Links and Files Database

The VB3.0 version is no longer supported although there have been no reported problems for some time

See here for the VB 3.6 version of this hack, which is now the supported version. This version currently also works with VB 3.5
See here for the VB 3.5 thread for this hack.

What's new in v1.60?

Option to display associated thumbnail images
Option to accept/not accept new entries if these already exists in database
Code for mass edits (accessed via admincp) tidied up
VB phrasing completed
Includes a full French and a partial German translation (thanks to cclaerhout, Allan and LeeWicKeD), handled properly by installation script.
Various bugs fixed and tested against php4 and php5:
Better database validation (on startup/in admincp: links with invalid associated forumids, categories with invalid parentids)
Alternative linkbit templates provided (default uses a fieldset, the other is the old-style table row)
Alternative category selection templates (pull down menu/list of checkboxes),
Star rating displayed using standard VB stars rather than in text form
Series of minor bug fixes
See file change.txt in zip file

What it is/does

- Provides a searchable database of weblinks and/or downloadable files, for example manuals, music files, pictures, etc.
- Integrates within VBulletin, without requiring any code changes.
- Transparently handles links and file downloads. (If you want to provide downloads from your own site, you need a separate tool to upload these files. This hack does not and will not include a file uploader.)
- Provides unlimited nested categories.
- Each link/file can be a member of multiple categories.
- Link and category title and descriptions can use all BBCODEs, giving the possibility to add images, colouring, etc, as you wish
- Viewing/access permissions controlled using VBulletin forum system
- Users can rate links, in a similar manner to VB thread rating.
- File downloads are semi-leechproof, i.e. the user does not see where the file is stored and can only access the link if she has access to the associated forum.
- Audio files playable via Windows Media Player can be offered as a jukebox .
- Tracks who downloads what
- Validates links on entry/editing, and provides admin facility to validate the entire database.

Installation/upgrading instructions

Read instructions.txt in the zip file. Installation script works out whether to install or upgrade.

To upgrade from an earlier release of this hack, simply re-run the installation script. If you modified the templates in the top styles, you will lose these modifications unless you back up and re-edit.

PLEASE BACK UP YOUR DATABASE

See also

For screen shots, see attachments.

Tested with

VBulletin 3.0 and higher
PHP 4.1.1 and 4.3.4, should work with all 4.x versions, seems ok with 5.0.4
MySQL 4.0.
Reported ok with MySQL 4.1 but not exhaustively tested

Credits

Initially inspired by drkFusion's vb2 hack "vb Link Directory" v.2 and discussion about v.3 on Vbulletin.org. This is a complete rewrite with many more features. Every credit to the VBulletin folks for providing the infrastructure and to those on vbulletin.org who have helped with testing.

Integrations/Conversions

Natch has written extensions to integrate this hack with VBindex and VBAdvanced.

For convenience, this hack includes fully integrates with, but does not install, his VBIndex hack - i.e. the required template and code are provided, and the admin panel handles the configuration settings. Please refer to his thread for instructions.

Integration with VBadvanced is described in thread 1319 at vbadvanced.com.

The zip file includes a script and instructions for converting from vbLinks v2 (see thread 44551

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by skokarl

Hallo,
how can i disabled the menu for

show
new download , my downloads .......etc

thanks.

Edit local_links_templates.xml

Find the lines

PHP Code:

<if condition="$links_permissions[can_mark_link]">
    <tr><td class="vbmenu_option">
    <a href="local_links.php?$session[sessionurl]action=links&amp;catid=$FAVS_CAT">$vbphrase[ll_menu_showfav]</a>
    </td></tr>
</if>
    <tr><td class="vbmenu_option">
    <a href="local_links.php?action=links&amp;catid=$HOT_CAT">$vbphrase[ll_menu_showhot]</a>
    </td></tr>
    <tr><td class="vbmenu_option">
    <a href="local_links.php?action=links&amp;catid=$NEW_CAT">$vbphrase[ll_menu_shownew]</a>
    </td></tr>
    <tr><td class="vbmenu_option">
    <a href="local_links.php?action=links&amp;catid=$MY_CAT">$vbphrase[ll_menu_showmyl]</a>
    </td></tr>
    <tr><td class="vbmenu_option">
    <a href="local_links.php?action=links&amp;catid=$RND_CAT">$vbphrase[ll_menu_showrnd]</a>
    </td></tr> 


and delete them.

Upload the modified version of this file and re-run the installation script

[skokarl]

thanks,

but I means the completly show menu..
I need your hack only for downloads,
and so the show menu with the different features is not necessary.

( damaged, random, hidden, etc )

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by skokarl

thanks,

but I means the completly show menu..
I need your hack only for downloads,
and so the show menu with the different features is not necessary.

( damaged, random, hidden, etc )

Find and delete the line that reads

PHP Code:

    <td id="userlinks" width="12%" class="vbmenu_control">$vbphrase[ll_menu_show] <script type="text/javascript"> vbmenu_register("userlinks"); </script></td> 


[AndrewD]

This error is generated if you are protecting links with a forum that doesn't exist. Have you just deleted one of your forums?

You can 'mass edit' the forums associated with your links (at least with version 1.60) by going to the admin page/categories then go down the page to access permissions.

If this is not the problem, let me know

[Allan]

It would be possible to find craftiness which would allow to warn the members that there is again links of create, because if persons do not go to sections, nobody sees that of new links exist ??

[Lizard King]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

This error is generated if you are protecting links with a forum that doesn't exist. Have you just deleted one of your forums?

You can 'mass edit' the forums associated with your links (at least with version 1.60) by going to the admin page/categories then go down the page to access permissions.

If this is not the problem, let me know

Yep after the post I figured out the same thing

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Allan

It would be possible to find craftiness which would allow to warn the members that there is again links of create, because if persons do not go to sections, nobody sees that of new links exist ??

This is a good idea. I will make a couple of changes in 1.60b (coming this weekend) to show the new links:
- The home category display will indicate the number of new entries since the last visit, with a clickable link to display them all
- The "Show What's New" will do the same thing if *days_seen_on_portal* is set to zero.

I hope this what you want.

[sherykah]

hello Andrew,

I've installed your this code onto my board and i like it very much. I would like to use it in a second version to collect information in a directory format. Your program is very simple to use and I want to know if a can use it again with one code change. I need to turn off the link verifcation system. I want a member to add information on a performance location that maynot have a web address. I will need to turn off the need to add a url and the verifcation of a url being added to every entry. Is this possible?

[Allan]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

This is a good idea. I will make a couple of changes in 1.60b (coming this weekend) to show the new links:
- The home category display will indicate the number of new entries since the last visit, with a clickable link to display them all
- The "Show What's New" will do the same thing if *days_seen_on_portal* is set to zero.

I hope this what you want.

ok, but a update is possible to 1.60 from 1.60 b ?

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Allan

ok, but a update is possible to 1.60 from 1.60 b ?

It will be trivial, if fact even easier than that