JollyK - 7:56 pm on Jan 31, 2006 (gmt 0)

For 1), I can't imagine that you couldn't get a forum to work within a given header/footer. I've never run into a PHP or even Perl script that you couldn't hack to fit in your design. Some of the other suggestions here, like putting it in an iFrame, or editing the HTML templates that come with the forum should work. Is it a really bizarre and complex header/footer? Are the header/footer poorly designed or broken? This just boggles me.

For 2), again, I can't imagine that you couldn't hack bits of the forum to authenticate off your main database, while still using its own database. Again, I've worked with several different forums and other software, and I've never had a problem hacking them to integrate with another database.

For 3), I'm afraid I've got nothing. If it were me, I'd just take something like phpBB and modify the code to cut out or disable the extraneous features.

All three of the above, by the way, will make upgrading difficult. This isn't a problem for the person doing the hacking, but will likely be a problem for ongoing maintenance. Perhaps this is what they mean by "not possible?" Also, you may not be able to have 1), 2), and 3) at the same time.

When you say you were told "it couldn't be done," are you sure they didn't mean "it can't be done without a lot more time and money" or "it can't be done within your deadline?" Integrating 3rd party apps into other things can be tricky and time-consuming, but I've never run into "it can't be done" period. I've definitely run into situations where, when I tell the person how long it will take, they choose not to do it, and that's their choice. Sometimes it's not worth it. But it's not that it can't be done...

I hate to say it, but you may want to bring in another developer for a second-opinion. I'm sure there must be more to the story, but I've never seen anything you've asked declared "not possible," only "not feasible" or "not without more time and/or money." :-)

JK