Major Additions - Links and Downloads Manager

What this is and does

LDM is a general-purpose tool for managing libraries of links and files, and handling uploads and downloads in a flexible way, while tracking and control user access. It has a range of integrated media players and a large library of 'plugin' extras.

Installation and Usage Explained in the on-line Wiki, with a brief explanation in the file instructions.txt in the release zip.

Please use carefully and always backup your database before upgrading. Post reports of problems and suggestions for enhancements in this thread. You can also find extensive discussion of this mod in the VB3.7 mods section.

14.06.09 Version 2.3.0 is the the officially-supported version. Works with 3.7 and vb 3.8.

14.02.10 Post-1 version uploaded with minor bug fixes, including dealing with PHP 5.2.12


Staff Note: Sadly, Andrew D, the developer of the Links and Downloads Manager has passed away after a long period of illness.

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by ctrlbrk

Is there a way to restrict download access by minimum post count? I don't want to create a whole usergroup, I just to say "You can't download unless you have 5 posts".

Mike

Yes, take a look in the release/extras directory. There's a set of plugins to limit access according to certain properties. One of these limits by post count. After installation, you get a new set of options on the LDM admin settings page.

[ctrlbrk]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

Yes, take a look in the release/extras directory. There's a set of plugins to limit access according to certain properties. One of these limits by post count. After installation, you get a new set of options on the LDM admin settings page.

OMG, holy cow Batman! There is tons of stuff in there I never knew existed.

Unfortunately, I installed this one and it seems to have no effect. A user with 0 post count in 'Registered Users' (and no other groups) is still allowed to download, even though I have it set to 3.

Ideas on what could be the problem? BTW, it says "Over-ride: None" for each, and I even double checked the category I am testing from, it matches.

Screen attached.

Mike

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by ctrlbrk

OMG, holy cow Batman! There is tons of stuff in there I never knew existed.

Unfortunately, I installed this one and it seems to have no effect. A user with 0 post count in 'Registered Users' (and no other groups) is still allowed to download, even though I have it set to 3.

Ideas on what could be the problem? BTW, it says "Over-ride: None" for each, and I even double checked the category I am testing from, it matches.

Screen attached.

Mike

Have you tried setting the files_enable and bytes_enable switches to "yes" in that section?

[ctrlbrk]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

Have you tried setting the files_enable and bytes_enable switches to "yes" in that section?

I only want filter by post count. But I did go to a specific category and change it to "no", then back to "yes" for the post-count filter, just to see, and there is no change. Users can still download with 0 posts.

Mike

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by ctrlbrk

I only want filter by post count. But I did go to a specific category and change it to "no", then back to "yes" for the post-count filter, just to see, and there is no change. Users can still download with 0 posts.

Mike

I just tried the extra with the settings shown in the attached, and it worked. (My figures of 100 posts and all usergroups are arbitrary.) You have to explicitly tell it what to limit and the allowances that apply in the event of failing to have the required number of posts. Also keep in mind that if you've given a usergroup 'can_bypass_bandwidth_limits' permission, these limits are always bypassed.

[ctrlbrk]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

I just tried the extra with the settings shown in the attached, and it worked. (My figures of 100 posts and all usergroups are arbitrary.) You have to explicitly tell it what to limit and the allowances that apply in the event of failing to have the required number of posts. Also keep in mind that if you've given a usergroup 'can_bypass_bandwidth_limits' permission, these limits are always bypassed.

Thank you. Even though I did not want to limit based on time period or bandwidth, once I told it I did and set them to 0, it worked. Just my opinion, but if these radio options don't work on "No" then why have them? I mean, I don't want to limit based on bandwidth or time, so I used "No", and it turns out I needed to say "Yes".

One last thing, please, and I will be on my merry way! Where is this phrase (see attachment). I don't want it up there, I want to make it null/delete it, so the user only sees the error message when downloading, not on every page. This is because it's confusing to the user, it makes it seem like there is a # of files limit or bandwidth limit when there is not.



Thanks so much for your terrific support, as always!

Mike

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by ctrlbrk

Thank you. Even though I did not want to limit based on time period or bandwidth, once I told it I did and set them to 0, it worked. Just my opinion, but if these radio options don't work on "No" then why have them? I mean, I don't want to limit based on bandwidth or time, so I used "No", and it turns out I needed to say "Yes".

I've clearly confused people with this. The files/bandwidth figures that you specify here are used as the bandwidth limits that will apply to people who have not achieved the required number of posts. So, to prevent all downloads to these people, the fields have to be set to zero and the radio buttons turned on. The radio buttons allow you to selectively control which allowance is being restricted. When this extra was coded, the intention was to allow different allowances to people with the required posts. The same logic applies in the other 'limit' extras.

Originally Posted by ctrlbrk

One last thing, please, and I will be on my merry way! Where is this phrase (see attachment). I don't want it up there, I want to make it null/delete it, so the user only sees the error message when downloading, not on every page. This is because it's confusing to the user, it makes it seem like there is a # of files limit or bandwidth limit when there is not.

The phrase is built up inside the code. To hide it, edit the links_catbit_extras templates and find/remove the following sequence:

PHP Code:

<if condition="$allow['consumption']">
    <div align="right" class="smallfont">
    $allow[consumption]
    </div>
</if> 


[ctrlbrk]

Magnifico!

Andrew, you're the best!

Mike

[Alfa1]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

This weekend, I decided to start on the vb 4.0 conversion. Much has changed, and it's been an interesting/frustrating (depending on your point of view) exercise working out how to get things to work.

Anyway to show some progress, see the attached screenshot, which is of a base category display.

Only another five million things to change/understand/edit

This is very nice to see Andrew. Do you plan to use vb4's CMS, comments and search function in a future release?
Does vb4 allow easier implementation of any features on the wish list, like tag and reputation integration?
Are any vb4 widgets planned?
What are your general plans with LDM for vb 4.x?

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Alfa1

This is very nice to see Andrew. Do you plan to use vb4's CMS, comments and search function in a future release?
Does vb4 allow easier implementation of any features on the wish list, like tag and reputation integration?
Are any vb4 widgets planned?
What are your general plans with LDM for vb 4.x?

I have no formal plans, but I suspect this is the list of priorities:

a) Get LDM working with its current functionality with VB4. So far, this seems mainly a matter of dealing with all the templates and template calls.

b) Tidy things up so that LDM follows (e.g.) the new css practices and stylevars

c) Integrate with the CMS, including widgets to replicate the previous vbadvanced addons

I'm not sure about vbadvanced support yet. Will have to see what is forthcoming.

d) Only then will I start thinking about new features/suggestions