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

[???`S?LV?R???`]

Do you know around when this hack is gonna get a final version released?

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by ???`S?LV?R???`

Do you know around when this hack is gonna get a final version released?

Ha, ha! There's never a final release - didn't you know?

I plan to move this to the full release forum either this weekend or next, and call it version 1.0. There will be no further new functionality, apart from a slight tidying up, and I shall include Natch's integration with VBIndex for those who want it.

There is a wish list - particularly moderation and mass import/export of links, which will be done sometime.

OK?

[???`S?LV?R???`]

Sounds good, lol hopefully it's this weekend. This is a hack ive been requesting..etc for a while now since vb3 has been out.

[raxafarian]

I added a space between the description and the 'added' info. Makes it a bit more readable.

in template links_linkbit:

change

PHP Code:

$linkratebit
</span>
</td>
<td class="alt1">
<span class="smallfont">$linkdesc
 [Added: $linkdate] 


to

PHP Code:

$linkratebit
</span>
</td>
<td class="alt1">
<span class="smallfont">$linkdesc
<br />
 [Added: $linkdate] 


EDIT: this only inserts a space if you have no description. How can we get a space between the description and the 'added' text when there is a description entered? (other than putting a hard return in each description box when entering links)

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by raxafarian

I added a space between the description and the 'added' info. Makes it a bit more readable.

EDIT: this only inserts a space if you have no description. How can we get a space between the description and the 'added' text when there is a description entered? (other than putting a hard return in each description box when entering links)

I think the solution is to have a "table in a table" - it spreads things out a bit better than the break tag. I'll play around and see what it looks like. One point, though, is that I haven't coded multiple page handling, so all the links in one category appear together. The more one opens up the template, the longer the page becomes.

[???`S?LV?R???`]

Before I install this I gotta few questions that I wanna clear up... you can put permissions on the link itself right? rather than sticking the link somewhere on the forum and setting certain permissions to the view of the page. I remember vbportal had a downloads page and they could specify permissions on the files rather than just the page. So that's what im wondering about this, and if it does, does it have a file size limit? Cause i know when you cant add big files on VB attachments cause of the mysql limits..etc

[raxafarian]

Originally Posted by ???`S?LV?R???`

Before I install this I gotta few questions that I wanna clear up... you can put permissions on the link itself right? rather than sticking the link somewhere on the forum and setting certain permissions to the view of the page. I remember vbportal had a downloads page and they could specify permissions on the files rather than just the page. So that's what im wondering about this, and if it does, does it have a file size limit? Cause i know when you cant add big files on VB attachments cause of the mysql limits..etc

you specify a forum 'parent' for each link which determines the viewing permission.

[???`S?LV?R???`]

but that wouldnt really protect the file, cause then people could just give out links still

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by ???`S?LV?R???`

but that wouldnt really protect the file, cause then people could just give out links still

The permissions system works in two ways, both building on VB's usergroups:

a) Ability to "do" certain things. You set this in the admin pages, by defining which usergroups can create links, categories, etc. Only a user who is a member of one of the specified groups can carry out the specified task.

b) Ability to "view" things. When you create/edit a link or category, you "assign" a forumid to the link/category. This may be explicit or implicit - i.e. if the user has can_set_permissions (see previous item), then that user can choose which forum to assign to the link, otherwise the default choice set by the administrator is used.

Whenever one of your users views these pages, she will only see links and categories for which her usergroup has the appropriate forum permission. I.e. if that group can see and visit a particular forum, then she can see and visit links associated with that forum.

This also works when trying to download a file. These are set up as a call to local_links.php?action=jump&id=n. If someone tries to get round the system by simply choosing a random number (or if someone tells someone else what number to enter), the code still checks to see if that usergroup has the relevant permission, and refuses the download if not. The user never gets to see where the actual file is stored.

Of course, if someone actually knows where the file is really stored, and gives out that information, then it is perfectly possible to bypass the whole security system. But that is nothing to do with this hack.

Clear?

[???`S?LV?R???`]

alright i understand all that... but what if they were on a custom page on vbindex, that rule wouldnt apply anymore right?