Connect two databases with one Joomla site

Question

I have two Joomla sites with different databases. I want to share all data from one site to another site. For example, when I register a user in one website then it's updated on the second site's database too.

I have this code to connect the external database, but I am new to Joomla so don't know how to implement it.

<?php
$db = JFactory::getDbo();

$option = array(); //prevent problems

$option['driver']   = 'mysql';            // Database driver name
$option['host']     = 'db.myhost.com';    // Database host name
$option['user']     = 'fredbloggs';       // User for database authentication
$option['password'] = 's9(39s£h[%dkFd';   // Password for database authentication
$option['database'] = 'bigdatabase';      // Database name
$option['prefix']   = 'abc_';             // Database prefix (may be empty)

$db = JDatabaseDriver::getInstance( $option );
?>

Answer 1

EDIT 2:

I think this is not the explanation wanted for the user, but it's possible he needs to populate the information of his master website with a plugin system to the two databases.

---

If you are going to implement the code by using overrides and custom components, you just have to use, for example, this simple guide to obtain information from the other database:

https://docs.joomla.org/Selecting_data_using_JDatabase

EDIT:

More specifically, you have to create two objects, one for the local connection, and another one to the external connection.

$db = JFactory::getDbo();
$extDb = JDatabaseDriver::getInstance( $option );

And use the same query you create for the two objects:

$query = "UPDATE #__anytable SET column1 = value1";
$db->setQuery($query); $db->execute();
$extDb->setQuery($query); $extDb->execute();

PD: Don't post the credentials like user and password on the internet.

Answer 2

There is already a simple solution that exists to achieve your aims.

If you install the Fabrik extension you can then add a new database connection within the component admin settings. Using Fabrik you can then display and update fields and data from different databases within the same forms.