This has been discussed periodically in different Threads in this forum...But I thought I would bring it up again...

(This is being posted based on a Thread I read in the Modification Forum.)

www.gossamer-threads.com/scripts/forum/resources/Forum3/HTML/004022.html

Since the Discussion Forum is for making requests for improvements and modifications, I am posting this Thread.

I know that many LINKS users have come out with some great Mods, but I think there is room for improvement, and I know you all have some good ideas...so, post 'em here!

Here are some ideas I have:

1) Robust Password Security Script - I know that there are wonderful Mods for password lookup and also securing the modify.cgi script. But...I would like to see something like what Widgetz came up with, which is the ability for users to login and modify multiple sites they have listed in your directory.

2) Robust Admin Password Protection - I know...this has been discussed before. But from all the Threads I read on a daily basis, some times hourly basis, it seems that one of the top requests is Password Protection of the admin.cgi. I did come up with an encrypted password add-on for the admin.cgi script, but I was never able to successfully login into the main frames menu. (This really is not a burning issue for me personally because I do have .htaccess.)

3) Category Layout Template - I know this is available for LINKS SQL...but many LINKS users cannot afford LINKS SQL or are total novices of Perl and SQL. This is another commonly requested Thread. I think that if there was a category_layout.html and category_subcategory.html template files, it would eliminate about 40% of the posts in these forums.

Any other ideas?? Post 'em here!

Cheers,

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Eliot Lee
Anthro TECH,L.L.C
www.anthrotech.com
Be sure to visit the Resource Center for FAQ's, Modifications and Extra Goodies!!
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[This message has been edited by Eliot (edited January 19, 2000).]

I agree, if there were category_layout.html
and subcategory_layout.html templates, then it would solve a lot of problems!

Hope to see someone implement them...

And I want to clarify my point about the "category" layout template files. This is NOT the same as multiple templates for categories, which has already been discussed and codes have been provided in the Modification Forum, BUT it is a way for people easily to change the font, number of columns, new info, pop info, etc. for category LAYOUT within LINKS generated pages.



Some other things I thought of as I was driving to work this morning is.....

Spanning Page Mod for other LINKS pages like new, cool, etc. I experimented with this during the holidays and came up varied results from absolutely nothing to chaos.

This is something else that is commonly asked for...If spanning page mod can be implemented, I think it would reduce Threads by about 10% or more.

Easy Regular Expressions

I know this is an oxymoron. But many people have problems with setting up different regular expressions in their fields and also in search results. Of course, there are many Threads that discuss special characters and how to implement them...but it would be nice to set-up some flags to allow users to choose different regular expressions.

Thanks for your response, Jerri.

Regards,

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Eliot Lee
Anthro TECH,L.L.C
http://www.anthrotech.com
Be sure to visit the Resource Center for FAQ's, Modifications and Extra Goodies!!
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I don't know if anyone figured this one out already, I haven't seen it anywhere. but I'd like to see a mod for the Quick Check in Verifying Links, so the process can be broken down where you choose a range of links and only verify those.

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Marie Altobelli
Dragonsblood Ink. Librarian
http://dbink.hostingcheck.com

ok.. just some comments..

Category Layout Template

oh.. hehe.. it's up to Alex to tell you this.. I do not think there will be a Links 2.1 or 3.0.. so either one of you guys figure it out yourself.. or Alex tells you.. i don't think Alex really needs to tell you guys though (as it is quite simple).. it's one of those "why didn't i think of that" things..

Robust Password Security Script

ugh.. well.. this has been released for Links SQL.. however the thing Links 2.0 lacks is a "good" user database.. i was attempting a user database "back in the days" and i couldn't make it efficient because of the "slowness".. even using GREP.. in some cases the scripts will need to jump back and forth from links.db to users.db..

Robust Admin Password Protection

ok.. if one of you guys will let me "edit" your code i will make this.. i want a realtime Links 2.0 admin.cgi to do this on though.. it will be secure.. i guarantee that.. i already have what to do in mind.. it is similiar to one of my Links SQL mods.. (Remember Me).. email me at jerry@pdamania.com if you're interested in letting me "create" the mod.. it will only take like 10 minutes.. 20 at most.. if i am in the mood.. i can even restart the Admin MOD

Spanning Page Mod

this was actually the third mod i attempted.. i did fail.. it was too confusing to me at the time.. i didn't understand span pages until the altavista style mod came out i'd rather not try to do this.. i can probably do it now.. it's a matter of sorting it first.. and then posting the maxhits.. then with a loop doing the rest.. (similiar to search.cgi and build_category_pages MIXED)

easy regular expressions

if you read a book on this and tried it out a bit.. it's actually quite easy..

there really isn't much you can do to make it easier..

Quick Check

i made this mod quite awhile ago.. search the Links Modifications forum.. it was really simple.. no special interface though..

anyways.. the only mod i'm interested in is the ADMIN password mod.. but i need a working copy of links to make it..

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Jerry Su
Links SQL Licensed
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Comments....


I did purchase two books over the Holidays:

1) Advanced Perl Programming
2) Regular Expressions

I was not thinking so much for me, but for the many International users of LINKS who need to incorporate their special accented characters throughout the script.


Yes...but the sorting should be flexible enough to allow different types of sorting based on the pages need, like with the Top Rated page, it would have to be sorted by number of hits and number of votes.

For the new page, it would probably have to be sorted alphabetically by category.

etc...etc..

I am sending you my admin.cgi script, Widgetz. It is slightly modded (few extra links), but all the sub-routines are there.

It would also be nice to be able to change the password at any time. The authentication add-on I was working sucked, because if you forgot your password or you wanted to change it, you had to delete the password file to do it.

Regards,

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Eliot Lee
Anthro TECH,L.L.C
http://www.anthrotech.com
Be sure to visit the Resource Center for FAQ's, Modifications and Extra Goodies!!
----------------------

i plan on just making an admin.db with the plain text password in there.. that does mean you should use .htaccess in the /data folder with the contents:


so no one can read it from the web browser..

i also plan on inputting backwards compatibility.. so if you use .htaccess it will personalize to the user still.. (not sure if i want to go far into this mod though)

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Jerry Su
Links SQL Licensed
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Well...that could pose a problem, Widgetz.

The problem is that the request for Admin Protection has come from Windows users and also people who do not have .htaccess on the server.

The purpose of this particular mod IMHO is to provide an easy method for people on Windows servers and people who do not have .htaccess to protect their admin.cgi script.

Just my two cents...again, this is not really a Mod that I will use...I was playing around with it to reduce the outcries for help from LINKS users who do not have .htaccess.

Regards,

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Eliot Lee
Anthro TECH,L.L.C
http://www.anthrotech.com
Be sure to visit the Resource Center for FAQ's, Modifications and Extra Goodies!!
----------------------

ok.. windows is actually easier to hide files from the web browser

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Jerry Su
Links SQL Licensed
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Uh...sort of...Yet if I know where I file is located...I can download it. (Since most NT users do not have access to other drives or directories outside of the wwwroot.)

Regards,

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Eliot Lee
Anthro TECH,L.L.C
http://www.anthrotech.com
Be sure to visit the Resource Center for FAQ's, Modifications and Extra Goodies!!
----------------------

ok.. i finished the admin password mod.. bmxer tested it for me..

it simulates what the browser does with .htaccess/.htpasswd

when the user comes in.. if the user does not have a cookie it asks the user to login.. it then checks to see if the password matches the username's password it creates a cookie with the content

(USERNAME):(SALTED PASSWORD)

(the salted password means a encrypted password with a random key.. when using a fixed key.. it's easier to crack.. however it still takes forever. )

it then allows the user to use the admin until he/she logs out or closes their browser.. (pretty much like htaccess except for the logout feature)

i'll post it in the Links Modification forum.. soooooon..... (yes.. that can be up to 5 days.. or instant if i feel like it )

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Jerry Su
Links SQL Licensed
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[This message has been edited by widgetz (edited January 20, 2000).]

I posted a thread about the new admin mod on links modifications.. i'd like you guys to test it out before i release it.. i am sure going to release this one because it is much smaller and easier on me..

it was inspired by the simple admin password mod and bmxer..



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Jerry Su
Links SQL Licensed
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Great! Hope this will help those users who are having problems with .htaccess!

Thanks for your effort and hard work, Widgetz.

I appreciate your effort.

Regards,

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Eliot Lee
Anthro TECH,L.L.C
http://www.anthrotech.com
Be sure to visit the Resource Center for FAQ's, Modifications and Extra Goodies!!
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