Lets get the usual formalities out of the way.
WP v3.3.1
BP v1.5.4
bbPress v2.0.2
I’m using bbPress as the sitewide forums since I couldn’t seem to get sitewide forums to work from within BuddyPress (“Install Site Wide Forums” triggers an HTTP error).

I followed the BuddyPress forums codex here:
http://codex.buddypress.org/getting-started/installing-group-and-sitewide-forums/

Since I had an existing installation of bbPress, I skipped down to the pertinent section. Step 1- I click on ‘use existing installation’, but am never prompted to provide a path to my bb-config.php file (and by extension the ‘complete installation’ link). It just accepts the ‘use existing installation’ and nothing more happens. I suspect this is the main problem, but we’ll get back to that.

From within my groups, I can see the forums link, and can click it, but there are no topics. I click ‘new topic’, give it a title and provide content, click ‘post topic’ and I get a big red box with the message “There was an error when creating the topic” and nothing else.

Could this be because BP can’t really find the bbPress install due to the fact that it never prompted me to provide a path to the bb-config.php file? And if so, HOW do I fix it? Or is there a workaround where I can add a snippet of required code to one of the BP php files, etc.

[@mercime Participant 12 years, 7 months ago]

== Since I had an existing installation of bbPress, I skipped down to the pertinent section. Step 1- I click on ‘use existing installation’, but am never prompted to provide a path to my bb-config.php file ==

Sitewide Forums do not have bb-config.php file. The existing installation being referred to is that of a group forum. So if you want Group Forums, click on Install button, then after you’re done, enable Forum for each you in Group > Admin

[@frostdawn Member 12 years, 7 months ago]

==So if you want Group Forums, click on Install button, then after you’re done, enable Forum for each you in Group > Admin==

I’m not sure I understand the latter half of that sentence, particularly the ‘enable Forum for each you in Group”.

Considering the member usability in the aforementioned codex, I’ve decided I’d rather stick with sitewide forums instead. And seeing as how I was getting an HTTP error trying to activate them, I’m using bbPress directly vs through BP. However, I don’t want users going into the groups and trying to use the forums link within them and finding it doesn’t work. Is there a way to hide/disable that link instead?

Thanks

[@tagtomat Member 12 years, 7 months ago]

I sounds like you have the same problem as I had.

Check out this post, and you might have do as I have added in the last post of the topic.
https://buddypress.org/community/groups/how-to-and-troubleshooting/forum/topic/this-group-does-not-have-a-forum-setup-yet-1/#post-127372

My original post that got me there has this link:
https://buddypress.org/community/groups/how-to-and-troubleshooting/forum/topic/forums-not-finding-topics-at-all-unable-to-post/

If it makes sense for you reading this also. The second post got me a part of the way.

Best Regards
/Mads, Copenhagen, Denmark

[@frostdawn Member 12 years, 7 months ago]

Hmm, I think I’m okay now. Giving everyone the ability to collaborate together via sitewide forums trumps group forums, and having both active at the same time introduces possible confusion and usability concerns. For example, if you post a topic, how will you remember where you posted it? You would have to scour 2 separate forums to find your post which can prove aggravating. I overlooked the setting in the dashboard Components config screen – I toggled off ‘discussion forums’ in the available components section. Once that was done, I no longer have a forums link within the groups view which was all I needed.