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

[dlouly47]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

If it's your php.ini settings, try looking at the section

PHP Code:


;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
; Resource Limits ;
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

max_execution_time = 30     ; Maximum execution time of each script, in seconds
max_input_time = 60    ; Maximum amount of time each script may spend parsing request data
memory_limit = 8M      ; Maximum amount of memory a script may consume (8MB) 


Thanks Andrew... I actually thought that was it and I replaced the Values to
-----------------------------------------------------
max_execution_time = 0 ; Maximum execution time of each script, in seconds
max_input_time = 0 ; Maximum amount of time each script may spend parsing request data
----------------------------------
As well as used set_timeout = 0 on top of the php.ini

and it works like a charm.. Again.. Thank you for the hack and the support.. Awesome man!@

[Cent]

Do you want the hack to send an email to the person who creates a new link when that link is accepted by the moderator?

Yes! But not "when that link is accepted by the moderator". I don`t moderete the new links. =)

I want, that after the adding a new link, mail was sent to person who creates a new link. WOW! +)

Sorrrrry for my English!

[Ranma2k]

Originally Posted by Cent

Yes! But not "when that link is accepted by the moderator". I don`t moderete the new links. =)

I want, that after the adding a new link, mail was sent to person who creates a new link. WOW! +)

Sorrrrry for my English!

Please chose one of the following :
*if a person adds a link the system will send an e-mail to him conforming that it was added ?!
*if a person adds a link the system will send an e-mail to the people subscriped to it !
* if a person ads a link the system will e-mail the admin about it !


i'm out of options

[Ranma2k]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

Thinking about this (but without spending time trying it out )...

If force_redirect is off, etc, the download is handled as a series of reads/writes. The code uses an fopen() call to access the download file, and this turns into an HTTP GET. My Apache log shows that this GET is recorded against the IP address of the requesting server, so your file host should be able to see that the request is legitimate.

If force_redirect is on, then the code eventually drops through to the STANDARD_REDIRECT template within Vbulletin. This sends a series of HTTP headers to the file host, and I would think you could add an HTTP_REFERER.

i C
i'll give it a try .. and i'll post the results here

[Cent]

*if a person adds a link the system will send an e-mail to him conforming that it was added ?!

Thanks!

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Cent

Thanks!

OK, now I understand.

But I don't understand why this is needed. When someone adds a link (without moderation), they immediately see that it's there? How will this extension help? What am I missing? Thanks,

[Stormwolf]

Does this track who clicked on a link?

Like if I wanted to see by forum username how many times the link was clicked and who clicked on it.

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Stormwolf

Does this track who clicked on a link?

Like if I wanted to see by forum username how many times the link was clicked and who clicked on it.

Yes, the admin can get a summary of all hits. There are no options for sorting, etc, unless you write a piece of code to process the downloads table in the database

[Cent]

But I don't understand why this is needed. When someone adds a link (without moderation), they immediately see that it's there? How will this extension help? What am I missing? Thanks,

For me links are added by guests.

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Cent

For me links are added by guests.

OK, I'll include this on the list for the next version. Give me a few days

Any more urgent (simple to implement) wishes, anyone?

[Cent]

OK, I'll include this on the list for the next version. Give me a few days

BIG THANKS! SPASIBO FROM RUSSIA! +)

[Ranma2k]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

OK, I'll include this on the list for the next version. Give me a few days

Any more urgent (simple to implement) wishes, anyone?

how about a user can register to a catagory and recive an e-mail when it's updated
also if it's posible more detail about the links / files ( when you click on it b4 redirect )

For example :
link/file Name
Author Name
Remote Filesize if it's a file
File Type if it's a file
# Views
# Downloads
Discussion can specify a link in a forum
Date Submitted
Rating ( members can rate it
Notify me of any updates on this file ( member can registre to get notified as i said i the top )


Oh my i got carried away :speechless:

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Ranam2k

how about ...

So, you want that:

- A user can register to a category and receive e-mail when something is added/updated
- A user can register to be notified of any updates on this file

Taking these plus Cent's request suggests three levels of request
- email me whenever there's a new link I'm allowed to access (including one I create myself)
- email me on any new link in this category that I'm allowed to access
- email me whenever a link/file I've accessed is edited

A change in file size would also trigger the last case (but isn't always possible, e.g. for remote, non-mimetype files)

Cent want this to work for unregistered guest visitors, so the code will have to ask if necessary for an email address

- More detail about the links / files

link/file Name - this is currently hidden to stop leaching, but I suppose there's no harm in a pop-up giving just the local file name, stripped of any directory/web info
Author Name - Already available, just not shown in the template, so easy to add

Remote Filesize if it's a file - Already available for files with recognised mimetype *after * first download. Not possible for remote files accessed using redirects
File Type if it's a file - Already available using the file_icons_dir setting on the admin page (see documentation)

# Views - not sure what you mean

# Downloads - already visible to usergroups with can_view_hits permission, set on admin page

Date Submitted - already there!

Rating ( members can rate it ) - already there, provided you turn on can_rate_link on admin page

- Discussion can specify a link in a forum

I've thought about this for quite a while. The clean way to do this would be to use the forum parent which is used to set the link's access permissions also as the discussion forum for the link. The first time someone tried to discuss a link, a new thread would be created in that forum. The first post in the thread would be a summary of the link. Subsequently, people would simply be taken to that thread.

- Better admin summaries of who has accessed/downloaded what.

Currently, this is just a long list, ordered by date, with an optional start and end date which can be specified on hard-coded links but are not selectable within the admin template

Thoughts, anyone?

[Ranma2k]

well what i mean is
when you click on a link it will open a page with all the information i just listed
in it
and in that information a button that will redirect him to the link ..

so the user can read the file details and then if he wants click on download button to continue with the download.

Originally Posted by AndrewD

# Views - not sure what you mean

I mean number of people viewed this link either clicked on it or didn't click on it


Also i have another thing if it's posible
in the information page insted of showing the download link it will show an agreement if hte user agrees it will take him to the file otherwise it will redirect him to the site / forum / or what ever

[restless]

while this is indeed a great hack, i would like to reiterate was is probably beating a dead horse...

this addition has nothing to do with a files database. it's links. the name is misleading.

i wish someone would do an addon to this hack that includes an uploader.