At this stage, it is assumed that Joomla User information has been successfully migrated to Joomla 2.5, and their information such as userid, username, password and email are intact. Again, userid MUST be intact! If your Administrator userid was 62 in Joomla 1.5, it has to be 62 in Joomla 2.5. This is the point where J2XML failed in our previous migration attempt. What a pity since it could have been one perfectly suited component for our needs. 

Before we get started, the first thing that you will need to do on the newly migrated Joomla 2.5 is to install JomSocial. Yes, that’s right. This step is important for Joomla to capture JomSocial as an installed component, and for JomSocial to generate JomSocial Toolbar in the menu system.

But hold on! Before installing JomSocial on Joomla 2.5, I would like to reiterate on one important warning. Please make sure that prior to installation; you have already installed JomSocial 2.4.2 (or above) on the Joomla 1.5 site. If you are using an older version, please upgrade to JomSocial 2.4.2. 

Why it must be JomSocial 2.4.2 (or above)? Well, only JomSocial 2.4.2 (or above) is compatible with Joomla 2.5. :D

Once JomSocial 2.4.2 is installed on the Joomla 2.5 site, we are now ready to migrate JomSocial information from Joomla 1.5 to Joomla 2.5. 

JomSocial stores submitted data in three locations.
1.    Database (user profiles, discussions, groups, events, photo information, any text)
2.    Local files in /images/ directory (avatar, photo files, video files)
3.    Amazon S3 (depending on your JomSocial setup)

Migrating JomSocial Database into Joomla 2.5

Here’s an open secret. JomSocial database structure is exactly the same in Joomla 1.5 as in Joomla 2.5. They are both identical, which could only mean one thing, you can directly copy these tables into Joomla 2.5!

Using PHPMyAdmin (or any preferred software), go to the database and use the Export tab. Locate all database tables in Joomla 1.5 that start with jos_community_# prefix. All these tables belong to JomSocial. Export them.

Once exported, save the file onto your desktop. Open up the database for Joomla 2.5, and make a backup of the entire database.

Subsequently locate all tables that start with [prefix]_community_# in Joomla 2.5, tick all of them, and select drop. PHPMyAdmin will delete all these tables. Don’t worry, they are blanks and void.

You will then import the tables that you have exported earlier into this Joomla 2.5 database, essentially merging the fresh Joomla tables with JomSocial tables that are filled with information.

To import the tables, simply head over to Import tab, and select the desired file.

In the event that imported Joomla 1.5 tables have different prefix (for example, jos_#) than Joomla 2.5 tables (for example, j25_#), you will have to rename these tables to ensure they match. I have also found a good tutorial on renaming tables using PHPMyAdmin here.

You are now done!

Migrating JomSocial Files into Joomla 2.5

Migrating JomSocial files are really straightforward. You will only need to copy the entire /images directory in Joomla 1.5, and merge it with Joomla 2.5’s /images directory. If you wish to selectively pick on JomSocial files, copy these directories:

/images/avatar
/images/files (new feature in JomSocial 2.6)
/images/groupphotos
/images/originalphotos
/images/originalvideos
/images/photos
/images/videos

Migrating JomSocial Amazon S3 Files into Joomla 2.5

Assuming that JomSocial database has been imported correctly into Joomla 2.5, you do not have to do anything with Amazon S3 files. The database fields will correctly link them with the new Joomla 2.5 site.

Phase 6: Finalizing the Migration

Congratulations! Joomla 2.5 + JomSocial 2.4.2 is now deployed on your livesite! Take some time to reconfigure the extensions, templates and to ensure that all is in working condition. You might want to get some help from your users to report peculiar issues that they may have encounter after the upgrade. It is a community, after all. :)

Phewww.. this is a really long post. Do let us know if we have missed anything or some clarifications needed.

Navigation. You are now reading Part 7 of a series of 7.
Part 1: Migrating Joomla 1.5 to Joomla 2.5, a guided tutorial
Part 2: Preparing Joomla 1.5 site for Joomla 2.5 migration
Part 3: Comparison of Joomla 2.5 Migrators. In review: jUpgrade
Part 4: Joomla 2.5 Migrator Review J2XML Importer
Part 5: Joomla 2.5 Migrator Review SP Upgrade
Part 6: Moving Joomla 2.5 from localhost to live site
Part 7: Migrating JomSocial Data into Joomla 2.5