Right now, I'm still working with Tom on how to get the databases to mesh--one is running MySQL (this one), the other PostgreSQL. I did just setup an Ubuntu server next to my desktop here, so I'll give finagling the M&F database another go tomorrow, but this forum's database handled relocation just fine.
The integration is done through a file that I don't have access to, though based on discussion on the M&F forum with Tom, he seems to know how it all works.
Here's the intent: both this forum and the M&F forum will remain as-is until the new forum is online (longer if Tom wants to leave them on in maintenance mode or something). Neither of the two old forums will have any files removed or altered as a result of this merge. The databases from both will be merged into one larger database, and that will be imported into a brand new smf installation. In fact, given the BM forum is larger, it's going to end up forming the original database for the new forum, with the M&F database info getting added on to it.
The hangup right now is that I don't have a functional M&F SMF database to work from. If I did, I can use the MySQL Workbench to convert it to a MySQL database, and from there I can test already existing tools to see how much they actually merge. Though I am actively working on that, how I can, until Tom gives me a different means to access the M&F database. The backup I received earlier either doesn't work or I don't know how to use it, probably the latter and maybe part of why I now have an Ubuntu server running--though it was already on my "this would be a neat thing" list.
