Major Additions - Links and Downloads Manager

What this is and does

LDM is a general-purpose tool for managing libraries of links and files, and handling uploads and downloads in a flexible way, while tracking and control user access. It has a range of integrated media players and a large library of 'plugin' extras.

Installation and Usage Explained in the on-line Wiki, with a brief explanation in the file instructions.txt in the release zip. The recent revision history is given in the first post of this thread.

Please use carefully and always backup your database before upgrading. Post reports of problems and suggestions for enhancements in this thread.

14.06.09 Version 2.3.0 is now the the officially-supported version. Works with 3.7 and vb 3.8. Please post comments in this thread

22.06.08 Version 2.2.9-post1 - This is the previous supported version. Works fine with all versions of vb 3.6 and vb 3.7. All standard features except profile integration and forum prefix selection work fine with vb 3.8.

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by obmob

Ok... i need some help

On of my sites has around 500 entries every file is on my server they are sorted within folders, one folder for one category, I have never used LDM synch.

Is it possible to enable this feature? If so, how should i prepare my files and folders?

Thanks Andrew

There's a set of things to think about:
a) LDM can construct a category/subcategory/entry structure that reflects your directory/subdirectory/file structure, or just sync a single directory
b) The directories need to be somewhere within the spaced specified by the settings of LDM's *local_file_root* and *local_file_root_prefix* settings
c) The sync will *only* locate files that have recognised mimetypes in your vb attachments table, but you can tell it to restrict the list further, e.g. only pdfs or mp3 or whatever
d) While a category is set to sync with a directory, the 'Add Entries' command is not available. However, once you've done the synchronisation, you can turn it off, and the category become a normal category again (and keeps the entries created by syncing) which accepts new entries.
d) When LDM syncs files, it gives the entries descriptions based on the contents of the /links_scantext template (I've just noticed that there's a small bug in the code - nothing serious). You can either change the contents of the template or use different templates per catgeory.

So:

Create a category

Towards the bottom of the Add Category form, find the "Synchronise With" box and point to the required directory. For example, if you want to sync with http: // yoursite / yourfiles / yoursyncdir and *local_file_root* is off and *local_file_root_prefix* is blank, you would point to /yourfiles / yoursyncdir. If *local_file_root* is off and *local_file_root_prefix* is set to /yourfiles, then you would point to /yoursyncdir

Now go to the Control Settings tab on the Add Category form

Turn on sync_enabled.

Turn on sync_populate_categories if you want LDM to create subcategories for subdirectories

Set another parameters if you want - you'll find a page about syncing in the online wiki

Click Submit to create the category.

LDM will automatically fill the category/subcategories a bit at a time, each time the category is visited, and once it has finished the job, it will recheck periodically for new files/loss of old files. As admin you'll find a button towards the top right of the category display which you can use to over-ride the automatic scanning.

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Stilgar

Hello,

First off I would like to say that this modification is incredible. Thank you for all the work you have put into it. The features and settings are outstanding.

I was wondering if it was possible to sort link entries by UserGroups?

UserGroup A (links submitted sort at the top of their category)

UserGroup B (links submitted sort after links submitted by Group A)

UserGroup C (links submitted sort after links submitted by Group B)

This way, members that pay (subscribe) to be in a better UserGroup such as B or A, will have their links displayed higher then those who are in Group C.

If this setting is already in there, pardon my missing it. There's a lot of configuration to do and I most likely missed it.

Again thanks for all your efforts,

James

This option is not there at the moment - I don't think it will be hard to include, so I will add it to the 'wish list'.

[Master of Music]

Hallo,
Ich bekomme immer die fehlermeldung
Warnung: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in [path]/includes/local_links_misc.php (Zeile 74)

Can i help me?

[Stilgar]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

This option is not there at the moment - I don't think it will be hard to include, so I will add it to the 'wish list'.

Andrew, thank you for considering this option.

I do have a feature question. How do I allow Usergroup A to upload thumbnails and deny UserGroup B this ability?

Regards,
James

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Stilgar

Andrew, thank you for considering this option.

I do have a feature question. How do I allow Usergroup A to upload thumbnails and deny UserGroup B this ability?

Regards,
James

This is something I am working on at the moment. (It's like the joke about buses - you wait forever then two requests for the same thing come in at once.) I'd missed that the vb admin page allows you to set file type permissions per usergroup, so I'm adding that feature to the next upload, which (if this weekend is not too busy) will be available soon.

[IR15H]

Sorry it's been a few days before replying again.

Originally Posted by AndrewD

It records them all, but only counts a user's most recent nomination per period. That way, it continues to work correctly if the admin changes his/her mind about the collection period, e.g. decides to switch from months to weeks.

Ah okay, thanks. Is there a way to un-nominate an entry I've made? I recently nominated an entry for a time period, which has since elapsed. I can't find out how to simply not nominate any entries for the next period (bar deleting it via the admin settings, which all users don't have access to), I can only change to nominate another one.

This is true. Fixing this in an efficient manner requires a slight change to the database structure, which I have put off making. I was thinking of making version 2.3.0 an 'efficiency' release, with points like this addressed.

Excellent, thanks .

OK, will fix in the next 2.2.9 upload.

Thanks .

The code in its current form does not check against those vb per-filetype permissions- I'm not sure - are these a relatively recent extension to vbulletin? I'll add it to the list of things to do, maybe 2.2.9 or 2.3.0.

I can't be certain on this, but I think they've been there since I first got vb, on 3.6. Either way, glad you've considered for a future version .

OK, will change the wording in next 2.2.9 upload

Thanks .

This requires a minor change to the code, which I will make available in the next 2.2.9 in the next few days.

Thanks .

[Stilgar]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

This is something I am working on at the moment. (It's like the joke about buses - you wait forever then two requests for the same thing come in at once.) I'd missed that the vb admin page allows you to set file type permissions per usergroup, so I'm adding that feature to the next upload, which (if this weekend is not too busy) will be available soon.

Heh... Yes, busses and job offers. It's feast or famine sometimes.

Cheers!

[RikiB]

Hello Andrew, would it be easy to upgrade ldlm to use the new version of jw media player (4.0)

http://www.jeroenwijering.com/?item=JW_FLV_Media_Player

Thanks!

[obmob]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

There's a set of things to think about:
a) LDM can construct a category/subcategory/entry structure that reflects your directory/subdirectory/file structure, or just sync a single directory
b) The directories need to be somewhere within the spaced specified by the settings of LDM's *local_file_root* and *local_file_root_prefix* settings
c) The sync will *only* locate files that have recognised mimetypes in your vb attachments table, but you can tell it to restrict the list further, e.g. only pdfs or mp3 or whatever
d) While a category is set to sync with a directory, the 'Add Entries' command is not available. However, once you've done the synchronisation, you can turn it off, and the category become a normal category again (and keeps the entries created by syncing) which accepts new entries.
d) When LDM syncs files, it gives the entries descriptions based on the contents of the /links_scantext template (I've just noticed that there's a small bug in the code - nothing serious). You can either change the contents of the template or use different templates per catgeory.

So:

Create a category

Towards the bottom of the Add Category form, find the "Synchronise With" box and point to the required directory. For example, if you want to sync with http: // yoursite / yourfiles / yoursyncdir and *local_file_root* is off and *local_file_root_prefix* is blank, you would point to /yourfiles / yoursyncdir. If *local_file_root* is off and *local_file_root_prefix* is set to /yourfiles, then you would point to /yoursyncdir

Now go to the Control Settings tab on the Add Category form

Turn on sync_enabled.

Turn on sync_populate_categories if you want LDM to create subcategories for subdirectories

Set another parameters if you want - you'll find a page about syncing in the online wiki

Click Submit to create the category.

LDM will automatically fill the category/subcategories a bit at a time, each time the category is visited, and once it has finished the job, it will recheck periodically for new files/loss of old files. As admin you'll find a button towards the top right of the category display which you can use to over-ride the automatic scanning.

OMG! x.x

HAHA, well, what if i already have my categories and subcategories created,they are inside the main category, maybe similarto what LDM will do, would LDM still try to create subdirectories?

Hmm... i'm renaming everything to be sequenced, so, maybe i can try importing new entries using xml.

Is it possible? I mean to have some sort of xml template and just add extra lines for new entries, just changing the entry ID and the category number?

Hmm... maybe i'd have troubles with keywords, would you help methinkabout this, please? @_@

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by obmob

OMG! x.x

HAHA, well, what if i already have my categories and subcategories created,they are inside the main category, maybe similarto what LDM will do, would LDM still try to create subdirectories?

Try the LDM/admin/Mass Edit/Scan features. This gives you an easy manual interface to syncing directory contents with existing categories.

Originally Posted by obmob

Hmm... maybe i'd have troubles with keywords, would you help methinkabout this, please? @_@

Not sure what you mean - you want to add these automatically?