Awesome work Andrew. I have v2.1.3b3 running atm. To do the upgrade to this, delete the "Product", overwrite the files on the server, reinstall the Product. Is this correct? I just want to be sure I don't lose the SQL database of the downloads listed in there.

Not quite - just upload the files and reinstall. As long as the version number changes (which it does her), VBulletin will take take of everything. I always recommend that you take a backup before upgrading, just in case.

Well spotted. Variable not declared as global.

It needs a minor change in the code and a reference to a new variable in the links_vbalinks template. I'll add the variable into the code, but leave the template change for you to patch locally. In the meantime, you can implement the change as follows:
- Edit local_links_include.php
- Line 1907 or thereabouts, in function get_links2, add $linkscat to the list of global variables.
- Towards the end of the *while* loop, before the eval() statement, add this statement :
Then patch the template so that it refers to $linkcatname

1) Install LDM
2) Visit your normal VBulletin admincp, attachments/extensions and sizes. If you have already got an entry for mp3 files, good, otherwise add one. The important setting is the mimetype, which should be Content-type: audio/mpeg
3) Visit the LDM admin settings page, and make sure that this setting is defined: file_iconsdir. This should point at the directory in which you have uploaded the icons that are provided in the LDM release, e.g. images/LDM
4) Visit the LDM admin permissions page and check that the desired usergroups have got can_play_musicbox permission

LDM does not place the files into the MySQL database - it always uses files, even if these are uploaded. However, there are quite tight limits on what can be uploaded using normal web forms, so you are right, the best approach is to upload the files using FTP.

To continue...

- Put some entries in your LDM database. Create a category, then create entries in this category which point to the files you have FTP'd onto your server. It is better to refer to these using local filenames rather than full urls, i.e. create the entry as /dir1/dir2/file.mp3 rather than http://yoursite/dir1/dir2/file.mp3

- If you want people to access these via your posts/forums rather than via LDM itself, then you need to make note of the 'linkid' for each mp3. You can find this by hovering over the LDM entry. You need to paste urls of this form into your posts: http://yoursite/local_links.php?action=play&id=9 in order to get the media player to work

The control is 'per day', but there is also an option to let unused allowances accumulate for N days, so I think you can achieve what you want by giving a daily allowance of one seventh of the maximum weekly consumption, and a 'carry forward' of 7 days.

You set these limits on the LDM admin/download quotas page

Thanks, Andrew, for your detailed instructions. You must have put in a lot of time in responding to my questions. I really appreciate it. I don't have time to get to it just yet, but I'll return to bring you the results--which should be positive. :)

By the way, in your future releases, could you consider implementing an option that can control the number of times a particular user can play a video/audio clip or see an attachment? Is that feasible at all? I think that's very useful for someone like myself who is doing an online course with lectures in audio/video formats--because I want to give access only to the few of those who have signed up for my class. I can't find this kind of mod. anywhere on this vB.org forum, and I believe that other users would love to have this option as well.

OK, I'll take note.

That's great .. thanks :)

I have not installed the RC yet, as my install of VBA took the simplicity out of upgrading...I'm still on 2.1.3b3, and it's working very well.

The only wish I have is that the comments, or the ABILITY to add comments, was somehow more obvious or more inviting for users. I have had quite a few people download items from my site, and yet I have very few comments. The comments that are on there are generally from the same person. I don't know how it would be possible, but I wish the comments and the ability to rate/leave comments stood out more.

Still, this is one of the most amazing hacks I've seen. I recently turned on SEO links, and search engines have been loving it. :)

Thank you Andrew for all of your hard work. Very appreciated.

A quick question ..

AndrewD, have you changed the style/colour of the background colour on some of the headings? .. on the default style it seems to be using the dark blue instead of the light blue which means the collapsible arrow image doesn't look right ..

Where would I need to go to change this back to the light blue colour?