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 sinclac

When i try to upgrade it says it can't find the tables in the database but they are there.

Did you change the table prefix? - the code by default assumes that the tables are called local_xxx. If you change this prefix, you need to edit both local_links.php and local_links_install.php accordingly. See instructions.

Let me know if this doesn't work for you.

[???`S?LV?R???`]

Why does it show the source of the download when I set it to a remote site? (it doesn't show when the file is stored on the local website though)? And is there any way to fix this?

[sinclac]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

Did you change the table prefix? - the code by default assumes that the tables are called local_xxx. If you change this prefix, you need to edit both local_links.php and local_links_install.php accordingly. See instructions.

Let me know if this doesn't work for you.

No i have changed nothing, if i look in the DB the tables are as you said they should be.

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by sinclac

No i have changed nothing, if i look in the DB the tables are as you said they should be.

I need to have a look at your board - can you set me up an account with admin privs and PM them to me?

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by ???`S?LV?R???`

Why does it show the source of the download when I set it to a remote site? (it doesn't show when the file is stored on the local website though)? And is there any way to fix this?

I need a bit more information - what type of file/do you have a mimetype set up for that type on your board admincp/have you set the links admin to use force_redirect?

Basically, this hack provides two ways of accessing downloads.
Either
- the file has a recognised mimetype and (you are running version 1.30 or less) or (you are running version 1.35 and force_redirect=0 on your admin page)
or
- one of those conditions does not apply.

In the first case, the download is handled on the server by successively reading then rewriting chuncks of data to the user.
In the second case, the download is handled by telling the client browser to redirect to the file.

The first hides the source, the second does not (and cannot).

[???`S?LV?R???`]

I forgot to add the file type for it (mp3) but now that I have that setup, it's trying to display the mp3 in the browser (coding) instead of prompting for a download.....

I'm running 1.35
I have it set to force_redirect=0

[???`S?LV?R???`]

nevermind i figured out how to fix this.... i had to set the content type on the mp3 to the same as that it has on zip, and now it's prompting for download instead of trying to display its coding in the browser....
thanks for the response though

[Snatch]

I have one error. If a user post a link and i klick on moderate Links the link schows in on the Modpage. But if i klick in the link to moderate him i get this error.

Datenbankfehler in vBulletin 3.0.3:

Ungueltige SQL-Abfrage: 
mysql error: Query was empty

mysql error number: 1065

Datum: 20.09.2004 22:57:57
Skript: http://www.celebritymarkt.de/local_links.php?action=modcat&catid=2
Referer: http://www.celebritymarkt.de/local_links.php?action=mod
Benutzername: Snatch
IP-Adresse: 213.23.58.128

[sinclac]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

I need to have a look at your board - can you set me up an account with admin privs and PM them to me?

I just PMed you

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Snatch

I have one error. If a user post a link and i klick on moderate Links the link schows in on the Modpage. But if i klick in the link to moderate him i get this error.

Datenbankfehler in vBulletin 3.0.3:

Ungueltige SQL-Abfrage: 
mysql error: Query was empty

mysql error number: 1065

Datum: 20.09.2004 22:57:57
Skript: http://www.celebritymarkt.de/local_links.php?action=modcat&catid=2
Referer: http://www.celebritymarkt.de/local_links.php?action=mod
Benutzername: Snatch
IP-Adresse: 213.23.58.128

Thanks for pointing this out - and sorry. There's a bug in local_links.php. Line 1225 in version 1.35 / line 1123 in version 1.30 reads:

PHP Code:

list ($linklistbit, $nhits)  = get_linklistbit($squery, "", 1, 999999, 1); 


It should read

PHP Code:

list ($linklistbit, $nhits)  = get_linklistbit($query, "", 1, 999999, 1);