[AndrewD]

** Edited, 1/11 - attachment removed - see second beta in a following post

I attach version 2.0.7 for beta test. I think that this fixes the problems that have been reported with 2.0.6 and earlier, and add some new features. I will welcome reports, as always.

New Features

+ Add/edit link includes option to set a different date/time
+ Streamer handles Real Player as well as Windows Media Player and looks nicer
+ 'Sort links by rating' included
+ Searches are paginated and the advanced search offers a 'sort by' option
+ Mass edit has a 'mass delete links' option
+ Link and category urls can be presented in search engine friendly form
+ A simplified url mod_rewrite functionality is available, see below
+ VBAdvanced interface jumps to link description rather than straight to link
+ By setting *show_hit_parade*=2, a list of most popular hits appears in each category

Bugs Fixed

> syntax of filetype searches clarified/made more flexible
> catbit respects displayorder
> hitparade and vba modules respect the *can_access_link* and *protected_link* settings
> normal forumjumps are hidden if site has turned them off
> *sortby* request works with subcategories as well as links
> installer catches attempts to upgrade before new code has been uploaded
> works correctly when the main files have been renamed

As usual, I recommend that you read instructions.txt and take a database backup before installing or upgrading, just to be on the safe side. Upload the contents of the release/forums directory, then use VB/plugins/products to install the product file in the release directory.

A few remarks:

The *mod_rewrite* functionality is intended to provide the basis for some advanced features, which are only starting to be identified. The first is to deal with Tradjick's request for showthread navbars that look like LDM navbars. Another is to deal with dkpm's request for an Amazon affiliate id rewrite. I have not thought through all the details for Amazon - if someone wants to help me by listing all the urls that Amazon uses, that would be very helpful.

Although I am hoping someday to live a real life (), there are a series of ideas that have been suggested for LDM, and I will think about these. I've included a file wishlist.txt in the release - please use this as the basis for any further ideas. Basically, this is what I think you have suggested:

Wish List

+ Provide download limits
- daily bandwidth per user / expressed per usergroup
- or through points generated via UCash mod
- or through points bought from Paypal, etc
- or through points earned by uploading

+ Allow multiple hit parades (e.g. per day, week, month)

+ Allow the admin to limit the forum-based protection mechanism
to a few forums instead of none, one or all

+ Provide some form of keyword association
- perhaps linked to user profile

+ Allow meta-data (i.e. other fields)
- Auto-generate those data from the link when possible

+ XML-based import and export
- Allow category imports to work into an existing database

+ Upgrade the entry forms to WYSIWIG

+ Provide mod_rewrite rules for Amazon affiliates