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 Tradjick

I don?t know if it has anything to do with your hack, but vb.nl is down an so I thought maybe you could help me out, Andrew. I installed a style, installed vbIndex and yours and Natch?s and did some template work. And when I tried to save and to upload that style i got an error. After cleaning the code it went good, but it?s always some work to do it.
Image1 is when trying to upload the style and Image2 is an extract from the .xml file.
Do you maybe have an idea, also because this happens over and over again?

I'm sorry, I have no idea what is causing this. It looks like your database has been corrupted somehow. I'm a bit reluctant to offer advice without knowing how this happened, but have you tried simply reinstalling VB's master style?

[Tradjick]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

I'm sorry, I have no idea what is causing this. It looks like your database has been corrupted somehow. I'm a bit reluctant to offer advice without knowing how this happened, but have you tried simply reinstalling VB's master style?

The default vB style doesn?t produce an error when uploading but it just won?t show up although it is marked as "selectable".

[Tradjick]

As I don?t want to use this thread for my problem I refer to...

http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?t=99446

Thank you Andrew!

[AndrewD]

New release available in first post, fixes reported bugs up to mid week.

[LoOnEyToOnZ]

Hi Andrew.

Thanks for the fantastic hack, does it support VB3 Gold yet ?

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by LoOnEyToOnZ

Hi Andrew.

Thanks for the fantastic hack, does it support VB3 Gold yet ?

Yes indeed, no problems as far as I know. Our main board was upgraded to Gold as soon as it was released and nothing's gone wrong so far.

[WreckRman2]

Great hack! One thing I would like to see is a counter that shows how many links are in each category.

Sub-category Description # of Links

[LoOnEyToOnZ]

Hmm i dont know why im getting unexpected end of archive errors while opening the zip file....

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by LoOnEyToOnZ

Hmm i dont know why im getting unexpected end of archive errors while opening the zip file....

I dont understand either - same thing is happening to me. I've reuploaded the zip and the problem remains. What is downloaded does not match what was uploaded.

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

I dont understand either - same thing is happening to me. I've reuploaded the zip and the problem remains. What is downloaded does not match what was uploaded.

I've tried to download two other hacks also, and the same thing happens - corrupt archive.

Is anyone else having problems? I've tried the old tricks of turning off the firewall and Norton but it makes no difference.

[Jolten]

I just downloaded and installed. This is great! Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks Andrew.

Now I've got to figure a way to connect it to events.

Again, great work Andrew!

[hubba]

Strange, if I put in a link like

http://www.detektor.net/Information/

it does not show up, in the admin section it is marked as "not available"...??? But

http://www.detektor.net

works well...

[oly51]

Originally Posted by hubba

Strange, if I put in a link like

http://www.detektor.net/Information/

it does not show up, in the admin section it is marked as "not available"...??? But

http://www.detektor.net

works well...

That link gives a 403 error.
Try adding http://www.detektor.net/Information/information.html

[hubba]

That was an example, the unvalidatet Link was http://www.detektor.net/Information/...ingerhute.html but maybe the user missed something, I just added this link and it works. Sorry.

[MrD]

Hi,
i become an Error.
Fatal error: Call to undefined function: print_cp_header() in /home/www/web1/html/v3/local_links_install.php on line 44

Can anywhere Help ?