(UPDATE: See this thread for current info and site locations:
http://www.gossamer-threads.com/scripts/forum/resources/Forum12/HTML/000870.html
_________________

is the place to download the required files and templates with code changes. You will need to download all the files and subdirectories from that location.

You, of course, need the other files from Gossamer-Threads to make DBMan complete.

These files contain both the DBMan Templates mod. Plus, the files include DBMan/links2 mariage mod to allow you to use DBMan as a front end on-the-fly update,add,delete,modify of links database.

If you want to use the links with DBMan as the front end then you will also need the Gossamer Threads Links2 files as well.

DBMan should work alone with templates as that was the way I designed the mod. So you do not need the Gossamer Threads links files if you want to just ad Templates to DBMan.

Feel free to use this thread to ask questions and for other needs on this. I will use this information to better document what your needs may be.

You can find the demo of all this at:
(for the Links part)...

http://www.incorp.net/bizsearcher/cat/

(for the DBMan templates demo)...

http://incorp.net/cgi-bin/bizsearcher/dbm_db.cgi


TimRyan



[This message has been edited by timryan (edited September 08, 1999).]

Bang up job. Looks very good. I'm especially interested in the links side of this. < of course the template mod for dbman has potential also! >

I haven't had a chance to look too deep yet but.. A couple questions:

1. How hard would it be, is it possible to make this add to validate.db instead of live addition into links? I like giving the users more control over their submissions but still validate things.

2. Can you still limit a new user to default privalages, that way you can "validate" the user first?

3. Is it possible to give a user control of not just his links, but say a category of links?


Basically, I want to use this script as a user interface, rather than a db updater. I want it to assist a great deal in the whole process.. Ie, if a user is has "add live" permissions, it can add to the db live, otherwise, add to the validate.db ..

Follow me? Or do I need to splain it better?



------------------
The Crowe crowe@charter.net
www.lit.org Links Engine for Writing on the net!

Crowe, I will give this some thougth after digesting what I can. I would suggest you download and look at and convert what you can to get a working version on your end and then you can get more ideas on what it can do for you and what we can add.
This was a quick reply cause the wife is bugging me to get off tonight. End of day

TimRyan

I will not go into detail here. But, rather answer all in one swoop.
Q 1. Yes, actually DBMan is very powerfull and lean. Which is why I chose it. All I did was make the access db links.db (With a little code custom to my situation). Soooo, I would say just use validate.db as your DBMan database path. Off the cuff I even think the other routines would work just fine as is for that also. But you would have to test this to be sure.

Q2. Not sure how familiar you are with DBMan but I changed nothing as far as limiting its current features so you can toy with the auth in many combos. JPD might be a better confirmer on that question. But I would say this is a "yes"

Q3. Will have to give 3 a little more thought. But, from what I see in the power of dbman I would say this could be done. But I think I might need to discuss just what is needed here and toss some ideas around. I think I remember someone asking a question like this on the link forum a few weeks back.

Q4. I saw JPD state somewhere, a mod that would allow one to make DBMan use 2 databases. So, I would guess this also could be done by using those instructions. Do a search on this forum. Something about using 2 databases or multi-databases.

All in all I think it would be worth it for you do do a download of the code and take a look at where I put #added dbman/links on all the code to see what questions you come up with. If I have some time I will see if I can set up a new account on my office machine and give this a try. Actually if you give me the files you are now using I can toy with that on a new account on my machine. Then I would be working with what you already have. I make no promises but I think it will be pretty straight forward.


Hope this helps.
TimRyan

JPDeni (Carol) has written a mod for validating records before they are submitted into the database. This may be something you are looking for, Crowe.

However, it might be nice to establish toggles or flags between the DBMAN/LINKS2 integrated system to pick and choose which features people want to use. For instance, the validation process in LINKS2 is really nice. The validation process for DBMAN is not that easy to set-up.

So, it would be nice to establish flags to choose features of LINKS2 or DBMAN. If people want automatic submission into their databases, then they should be able to use the DBMAN features. If people want to validate records before adding them to the database, then using the LINKS2 function would be ideal...

Food for thought!



Regards,


------------------
Eliot Lee
Founder and Editor
Anthro TECH, L.L.C
http://www.anthrotech.com/
info@anthrotech.com
==========================
Coconino Community College
http://www.coco.cc.az.us/
Web Technology
Coordinator
elee@coco.cc.az.us

Thanx for the swift and helpful replies!

I downloaded your code right off the bat, and have been testing with it a bit. Very flexible. I figured out the links.db to validate.db right after I hit enter on submit reply

I basically want to keep all the features of links as they are, except add a more user friendly interface to adding/removing/modifying a users links. Plus having "USER ADMINS" for selected categories.

I have figured out most everything. Not hard at all. The real problem for me ( not being a perl guru ) will be the Admin part. Giving them great access over categories. I'm sure I can combine info I've found on the boards here and come up with some.. If anyone else manages it, post it here!

------------------
The Crowe crowe@charter.net
www.lit.org Links Engine for Writing on the net!

I see Tim's answer to "Q4," but I didn't see the question. What was the question?

Yes, you would be able to set up your system so that new users would just be able to view your database and then you could manually change them later on.



------------------
JPD

hehe JPD, actually the Q4 was his last statement without a #. My answer mainly pertained to what I took as needing 2 databases to be accessed. IE, he said, validate.db (a links file) and db live (any file but maybe a links live file).
Quote:
__________________
.....if a user is has "add live" permissions, it can add to the db live, otherwise, add to the validate.db ..
____________________

Which brings up a question from me. Can one have different permissions/auths on a multi-file system? Maybe this is a dumb question but, one that I suppose one might ask after using a multi-database with dbman.

Eliot, you bring up some good points. In fact I would love to have a dbman/links2 features list that made it easy for us to decide what is what and where is where. Those two statememets are good starters. If you or anyone else can think of more compares between links/dbman I would like to here of them so we might put this into one doc somewhere. Could save lots of time and trouble for us all.

We might also branch off into a wish list too

Eliot, (or anyone). Now that I have these mods in beta stage I would like to know what email features links has and compare them with dbman mods also. I do not want to start plugging in a dbman feature only to find out later that there was a better mod in links, etc. On my other databases and search engines I did over the past few years I started to put in lots of different email features. These would all be switches to put on or off as needed.
For example:
1. Email both admin and submitter when an add is submitted.
2. Email both admin and submitter when a modify is submitted.
3. Newsletter signup option.
4. I am sure you folks can come up with some more.

Crowe, I figured you would see right away how easy all this was once you downloaded it . Let me know how you progress with that admin/category "thingy" you talk about as I want to understand it a bit more and I think it would be a good mod/option to include. Perhaps, you might explain better your needs here so I can understand your idea/concept on that.

Category field is a very important field and that is why my ears went up when I heard mention of it in your needs list. I do not have my thoughts sorted yet on this but I know I will be doing more with dbman and the (links) categories.db in time. I also saw a few category ideas asked about on the links forum. Unfortunately I think those questions where passed along the wayside. That is why I will also look around on multi-file access via dbman on this forum and formulate some ideas.

Final note (sorry this is so long ...
I am not pleased with the way I had to pass the db record fields in my dbman/Templates mod. What I mean is that I could not figure a way (as yet) to NOT have to place the required fields in each and every subroutine when needed in a template . I just know there has to be an easier way to make this a one time shot in some form of "global" pass like links does it. So I will be on top of this "cumbersome" part of the mod. Any ideas on this would be appreciated at some time or another.

TimRyan



[This message has been edited by timryan (edited August 28, 1999).]

The email options you mentioned are built into LINKS. They can be applied to DBMAN with some mods. My opinion is to stick with the email features of LINKS.

However, I think two mods, which would be ideal for the LINKS/DBMAN integration would be the following:

1) Send Record (Similar to the "Recommend It" script, but this mod is built as a sub-routine into the db.cgi file.)

2) Send Private Message to Record Owner (This is ideal for Classified Ads and Membership Directories that enables users to set permissions if they want to have their email message publicly listed with their record, or use the Private Email Form to allow visitors to send private email messages to Record Owners.)

These mods have been written up by Carol, I believe and are in use by DBMAN users, including myself.



Regards,

------------------
Eliot Lee
Founder and Editor
Anthro TECH, L.L.C
http://www.anthrotech.com/
info@anthrotech.com
==========================
Coconino Community College
http://www.coco.cc.az.us/
Web Technology
Coordinator
elee@coco.cc.az.us

Crowe...
It just hit me last night that you had mentioned in your thread that you were more interested in the links end rather than the templates end. The only item I had to change (if I recall) on the links end was in the home.html templates (links) and I used search .cgi (links).

1. Make the home.html so that the front page categories linked to links search.cgi using category field.

ie, your path.. /search.cgi?Category=Advertising


Template Code...
_________
Hmmm... This is more of a Links Template mod so I will post the doc at this thread:
MOD: On-the-fly links.db access and add/update/modify/delete using DBMan as front end ...
http://www.gossamer-threads.com/scripts/forum/resources/Forum3/HTML/002951.html

So folks over there can know about it

Just for the record, I changed .. all the Links templates index links so the "add a site" and "modify a site" links pointed to links current search.cgi?
__________

2. Make the add and modify index (header/footer) links go to dbman to then take control rather than going to the links add.cgi and modify.cgi.

your path../dbm_db.cgi?db=dbm_db&add_form=1

Template Code...
_________
<a href="<%db_cgi_url%>/dbm_db.cgi?db=dbm_db&add_form=1">Add
a Site</a>
___________


This was done in all links templates as needed.

I will check to see if there was anything else I did and let you know. I did not post this because it was not part of the dbman Templates thread. But I will post a dbman/links integration mod thread when I get all this together.

Eliot...
Thanks for the email tips/mod direction. Another item I want to address is the email/password mod/plug-ins.

1. I want to allow users to get their passwords if they forget it. (I noticed a lookup in the friendly html but could not find the routine that uses that).

2. Any other mods that pertain to this issue to make life easier.

TimRyan


[This message has been edited by timryan (edited August 29, 1999).]

Tim,


Probably, but I've never been able to figure out how to do it. I can't count the hours I've worked on a mod for something like this with at least three people on the forum, but it has never worked.

If you come up with something, please let me know.


You really should look at the list of Mods I have on my site at http://www.jpdeni.com/dbman/mods.html . The secure password lookup mod is there.


------------------
JPD

Thanks JPD Your site is the first site I look at now when I need a mod for dbman. I will be sure to stop by when I get to that part of my programming.
TimRyan

Admin template just completed and the current version of dbm_templates_html.pl and the Admin template is uploaded to the ftp site:

(UPDATE08/9/99: See this thread for current info and site locations:
http://www.gossamer-threads.com/scripts/forum/resources/Forum12/HTML/000870.html
_________________


Sorry, I forgot to do this template in my rush to upload the beta. This should complete all the necessary templates for dbman.
TimRyan



[This message has been edited by timryan (edited September 08, 1999).]

This is the current location and threads for DBMan mods with templates and links/integration.:

MOD: DBMan Templates in zip file for stand alone DBMan Templates
http://www.gossamer-threads.com/scripts/forum/resources/Forum12/HTML/000870.html

__________________

MOD: How to add a Footer Template in DBMan Templates
http://www.gossamer-threads.com/scripts/forum/resources/Forum12/HTML/000883.html

__________________

MOD: New and better DBMan Footer Template and Routine
http://www.gossamer-threads.com/scripts/forum/resources/Forum12/HTML/000891.html

__________________

MOD: How to add a HeaderTemplate in DBMan Templates
http://www.gossamer-threads.com/scripts/forum/resources/Forum12/HTML/000892.html

__________________

MOD: DBMan/Links Integration in zip file (uses DBMan as Links Front End)
http://www.gossamer-threads.com/scripts/forum/resources/Forum12/HTML/000881.html

__________________

MOD: How to pass a global in DBMan Templates mod.
http://www.gossamer-threads.com/scripts/forum/resources/Forum12/HTML/000929.html

__________________


Hope this helps.
TimRyan