAP (as soon as possible, maybe sooner!). This entire forum and all its postings may become toast on Wednesday morning, April 17, 2019 USA Eastern Time.

[kage]

This sounds bad. Can we shift over to a Facebook group or something to maintain some communication?

[rodndtube]

This sounds bad. Can we shift over to a Facebook group or something to maintain some communication?

If I can't save the content in the forum we are using right now during the upgrade process then I will create a new implementation which will require new user names, new passwords, etc. And will tons of content.

Alternatively, the hosting service provider will leave us alone and support the existing PHP program for $9 a month. which is more than I can afford on top of this domain and domain name service fee. Eventually, however, it would go away...

There are a number of paipo sites on Facebook--very fragmented--hard to say which one would be the best to use on a temporary or continuing basis. Any suggestions?

[rodndtube]

I have made several attempts of saving "easy to read" searchable back-ups of this forum. Along the way (yesterday) there was a hiccup when going to phpMyAdmin that runs the SQL database (I think that is stated correctly). I made a few changes this morning and the forum is up and running again, for now. The previously stated above changes are around the corner.

[rodndtube]

Update: I am opting into Extended Support into mid-May as for personal reasons I have not been able to work on the issues at hand.

[kage]

Testing a post with the new software, same as the old software. Hi Rod, was without a computer until now, so a little late.

[rodndtube]

Testing a post with the new software, same as the old software. Hi Rod, was without a computer until now, so a little late.

No real change in software yet... those changes are yet to come. Thank you for confirming all is still working status quo. Work plan would be to implement changes sometime between April 30 and May 12, 2019, if nothing else pops up Thinks always seem to pop up! If you have a favorite thread save it, print it to PDF, copy and paste it into a word processing file, etc.

[rodndtube]

Due to a few interruptions I was unable to attempt upgrading the software over the weekend and the past couple of days. Current target date is to shut down the forums on Thursday morning, May 9, 2019, placing the forums in maintenance mode, and then start down the long path of upgrading the current forum's software (phpBB) and the hosting provider's supporting scripting software (PHP 7.x from 5.x), which is the main driver here. This may take a couple of days.

If everything goes well then we won't lose the existing threads. If there are bumps that can't be fixed a similar looking forum will replace this current version, but will lose all the treads, photos, etc.

Back up special threads of interest (print to PDF or image files, copy and paste to a word processor, etc.)!

[rodndtube]

https://mypaipoboards.org/forumstatus.shtml

It wasn't smooth but a gentle wave moved in at the right time and I caught it

[bgreen]

Well done Rod - a lot of effort went on behind the scenes but for the rest of us, it was probably more like - the paipo forum is down.

Like paipo boards, the forum didn't die.

[rodndtube]

Thanks, Bob. For the love of paipo!