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

[nydk]

Waited for latest version, just installed it with no problems that I can see yet

GREAT hack... will use this for reciprocal links, thanks

[chrisvonc]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

Or edit the template links_ratebit - if you change this to an empty template the ratings will never appear.

I'll add this to the wishlist.

Did the trick! Thank you again Andrew!

[JirQUEST]

installed it.... worked like a charm! thanks dude!

[Holidazed]

AndrewD, I have this all working. However I need to use it as a files database as well. When creating a new link, I do not see anything that tells me how to make it a download link. Do I need to ftp the files then add a link to where the file exists?

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by bitg

AndrewD, I have this all working. However I need to use it as a files database as well. When creating a new link, I do not see anything that tells me how to make it a download link. Do I need to ftp the files then add a link to where the file exists?

I take it you mean you want to have these downloadable files available on your own site?

Yes, you have to upload the files somehow (ftp or otherwise) - there are plenty of tools available for handling file uploads and I didn't want to get into the security issues that these create.

You reference these files either using the full URL (http://site/directory/file) or starting from the root directory of your web site (i.e. /directory/file). The second case will tell users the file size immediately the link is created; the first will give the size only after the first download. The location of the file is kept hidden from your users, so it's semi-leech-proof.

[Ben`]

Nice hack AndrewD,
just woundering if you would know how i could intergrade this with the utpoint system (so points get taken from you for every download you make) just dont like people signing up using all our bandwidth and never making a single post

thx

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Ben`

Nice hack AndrewD,
just woundering if you would know how i could intergrade this with the utpoint system (so points get taken from you for every download you make) just dont like people signing up using all our bandwidth and never making a single post

thx

I"m sorry - I'm not familiar with that system - and I'm just heading off on business for two weeks so will not have the chance to search - but...

It would be easy, I'm sure, to integrate this hack with any system that
- keeps track of "points" in the VB database
- records these points by username

Point me in the right direction and I'll take a look when I get back, without making any promises.

[Holidazed]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

I take it you mean you want to have these downloadable files available on your own site?

Yes, you have to upload the files somehow (ftp or otherwise) - there are plenty of tools available for handling file uploads and I didn't want to get into the security issues that these create.

You reference these files either using the full URL (http://site/directory/file) or starting from the root directory of your web site (i.e. /directory/file). The second case will tell users the file size immediately the link is created; the first will give the size only after the first download. The location of the file is kept hidden from your users, so it's semi-leech-proof.

AndrewD, this is truly awesome. I got the files added to the links list. It works flawlessly.

Thanks

[Sam FT]

Andrew before I installed this lastest version. I do want to make sure it will work. The last version didn't work and you have to give me a custom version of Links Hack for it to work.

[Holidazed]

AndrewD, can you add something so that a user looking at the page of links can change the sort order by clicking a button? My users are wanting to sort by name, ranking and date added.

Can this be done?