Major Additions - Links and Downloads Manager

Version 2.3.0 of LDM is now the official release. This works with both VB3.7 and VB3.8. You can obtain it here

Version 2.2.8 remains available here, with limited support.

04.02.08: patch-cat.xml 'extra' uploaded - see first post for information

27.10.07: Version 2.2.8-post1 uploaded
French translation of product installer uploaded (other language translations are in the main release zip)

Remember to back up your current database tables before upgrading.

What this is and does

LDM is a general-purpose link and file manager, which handles user uploads and downloads in a flexible way. A range of media players is integrated into LDM and others are included as plugin extras. LDM is described below in the first post of this thread, which also contains a brief list of the currently-known bugs.

This release of LDM works correctly with all VB versions 3.6.x and recent versions of vbadvanced.

Documentation, screen shots, etc, are provided as a Wiki at http://www.eirma.org/wikis/index.php...nloads_Manager

Thank you to everyone who has tested, given suggestions, helped with the translations, etc.

[Ophelia]

Hello Andrew!

This is for 2.2.7.

Here is the issue that I'm seeing (I'm using just a regular registered member to do this, not admin).

1. Add Entry
2. Input all the information.
3. In the field where I want to schedule the download to be visible, it is showing my correct time; CST. I input the time and press submit.
4. I look and see that the download is not scheduled (it doesn't have the red "Expired or scheduled" message. When I go in and edit, it is showing one hour earlier (ET) for the scheduled, and not the CST.

Example: I type in 7:40 CST and press submit, it changes it to 6:40 my time instead and doesn't schedule it for later.

I know that this worked in 2.2.6, as we haven't had any issues with it at all.

Second issue:

How do we tell it we want it to expire and move? Once it is expired and moved, will it still be visible to the members who have permission to the forum that it was moved to?

[stwilson]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

They are supplied in the 'release/extras' subdirectory in the zip file you downloaded. There's a whole set of extras, each with a 'readme.txt' file which briefly explains how to use it.

The webthumbs extra uses Joshua Eichorn's web thumbnail service (http://bluga.net/webthumb/), which autocreates images of web sitesfor entries in LDM.
You need an account, which is free for less than 250 webthumbs a month, and very cheap for more than that, and you (currently) have to edit the account details into the 'extra'. When enabled, it does precisely what you say - goes out, grabs a thumbnail image of the site, and displays that in the LDM linkbit.

The snap plugin hooks into the www.snap.com search engine. It works in a slightly different way, replacing the LDM entry url with a new url which displays a pop up image over the url, usually with the thumbnail.

The two approaches have their strengths and weaknesses. I added them over Christmas in response to a request, and I'm looking for feedback to see if they work as people expect.

Andrew,

I have tried everything under the sun to get Webthumbs to work with no success. I have followed the directions to the letter. I am on PHP 5.2.0 and MySQL 5.0.16. I have uploaded the PHP file to the forums directory. I have installed the plug-in with my key in it. With all this said I cannot get it to do the thumbs. Can you point me in the right direction?

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by stwilson

Andrew,

I have tried everything under the sun to get Webthumbs to work with no success. I have followed the directions to the letter. I am on PHP 5.2.0 and MySQL 5.0.16. I have uploaded the PHP file to the forums directory. I have installed the plug-in with my key in it. With all this said I cannot get it to do the thumbs. Can you point me in the right direction?

I have a horrible feeling I should never have provided this 'add on' Sorry if you've had some wasted time. I'm busy in a conference today, but perhaps we can discuss via PMs during the weekend?

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Ophelia

Hello Andrew!

This is for 2.2.7.

Here is the issue that I'm seeing (I'm using just a regular registered member to do this, not admin).

1. Add Entry
2. Input all the information.
3. In the field where I want to schedule the download to be visible, it is showing my correct time; CST. I input the time and press submit.
4. I look and see that the download is not scheduled (it doesn't have the red "Expired or scheduled" message. When I go in and edit, it is showing one hour earlier (ET) for the scheduled, and not the CST.

Example: I type in 7:40 CST and press submit, it changes it to 6:40 my time instead and doesn't schedule it for later.

I know that this worked in 2.2.6, as we haven't had any issues with it at all.

Have you set up the timezone/daylight saving settings for your 'registered user'? THe LDM code uses (I think!) standard vb routines for dates/times, but I'll check again.

Second issue:

How do we tell it we want it to expire and move? Once it is expired and moved, will it still be visible to the members who have permission to the forum that it was moved to?

I'll give you a full answer over the weekend. I'm still working on the interface for this.

[sNator]

Not all files are getting streamed and I have to wait for some files to be fully downloaded before I can start to look at it.
Is this the cause of the filetype or webserver setting or what?

[stwilson]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

I have a horrible feeling I should never have provided this 'add on' Sorry if you've had some wasted time. I'm busy in a conference today, but perhaps we can discuss via PMs during the weekend?

Andrew,

Are you kidding? No worries. No "wasted" time either. I consider this an investment and I like tinkering around with the MODS. I just can't seem to get this one to work. I see no errors and I know the upload directory is present and working (tested another file upload). Again, I love your MOD and could still sleep at night if I never get this piece working but I thought it would be a cool differentiator. Thanks for your time and I look forward to your PM.

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by sNator

Not all files are getting streamed and I have to wait for some files to be fully downloaded before I can start to look at it.
Is this the cause of the filetype or webserver setting or what?

As far as I can understand, the main factor is the program that plays the media. Some programs are able to start handling streams as they are delivered. Others are not, or only do so with some filetypes.

For example, I think that Winamp is perfectly happy to start to play an mp3 stream when it's delivered via an m3u file, but not when the mp3 comes directly. On the other hand, Windows Media Player starts playing mp3s immediately.

Similarly, the Flash media player will start playing before the transfer completes - it just buffers enough material to prevent jerkiness.

*But* there's an important consideration. You must tell VBulletin/LDM about the filetype, by setting up the correct mimetype information in the VB/admin/attachments table. This information is sent to the user before the file transfer starts, and tells the PC what to do. If you give the wrong mimetype information (or give none at all), then the PC is likely to do the wrong thing, or simply wait for the whole file to be transferred.

There's a further point - by getting the mimetype information right, the media player can recognise the possibility to selectively download parts of the file. LDM handles this (so-called HTTP 206 transfers) correctly. For example, it allows people who are playing videos to scroll to another part of the video without waiting for everything to be transferred.

Maybe a media buff can explain more?

[berayiwu5]

I can't say enough good things about LDM. Amongst the very many powerful features, the best one for me is its sophisticated capability to control bandwidth for each user group.

I hope I'm not missing something here. Does LDM have a function to control the amount of disk space that each user group can use for uploads? I'm looking at Photopost as well: they have this function. But if LDM is going to implement a similar kind of function in a future release, then I may have no need for Photopost. After all, I don't want my vB board to be loaded up with enhancements that have duplicate functionalities.

AndrewD, are you looking to implement this kind of feature in a future release? Thanks for a great product. I just clicked to nominate LDM as MOTM.

[Deathspank]

Is there any way we can add a countdown for when users download files? (i.e. RapidShare)

[civil78]

I know that this is a question that have asked a lot of times. Did you plan in the future to add custom fields.

Thanks