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 aggiefan

Can downloads be restricted based on usergroups? IE, only super moderators and subscription people can download?

Yes. When you create/edit the link/download and/or the categories of link/download, you can 'associate' them with a forum on your board. When this is done, then the downloads are only visible to/available to users who have permission to view that forum.

By default, this feature is turned off, so that all users can see and access all entries.

[yahoooh]

i installed it without any error

thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanx

[bhxtyrant]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

Yes. When you create/edit the link/download and/or the categories of link/download, you can 'associate' them with a forum on your board. When this is done, then the downloads are only visible to/available to users who have permission to view that forum.

By default, this feature is turned off, so that all users can see and access all entries.

I have a request for an idea i think would be nice for a future release.I think it would be awsome if you had the option to set user permisions without asociating a catagory with the forums.Reason i say this is because for example i have 4 catagories in the links databse i installed movies,music,games,and scans not i wasnt ed have it where video,music and games are accessable by everyone but i wanted to have scans set to where only a certain user group can access it.But since i dont have a catagory in my forum set up like that its impossible unless i create one if im not mistaken.Would like to here any imput reguarding this

[ThomasR]

HI,
I just install this mod, configure it (user permissions, the hack ones, not based on a forum one, etc..) but impossible to create a new category, I have no option at all.
By the way, I have the admin bar, and when I go on the categories, it display an empty list, with any new option to create something new.

I only have theses options in the bar : Categories, Show, Search, Moderate and Administer

Any clue ?

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by ThomasR

HI,
I just install this mod, configure it (user permissions, the hack ones, not based on a forum one, etc..) but impossible to create a new category, I have no option at all.
By the way, I have the admin bar, and when I go on the categories, it display an empty list, with any new option to create something new.

I only have theses options in the bar : Categories, Show, Search, Moderate and Administer

Any clue ?

I took a look at your site and the installation looks normal to me. There is a drop down arrow to the right of 'Categories'. If you visit http://yoursite/forums/local_links.php and are logged in with a user id in a group that has 'can_add_category' permission (by default, this is only the administrator group), the drop down menu will include an item 'Add Category'. Slight trick - that item is not visible when you are looking at the Admin page - the drop down menus change depending on where you are and what you are allowed to do.

Let me know if you still have problems - if necessary PM me an account/pwd with admin privs and I'll check.

[yahoooh]

is there away to use this script 3 times in one forum by change some names of prefex and files in this script because i wanna use it for 3 different service and i do not wanna make them in different categories , ineed to use it 3 times with change also of template names
any help?

[Tradjick]

Hello Andrew, it´s me again. :squareeyed:

I use your hack as a directory of forum threads. (articles)

So all of the links are links to showthread.php?p=...

It´s having the breadcrump navbar at the top.
When beeing in the thread, it displays "myforums->forumname->threadname"

But i would prefer it beeing:"myforums->links->title"

Do you know any way of doing this?

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Tradjick

Hello Andrew, it?s me again. :squareeyed:

I use your hack as a directory of forum threads. (articles)

So all of the links are links to showthread.php?p=...

It?s having the breadcrump navbar at the top.
When beeing in the thread, it displays "myforums->forumname->threadname"

But i would prefer it beeing:"myforums->links->title"

Do you know any way of doing this?

Do you mean the navbar that appears when you click the link to jump to the thread/post? That navbar is built inside the showthread.php code, so U can't see how to change it the way you want without rewriting showthread. Maybe I am not understanding you?

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by yahoooh

is there away to use this script 3 times in one forum by change some names of prefex and files in this script because i wanna use it for 3 different service and i do not wanna make them in different categories , ineed to use it 3 times with change also of template names
any help?

I think - without trying this - that you could create three copies of each of the files, with different names, e.g. local1_*, local2* and local3_*. You would have to go through the files to change the values of the parameters THIS_TABLE, THIS_SCRIPT, ADMIN_SCRIPT and LINKS_SCRIPT. I'm afraid I don't have time to try this out.

[Tradjick]

I think you got me wrong. What i meant is the breadcrump template.

In showthread, i would prefer it show the "local_links" path (which in my case has been renamed to "Archiv".

(see at attachments)