External Link

[GameCrash]

Hi, this is my first vB hack so please be patient ;)

This allows you to use a board as a link (UB2k users know this feature). When you set a board as a link every user who joins the board will be redirected to this url :)

See it in action: http://foren.letzplay.de (german) the last boards are redirections.

This hack has been tested on vB 2.0.1 and vB 2.0.3 but other users have it running on 2.2.1, too.

Please post questions, inspirations and problems in this thread (not per email or pm). Thank you.

New version 1.1a fixed online

Just fixed that one bug in the install description. No need to upgrade if version 1.1a is already running :)

New version 1.1a online

Fixed a bug that meaned the hit counter didn't work correctly.

There is an update script and an update manual in the zip.

New version 1.1 online

New features: Hit counter, seperate templates, you can define your own target tag

There is an update script and an update manual in the zip.

Download it here (https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?postid=210316#post210316)

[AS_Eagle_1]

verry useful hack, but:
1. how can i open a new browser window for the external Link?
I don't wanna lost my members in the world wide web :D

2. is there a possibility to show instead the postcount and replycount the hits on this link?


in german:

so nochmal in deutsch weil mein englisch verdammt schlecht ist:

wie kann ich es hinbekommen das der link ein neues browserfenster ?ffnet und dort die externe Seite oder Forum anzeigt?

dann kannn man irgenwie die hits auf den link anzeigen lassen?

und noch eines ich wusste nicht wie ich es in englisch schreiben sollte.
ich hab die Kategorie "Externe Support Foren" nun m?chte ich das in dieser Kategorie die externen links angezeigt werden. nur sollen sie nicht wie ein normales forum dargestellt werden sondern wie eine kategorie ohne moderator und den ganzen anderen kram lediglich die hits sollten noch dazu.
hoffe das man es verstehen konnte. :)

Gr??e / greets

Sascha

[GameCrash]

I'll try to include this two things in 1.1 :)

<german>

Denk Dir nix, mein Englisch is auch mieserabel ;)

Ich werd versuchen die zwei Punkte in Version 1.1 unterzubringen. Aber heut nimmer :)

Was die andere Sachen angeht, ich werd schaun dass ich ein neues Template f?r die Foren mach. F?r die Kategorien aber nicht. Du kannst nat?rlich ein Forum auch als Kategorie definieren, sollte genau so funzen... nur dann eben ohne die Hits aus 1.1

[AS_Eagle_1]

ja das hab ich auch schon vorher versucht nur kategorien werden immer in einer Faber dargestellt. besser wäre es wenn sich firstaltcolor und secondaltcolor abwechseln würden um eine bessere übersicht zubekommen. aber wenn du ein template hinbekommst hat sich das eh erledigt da man dort die spalten ja ändern kann. aber echt super der hack mach weiter so wenn ich mal richtig zeit finde dann werde ich mich auch mal genauer mit php beschäftigen im mom reichts gerade mal dazu die hacks einzubauen *HEUL*

[RobAC]

What exactly does this hack do?

[GameCrash]

here you have a new version 1.1 :)

New features: Hit counter, seperate templates, you can define your own target tag

There is an update script and an update manual in the zip.

<german>

Hier haste die neue Version 1.1, da ist der Hit counter drin und Du kannst das Target selber festlegen.

</german>

[AS_Eagle_1]

he das musste doch jetzt nicht sein oder????
du bist der beste und bekloppteste *G*
das war doch nicht eillig

[GameCrash]

Originally posted by RobAC
What exactly does this hack do?

Well... it redirects you user. My english is terrible, so the best way to explain is to let you go to http://foren.letzplay.de and click on the last board (bottom)...

[GameCrash]

Originally posted by AS_Eagle_1
he das musste doch jetzt nicht sein oder????
du bist der beste und bekloppteste *G*
das war doch nicht eillig

Hatte grad nix besseres zu tun... :p Auf die Schulaufgabe morgen lernen hatt ich eh keine Lust...

[GameCrash]

[Please use the version here (https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?s=&postid=210316#post210316)!]

[AS_Eagle_1]

Works Great THY !!!

[ThomasP]

Hi,

wow, I was missing that function!
Great description and hack file btw.

But I have a problem:
I went throught your description (thanks for the german one) and did it twice - still got db errors when inserting a forum with link.


Database error in vBulletin Control Panel: Invalid SQL: INSERT INTO forum
(forumid,styleid,title,description,active,displayo rder,parentid,
parentlist,allowposting,cancontainthreads,daysprun e,newpostemail,newthreademail,
moderatenew,allowhtml,allowbbcode,allowimages,allo wsmilies,allowicons,
styleoverride,allowratings,countposts,moderateatta ch,link)
VALUES
(NULL,'2','Who is who','Who is who','1','6','-1',
'','1','1','30','','',
'0','0','1','0','1','1',
'0','1','1','0','http://www.de','linktarget='_blank')
mysql error: You have an error in your SQL syntax near '_blank')' at line 10
mysql error number: 1064
Date: Saturday 14th of July 2001 06:53:29 PM
Script: /forum/admin/forum.php


Now what I wonder while looking at the SQL code is the following:

Line 142ff in forum.php / Line 38 of your info.txt

$DB_site->query("INSERT INTO forum (...)
(...)styleoverride,allowratings,countposts,moderat eattach,link)
VALUES
(...)'$styleoverride','$allowratings','$countposts ','$moderateattach','".addslashes($link)."','linktarget='$linktarget')");


Every field has a name and a value, but the linktarget.
After moderateattach is link, but no linktarget though there is a value 'linktarget='$linktarget'

Secondly the value 'linktarget='$linktarget' irritates me, I am not into php, but from my perl days IIRC the quoting looks weird.

Thanks for a hint,
-Tom

[ThomasP]

Okay, it works now (I think)

I edited the SQL Query in forum.php (142ff) and changed it to:


$DB_site->query("INSERT INTO forum
(forumid,styleid,title,description,active,displayo rder,parentid,
parentlist,allowposting,cancontainthreads,daysprun e,newpostemail,newthreademail,
moderatenew,allowhtml,allowbbcode,allowimages,allo wsmilies,allowicons,
styleoverride,allowratings,countposts,moderateatta ch,link,linktarget)
VALUES
(NULL,'$styleset','".addslashes($title)."','".addslashes($description)."','$isactive','$displayorder','$parentid',
'','$allowposting','$cancontainthreads','$daysprun e','".addslashes($newpostemail)."','".addslashes($newthreademail)."',
'$moderatenew','$aallowhtmlcode','$aallowbbcode',' $aallowimgcode','$aallowsmilies','$aallowicons',
'$styleoverride','$allowratings','$countposts','$m oderateattach','".addslashes($link)."','$linktarget')");
$forumid=$DB_site->insert_id();



I added linktarget and changed 'linktarget='$linktarget' to '$linktarget', now it looks okay for me in the db.

Is this correct?
Thanks,
-Tom

P.S. @AS_Eagle_1: How did it work for you
:confused:

[GameCrash]

Which version did you use? 1.0, 1.1 or 1.1a?

[ThomasP]

Hi,
I used extlink11a.zip, especially info.deutsch.txt
-Tom

[GameCrash]

Okay, it was simply a bug in the info.deutsch.txt and info.english.txt

I have changed this two files and re-uploaded it but I did not create a new release, I think if someone else has installed the old 1.1a your description will help...

[ThomasP]

O.k., thanks for the great hack,
works like a treat!
thx,
-Tom

[ThomasP]

Works in 2.0.3
thx,
-Tom

[Thomas P]

...and in 2.2.0
-Tom

[orca]

Originally posted by GameCrash
Okay, it was simply a bug in the info.deutsch.txt and info.english.txt

I have changed this two files and re-uploaded it but I did not create a new release, I think if someone else has installed the old 1.1a your description will help...

Well, I downloaded the file today and the bug reported by ThomasP is still there. After editing, it worked again.

[orca]

I didn't get it to work with 2.2.1. I did the file changes as mentioned and also the tables exist. I also can create the forums. However, I put them in a category. The category is displayed. But the forums under the category, which have external links not. I checked the permissions and they are ok. I have no idea what I have done wrong. It used to work in 2.2.0...

[GameCrash]

Are you sure you created the templates?

[orca]

oops, that could be it. I guess those were created by the script? I will have a look at it again. It sure could be that. Didn't remember that, though. Thanks for the reply :)

[orca]

That was it. Thank you :)

[GameCrash]

:)

It was my first hack, I don't think there was anything created automatically ;)

[Meta]

Works!

But ... i'm afraid the bug Thomas talked about is still there.

So i did like Thomas told and changed the little thingi with the linktarget-variable ... and now it works fantasticly. Thank you ... i needed that!

(I didn't need to create templates ... and I used extlink11a.zip, especially info.deutsch.txt)

[Psychdrone]

Man I have 2.2.1 And I tried to get this to work , but no luck?

Very confused! All thoses files coming with that zip?

Could some one please re relase that hack with up to date info for me

thanks a bunch!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Lionel]

I had to make the same correction as posted on page 1:

,'".addslashes($link)."','$linktarget'

[Smallville]

I uploaded the three files and I got a parser error. I reuploaded the originals for now, so my boards are still working, but I have the hacked versions too.

What's wrong? I did everything right.

v1.1 of the hack
v 2.21 of vBulletin

[Lionel]

To allow members only to be able to click on external link. This way, you could have other non vb sections on site restricted to members only.

[GameCrash]

Originally posted by Lionel
To allow members only to be able to click on external link. This way, you could have other non vb sections on site restricted to members only.

The access masks schould work correctly. If you don't have access to the board you will get the normal error message...

I will update the zip later, I'm sorry I didn't have time for this so long ;)

[GameCrash]

This here is version 1.1a with the one bug fixed. I fixed it only half the last time ;)

Additionally I have renamed the files so the names should be less confusing ;)

[Lionel]

what was changed from first zip?

[GameCrash]

What do you mean with "first script"? If you mean version 1.0 you can find the changelog in the first post of this thread. There are detailed update instructions in the zip file.

If version 1.1a is already running, you don't have to do anything - there was only the one bug fixed :)

[Lionel]

then sorry, the access mask is not working properly. When an unregistered user clicks on the link, it takes it there, although permission was restricted.

[GameCrash]

Try this: Remove the url and the target from the board. If the guests can see the board, it's a problem with your access masks. If not, it's a problem with my hack... ;)

[Lionel]

well, the guest will be able to see the board. What I meant is for him when clicking on the link, if not registered, to be presented with login screen like other forums, instead of being taken to url.

[GameCrash]

I don't really understand you problem... If someone is allowed to view the one board he will be allowed to visit the link. If he is not allowed to view the one board he will get the login screen or the error message...

[Lionel]

then I am confused about that permission thing. If you go here (http://www.haitiwebs.com) and click on any center link, as a guest, you'll get the error message. If you go on forums, you will see all those categories but you will not be able to access them. That is what I was looking for with external link: you see it, but cannot access it.

[GameCrash]

Well... I can access every board as a guest but I can't access the "test external link"... so what's the problem? This is very confusing...

[Lionel]

what do you mean you cannot access the test external link? when you click on it it takes to the url, in that case, the mome page that I setup as the url.

[Lionel]

ok, I worked around it by hiding the external link forum and by adding a harcoded link to it on my home page. Now when someone clicks on that harcoded link to the external link, he gets the login screen if he is a guest. Once an authorized user logs in, the external link redirects properly.

[GameCrash]

Originally posted by Lionel
what do you mean you cannot access the test external link? when you click on it it takes to the url, in that case, the mome page that I setup as the url.

I only got the login form...

[Lionel]

I have one forum with many sub-forums. The main forum is an external link that displays a page with a summary of the sub-forums. The sub-forums are regular forums. Is there a way to have the number of hits the external link is having next to that main forum name and NOT at the end of the last subforum?

[Thomas P]

Hi GameCrash,

your hack works fine since quite a while on my forums.

Now I hacked in two template changes on the forumhome template, one is the "space between categories" (http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=36832) and the other one is the "boards highlight on mouseover" mod (http://vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=38735).

Both seem to brake your hack :(
- Now I have a line saying "Beitr?ge", "Themen" and "Letzter Beitrag" on the top of my links, which is a bit senseless.
Is there a way to change that by adding another template?
Something like forumhome_linkbit_xyz or so? :)

- Second if you click on a link forum like my link to the MCSEdirectory an extra window open (target=top), but the original link is loaded into the same window :)

Do you have any ideas on that?
I thought about some stuff, but it leads me nowhere...
Thanks,
-Tom

[GameCrash]

Originally posted by Lionel
I have one forum with many sub-forums. The main forum is an external link that displays a page with a summary of the sub-forums. The sub-forums are regular forums. Is there a way to have the number of hits the external link is having next to that main forum name and NOT at the end of the last subforum?

Sorry... but I don't really know what you mean... could you post a direct link and an exact description? Thanks.

[GameCrash]

Well... problem one is because of the space between categories hack - I'm sorry but it's not my hack and I don't know this very much but I don't think that could be canged so easily - this is added under each space and how should that hack know if there are only categories?

The second problem is because of the mouseover hack. That one addes a onClick to the <td> so if you click anywhere in the cell you are directed to the link in THIS window. If you click on the link, that one is opened in a new window because of the link and in the same window because of the cell onClick. You could simply remove the onClick="window.location.href='forumdisplay.php?s=$session[sessionhash]&forumid=$forum[forumid]'"> from the linkbit templates, should work...

[Giorgioggwt]

Nice hack but in 2.2.5 doesn't work, ok installation, ok create forum but the problem is in forumdisplay.php doesn't redirect to the link
es: myserver.com/forumdisplay.php?forumid=3 ......

Some about?

[GameCrash]

Could you tell me what forum and what board you mean?

[Giorgioggwt]

look yourself ;)

http://www.msni.it/forum3/index.php

i use this forum for my test...the real is in forum dir

[GameCrash]

Hm, I get a "Server not found" message... what did you enter as url? Are you sure this exists (maybe misspelled) and that you have added the http://?

[Giorgioggwt]

I'm stupid :( sorry i wrote httO and not httP .......tnx ;)

[GameCrash]

*g* ++++ happens ;)

[Christoff]

Could you tellme the names of the templates that are changed during the installation? I can't find it, but I have to change some tables because they look crappy :)

[GameCrash]

There are two new templates added: forumdisplay_linkbit_level1 and forumdisplay_linkbit_level2 (to find under Forum Display Templates).

[Christoff]

thx...
I have already done what I wanted.

I have changed a little bit forumdisplay_linkbit_level2.
Maybe you will like it:

<tr align="center">
<td width="50%" rowspan="2" bgcolor="#1C5780" colspan="2" align="left">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"><tr>
<td valign="top"><img src="https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/images/$forum[onoff].gif" border="0" alt=""></td>
<td><img src="https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/images/clear.gif" width="9" height="0" border="0" alt=""></td>
<td><a href="forumdisplay.php?s=$session[sessionhash]&forumid=$forum[forumid]" target="$forum[linktarget]"><normalfont><b>$forum[title]</b></normalfont></a><br>
</td>
</tr></table>
</td>
<td colspan="2" bgcolor="#1C5780"><normalfont><b>Forum Info:</b></normalfont></td>
</tr><tr>
<td width="25%" bgcolor="#13486D"><smallfont>
<center>Hits: $forum[linkhits]</center>
</smallfont></td>
<td width="25%" align="right" bgcolor="#13486D"><smallfont><center>This is a link</center></smallfont></td>
</tr>


This is prepared for 'New Style 01 (Blue)', those who use it will like this change I think.... those who don't.... should give it a shot.

[GameCrash]

Any link to see it?

[Smoothie]

Is there a way to have the "Links" category show without the "Threads" "Posts" "Last Posts?"

[Thomas P]

Originally posted by Smoothie
Is there a way to have the "Links" category show without the "Threads" "Posts" "Last Posts?"

Have the same "problem", GameCrash already answered here (see above: https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?postid=240727#post240727)
cu,
-Tom

[Smoothie]

I don't have the space between my categories. I just want to remove those 3 items mentioned above.

[GameCrash]

Well... if it's macfora.com I can only answer the same thing as I answered Thomas P (he linked it above). It doesn't matter if there is a space or not it's the same hack but without the spaces ;)

[pic16f84]

Originally posted by Smoothie
I don't have the space between my categories. I just want to remove those 3 items mentioned above.

revert the changes in index.php,

this allows all the hacks on the homepage to work, and the external links still work,, just need to get it to open in a new window and sorted.

[Units]

Ok where is the download link......?

[GameCrash]

Go here: https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?postid=210316#post210316

[Thomas P]

Just reinserted this hack after upgrading to 2.2.8, works like a charm :)
cu,
-Tom

[GameCrash]

:)

[Domenico]

Hi, I made some stupid mistakes and now I can't see the external links anymore. In the admin part and in the database the hack is still there so what must I do so the links I created are shown again?

Thank you!


EDIT: Ok, I just found out that forumdisplay_linkbit_level1 and forumdisplay_linkbit_level2 are gone.

Can someone tell me how to add them again and what needs to be in them?

EDIT2: nevermind, I fixed it myself :)

[GameCrash]

Okay, sorry I didn't have time to answer earlier ;)

[hashesh]

does this work in 2.3?

I attempted to install it and my forum style got all messed up

[99SIVTEC]

Same here, the front page is hosed after the install. The problem lies in the editing of index.php. I reverted index.php to stock and everything works fine including the redirects, but it doesn't display hits or anything for obvous reasons. Is there a fix for this?

[99SIVTEC]

Same here, the front page is hosed after the install. The problem lies in the editing of index.php. I reverted index.php to stock and everything works fine including the redirects, but it doesn't display hits or anything for obvous reasons. Is there a fix for this?

[GameCrash]

It's really difficult to know what's the problem without seeing it - could I get a link (or a screenshot)?

But I would think you don't have the forumdisplay_linkbit_level* templates or they are incorrect (maybe you removed the moderator column in the other templates?)...

[hockyfan]

When I install the hack, for some reason I get in my index.php a huge black box on top which contains style="border-style: solid;border-top-width: 0;border-left-width: 1;border-right-width: 1;border-bottom-width: 0;border-color: #000000"
Repeated over and over, this only happens once I upload index.php with the changes in the hack - any idea why?



h

[GameCrash]

I don't yet see where this could come from - that code is nowhere in my code nor the templates. However I've seen this is part of your <body> tag so I beliefe it comes from there... I think this has to do with your style but I can't yet find what's the problem (is it possible to see your forum with the new index.php uploaded?)

Have you yet created any links?

[GameCrash]

I have now compared the linkbit templates (the ones which get created by this hack) with the forumbit templates of vBulletin 2.3.0 - they should be compatible.

Did you change any of the following templates?

forumhome_forumbit_level1_nopost
forumhome_forumbit_level1_post
forumhome_forumbit_level2_nopost
forumhome_forumbit_level2_post
forumdisplay_linkbit_level1
forumdisplay_linkbit_level2
(the italic ones should have been created by this hack)

[MindTrix]

Well i cannot see anything wrong with your forums index.php.

Have you uploaded a fresh index.php at the moment to get rid of the errors?

[hockyfan]

Ok I'm no longer getting the black box, however the link works but it shows that the forum has zero posts etc. How can I change it to show just dashes, or a hit counter?

h

[GameCrash]

You shouldn't even see that rows - they are blank.

Could you show me your templates forumdisplay_linkbit_level1 and forumdisplay_linkbit_level2?

[hockyfan]

forumdisplay_linkbit_level1:
<tr align="center">
<td bgcolor="{firstaltcolor}" align="left" valign="top" colspan="6">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0">
<tr>
<td valign="top"><img src="{imagesfolder}/ext.gif" border="0" alt=""></td>
<td><img src="images/clear.gif" width="9" height="1" alt=""></td>
<td><a href="forumdisplay.php?s=$session[sessionhash]&forumid=$forum[forumid]" target="$forum[linktarget]"><normalfont><b>$forum[title]</b></normalfont></a><br>
<smallfont>$forum[description] (Hits: $forum[linkhits])</smallfont></td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
forumdisplay_linkbit_level2:
<tr align="center">
<td bgcolor="{secondaltcolor}" valign="top"><img src="{imagesfolder}/ext.gif" border="0" alt=""></td>
<td bgcolor="{firstaltcolor}" align="left" colspan=5><a href="forumdisplay.php?s=$session[sessionhash]&forumid=$forum[forumid]" target="$forum[linktarget]"><normalfont><b>$forum[title]</b></normalfont></a>
<br><smallfont>$forum[description] (Hits: $forum[linkhits])</smallfont></td>
</tr>


h

[GameCrash]

The templates look good. That makes me believe they aren't even used. This could happen if you

Missed the second code change in forumdisplay.php
Missed the code change in index.php
Could you please check them both? Is there any link where I can see your forum?

[hockyfan]

I've gone over the code, and the black box error appears whenever I make the changes to index.php. However, when I make the changes, then the external link forum displays correctly (with the hits counter), when I use the original index.php file, there's no black box, but the external link forum doesn't show the hits.

Currently I have the default index.php file, as I don't want my whole forum looking distorted - you can see the forum through my signature link. If you need to see it with the black box, if you can try and give me a timeframe when it'd be good for you to look at it I'd greatly appreciate it, thank you. :)



h

[GameCrash]

The problem is that I don't see the link forum there ;)

You could do the following: Copy the contents of template forumhome_forumbit_level1_post to the template forumdisplay_linkbit_level1 and the template forumhome_forumbit_level2_post to forumdisplay_linkbit_level2

If everything works, alter the two linkbit templates to remove the contents you don't need, and everything should work fine...

[hockyfan]

I copied the contents of the forumbit templates into the linkbit ones, replacing everything in the linkbit ones, was that what I was supposed to do? When I upload the changed index.php, I still get the black box.

I just checked, it appears as though I only get the black box with the default skin, with my other skins, everything appears fine and the link forum shows the hits. Any idea how I can fix this?

h

[GameCrash]

Did you do anything different with this style than with the other styles?

[hockyfan]

Did you do anything different with this style than with the other styles?
Not sure, since I didn't make the skins - if you look now, you can see the black box, and the link forum.



h

[GameCrash]

Well... I see the problem. And I see what this comes from (in the page source). There's a style="border-style: solid;border-top-width: 0;border-left-width: 1;border-right-width: 1;border-bottom-width: 0;border-color: #000000" after every </tr> for the table rows. However, I don't have any idea where this comes from - I would say, the only one able to answer this would be the one who made that skin. This is not (at least not directly) caused by my hack as

That code is nowhere in my templates
That code is in every row, not just in the one with the links.
Are you able to contact the one who has written the style?

[hockyfan]

I think I could speak to him. Also, why don't the hits show up for that skin? Is it connected?

h

[hockyfan]

After speaking to him he has absolutely no clue how to fix the lines. Therefore, I've unfortunately had to remove the hack. However, is there any way I can add some code to any of my forums files so that at least the external link forum (now done through putting HTML in the forum name) will show dashes of some sort instead of 0 posts?

h

[fixer]

Hi
i think that i found a bug in the install file.
the last part said:
open index.php file and find:
eval("\$forumbits .= \"".gettemplate("forumhome_forumbit_level$depth$tempext")."\";");
and replace it with:
if ($forum['link']) {
eval("\$forumbits .= \"".gettemplate("forumdisplay_linkbit_level$depth")."\";");
} else {
eval("\$forumbits .= \"".gettemplate("forumdisplay_forumbit_level$depth$tempext")."\";");
}
it should be
if ($forum['link']) {
eval("\$forumbits .= \"".gettemplate("forumdisplay_linkbit_level$depth")."\";");
} else {
eval("\$forumbits .= \"".gettemplate("forumhome_forumbit_level$depth$tempext")."\";");
}

i hope this will fix the errors caused by the hack