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

[Allan]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

It will be trivial, if fact even easier than that

yesssssssss, thanks AndrewD

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by 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?

This is already coded - if you go to the admin page and set allow_null_links to 1, then the url field can be left empty. You may want to change some of the phrases to explain the consequences. You should probably also edit local_links.php, go to the section which starts

// #################### Add Entry
if ($_REQUEST['action'] == "addlink") {

and change the line

$linkurl = "http://";

to whatever you want to

$linkurl = "";

If you want to skip showing the url box altogether, then you need to edit the link_addnewlink templates, and change the line

<input type="text" class="bginput" name="linkurl" value="$linkurl" size="50" />

, e.g. to [code]<input type="hidden" name="linkurl" value="$linkurl" />

[sherykah]

Andrew,
Thank you very much.

[FightRice.com]

I installed this on my forums. And simply amazing.

good job andrewD and i don't feel like reading this whole 70page post so is there any useful information in it for some modifications to this for like a Drop down box(like the QuickLinks) and then be able to select Add Lnk, View Links And things like that

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by FightRice.com

I installed this on my forums. And simply amazing.

good job andrewD and i don't feel like reading this whole 70page post so is there any useful information in it for some modifications to this for like a Drop down box(like the QuickLinks) and then be able to select Add Lnk, View Links And things like that

Thanks

I don't think I've answered that question before

What features would you like to see on a QuickLinks drop down? No promises...

[emtee]

It's very easy to make the Drop down box like vb3 default's Quick Links if you know a little bit HTML. Open navbar template and navbar_link template and read them. You should be able to figure it out how to make drop down links. Good luck!

[AndrewD]

Supported release is now 1.60b (see first post in this thread for details).

Andrew

[Slave]

Installed ..

Can't see anything wrong at the moment AndrewD .. nice job! ..

[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.

It was to add in this version AndrewD ?

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Allan

It was to add in this version AndrewD ?

Yes, it's there.

The links home page now has a banner heading with a clickable line "N new entries since last visit". The pull down menu item "Show What's New" will show these entries provided the parameter *days_seen_on_portal* is set to 0.