SMF Links Directory Lite

Started by Nibogo, July 05, 2011, 10:52:26 AM

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Nibogo


SMF Links Directory Lite v1.0 - NIBOGO

The SMF Links Directory Mod allows you to quickly setup and easily maintain an advanced directory of links that's completely integrated with your SMF forums. Features include unlimited categories, comments, ratings, user favorites and much more! With a lot configuration settings and most every aspect can be enabled or disabled through your Links Admin Panel.





Lite (this) Version Features:

o Unlimitied Categories (Sub-Categories and Redirection Categories are available at PRO Version).
o Bans for Directory with Full Ban or Four Options (Create, Comment, Report and Send) including if the ban expire in X days or if doesn't expire.
o Option to move links inside a deleted category into another category (or delete them too).
o Full Control of All the System.
o Easily Search the Links with advanced options to find what you are looking for.
o Friendly layout for users.
o The Directory has his own Maintenance Mode so only Directory Managers can access when this mode is enabled.
o SEO: This mod has strategy placed the "nofollow" tag and you can easily disable the indexation of the Links Directory for spiders. (This mod works great with SMFPacks SEO Pro/Lite).
o My Links page for check all your Links.
o The categories/my link include sort options (Name, Comments, Rating and Views)

PRO Version Features (available at SMFPacks.com):

o Unlimitied Categories and Sub-Categories.
o Redirect Categories just like Redirection Boards.
o Categories Icon just like SMF Boards (New Links, No New Links and Redirection).
o Unseen links are marked with a "New" Icon (SMF Style).
o Custom Fields per categories with a lot of options.
o Permissions Profiles per Categories.
o Membergroups allowed to access per category (checked also in category items).
o Bans for Directory with Full Ban or Four Options (Create, Comment, Report and Send) including if the ban expire in X days or if doesn't expire.
o Option to move links inside a deleted category into another category (or delete them too).
o Option to Bookmark/Share Links using AddThis.
o Cache is used when Possible this helps a lot in Mod Performance.
o Guests can have almost all permissions so if you want the directory is going to be open to everyone.
o Full Control of All the System.
o Easily Search the Links with advanced options to find what you are looking for.
o Link Us option to let your users link your website.
o Send Links to Friends.
o When a user is submitting a link the description and tags will have suggested info based on the Meta Tags of the Website.
o Advanced Stats showing all the info that you need.
o You and your users can easily see the newest links in determinated category using the Feeds Option.
o Favorite Links to keep organized your favorite links.
o Powerful tagging system that let you look related links based on tags.
o Links since your last visit, last week 14/30 Days or Top 20 Rated/Viewed/Commented Links so you can't miss a link (In addition with the Advanced Search & Feeds).
o Rate Links: Your members can easily rate links with 5 different values 1-5 but they can't vote twice and obviouslly you control what membergroups can use this feature.
o Friendly layout for users.
o Permissions for everything (Add, Edit, Delete, Auto Approve, Manage, Comment, Rate)
o Fully Integrated with Curve including Dropdown menus to easy access to a lot of features.
o The SMF Links Directory Managers can easily change the owner of the Link.
o Each website has his own thumbnail showed all over the system.
o The Directory has his own Maintenance Mode so only Directory Managers can access when this mode is enabled.
o Your members can easily notify about broken links or inappropiate content with the Report Link feature and you can easily manage this reports and warn the website..
o Powerful admin panel, everything related with the Links Directory including the Mod Version and the Categories.
o You can easily customize the Links Directory Index:
o My Links Block on Index (Can be hidded in the admin panel(skipping the query too!)
o Random Links Block (Can be hidded in the admin panel(skipping the query too!)
o Recent Links Block (Can be hidded in the admin panel(skipping the query too!)
o General Stats Block (Can be hidded in the admin panel(skipping the query too!))
o You can easily check if the website was already submitted when a member is adding a new Link.
o Check if the website submitted exists (To avoid blank pages).
o You can show the Google PageRank of the website on website details.
o You can show the Alexa Rank of the website on website details.
o You can show a "Previous Link" & "Next Link" on website details.
o You can show a "Permission Info" Block showing the main permissions and the codes allowed on the Links System.
o SEO: This mod has strategy placed the "nofollow" tag and you can easily disable the indexation of the Links Directory for spiders. (This mod works great with Pretty Urls & Ultimate SEO Mod (Comming Soon)).
o Image verification for guests for searching, submitting, replying, and sending links to friends to help prevent spam bots.
o Faster and Simple code based on SMF functionality.
o My Links page for check all your Links.
o The categories/favorites/my links/tags results/what's new include sort options (Name, Comments, Rating and Views)
o HTML and CSS Valid.
o Support for the Linktree.
o Support for the Who is online list, "Viewing the Links Directory".
o Easy manual installation, you can manually install the db with the db_links.php file. (Obviouslly you can install the Links Directory from the Package Manager with 1 click)
o and MUCH MORE!

Manual Edit:

Simple database installer just upload the db_links.php file and browse it using your web browser:

http://www.yourforum.com/smf/db_links.php

Languages:
- English/English UTF8
- Spanish_es/Spanish_latin - Spanish_es-utf8/Spanish_latin-utf8

Compatibility:
- 2.0

Special Thanks:
- Fam Fam Fam Icons

mrkid

I've been looking for an integrated links page, so I loaded this up. Seemed to load okay, but I'm having an issue. Is it supposed to add a button to the menu? It messed up the menu in my custom theme, and isn't showing anything in the curve theme. Here's a link to my test forum:
http://www.hauntersnation.com/test/index.php

mrkid

Just realized it won't show if you aren't logged in. Here's an attachment of the menu bar. You'll notice the big grey block on the right next to Downloads. The block is actually attached to the downloads button. The Links button on the left is the code that I entered myself.

mrkid

Is this supported anymore?
I believe the problem was a compatibility issue with older IE browsers. On newer versions of IE and Firefox, there is no issues. I installed on my main site, and it looks great. Awesome Mod!


MoonPoint

Whenever I try adding a link, I find that links with uppercase characters are converted to all lower case characters, rending the links invalid for URLs for websites on Unix or Linux webservers, where the case of letters matters, if the link contains any uppercase characters.

I see the line "$context['url'] = strtolower($context['url']);" in LinksAdd.php, which I presume is the cause of the problem.


frankybv

Great mod but one thing misses. Manage links with up and down are not available. Like categories where are implemented.
It's possible to introduce this in a new update?


Farjo

Interested in the Pro version, however when clicking "Buy now" I get a screen saying
"An Error Has Occurred!
The user whose profile you are trying to view does not exist."

Farjo

This is still happening. The only links product that works if the copyright removal.

I was looking forward to using this produce but if this is the 'pre-sales' attitude I'm now not so sure.

Nibogo

I had been away due to a surgery as you may see in smfpacks, and I answer pre-sales questions over there because I do not check this forum very often, you need to have an account at smfpacks to purchase the mods

Farjo

Thanks for the reply and hope your surgery was successful and you are recovering well.

I registered an account and got past that screen so thanks. Maybe other people have been put of by the error - perhaps a message on that screen would be useful?

The full mod looks very professional - thank you for your time in making it. Is it done with hooks as the code changes are so minimal?


LaughOften

For anyone who may be considering the Paid Pro Version Links Directory instead of this lite version. It has some bugs with the generators and a few other things which are a big part of the directory that really need to be resolved. I unfortunately am finding out the hard way I bought this a few weeks ago....

1 - There is no way to edit a link. Say you changed your web store or blog and you want to add the new URL but the rest of the information is the same. Well you have to totally delete the old URL and re submit a new one and all of the information all over again. My members are not liking this and it is time consuming and will most likely prevent folks from coming back to update. You'll end up with a bunch of old links going no where.

2 - When a link is deleted it throws the link count off. My directory is brand new so it was showing my link count in the category it was deleted from as a negative. The only way to fix it is to go into the database and manually count the links in that category and add the correct number each time a link is deleted. Could be very time consuming when you start getting alot of links added

3 - If you add a link as Uppercase or a mixture it changes the link to lowercase which therefore causes the link not to work.

4 -Thumbshots is the free version. It will only show top level URLs. So anything 2nd level or under requires the paid premium version of this generator which starts at $4.99 mo. Also links in the free version are only indexed every 30-45 days. It is also a cost if you want to have it indexed sooner. Paid version is 24 hours. No one on my site wants to use this as their links are not top level and they don't want it showing the home page of the top level site for their link. Ex: my store dot eBay dot com  it will only show the home page of eBay and not the actual link address of your store as it is not top level. So any link that is added will only show the home page of the main level which defeats the purpose of showing thumbnails. Having the thumbnail of the image lets you have a sneak peak of the actual site Before you visit it.

5 -Thumbalizr ---This seems to work better then Thumbshots as far as link levels but it shows big ole red X's with image failed. If you try and go to their forum it is so full of spammers that it is very obvious that there is no one monitoring anything there for support. No way to get help with the red image failed problems

6 -Websnapr is not working at all. All you get is a thumbnail for all links showing Websnapr and that you have to enter a code to get the thumbnails to show. So I went to the Websnapr site and asked and you have to get an API code and with that code and another code you have to add it into the Links Directory files to get the thumbnails to show. No code No Thumbnails and this was never mentioned in this mod. I asked what file I should add the API code from Websnapr to and could be help me but after a week nothing.


I contacted Nibogo on all of the above issues and for over a week now he has been putting me off, rude and done nothing but tell me that I am asking for a feature and that he doesn't give support on features and I am just complaining because it isn't working like i want it to.  After blaming the issues on me Nibogo finally agreed there ARE bugs with this Pro Paid Version but had the nerve to tell me after paying $35 for this mod that he is in college and when he gets a vacation and gets time he will deal with this and the other bugs he has received, work on a new release and then and only then will I get it fixed and he won't waste anymore time discussing it.

He told me that this isn't any different from other bug reports and that I reported it and it will be fixed in next version and that he has other bug issues to work on and he has zero reasons to give me priority over the other bug reports. End of discussion!!  So I have no generators that will work properly and as they should, he won't refund me and won't help me at all and now I am supposed to wait until he gets a vacation, has time, fixes his other reported bugs, releases a new version of this mod and then Maybe I may have a working Links Directory. So when may this be a month, 2 months a year?? What do you tell members who have been waiting for this?

So I will be filing a dispute to get my money back and look for a working directory from someone who is proud of their mod and will offer the help and guidance that is needed. After all if you pay for it and you are offered support for life you should get support not a hard time. I feel like I was taken advantage of and now I have no properly working mod and no money!!


Nibogo

1. That isn't normal in a directory.
2. It's going to be fixed in the next release scheduled for the next few days.
3. Like above (Both issues were found in the last day, not the last week).
4. It's obviously the free version of their API, I can't make everybody pay $5 for their premium services, and it works just fine.
5. Isn't my fault that their service isn't working as expected.
6. They changed the API and in the next release I'll provide a fix for it

LaughOften

#16
1- I have had a few directories where this was included in it. Only thing was if a link was changed they were allowed to change it but it then had to have admin approval which is what should happen. But I guess members will have to get use to this, which they say if they have to delete and start all over most of the time they will just delete it and not add a new one.

2- That would be nice to get this fixed as I am tired of having to go into database to fix this. This has been something I have been asking for help for since 11/9 not the last few days sir.

3- This issue was also reported in the free version as well it seems. Hopefully this will be resolved in the new release in a few days as this is a big issue

4- You should let folks know that this will only do top level links as this is very important to know in deciding on a directory. There are thousands and thousands of links not top level and if folks can't add their link using this generator you will lose links and members.

It should be noted in your mod description as well as the fact that it is only indexed every 30-45 days. That is a long time to get thumbnails indexed especially when they start out with image coming soon . Buyers of this mod have the right to know this and may not know to ask in your presale forum. This is very important information.

5- If you are adding generators in a mod that you are selling then you are responsible for making sure that the generators YOU add are reputable and in working order. Adding generators from places that their support forum is nothing but spammers and a ton of it,  is not good. It reflects back to you and your mod and looks bad. It also is very frustrating to pay money for this mod and find out that there are issues with all 3 generators and not working as perfect as YOU are saying. Ask me, I know I'm going thru this mess and have been for 10 days now since I bought this.

6- I have been asking for help on this since 11/9. You finally did provide me the file and codes needed to fix the Websnapr thumbnails and I thank you for that but really upset I had to wait 10 days to get it. It had to be tweaked a tiny bit but the thumbnails are working and they do work on all level links submitted. Only problem now is  In order to see the thumbnails you use size "s". But it now overlaps outside of the box and looks horrible. I have asked you for help on this in your forum today.

Bottom line is there are bugs and if you are going to sell this mod then they need to be fixed before you sell it anymore. Telling a paying customer that it will get fixed when you have a vacation and time and so on is just wrong.

live627

Quote from: LaughOften on November 19, 2011, 09:46:54 PM
Telling a paying customer that it will get fixed when you have a vacation and time and so on is just wrong.
Not wrong, since real life does take priority, really. However, there is a limit where such behavior is tolerated. 11 - 9... is that November or September?

Nibogo

Isn't just my vacations, I had been in the two finals weeks of my college so I wasn't really able to help, I had been working on everything now that I can, anyway this isn't the place to comment about it, I don't wanna to take this forum for this things.

LaughOften

Quote from: live627 on November 19, 2011, 11:31:45 PM
Quote from: LaughOften on November 19, 2011, 09:46:54 PM
Telling a paying customer that it will get fixed when you have a vacation and time and so on is just wrong.
Not wrong, since real life does take priority, really. However, there is a limit where such behavior is tolerated. 11 - 9... is that November or September?

Yes real life does take priority but there are nicer ways to talk to someone and explain your life priorites then what was done to me. A comment like "I already made my points and I'll help you when I've time for it, I won't waste more time discussing it"  This was not the way to talk to someone who just spent money on a mod that has bugs and getting complaints from members. Especially if you want to sell more mods, which I had already purchased his Social Groups mod on 11/2 and never received the download link til 11/5 as I was being told I never purchased it. So this hasn't been pleasant with either purchase lol

I bought the Directory on 11/6/11 and on 11/9/11  I was asking for help in his forum for 3 different issues that were happening. So it has taken a total of 11 days to be told which file I needed to edit and where to put the code for the generator to try and get at least one to work. So final code was given today and there is finally one generator that now works properly out of the 3. Websnapr now shows all of the thumbnails where before it showed nothing. It even shows all level links which is what is needed.

I have never came to SMF or to the other sites of mods I have purchased for my SMF and went longer then a day or two before getting help with a code or telling me which file to do an edit in, or anything else I needed help for and that is one of the main reasons I have stayed with SMF for these years. 11 days is a long time to wait with no help and to keep getting complaints from members and having links deleted and then me having to go into the database to correct the link count because of the bug with deleting links. There is still issues/bugs needing fixed and I hope being worked on so this can get resolved and my members and I can start enjoying this mod for what it should be. :-)


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