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

[Lionel]

ouch, I did a lot of customization... I guess I will have to put in the same dummy url every time...

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Lionel

ouch, I did a lot of customization... I guess I will have to put in the same dummy url every time...

This is a real problem for software that is still being developed - sorry!

[SupraT]

I have the links installed on site. Works great, but one week after our relaunch I am noticing that downloaders are getting by the protection. It appears that they are getting the direct link from the window that pops up when you click the link. The one that states that you are being redirected. I have used this on other sites and it does not display the same way as it does on my site.

Am I missing something, or is install no good?

Please advice.

Thanks

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by SupraT

I have the links installed on site. Works great, but one week after our relaunch I am noticing that downloaders are getting by the protection. It appears that they are getting the direct link from the window that pops up when you click the link. The one that states that you are being redirected. I have used this on other sites and it does not display the same way as it does on my site.

Am I missing something, or is install no good?

Please advice.

Thanks

Sorry, I'm not sure I understand the problem - are your users getting a popup which tells them the location of the file, so they then know how to bypass the system?

Several questions:
- Are the downloads coming from your site or another? Normally, files with recognised mimetypes on your site should not produce this popup.
- Have you changed the setting of force_redirect on the links admin page - if this = 1 then your users will get to see the file locations
- Are you using the local_file_root setting on the links admin page to place the downloads outside the web directories, to prevent anyone from getting at them except through the links s/w?

If these suggestions don't help, pm me with more details of your site.

[SupraT]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

Sorry, I'm not sure I understand the problem - are your users getting a popup which tells them the location of the file, so they then know how to bypass the system?

Several questions:
- Are the downloads coming from your site or another? Normally, files with recognised mimetypes on your site should not produce this popup.
- Have you changed the setting of force_redirect on the links admin page - if this = 1 then your users will get to see the file locations
- Are you using the local_file_root setting on the links admin page to place the downloads outside the web directories, to prevent anyone from getting at them except through the links s/w?

If these suggestions don't help, pm me with more details of your site.

Easy way would be to check out the downloads on my site: http://www.clanspy.net/forum/local_links.php?

I do not see the setting force_redirect, maybe this isn't the same hack??? I didn't install it and was told this was it

The files are on the local server and inside the web directories.

Thanks for your help.

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by SupraT

Easy way would be to check out the downloads on my site: http://www.clanspy.net/forum/local_links.php?

I do not see the setting force_redirect, maybe this isn't the same hack??? I didn't install it and was told this was it

The files are on the local server and inside the web directories.

Thanks for your help.

It's the same hack - you are using an old version (1.21) in which the force_redirect setting did not exist - but that should not affect things.

Looking at your site, I can see a set of links that are available without logging in. If you want to stop these being copied by unregistered users (via the links hack or by using the redirection), then:
- associate each link with a VBulletin forum
- set that forum's permissions so it is only accessible to the usergroups you want

[SupraT]

Would it be advisable to upgrade to the more recent version? If so, is it simply re-editing the files per the instructions?

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by SupraT

Would it be advisable to upgrade to the more recent version? If so, is it simply re-editing the files per the instructions?

I think it's a good idea to upgrade, but this has nothing to do with the problem you report.

To upgrade, you upload the latest files (local_links.php and local_links_templates.xml into you main forums dir) and local_links_install.php into your admin dir, and rerun the installation script.

[SupraT]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

I think it's a good idea to upgrade, but this has nothing to do with the problem you report.

To upgrade, you upload the latest files (local_links.php and local_links_templates.xml into you main forums dir) and local_links_install.php into your admin dir, and rerun the installation script.

OK I did the upgrade, however, as you have stated it has not changed the problem. Did you try the download? See how a window opens in the back ground that states you are being redirected, then the SAVE AS window appears. Well the pop-up window in background is still there and if you highlight the :forward to link" you see the URL.

How do I stop that?

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by SupraT

OK I did the upgrade, however, as you have stated it has not changed the problem. Did you try the download? See how a window opens in the back ground that states you are being redirected, then the SAVE AS window appears. Well the pop-up window in background is still there and if you highlight the :forward to link" you see the URL.

How do I stop that?

I see that you're offering rather large zips and exes. Downloads with recognised mimetypes are handled differently than downloads with unrecognised memetypes, where the redirection window is used. Does your VB main admin have mime settings for zip and exe?

Go to VB's main admin, then attachment, then extensions and sizes. The appropriate mimetype for a zip file is

Content-type: application/zip

. For an executable, you can just create the exe attachment type and leave the mimetype field empty.

Normally, when the file has a recognised mimetype, the download is handled transparently, so the user does not get to see where the file is stored.

*But* a big warning - if you choose this route, you are increasing the cpu load on your server. This is normally only a problem if the files are held on a third party machine, because then your server has to keep reading, then rewriting records. This is why I added the force_redirect switch on the links admin page, to force the hack always to use redirection rather than read/rewrite to user.

The link on the redirection window ("click here if you do not get redirected") is being created within the standard VB code. There may be a way to suppress it, but I'm not sure.