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

[Goodspeed]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

I took a quick look at pafiledb. It's quite easy to translate the database format, however it would take me several hours to write and text the code. How many entries and categories do you have in your pafile database?

Concerning the second question, you can set up the category view to include subcategories to any depth.

Andrew,

We have about 20 categories and 300 files in databse. And we have 3 databases based on pafiledb: files database, addons databse and missions database. We had to made 3 different databases because this script doesn't allow to make subcategories. Also here is very important fields like filesize and author - is it possible to convert these data too?

Andrew, I have tried to make different dept but unfortunately can't do this. Because color of categories and sub-categories alternate all the time without account for importance or parent of category.

Ones again thank you for your help, I appreciate it.

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Goodspeed

Andrew,

We have about 20 categories and 300 files in databse. And we have 3 databases based on pafiledb: files database, addons databse and missions database. We had to made 3 different databases because this script doesn't allow to make subcategories. Also here is very important fields like filesize and author - is it possible to convert these data too?

Andrew, I have tried to make different dept but unfortunately can't do this. Because color of categories and sub-categories alternate all the time without account for importance or parent of category.

Ones again thank you for your help, I appreciate it.

Send me the pafiledb sql backups by email - ad_rodin at noos.fr - I'll take a look

[ProperMethodz]

Awesome mod! I just added it. The ease of install should seriously be commended on this one! HUGE THUMBS UP!

I guess the only thing missing is possibly a way to have the "Who's Viewing" thing to work with it.

[Goodspeed]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

Send me the pafiledb sql backups by email - ad_rodin at noos.fr - I'll take a look

I have sent SQL dump to you Andrew, thank you for your help!

[Arial]

Hi
We have the hack setup here:
http://www.global-army.com/forum/local_links.php?

And am very pleased with it however, we have a bit of a problem with perms.

We created a group in admincp called links

Then we added the user to that group.

Then we used the hacks admin tool to allow that user to add links etc

Which worked BUT..

It also gave him rights to all our private forums.

Sorry we are a bit noobish, can you advise .

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Goodspeed

I have sent SQL dump to you Andrew, thank you for your help!

Got it, thanks. Will take a look when I have a chance - probably it will be at the weekend

Andrew

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Arial

Hi
We have the hack setup here:
http://www.global-army.com/forum/local_links.php?

And am very pleased with it however, we have a bit of a problem with perms.

We created a group in admincp called links

Then we added the user to that group.

Then we used the hacks admin tool to allow that user to add links etc

Which worked BUT..

It also gave him rights to all our private forums.

Sorry we are a bit noobish, can you advise .

Surely you need to go to the regular VB admin page / Forum Permissions and remove viewing permissions for links from your private forums?

[Lizard King]

Andrew my members today informed me a strange situation. Normally they never faced a problem like this but a member uploaded a 123 mb file from ftp to the server and added it to links section. When someone clicks on the link it opens the link in a new window and wait like 15-20 seconds then it start downloading and when it reachs 48kb it says completed. Do you have any idea what can cause this ?
When I try to download from ftp i have no problems.

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Lizard King

Andrew my members today informed me a strange situation. Normally they never faced a problem like this but a member uploaded a 123 mb file from ftp to the server and added it to links section. When someone clicks on the link it opens the link in a new window and wait like 15-20 seconds then it start downloading and when it reachs 48kb it says completed. Do you have any idea what can cause this ?
When I try to download from ftp i have no problems.

Yes, the problem is related to how you provide access.

If you have force_redirect=0 (the default value of the parameter on the admin page), then downloads are mediated by the script. In that case, large files can use up all the cpu time available to the script (typically 30 seconds). If you set force_redirect=1, then there is no problem with downloading large files, but the location of the file becomes visible to the user. It's a question of how important you find security versus cpu time. If you want to keep file locations secure, then you need to permit php scripts to use sufficient cpu time to read and re-transmit the file. If you prefer to limit cpu usage and are not concerned about security, then change the setting of force_redirect.

OK?

Andrew

[Lizard King]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

Yes, the problem is related to how you provide access.

If you have force_redirect=0 (the default value of the parameter on the admin page), then downloads are mediated by the script. In that case, large files can use up all the cpu time available to the script (typically 30 seconds). If you set force_redirect=1, then there is no problem with downloading large files, but the location of the file becomes visible to the user. It's a question of how important you find security versus cpu time. If you want to keep file locations secure, then you need to permit php scripts to use sufficient cpu time to read and re-transmit the file. If you prefer to limit cpu usage and are not concerned about security, then change the setting of force_redirect.

OK?

Andrew

I am keeping the security more important then downloads but is there a way to get this working ? If yes how can i do that ? I have a shared hosting and will it work with it ?