Links and Downloads Manager

LDM extends VBulletin to manage a library of documents, files and links to other web sites. Documents can be stored on your own web site, stored on your server separate from the web site, uploaded by your user community, or held somewhere else altogether. So you can use LDM to provide your user community with access to your own files and allow them to share files with each other.

12/08/06 - Versions that work with vb36 are available and supported in the VB36 thread. Version 2.2.1, which works with VB 3.5 but not with VB 3.6, remains available here.

Thanks to everyone who has helped with all the design, testing, etc.
Translations are provided (thanks dLutt and LeeWicked) into German, (thanks to Allan) into French, and (thanks to Hugo) into Spanish. Harry1951 has handled the Dutch translation.

Screenshots, Instructions and How to Install

Full details and instructions are available as a Wiki at http://www.eirma.org/wikis/index.php...nloads_Manager

LDM installs as a VBulletin product. There are no modifications required to standard VB code.

Basically - upload php files and run the installer through VB's Product installer. No changes needed to VB code. Remember to BACKUP YOUR DATABASE. By default, LDM prefixes its database tables 'local_'. Edit the configuration file, local_links_init.php, if you need/wish to change this.

LDM can handle an essentially unlimited number of categories and nested subcategories, and an unlimited number of entries (hyperlinks or downloadable files). Each entry can be placed in one or several categories. Categories can have styles. Descriptions and titles can optionally include BBcodes, smilies, images and html, giving the possibility to add images, colouring, etc. File types can be flagged using icons and individual entries can also have associated thumbnail images.

Standards templates are provided for libraries of links, files, documents, and photographs.

Users can offer comments and rate the links/downloads. Each user is allowed one rating and many comments per entry, and can freely edit these if they change their mind.

Permission to use specific features is established via the product's admin page, where the administrator specifies which usergroups can add and edit entries, comment and rate these entries, moderate, etc.

By default, all entries are visible to all users. You can restrict visibility/access to links and categories by using the permissions masks from your board's forums.

Moderation of new entries is available but turned off by default.

Users can report bad links to the relevant moderators/administrators.

Each user can flag links as his/her "Favourites".

Modules are provided for VBAdvanced.

Hooks are provided in suitable places in LDM and sample plugins are included in the release (see extras directory), for example to integrate with ID3 tags in mp3 files, for slideshows, to autocreate new threads in your forums, etc.

Plus much more.

[MrNase]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

Depends how difficult it is - I haven't looked into this at all.

It isn't
However there's no how-to available but... I have built it in my vBGarage installtion so it can't be that complicated

[Vtec44]

Wow, AndrewD is doing a great job and supporting this. Very nice!

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by fringehead

Andrew, thank you for your awsome mod and amazing support. I really like the product but I would like the links to be bigger. If I make a new style to use for the Links whick template do I need to modify to change the fonts, etc?

Thank You,

Sean

Thanks, depending on which layout you're using, you need to look at the links_linkbit and links_linkbit_table templates.

Pls be aware that there are minor changes in these templates in the forthcoming 2.0.6 - it's no big shakes and doesn't affect the way you change the text size

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by LeeWicKeD

Well done again, AndrewD. *thumbsup*


Will try to translate the new .xml file fully to German.

Thanks - it would be a really great help if you could work on the version for 2.0.6 rather than the current release - there are a few more phrases added - see attached

*Edited - job done*

[AndrewD]

Edited 16.10.2005 - zip file moved into first post in the thread.

With much trepidation, I offer the beta version 2.0.6 of LDM. This fixes the recent bugs reports and adds some useful new features. Because of the number of changes, I intend that this will remain *beta* until we are reasonably sure that no serious bugs have been introduced.

I strongly encourage a quick scan through the instructions.txt file.

Enthusiasts are encouraged to try this and report - please backup your database first. LDM will install and upgrade smoothly via VB admin/Plugins/Manage Products

Perhaps the most significant feature is that uploads are now available (at last, they say!) - for authorised users within specified size and space limits - note that this feature is not enabled by default - there are a series of settings and permissions with *upload* in their name that need to be set.

The release comes with French and German translations, and there are a number of new phrases which need to be translated. LeeWicked has offered to help with the German. I'd appreciate help with the French, and so attach the French phrases xml file. Many, many thanks.

Other new features:

+ when thumbnails enabled, thumbnails are automagically created for new image links during normal entry when no other link specified, and during scans
+ LDM home page displays statistics if show_hit_parade=1 (default), including the most popular entries in *days_seen_on_portal* days. Statistics box is collapsible.
+ searches extended: find uploads, find by filetype
+ new *protected_link* setting controls behaviour of links shown when user does not have can_access_link permission

Bugs fixed:

> interface with vbAdvanced tidied up
> handles situations where VB admin has turned off the forum jump menu
> moderation of links with review frequency set works correctly again
> the jukebox feature works and checks the user is running windows
> catches html in category titles so breadcrump isn't screwed up
> in main display, categories are sorted according to same scheme as links
> in scans, trap filenames with some magic characters
> multiple hit detection within timeout period in record_hit() works again **

** This bug meant that earlier versions failed to trap multiple hits by the same user on the same link within the period timeout_hit_recording. Consequently your downloads statistics may be inaccurate, e.g. if users 'double-click'. If you care about this, upload local_links_fixdlds.php from the development/fixes directory into your main forums directory, run the script once, then delete it from your site.

Coding style
New global variables ($LINKS_SCRIPT, $ADMIN_SCRIPT) are used in the templates instead of hard-coded script names
<?php tags used consistently in code files

[LeeWicKeD]

damn just finished 2.0.5 and now saw 2.0.6

ok i will translate 2.0.6 this weekend

[Dez_U]

and here was me just discovered the thread and read through the lot just to find Andrew had just released a new version LOL

Now I need to wait for the gold again but man, it sounds great

[AmpSul]

@andrewd: are there any plans to include daily download limits? obviously this only applies to files.

my board currently offers several gigs of (legal) dj sets which are remotely hosted. access to these files is controlled by usergroup... but still if everyone decides one day to download the whole lot again - there goes my bandwidth for the month

as previously stated, this software absolutely rocks and has enhanced my forum a great deal... but i'm reluctant to add any more content (file links) in case they get abused.

any feedback most appreciated!

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by AmpSul

@andrewd: are there any plans to include daily download limits? obviously this only applies to files.

my board currently offers several gigs of (legal) dj sets which are remotely hosted. access to these files is controlled by usergroup... but still if everyone decides one day to download the whole lot again - there goes my bandwidth for the month

as previously stated, this software absolutely rocks and has enhanced my forum a great deal... but i'm reluctant to add any more content (file links) in case they get abused.

any feedback most appreciated!

You're the first who has asked this - I don't think this would be difficult to add as all the relevant data (who's accessing what and how much traffic that creates) is already being captured - what do other's think?

[Vtec44]

I think it's a great idea. Although I have no need for it now, but it gives the admin more control over this area. I'm all for that.