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

[ShadowFun]

I already informed...
I tried installing clear 1.56 on a clear forum (without any hack`s)... The same prob...

[Lizard King]

I dont know about a clean install but upgrading works perfect as i already did. And in this mod upgrading and installing are same so you shall now have any problem when installing. Read the instructions and after that start installation.

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by ShadowFun

I already informed...
I tried installing clear 1.56 on a clear forum (without any hack`s)... The same prob...

There are several steps in installing and in upgrading. You have to run each of them through to completion: step 1 - check the database, step 2 - install the templates (two stage to this), step 3 - install the phrases. If you only go part way through, then you're left with the wrong templates in the database. Unfortunately the hack seems to run correctly but it behaves the way you have observed.

[ShadowFun]

Installation is very simple and there it`s not possible to make a mistake..
Step1 -> Step2 -> Step3... no prob...
I simply caution other...
Not I one who has a problem..

Originally Posted by funfone

I just installed and upgraded to latest version I too cant see any categories only if I type in manually each catid - and there is no way of adding in a link..

Below I placed some screenshots.
For test I added one category named "Test".

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by ShadowFun

Installation is very simple and there it`s not possible to make a mistake..
Step1 -> Step2 -> Step3... no prob...
I simply caution other...
Not I one who has a problem..

Below I placed some screenshots.
For test I added one category named "Test".

Yes, I understand and I want to help, but it's a bit difficult because I cannot get at your site. The images you have just uploaded are completely consistent with having version 1.55 templates installed on a version 1.56 database.

Please can you do the following:
- Go into your main admincp and turn on "Add Template Name in HTML Comments" (General Settings)
- Go into the links/files and select Add Category
- When that screen opens, do a View Source / View Page Source in your browser. Save the raw html code to file and PM it to me.

Then I can try to see what is happening.

[AndrewD]

Using ShadowFun's reply, I found a bug in the beta 1.56 code but it only seems to hit some sites - so I am withdrawing this beta for the time being.

If you installed the 1.56 beta and want to see if you have been 'hit', use phpmyadmin or similar tool and take a look at the linkscat table. If there are entries which have a parent=0 or parentlist with a zero in the list, then this bug has caught you. Sorry.

Will upload a fix asap.

This bug does not hit the official release (1.55).

[MikeGK]

There seems to be a problem with linking files from different server. The file size not correctly count. example, if the file size were 10mb then it would just count as 4mb or less. This only applies to certain files, don't know why, some files are correct and some are not. Linking from localhost seems to be fine.

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by MikeGK

There seems to be a problem with linking files from different server. The file size not correctly count. example, if the file size were 10mb then it would just count as 4mb or less. This only applies to certain files, don't know why, some files are correct and some are not. Linking from localhost seems to be fine.

Pls PM me with details of some files that are being given wrong file sizes, so that I can investigate. Thanks.

[VampireMan]

With reference to Lizard King's suggestion, perhaps the size of the image can be set using the admin section.

At the moment i am doing this process to add links.
Submit link , copy the url so the link gets counted.
Then inserting code similar to this ...

PHP Code:

[url=http://www.our-site.co.uk/forum/local_links.php?action=jump&id=80][img]https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/[/img][/url] 


So if we had a image to put in the feilds - perhaps we could have the image clickable - that goes to the url specified.

Like how i have it here

I know i am asking a bit here.
If i am asking too much then just say. I quite understand
Thanks

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by VampireMan

With reference to Lizard King's suggestion, perhaps the size of the image can be set using the admin section.

At the moment i am doing this process to add links.
Submit link , copy the url so the link gets counted.
Then inserting code similar to this ...

PHP Code:

[url=http://www.our-site.co.uk/forum/local_links.php?action=jump&id=80][img]http://www.remotesite.com/images/linktoremotesite5.gif[/img][/url] 


So if we had a image to put in the feilds - perhaps we could have the image clickable - that goes to the url specified.

Like how i have it here

I know i am asking a bit here.
If i am asking too much then just say. I quite understand
Thanks

In fact, this has been implemented - it's being tested at the moment and I plan to release it at the weekend

[Lizard King]

Andrew is it possible to autolink the image also ?

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Lizard King

Andrew is it possible to autolink the image also ?

Very easy - will include

[Slave]

Hi Andrew

Is there an easy way to roll back to 1.55? or am I stuck with 1.56 for the moment?

Reason I ask is that I'm having problems when creating new sub-cats .. they don't seem to want to go into the cats I tell them too and only go into the very first cat I created.

Thanks

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Slave

Hi Andrew

Is there an easy way to roll back to 1.55? or am I stuck with 1.56 for the moment?

Reason I ask is that I'm having problems when creating new sub-cats .. they don't seem to want to go into the cats I tell them too and only go into the very first cat I created.

Thanks

Slave, sorry about that - you've been hit by the bug. There should be no problems going back - just upload the 1.55 code and rerun the installation script. Take a backup of your local_links tables to be sure.

I've fixed the bug and plan to release it this weekend.

[Slave]

Ok .. ta .. I'll give it a go