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

[blue jammer]

Originally Posted by AndrewD

One approach is as follows:

1 Create a new forum, and restrict access to the usergroup restrictions you want (i.e. set it so that only admins can read posts)
2 On the links admin page, set this forum as the default_forumid
3 Also on the links admin page, give can_see_protected_links_on_portal permissions to all groups (or all groups except not logged-in), etc
4 Create your category and links

This will make everything visible to all groups set in stage 3, but only downloadable to groups set in stage 1

When you're ready to turn things on, either go back to your vb admin and change the permissions on the associated forum or change the associated forum.

OK?

Andrew, thanks for the speedy reply.

I followed those steps to the letter and spent hours yesterday adding a new forum with the right permissions, but as the forum was in an 'xtra' section, it wouldn't show up whilst trying to select it under the drop down menu for "default_forumid". It would only show the first two forum categories. So, after restoring all the default values on the 3rd 'xtra' category, and it still not being selectable, I just added the new forum under the main category and was then able to select it.

Once I had selected it, and followed all the other steps, I tested it out, having linked the new forum to the links page, that worked for me logged in as Admin, but once I logged out, although the 'Downloads' forum I have added isn't viewable, if I know the link (which users could pass onto non-users) I was still able to view the links page that way, AND to download the files still.

I've been over it all several times and still can't fathom out why it's still allowing access to the links page and letting guests download the files...

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by blue jammer

Andrew, thanks for the speedy reply.

I followed those steps to the letter and spent hours yesterday adding a new forum with the right permissions, but as the forum was in an 'xtra' section, it wouldn't show up whilst trying to select it under the drop down menu for "default_forumid". It would only show the first two forum categories. So, after restoring all the default values on the 3rd 'xtra' category, and it still not being selectable, I just added the new forum under the main category and was then able to select it.

Once I had selected it, and followed all the other steps, I tested it out, having linked the new forum to the links page, that worked for me logged in as Admin, but once I logged out, although the 'Downloads' forum I have added isn't viewable, if I know the link (which users could pass onto non-users) I was still able to view the links page that way, AND to download the files still.

I've been over it all several times and still can't fathom out why it's still allowing access to the links page and letting guests download the files...

Hey, I'm sorry about the extra work - perhaps you could pm me with your board details - ideally with an admin username and password - and I'll take a look.

Andrew

[Slave]

Originally Posted by Slave

Got to say the "Create linked subforum" is inspired! .. I LOVE it

I'd love it even more if I could give the linked subforum a custom name

Reason being .. a lot of my link cats are called the same as the forum I'm linking them to .. and it looks "silly" to have a subforum of the same name as the one above on the forums front page ..

Maybe make it that it grabs the cat name and calls the linked subforum "catname links" .. or something? ..

I prefer the custom option mind ..

I guess I could just go into admincp and change the name .. but that seems just that bit too easy .. heh ..

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by Slave

I'd love it even more if I could give the linked subforum a custom name

Reason being .. a lot of my link cats are called the same as the forum I'm linking them to .. and it looks "silly" to have a subforum of the same name as the one above on the forums front page ..

Maybe make it that it grabs the cat name and calls the linked subforum "catname links" .. or something? ..

I prefer the custom option mind ..

I guess I could just go into admincp and change the name .. but that seems just that bit too easy .. heh ..

Thanks,

Taking your three posts together:
- Sorting by rating requires a mod to the database tables, so I'll leave these two for now
- Have fixed some of the others (new entry, sort by, send to friend)
- Am still thinking about the rest

Watch this space...

[AndrewD]

Version 1.55a has now been posted as the supported release of this hack. Please report any problems.

Bugs reported in the beta 1.55 have been fixed if I could duplicate them. A couple of Slave's suggestions have been handled as well:

Bug - Cats with new entries say "(New Entry )" next to the description .. (fixed, shows date as well)

Suggestion - New link in cat makes sub-cat show in bold in the main cat's description? (implemented)

Bug - I like the "send to a friend" idea .. but when you click on it the pre-filled text is relating to a music file?.. (text corrected)

Bug - "Sort by" links don't seem to work in the "What's new" page, etc (fixed)

Question - what is "Apply parent also to its current links" for? (text changed - should be clear now - allows admins to mass change permissions)

Suggestion - Give the linked subforum a custom name (done)

Suggestions about showing "Show well rated" and "Sort by rating" will have to wait - they require changes to the database

[LeeWicKeD]

hi,
today i've installted this mod, and i'm very glad that it work?s so good!
but there is a great bug in it. in my link & file database just special usergroups can view& download something. guest or "normal" users cannot download anything. but if they click onto Show->hottest files (or something), they can see the files too.

and i would offer you to translate your hack into german, if you say me where to translate what i've changed the templates, but it seems, that this wasn't all, there are still english words...

regards
lee

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by LeeWicKeD

hi,
today i've installted this mod, and i'm very glad that it work?s so good!
but there is a great bug in it. in my link & file database just special usergroups can view& download something. guest or "normal" users cannot download anything. but if they click onto Show->hottest files (or something), they can see the files too.

and i would offer you to translate your hack into german, if you say me where to translate what i've changed the templates, but it seems, that this wasn't all, there are still english words...

regards
lee

Will investigate the bug - thanks

If you've just installed the latest version (1.55), then all the text in the main part of the hack is handled using the standard VB phase system, and you will find everything in local_links_phrases.xml. The admin page is not phrased - everything is in the templates and code, and I'd advise you not to try to do anything with these.

[LeeWicKeD]

hi andrew,
ok i will download the new version and take a look at the .xml
i think it should be no problem then to translate it. are you interested in a german version? i could send you the german-xml if you want. but first i should take a look at it now

maybe (if everything works fine) it's finished tonight...

rds
Lee

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by LeeWicKeD

hi andrew,
ok i will download the new version and take a look at the .xml
i think it should be no problem then to translate it. are you interested in a german version? i could send you the german-xml if you want. but first i should take a look at it now

maybe (if everything works fine) it's finished tonight...

rds
Lee

That would be great, thanks.

I can't reproduce the bug you report. Can you try again using the new release (v1.55) - and pls confirm that you are using the forum permission system to define which usergroups are allowed to see/dowload links? The permissions that are set on the links/files admin page are about who can enter/edit/delete links, not about who can view them.

[spence2]

AndrewD:

I know this thread would quickly get really cluttered if everyone who installed this hack thanked you again with each new release.

But, this is a superb hack! And you are just making it better and better.

So, thank you for your hack and your on-going support. U da man!