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 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.

Sorry that you feel this way - I am clearly doing something wrong in offering our members access to several hundred files by using this hack! I think that the only possible confusion is that the "files" are not stored in the database, only the location of the files. Storing lots of files in a database is generally not good practice anyway because of the size problems.

An uploader is deliberately not part of the hack, as I did not want to get into all the issues of security management that it will create. There is plenty of software available to handle secure file uploading into web site directories, or into secure directories outside the web structure. Of course, there's nothing to stop anyone providing a separate hack to achieve this, but I want to resist any extensions *to this hack*.

[restless]

don't get me wrong.. i think your hack is great and i'm sure i'll end up clicking install and using it. i'm just not sure for what at this point.

[jugo]

Well...

I love this hack. so there!!

Now for the upload, I'm going to make me alittle something something using the httpupload hack.

I've used that for sig uploads and a couple of other things, why not this. I'll let you know what I come up with.

jugo out

LMAO...Who says that!?!?!?

[restless]

i'm sorry if this was already covered in another post, but.....

is there any way to tell who added the link? i hate everything being so anonymous.

other than that.. i've managed a configuration. i wish i could do coding to get it to do what i want... (have an uploader on the add page that automatically places the link in the text box after uploading.)

[spence2]

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?

Yes, it would be great to be able to display the username of the person who added the link.

Thanks

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by spence2

Yes, it would be great to be able to display the username of the person who added the link.

I'm rather busy, so the next release will be a couple of weeks still.

In the meantime, those who want to display submitting username might try this. Just replace the links_linkbit template with the attached. Please let me know if this is what you're wanting, or if Ive got the wrong message.

The submitting username and #hits are only visible to usergroups which you give can_view_hits privilege (see links admin page)

[fortnox]

Hi!

First thanks for this great Hack.

I have a little Problem.

I can not set usergroup Permissions.Always when i give the permissions and click to "go" i become this on a new site :surprised: :

The following setting(s) are invalid
file_icons_dir : /
Go back

Can me anybody help please?

[Bhuwan]

i am using it as a download system. iuploaded a 20 mb file and when i go to download it only 2.35 MB is downloaded.

[fortnox]

Sorry i found what i`ve maked false.

Great Hack!!

*clicks Install

[restless]

excellent!

Originally Posted by AndrewD

I'm rather busy, so the next release will be a couple of weeks still.

In the meantime, those who want to display submitting username might try this. Just replace the links_linkbit template with the attached. Please let me know if this is what you're wanting, or if Ive got the wrong message.

The submitting username and #hits are only visible to usergroups which you give can_view_hits privilege (see links admin page)

[ericgtr]

Originally Posted by restless

excellent!

This is a well documented, great mod but I want to make sure I am not missing something here, is there a way to have it display all the attached files from a specific forum?

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by bchawla

i am using it as a download system. iuploaded a 20 mb file and when i go to download it only 2.35 MB is downloaded.

You are probably exceeding the CPU time limit allowed for php scripts. If you're controlling your own site, this is set in php.ini. Also, the script handles large files much quicker if you set force_redirect on the links admin page, but then the location of the file on your site will become visible.

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by ericgtr

This is a well documented, great mod but I want to make sure I am not missing something here, is there a way to have it display all the attached files from a specific forum?

Yes I think I coded this inb, but I need to get home to remind myself! Will post an answer tomorrow.

[ericgtr]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

Yes I think I coded this inb, but I need to get home to remind myself! Will post an answer tomorrow.

Great, thanks! Just so I am making myself clear, that would be existing files from a forum, right?

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by ericgtr

Great, thanks! Just so I am making myself clear, that would be existing files from a forum, right?

OK, I think we're talking at cross purposes. (1) Do you want to be able to find all the regular VBulletin attachments in a forum? Or (2) do you want to find all the files mentioned in a forum using the URL bbcode? Or (3) do you want to find all the files that have been set up using this hack which are associated with a particular forum?

This hack current will handle the third (although I think I found a bug). There's another hack somewhere that deals with the first. And I wrote some code, but haven't released it yet, that handles the second.