Vb 3.0 Links/Harvester (Unreleased)
 

I've been working on this one for a few days now, and have decided that I will turn it into a release.

So here's the details:

What this hack does:

Adds a links directory with full ability to categorize all links into any category you can thing of.

Features (current):

• Users can add their links to your directory
• User added links are password protected with a password reminder function that enables them to be able to come back later and edit their listing as needed
• Unlimited categories and subcategories
• Unlimited amount of links
• Admin can harvest and edit all links within their forum's posts and then add them to the directory
• Admin can choose to ignore certain links within the harvester so they do not get added to the Database
• Moderators can use the system through their ModCP
• System emails the admin when a link is added
• Users can report dead posts
• Users can rate links
• Images can be linked to the listing and shown in the directory (good for banners)
• Admins and Mods can delete, edit, and adjust the listing in any way that they need
• Can be easily added to any frontend integration system (like VbIndex or VbAdvanced (will have instructions for VbAdvanced)) as a sidebar showing 'x' amount of new links, or random links etc.
• Multi-page spanning for longer lists within the directory for enhanced speed
• Searchable within itself
• Make harvester recognize links that do not have the "http://" in front of the link and add that so that the links are valid when added to the DB
• Have setting to make harvester just add the link to an unsorted category if desired or as un-approved
• Complete installer/upgrader/uninstaller for hack
• Admin can choose whether or not admin validation is needed
• AdminCP controls how everything runs
• Admin can adjust allowed settings for moderators

Features to add before releasing the beta:

• Finalize layout of main directory
• Adjust code to make it cleaner
• Make harvester recognize internal domain links and ignore them
• Make harvester show the original post with bbcode removed for ease of link addition
• Show subs and recursive count on main page per main cat

Nice to haves:

• Make Moderator Waste-Basket for deleted links
• Add graphical ratings system and settings to choose text or graphics for ratings
• Have harvester run a cron job every x that harvests all new links in the posts and adds them to the uncategorized category to be edited later or as a un-approved link to adjust at your leisure
• Searchable within the resident vB 3.0 coding
• Once Finished with Beta Release, port over to HTL
• Dupe Links Check

This is about 85% finished for beta testing, so I would like to know what you all would like to have in this system as well. Please let me know what you would like to have added in the near future to this hack!

I would like to take the time right now to personally thank HellSatan here on VB.org for the assistance in coding when I went totally blank. I would also like to thank the following testers for their help as well (This list will grow I am sure!):

• Tomshawk

)O( Cloudrunner )O(

More Screens

I will be sending the beta as an attachment here, if you plan on installing this, then hitting the install button will make sure that you are updated when I release the beta.

I am looking at waiting a week to find out what else you guys would like in this before finalizing the code for beta. That should take about a week more, so I'm looking at two weeks before beta release.

This will have a full installer, and require minimal editing of the base files (very little actually, just enough to add the links control in your CP nav bars for admin and mods).

I'm looking forward to your ideas.

Thanks!

)O( Cloudrunner )O(

and where i will see the links ? It will be a new link in NAVBAR...a new forum category ? Place some bigger screenshots. I can't understand a thing !

Looks promising! Many good ideas.

I think the #1 request from people will be the ability to upgrade from "Links Directory" from the vb 2 level.

Let me know when you are ready for a beta tester!

Wow, demanding...

good lord, I just posted this ROFL!

Anyway it is a new page (thus the directory in the name, therefore kinda rules out a forum) that runs on the VB backend, so it would require you to add a link in the navbar or some other place where YOU see fit to put it.

There will be instructions on how to add it to the navbar if you want to do that or as a forum link when the beta is released.

as far as screeners, if you want a better idea of it all, then goto: The Noble Pagan Links Directory

there was a links directory for VB 2?

I didn't know that...If I'm stepping on anyone's toes I apologize and I'll rename the hack before beta.

That being the case, I'm sure that I can implement something into the installer to import the links from the other one if someone can point me in the direction of that so that I can see it's sql structure.

)O( CR )O(

<a href="https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=44551" target="_blank">https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=44551</a>

This Links Directory system had about 200 installations. I think the people who made the vb2 system have abandoned the project. Your plans sound much more powerful and comprehensive. Harvesting external links from the threads would be great.

The link harvesting already works ;) (although the implementing that damned feature kept me up all night last night LOL).

Let's just say that I HATE regexp. I managed to get it done with only one preg_match_all though, so all is hunky dory!

The only drawback (currently) to the harvester is that I can see absolutely no way to implement a link title into the harvesting, so adding the link name and the description has to be done manually.

But, I was able to harvest 300+ links from my forums today in under thirty minutes ;)

)O( CR )O(

Cloudrunner, that is still good. :)

Would it be possible to have sub-categories inside the main categories?

Would it be possible to move misplaced links to more appropriate categories?

How does the harvester work? Do we run it once at the beginning to get all the old links (huge job) and then run it once a month to catch everything in last 30 days?

Sorry for all of these suggestions/questions. Feel free to decline anything that is not practical. :)