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

[Spinball]

Excellent hack, thank you.
Can I please request an enhancement?
I want to list retailers on our site but it galls me somewhat that they will be getting free advertising.
I want to have 'premium' links which are displayed at the top and charge them for this service. I appreciate this might need a 'display order' field in the link table and admin page and the order sql will need the 'order by' bit changed. E.g. to order by displayorder ASC,title ASC etc
But I think being able to set a display order would be a useful feature.
I would, for example, set all normal links to a display order of 1 and all advertisers an order of 0 so the premium advertisers get listed alphabetically at the top.
It would also be great to be able to put a separator - just a small gap - between the premium links and the normal ones.
Is this something you'd be interested in adding do you think?

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Spinball

Excellent hack, thank you.
Can I please request an enhancement?
I want to list retailers on our site but it galls me somewhat that they will be getting free advertising.
I want to have 'premium' links which are displayed at the top and charge them for this service. I appreciate this might need a 'display order' field in the link table and admin page and the order sql will need the 'order by' bit changed. E.g. to order by displayorder ASC,title ASC etc
But I think being able to set a display order would be a useful feature.
I would, for example, set all normal links to a display order of 1 and all advertisers an order of 0 so the premium advertisers get listed alphabetically at the top.
It would also be great to be able to put a separator - just a small gap - between the premium links and the normal ones.
Is this something you'd be interested in adding do you think?

Thanks for your kind remarks.

Indeed, others have asked for something similar, and it's quite easy to add. I'll hav a look this weekend.

[Spinball]

Thanks, Andrew.
Had another idea. Our links resource relates to audio visual resources. It includes manufacturers, distributors and retailers of AV gear. Very occasionally these companies don't have a website. In addition the retailers - partiularly those who are paying for a premium listing - would value having their phone number up there.
Is it at all possible to include entries where the link isn't active (because very occasionally the organisation has gone bust or doesn't have a website) and include a separate optional column for a phone number?
Thanks

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Spinball

Thanks, Andrew.
Had another idea. Our links resource relates to audio visual resources. It includes manufacturers, distributors and retailers of AV gear. Very occasionally these companies don't have a website. In addition the retailers - partiularly those who are paying for a premium listing - would value having their phone number up there.
Is it at all possible to include entries where the link isn't active (because very occasionally the organisation has gone bust or doesn't have a website) and include a separate optional column for a phone number?
Thanks

I think I'll give this suggestion a miss. You can achieve a similar effect by setting up a small web page ("this site is no longer active") and using that as the link for entries that do not have a working web site.

If you send me an email, I'll reply with the beta code for your previous suggestion - display order + separator bars. The display and database code is written but not the admin code to modify the display order, so you have to use phpmyadmin.

[Spinball]

Email sent, thanks.

[Spinball]

I have found a small bug.
In the admin page listing of duplicate links, the links to the categories read as, for example:

http://www.avforums.com/forums/local_links.php&catid=6

& instead of ?

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Spinball

I have found a small bug.
In the admin page listing of duplicate links, the links to the categories read as, for example:

http://www.avforums.com/forums/local_links.php&catid=6

& instead of ?

yep! thanks

[Spinball]

Andrew,
based on initial usage, I have another important feature request.
Some links might mistakenly be put into wrong categories. Or people might not know which to use. In addition, people might use inappropriate wording in links trying to spam people etc.
I think a category specific 'instructions' text field displayed when adding a link would be very useful.
In this field, one could enter specific instructions guiding people on how to enter new links and warning them not to abuse the system.
Hope you agree this would be useful.

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Spinball

Andrew,
based on initial usage, I have another important feature request.
Some links might mistakenly be put into wrong categories. Or people might not know which to use. In addition, people might use inappropriate wording in links trying to spam people etc.
I think a category specific 'instructions' text field displayed when adding a link would be very useful.
In this field, one could enter specific instructions guiding people on how to enter new links and warning them not to abuse the system.
Hope you agree this would be useful.

This is straightforward but there's a slight complication. Even though one is already within a category when chosing "Add Link", the new link can be entered into multiple categories at the same time, and even perhaps not into the one that is current. This "instruction" field would clearly only relate to the current category. OK?

[Spinball]

Yes that would be fine.
It's mainly to give guidance on what is and isn't allowed to be posted in the link description. Today we had a retailer post an essay on how great they were.
That's not appropriate, obviously.