Links and Downloads Manager

LDM extends VBulletin to manage a library of documents, files and links to other web sites. Documents can be stored on your own web site, stored on your server separate from the web site, uploaded by your user community, or held somewhere else altogether. So you can use LDM to provide your user community with access to your own files and allow them to share files with each other.

12/08/06 - Versions that work with vb36 are available and supported in the VB36 thread. Version 2.2.1, which works with VB 3.5 but not with VB 3.6, remains available here.

Thanks to everyone who has helped with all the design, testing, etc.
Translations are provided (thanks dLutt and LeeWicked) into German, (thanks to Allan) into French, and (thanks to Hugo) into Spanish. Harry1951 has handled the Dutch translation.

Screenshots, Instructions and How to Install

Full details and instructions are available as a Wiki at http://www.eirma.org/wikis/index.php...nloads_Manager

LDM installs as a VBulletin product. There are no modifications required to standard VB code.

Basically - upload php files and run the installer through VB's Product installer. No changes needed to VB code. Remember to BACKUP YOUR DATABASE. By default, LDM prefixes its database tables 'local_'. Edit the configuration file, local_links_init.php, if you need/wish to change this.

LDM can handle an essentially unlimited number of categories and nested subcategories, and an unlimited number of entries (hyperlinks or downloadable files). Each entry can be placed in one or several categories. Categories can have styles. Descriptions and titles can optionally include BBcodes, smilies, images and html, giving the possibility to add images, colouring, etc. File types can be flagged using icons and individual entries can also have associated thumbnail images.

Standards templates are provided for libraries of links, files, documents, and photographs.

Users can offer comments and rate the links/downloads. Each user is allowed one rating and many comments per entry, and can freely edit these if they change their mind.

Permission to use specific features is established via the product's admin page, where the administrator specifies which usergroups can add and edit entries, comment and rate these entries, moderate, etc.

By default, all entries are visible to all users. You can restrict visibility/access to links and categories by using the permissions masks from your board's forums.

Moderation of new entries is available but turned off by default.

Users can report bad links to the relevant moderators/administrators.

Each user can flag links as his/her "Favourites".

Modules are provided for VBAdvanced.

Hooks are provided in suitable places in LDM and sample plugins are included in the release (see extras directory), for example to integrate with ID3 tags in mp3 files, for slideshows, to autocreate new threads in your forums, etc.

Plus much more.

[Jaynesh]

Okay thanx alot
Just one more last thing and i will stop bothering you
How can i make the player open in the same window, with the footer and header in there aswel.

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Jaynesh

Okay thanx alot
Just one more last thing and i will stop bothering you
How can i make the player open in the same window, with the footer and header in there aswel.

Not easy, I'm afraid - you'll have to start editing the code, and then you'll have problems when I release updates.

[Benj]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

I added a clean way to do this in 2.1.1, which is still in beta but has had no reports of problems.

a) Enable the Jukebox (point file_icons_dir at the set of filetype icons, set the musicbox_* settings appropriately and provide mimetype information in the vb attachment table for these filetypes)
b) Set can_play_musicbox permissions in LDM for the usergroups in question and unset can_save_jukebox for these groups.

sorry does this mean you can stop downloads of files for usergroups in 2.1.1. meaning mp3s if i set it so can only be streamed (played tho player)?

[ZED28]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

Yes, I split the code with a recent release - as I don't use vbAdvanced, I tend to miss these things - when the catid is negative, the urls should point to local_links_search.php

LOL, The only part of that statement I understood what that you don'y use vBAdvanced. :ninja: The rest of it left me scratching my lil head!

Can I fix the links that point me to "Whats Hot" and "What's New" in the main downloads area? If you try this URL, you'll get a better idea of what I'm asking I hope.

http://www.lfsresource.com/local_links.php?

[Code Monkey]

I was adding images to some of my links today and thought of something that would be a nice addition, IMO.

How about for each item, wether it's a link or other, you add two more text boxes so we can add an additional link and text for that link, if we so choose. For instance, say I add a link to a certain game. And I also have a review or an article, or even a forum thread discusion for that game. I could put a link to the review and then the text "Read Our Review of Blah". The same for a discusion, etc..

[Viks]

Just wondering if anyone has had any success with local_links_external.php file?

I dropped it in the forums directory but the feeds are not showing on an external page as it is supposed to.

I'm wondering if it needs to be configured first.. I can view the XML if I enter it in a browser but there is no output if I run it via the RSS feeder.. although other feeds work fine..

could you please assist?

thanks

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by ZED28

LOL, The only part of that statement I understood what that you don'y use vBAdvanced. :ninja: The rest of it left me scratching my lil head!

Can I fix the links that point me to "Whats Hot" and "What's New" in the main downloads area? If you try this URL, you'll get a better idea of what I'm asking I hope.

http://www.lfsresource.com/local_links.php?

Sorry, I got a bit technical.

The php code that drives LDM is getting rather large, so I'm starting to split it into several files. Unfortunately, in 2.1.1 I've missed a few places where the script name has to change as a result.

If you prefer to keep things simple, you can simply turn off the 'what's new' information by setting 'show_hit_parade' to 0 on the LDM admin settings page.

If you want to patch things, you need to edit two templates and two phrases to correct this. If you make these fixes, remember that you will also need to 'revert' the templates and phrases next time I release an upgrade.

For the faulty links at the top of the main downloads area, edit these phrases:

ll_recent: Change the string that reads "{4}.php" to read "local_links_search.php"
ll_lastvisit: Change "{2}.php" to read "local_links_search.php".

For the vbadvanced fixes, edit the template called adv_portal_custom_ldm_new.
Change the text LINKS_SCRIPT to SEARCH_SCRIPT.

Do the same in the template adv_portal_custom_ldm_hot.

I havent looked at the problem with the vbadvanced template breaking the flow. Will do so when I have chance.

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by JumpD

I was adding images to some of my links today and thought of something that would be a nice addition, IMO.

How about for each item, wether it's a link or other, you add two more text boxes so we can add an additional link and text for that link, if we so choose. For instance, say I add a link to a certain game. And I also have a review or an article, or even a forum thread discusion for that game. I could put a link to the review and then the text "Read Our Review of Blah". The same for a discusion, etc..

Nice idea, although this would require changes to the database, data entry forms, templates, etc.

You could achieve a similar result by including url bbcodes in the main link description. And if you want to be sure that your users follow the house style, how about using the 'use policy' box in the category description to explain this to them.

[ZED28]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

Sorry, I got a bit technical.

The php code that drives LDM is getting rather large, so I'm starting to split it into several files. Unfortunately, in 2.1.1 I've missed a few places where the script name has to change as a result.

If you prefer to keep things simple, you can simply turn off the 'what's new' information by setting 'show_hit_parade' to 0 on the LDM admin settings page.

If you want to patch things, you need to edit two templates and two phrases to correct this. If you make these fixes, remember that you will also need to 'revert' the templates and phrases next time I release an upgrade.

For the faulty links at the top of the main downloads area, edit these phrases:

ll_recent: Change the string that reads "{4}.php" to read "local_links_search.php"
ll_lastvisit: Change "{2}.php" to read "local_links_search.php".

For the vbadvanced fixes, edit the template called adv_portal_custom_ldm_new.
Change the text LINKS_SCRIPT to SEARCH_SCRIPT.

Do the same in the template adv_portal_custom_ldm_hot.

I havent looked at the problem with the vbadvanced template breaking the flow. Will do so when I have chance.

No sweat man, I appreciate all of your help - regardless of how deep it gets!

I did the changes to the modules in VBAdvanced and it fixed my problem there - at least with the link. I'll look at the wrap thing later- it's not too important.

Tried the link fixes for the Hit Parade (didn't know what that was until now!) though they still didn't work. But in all honesty, I'm not going to bust a gut over this. I'm very happy with how it's running right now and will iron out some of the very minor issues when you release an update.

Consider me a very "happy camper" Andy, thanks again!

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by benj

sorry does this mean you can stop downloads of files for usergroups in 2.1.1. meaning mp3s if i set it so can only be streamed (played tho player)?

Yes, this is the case