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

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Slave

A couple of suggestions/additions come to mind .. (Only if you find the time)

The ability for users to report a link which would send a PM to the admin .. with permissions so admin can decide what user groups can report.

In the Show drop down a "Random Link" option.

In the Description of a Category have a "Sub Categories:" list .. similar to how the forums show "Sub Forums:" on the forums front page. With an on/off switch in the admin area.

Thanks - will note these and your comments in the last post. Either for the final 1.50 or the next release. Definitely agree with the subcategory point - had dealt with this by a pop-over box on the category name on the menu list, but not fully satisfactory - will think further

[Slave]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

Thanks - will note these and your comments in the last post. Either for the final 1.50 or the next release. Definitely agree with the subcategory point - had dealt with this by a pop-over box on the category name on the menu list, but not fully satisfactory - will think further

Lovely .. cheers ..

[Curzon564]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

There were no significant changes to the install script between 1.45 to 1.50, so I suspect that you either didn't upload the new install script or missed one of the steps of the script. Step 1 checks the database tables and record the new version number; step 2 upgrades the templates. AS you say, simply resetting the version number on the admin page works (for this upgrade at least) because there were no database changes.

Have a look on the admin page - if the text describing the force_redirect setting reads "1: redirect regardless of filetype (quicker/less bandwidth but file location visible and no header control).');" then you didn't run the latest script. It should read "1: use browser redirect regardless of filetype (quicker/less bandwidth but file location visible and no header control); 2: standard html hyperlink (file location visible, no checking, no hit counting).');"

OK?

It's the first one. So it seems that the install script didn't run correctly.

The install script is the newest one, I checked it at least 3 times.

// #################### DEFINE IMPORTANT CONSTANTS #######################
define('NO_REGISTER_GLOBALS', 1);
define('THIS_SCRIPT', 'local_links_install');
define('THAT_SCRIPT', '../local_links');
define('ADMIN_SCRIPT', '../local_links_admin');

define('THIS_VERSION', '1.50');

There is also the right Version but it seems as if nothing gets assumed. Don't know why.

[aussiev8]

i use this script for movie clip downloads, i was just wondering if we could find some way to get an addon made that has a points system attached? so the user has to post (and by posting earns points) and then gets to download the movies and stuff at a cost of 1 credit per movie (or admin defined) how hard would this be to make? i'm aware it'd be a great deal of hacking up one of the files, i have no idea where to start

[aussiev8]

or maybe an integration with ucash?

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by aussiev8

or maybe an integration with ucash?

Thinking about it...

[AndrewD]

Withdrawn - 1.51 is now the official release, see first post

[ogetbilo]

Andrew just a quick question. Both in 1.45 and 1.41 i cannot find the correct monitor dir
I tried http://download.ayyas.com - /home/xxxx/public_html/download - /public_html/download but none of them worked. Can you just give an example for that ?

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by ogetbilo

Andrew just a quick question. Both in 1.45 and 1.41 i cannot find the correct monitor dir
I tried http://download.ayyas.com - /home/xxxx/public_html/download - /public_html/download but none of them worked. Can you just give an example for that ?

The feature is not available in 1.41.

In 1.45 and beyond, *monitor_dir* depends on *local_file_root*.
With local_file_root=0, monitor_dir is relative to the website root, e.g. /members/docs/ should sweep docs. (With 1.50 and above, /members/docs/* will also sweep all subdirs. ) I've tried this on both my Windows test box and our main webserver which is a Sun box, running a rather old version of Solaris.

With local_file_root=1, the setting is relative to the file root, e.g. d:/websites/thissite/members/docs/ on Windows. Not sure about this setting on a unix m/c - that's not something I know l much about.

OK?

[Slave]

Just upgraded 1.50Beta to 1.51Beta .. No problems to report.

The things you've added are superb .. .. and the "Show Anything" is much better than a single random link feature ..

If I were to be picky ..

In the "Show Anything" page you get links showing more than once ..

When you turn on Sub-categories to show in the catbit .. shouldn't it be "Sub-categories:" and not just "Sub-categories" .. (I did say picky )

Can you split up the normal settings and the "portal" setting .. I take it the portal settings are only if you have some extra portal hack? If not can you tell me what "categories_seen_on_portal" does as I've just spent 10 mins trying to see what it does without success .. heh