Insane request: Drupal, Joomal, Wp etc. etc. (front-end) integration

[cnx]

Hi all,

first of all, I am impressed with all the work done! I will definitely start using TP, I have a few SMF forums. I found this site when I was looking for integration of Drupal in SMF. (There is a thread on a bridge to Drupal, that still doesn't seem to work.)

I wish I was more proficient in PHP, unfortunately I was a dinosaur cobol, rpg ibm mainframe midrange programmer, I see a lot of (commercially viable) opportunities for Open Source Application Integration.

I use Drupal (KISS, prefer it way over Joomla) to set up websites, and I am pleased with it. I use Moodle for a client, I have used zen-cart. I have a wordpress blog etc. etc.

Only 1 feature that will make a lot of people happy (I think!) It would make me happy!

Suggestion/request:
Would it be possible to have a module/block in TP that can run another application, regardless which one? Sort of like the good old "frames" pages in html. My idea is a standard generic solution, application (and platform) independent based on SMF/TP.

More detailed:

I like SMF (and TP already!), and would like to be able to keep layout and functionality (headers, navigation, sideblocks, footer) yet replace the "contents" with, say, a Drupal website. or a Wordpress blog, or a Zen-cart shop, or a ... well, you get the point, basically an isolated block that will run with it's own database and php code, yet maintaining the TP/SMF framework.

I hope this makes sense, I would love to be able to leave the applications independent, and just incorporate it in the framework. I do realise each application will need modifications (remove headers, navigation, sideblocks, footer etc.). Should I wish to share login information, that will depend on the integrated application and there could be specific mods per specific applications, yet first of all a "front end" integration is what I am looking for.

Anyone challenged? Or is it already available? Or is it an insane suggestion?? Let me know.

I am available to discuss details, test, manage a project, and provide as much input as I can.

[IchBin]

Well there's quite a thread on integrating coppermine into SMF/TP around here somewhere. I supposed you could use that as the base to include a lot of different scripts and stuff. Thats the easy part however.... the hard part would be the backend integration. Something not too many people around here are capable of. For making it real easy you can just include all your stuff into articles with php includes. Thats not truly integrating IMO though.

Here's a little something that can get you going.
http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=19518.0;all

[cnx]

Thanks, I will have a look at the coppermine thread.

and indeed, it will be front-end integration first, as back-end integration will be too application specific. (I see someone struggling with a Drupal-SMF bridge for almost a ear now. I hate to see what happens to it when its based on SMF 1.0.7. which will be "obsolete" in a few weeks.

To do it properly, it needs quite a bit of analysis, reverse-engineering probably and find the most common and overlapping functions between apps. Also, an interface should be independent on it's own, and preferably NOT touch any source code (as I can see most bridges tend to do). This would also require some sort of standardisation from the entire OS community, which seems to be the biggest hurdle.

Oh well, I still think it might be an interesting project, and I will do some more thinking.

Thanks for your input sofar.