I’m discussiong already a similar topic some thread below 
I figured out how to handle this situation – assuming that someone is using the integrated bbPress plugin and not an external install. Here’s what you do to get access to the admin panel in bbPress:
— download and unzip a copy of bbpress onto your site somewhere in a hidden location.
— copy the bb-config.php file from your WPMU root directory into your hidden bbPress installation
— edit the bb-config.php file so that the $bb->uri variable points to the right location for your hidden bbPress installation.
Open the hidden directory in a browser and login with your admin account. That’s all there is to it. With that done you can access the admin interface.
Be careful not to mess anything up I can’t be responsible if something goes wrong on your site!
Interesting M, thanks for sharing. So how’s it working out for you so far?
An alternative way of accessing the admin panel – WARNING – this could be a big security problem is left in place, depending on your setup:
— copy your bb-config.php file from your WPMU root dir into the /wp-content/plugins/buddypress/bp-forums/bbpress directory.
— load up the bbPress admin panel in a browser and do what you need done (activate plugins, etc)
— DELETE the bb-config.php file in your /wp-content/plugins/buddypress/bp-forums/bbpress directory because if you don’t then someone could access the forum directly.
Interesting. Wonder if you could use this to create extra forums like a Miscellaneous or a General forum? I want to use the default install because I like the way it all integrated with the group forums, but I wanted to have some general forums for random stuff that I really don’t want to have to force people to sign up to that group just to post there. Right now, having to skin and deal with external bbpress installation seems more of a hassle than dealing with the random forum for me.
If that would be possible that would be very handy! Is that possible?
Thanks for that info, M.
Will test this out when I have some time and experiment!
I installed the support plugin using the admin of the default installation as you suggested, but there is no point to do that, since the buddypress interface doesn’t support it.
@nig3d, “I installed the support plugin using the admin of the default installation”
– just to clarify, you mean you used the 2nd method posted by M?
the one hacking the bb-config.php, that was something that I already noticed. Just I think, if the developers don’t want us to access to the admin panel there must be a valid reason.
Anyway it works properly, it’s just that the buddypress can’t handle the plugin frontend
By any chance did you test adding other forums through the back end and seeing if they show up on the forums page? I think if you could have the best of both world (the easy integration of the default install with the ability to add other forums) I think that would be a HUGE feature.
Wonder if you could use this to create extra forums like a Miscellaneous or a General forum? I want to use the default install because I like the way it all integrated with the group forums, but I wanted to have some general forums for random stuff that I really don’t want to have to force people to sign up to that group just to post there. Right now, having to skin and deal with external bbpress installation seems more of a hassle than dealing with the random forum for me.
Using trunk + single wp; I’m set up on an external installs of bbPress + BuddyPress/internal install for groups
I use the bpGroups plugins (“forums” subdomain of the BP site) but the plug-in required some updating to get everything working smooth (activity notifications, public/private/hidden/ready only stuff)
Obviously this method won’t enable plugins on the buddypress/internal groups but this allows me to provide an advanced forum interface while creating outside forums (support, help, testing, etc) not associated with groups (group forums can be added to a specific forum category – i think default is “1”).
… i have re-theme’d bbPress to somewhat match the new default BP theme (well somewhat)
(screenshots:
http://files.etiviti.com/misc/bbpress-vwg-main.gif
http://files.etiviti.com/misc/bbpress-vwg-forum.gif
)
I like the forum to be used inside the group as they are. I’d love more to have plugin support though. I wonder if it’s possible to adapt easily the interface.
I’m in the same boat as you nig3d except all i want is additional forums, not necessarily plugins. I would “think” that it wouldn’t be hard for bp to hook in and add a forum in the same way that it creates a group forum to create a forum with generic permissions but I’m definitely not an expert.
Which route should I take if I’m just wanting to add some “forums” “forum categories,” or “Main themes” as buddypress did here: https://buddypress.org/forums
Asked that question specifically here:
https://buddypress.org/forums/topic/how-to-create-a-main-theme-in-buddypressbbpress-forums#post-34773
PS: M, this solution (https://buddypress.org/forums/topic/bp-12-and-bbpress-adminplugins#post-34148 ) sounds pretty spiffy, but does this mean that everything will “disappear” in the next upgrade? Is your solution “safe?” Is there a way to know if it will work over the long haul? Also, it does not look like your solution includes installing bbPress, is that right?
Followed the dual install method and I get this:
Warning: Division by zero in /home/dainis/community.urine-therapy.org/wp-content/plugins/buddypress/bp-forums/bbpress/bb-includes/functions.bb-statistics.php on line 214
Warning: Division by zero in /home/dainis/community.urine-therapy.org/wp-content/plugins/buddypress/bp-forums/bbpress/bb-includes/functions.bb-statistics.php on line 194
Warning: Division by zero in /home/dainis/community.urine-therapy.org/wp-content/plugins/buddypress/bp-forums/bbpress/bb-includes/functions.bb-statistics.php on line 174
Warning: Division by zero in /home/dainis/community.urine-therapy.org/wp-content/plugins/buddypress/bp-forums/bbpress/bb-includes/functions.bb-statistics.php on line 244
…still gonna see if it works…
Using M’s dual bbPress install procedure, there was one open question which is
— edit the bb-config.php file so that the $bb->uri variable points to the right location for your hidden bbPress installation.
(which bb-config.php file, the one in WPMU root, or the one in the hidden bbPress directory?)
I tried just the one in WPMU root and I got the error above.
Now I have the location of the hidden bbPress install in both bb-config-php files, and while the error is either gone or not appearing, the Main Themes I created in the bbPress admin panel do not appear in BuddyPress (though the Group I created in BuddyPress does appear in bbPress).
How should I proceed?
OK, tried both methods M suggested, and they get me this far:
1) I can create posts and forums in the bbPress admin panel
2) They don’t show up in BuddyPress/forums
What I wrote about here was mainly for people working with BP 1.2. But in either case (1.2 or 1.1x) if you want what you see at bp.org/forums then you will need template files to display your forums within your site’s BP theme.
What you’re doing is basically a reverse external install. You will be able to add plugins and access the admin panel, but you won’t be able to do anything with it unless you continue to build on that same idea further, and start loading and connecting bbPress plugin code and functions into a custom theme.
So are you saying that I need to look at the php file that determines the layout of the forums page (in BuddyPress) and add the appropriate code to show what’s going on in bbPress?
Can you share the code for the way BuddyPress.org works right now, cuz that’s fine for me.
Has anyone actually got M’s backdoor admin method (copy bb-config.php to the buddypress/bbpress directory to work and activate plugins?
I copied my bb-config.php file from the WPMU root dir into the /wp-content/plugins/buddypress/bp-forums/bbpress directory. Then I tried opening this page:
http://mysite.com/beta/wp-content/plugins/buddypress/bp-forums/bbpress/bb-admin/
Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening ” for inclusion (include_path=’.:/usr/lib/php:/usr/local/lib/php’) in /home/mysite/public_html/beta/wp-content/plugins/buddypress/bp-forums/bbpress/bb-includes/functions.bb-template.php on line 45
I also tried opening this page and got the same error:
http://mysite.com/beta/wp-content/plugins/buddypress/bp-forums/bbpress/
I also tried M’s “hidden installation” method and can’t get plugins to work.
I was able to open the new installation without a problem, but I cannot figure out how to activate plugins. I uploaded plugins to both the buddypress bbpress directory and the new “hidden installation” plugin directory. They obviously work fine on the hidden installation pages, but I just get “function not found” errors in the buddypress forum pages. Any ideas?
I use the bpGroups plugins (“forums” subdomain of the BP site) but the plug-in required some updating to get everything working smooth (activity notifications, public/private/hidden/ready only stuff)
@nuprn1, what did you modify? I noticed that posts in bbpress don’t show up on the activity notifications, and the public/private/hidden stuff doesn’t seem to work either…
Also, the plugin is looking for an Authorized Buddypress Username, or “the user that BuddyPress uses to access bbPress.” Is there actually still a user, or was that part of the older BP/bbpress integration method?
