[Release vB Links 1.0 | vB2bx

UPDATE!!! NEW DOWNLOADFILE | 02. April 2001
Release vB Links 1.0

So here it is, the final version of my link hack is available to download.
Here are some features for this version:

• showing links with the following information: Name, URL, Email, Banner, Banner ALT Text, Description, Forumlink, Hitcounter (outgoing), Categories
• main page shows all links, but you can: a:sort by category and b:search for a site
• registrated user can add new links, but admin or mod must confirm the links in the CP
• an email is sent to you when there is a new link to approve
• Links can be ordered over pages. Limit for links per page can be set
• outgoing links will be redirect over a redirect page with information that you're leaving the forum...and outgoing counter will be set plus 1
• Category is show on each link
• CP: you can easy add new site on your own or edit a site
• CP:can add or edit categories
• CP: Categories can be reordered
• CP:confirm and edit new sites
• CP:upload banners to let them load faster

More:
There are about 13 new templates and 2 new tables on the database which will be created over an easy installscript.

How to install?
Just download the attached file and unzip it, then open install.txt and follow the instructions. Need any help or find any bugs, please report them here. And don't hate me for the code, I tried my best!

Future:
As I like my script and need it anyway, there will be a next version of it, with more features. Some of the following features I am working on:

• New startpage with a overview of all categories and the ability to add subcategories as well
• automatic post of a new post in a specific. thread when admin / mod approved a link
• logging user who's add the link (its easy but don't had the time for this version
• categories and subcategories in Navbar
• get used of the vB rate feature and try to integrate it
• code clean up
• better translation
• and more...

INstall and upgrade

• For those of you who will install the script the first time, just download the attached file and read firsttime_install.txt.
• For those of you who allready updated the templates, just reupload "links.php" and do step 1. and 2. in upgrade_install.txt, and also open CP and add the links_redirect_add & links_redirect_url template which is attached to this message. This will fix all your probs
• For those fo you who do not change the templates yet, but installed the hack, just do whats in upgrade_install.txt

DOWNLOAD vB Links Hack 1.3

I added a translation option, maybe someone likes this to add.

Edit the linksbits template like this:

Insert this line <a href="links.php?action=redirect&url=http://jump.altavista.com/trans.go?urltext=$link[url]&language=en" target="_blank">[Translate]</a>

Between <div align="right">$counter$forumlink</div>

So you'll get this :

<div align="right">$counter$forumlink<a href="links.php?action=redirect&url=http://jump.altavista.com/trans.go?urltext=$link[url]&language=en" target="_blank">[Translate]</a></div>

That should do it..

[RobAC]

What's the purpose of the "translation option"??

On my site I get a lot of foreign visitors and I have a lot of Japanese links. Therefore a translation option is very handy.

[the_sisko]

The test category is there so there must be at least one category to begin working with the script. You can esay change the name of it to fit your needs!

Hi,

I've got some ideas for you to add.

Within the CP:

• A search option
• Search for duplicate links
• When modifying links it would be handy to have them listed alphabetical and in their corresponding categories

What if I want to link to specific categories, how would I do that?

Let's say I have a computer forum and a gardening forum and in vB Links I have made the same categories.
From the computer forum I want to have a link directly to the computer category, and from the gardeniong forum I want to link directly to the gardening category.
What would be the correct syntax for the URL to go directly to those categories?

And while I'm at it, how would I set up that linking feature in vBulletin???

[RobAC]

I'm not sure if anyone else has had this problem, but as expected, the upgrade to RC1 basically removes parts of the Links hack. The links are gone and the addition of a link is impossible. Looks like this will be a rehack each time the software is upgraded, however, I can't verify if the links/banners still exist yet.

[tubedogg]

Um actually Rob assuming you have to make changes to any PHP files for this hack they will be overwritten every time. Surely you've been around here long enough you know that. Just reedit the PHP files and you should be fine.

Assuming the links are stored in the database, yes they still exist. The upgrade doesn't delete anything from the database that vB didn't originally create itself.

[RobAC]

Yeah I know.....and I did something I know I shouldn't....but did it anyway...I did back up my files, so I need re-hacking will be a little harder than it should be. Lesson learned.

Reminds me of when my hard drive crashed a year ago and I hadn't backed anything up when I knew I should have.

[gmtalk]

Rob,

Just go and upload the file install_vblinks.php to the admin dir. Run that. Make the necessary change in the admin/index.php file to reflect the CP changes.

It will keep your links and banners. It will add the "StarTrek" Default banner link in there. You can delete or leave that in there, whichever you see fit.

It is real simple. Took a matter of 1 minute to do the whole thing. If you have any questions you can email me ot IM me. You have my email address

John

LunaticSS < GMForums.com>