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 Arial

Hi

Thanks for your time in answering pre-installation enquiries Andrew. Had my guy install it and we are very happy with it as our all our members

Here's one of the catagories we setup yesterday
http://www.global-army.com/forum/loc...=links&catid=1

I would like to have a small thumbnail image in a column there showing the picture of the map , is that possible?

Arial, that's good.

To display thumbnail images, just upload these somewhere sensible on your web site, and edit the links or categories. You can include VBulletin img BBCodes in the name and the description fields. For example, if you have a subdirectory called thumbnails immediately under your home page, and a thumbnail file called amberville.jpg, you could include a tag like this:

PHP Code:

[img]http://yoursite/thumbnails/amberville.jpg[/img] 


[Arial]

Hi Andrew

Thanks for that:-
http://www.global-army.com/forum/loc...=links&catid=2

What kind of code do you need to insert a <br> between communication and the image, so the image appears underneath the word communications.

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Arial

Hi Andrew

Thanks for that:-
http://www.global-army.com/forum/loc...=links&catid=2

What kind of code do you need to insert a <br> between communication and the image, so the image appears underneath the word communications.

Arial, one way is to enable the use of html in links displays (links admin page, there is a setting for this). Then you can simply drop a <br> tag into the relevant field during category edit.

However, a better way may be to edit the links_main template. This gets a bit technical, and I'm happy to exchange a PM or two with whoever is doing your web management.

[Arial]

Thanks Andrew will have a play.

[BioVader]

Andrew, will I be able to update my version of links without losing my data? It's been a while since I've been on but I just haven't had any problems with the program. Yet I would like to use the new version without to much hassle... Just not sure what version I'm using.

http://www.team-undercover.com/forums/local_links.php?

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by BioVader

Andrew, will I be able to update my version of links without losing my data? It's been a while since I've been on but I just haven't had any problems with the program. Yet I would like to use the new version without to much hassle... Just not sure what version I'm using.

http://www.team-undercover.com/forums/local_links.php?

The upgrade should be completely safe, but just to be sure, please back up your database (actually, just backup the tables called local_*) before starting.

Upload the files and rerun all steps in the installation script according to the instructions in the "instructions.txt" file in the zip. *Do not* tell it to uninstall - if you do that, you will lose everything.

Let me know if you experience any difficulties.

[BioVader]

K. I will prolly do it first thing after work.

[Zain Jaffer]

Is there a way to "search" the files in vbulletin links database, if not - will Andrew be kind enough to add it? :P ?

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Zain Jaffer

Is there a way to "search" the files in vbulletin links database, if not - will Andrew be kind enough to add it? :P ?

Zain, are you wanting to search inside the files? Or just search the titles and descriptions - because that facility is already there?

[havefun]

thanks works fine for me.
(but i do not use download..)

[CHIngs]

you know how you can prevent double hits by disallowing hits for 60 seconds after being clicked. In a similar manner, how can I limit the number of downloads for a paticular amount of time after being click for the entire database?

Meaning, lets say I have file1.zip and file2.zip. I want to make sure that after the user clicks on file1.zip, he cant download file2.zip for another 60 seconds and vice versa. This must apply to ALL the files.

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by CHIngs

you know how you can prevent double hits by disallowing hits for 60 seconds after being clicked. In a similar manner, how can I limit the number of downloads for a paticular amount of time after being click for the entire database?

Meaning, lets say I have file1.zip and file2.zip. I want to make sure that after the user clicks on file1.zip, he cant download file2.zip for another 60 seconds and vice versa. This must apply to ALL the files.

I'll put this on the wishlist.
thanks

[Lizard King]

Andrew I have a question to you. Is it possible to change the look of links and file database like https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/attachmen...&stc=1&thumb=1 in some close future why i am asking this this can give a very good look to links and file database and i am not good with html

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Lizard King

Andrew I have a question to you. Is it possible to change the look of links and file database like https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/attachmen...&stc=1&thumb=1 in some close future why i am asking this this can give a very good look to links and file database and i am not good with html

I think I could do something like this by adjusting one or two of the templates - I'm not very good at my Russian any longer - what do you want to have displayed in the box - name, star rating, image, username, size, number of downloads?

[Lizard King]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

I think I could do something like this by adjusting one or two of the templates - I'm not very good at my Russian any longer - what do you want to have displayed in the box - name, star rating, image, username, size, number of downloads?

Yes exactly the sane information and maybe a small thumbnail just below the file name.