Hello ,

I'll be re-writing and re-releasing the mylinks plugin sometime over the next couple of weeks.

The plugin, as it is, is not bad but I'm not totally happy with it as I wrote it quite a while back and so I just feel it needs revamping.

This wasn't my intention as I wasn't intending to release any more plugins for a while but (I hope he won't mind me mentioning) I've been speaking with Alex in private and he gave me some ideas as to what he'd like to do regarding the mylinks plugin and I think having me re-release it was Alex's preferred outcome.

So anyway, I'm posting now hoping that you can all put forward any features you'd like to see in the new version and likewise anything you think should be removed (if anything).

The price may differ from the original $40 depending on the extra features but that's not definite yet. Any exisitng customers who wish to use the new plugin may just pay the difference but I'll provide more details on that nearer the time. The first step is for you to share any ideas you have.

Thanks for reading.

Hello Paul.

It's nice to see that you haven't given up on these plug ins.

For me, if a user could see a list of his favorites that would have groups based in the site's categories would be great. Like:

Username, you have 8 "Links" & 15 "Articles" in your favorites ...

Could you create categories of favorites that would have names and a lsql category tree assigned to them? That way a favorite in category A would appear in the favorites for category A, etc.. I think it's good to offer users the possibility to put some order in a very large amount of saved links. Especially if someone is using lsql as a content manager for more than just URLs.

When deleting a user, could his favorites be deleted as well?



Good luck Paul.

Hi Paul,

I have a question on MyLinks.

As you know a lot of people use the UM (User Monitor) plugin from Ian as I do. UM creates a complete user profile. Is it possible to integrate the MyLinks favorites list into the UM user profile? It would also help if the favorites were only titles rather than a complete link.html for each link. Maybe a tag to list them using a template for formatting? (just an idea)

If this is not possible as a preference setting and template change can you please send me a quote on a custom plugin that will completely integrate MyLinks with User Monitor.



Thanks!

Yep I'll think how best to do that.


Yeah that should have been in the original plugin but I forgot the foreign key, oops.

What kind of integration were you thinking of?

Not everyone who uses MyLinks will be using UM so this may be better as a custom plugin once the new version is ready.


I'll make it into a template loop so that the display can be customized using any fields from the Links table. Does that sound ok?

[/quote]

This is true, but it really seems like a natural thing to have the MyLinks data combined into the user profile from User Monitor (or any profile generating plugin for that matter such as the user plugin and Editor Monitor, etc...).



I didn't quite get this but I am assuming that you mean a loop that could be added to an existing template that is somehow configurable and formattable right? (configurable meaning data select and formattable meaning font, style, color, placement, etc...)

If so then YES!!!

Yes the template loop would be like:


That would loop your favourites into something like:


You could then obviously customize the html to display the links however you want.

Very cool Paul!

That would work well!

Since MYLinks is tied to a specific user does the plugin use any type of user interface for the user to save their links or is it a tag added to the link.html? *add to MyLinks*

Can a delete from MyLinks be added to the loop that can only be seen by the list owner?

Test Link - delete

This way they can view their own profile including their saved list and manage the MyLinks list from it as well.

Thanks!

It uses a link like you described above in link.html like "Save It"


Indeed :)

Let me know when you are ready to go on this Paul.

I can beta if you need it as well.

Put me down for one!!!

Hi,

I was looking at www.imdb.com and was checking out there MyMovies section and noticed its the same thing as MyLinks plugin. But theres has more features.

I liked the feature that lets people add, create, edit, move, delete folders so people can better organize there favorite links.

Plus I just visited the www.imdb.com site and now its got even more features for sorting the links and folders. You should check it out for ideas.

For myself people being able to add, delete and edit folders for there favorite links is enough.

If you have plans to have these features with the MyLinks plugin It would be great.

Thanks

Mmm looks interesting.

If I used the folder way of organizing links that would mean I couldn't use Teambldr's idea of sorting by category, or should they sort by category within their folders?

maybe a configurable option of using either one:)

The easiest way would be to have it with a couple of premade folders like mystuff or favorites and then people can just rename them to what ever they want.

And the folders and links would be sorted alphabetically.

Cause as a person visiting a site I would like to be able to name folders and add my favorite links to them.

I wouldnt want it to be sorted by category cause my site has tons of categories and it would look messy.

Ok this needs clearing up before I start so you are all happy.

Am I to scrap the grouping by category and just allow custom "folders" instead?

Hello Paul,

I think your plugin is nearly the same like a shopping-basket. You know that GT is working on a shopping-card and user-management solution (community). Could Mylinks be integrated in such a solution?

--
Michael Skaide

http://www.cycle24.de

I actually like the name MyLinks as the folder name.

Renaming this is not important to my use. Others it may be though. So maybe making it to where it is controllable (user rename folders - YES/NO on set up?)

One thought outside this, which I seem to remember from an older post, is the ability to save links from outside the LinksSQL install. If this is a part of the MyLinks then maybe two folders. MyLinks and MyOutsideLinks (or something along those lines)

Anyway, just a couple thoughts.

Thanks Paul!

Yes please. Grouping by category didn't work for sites with links in multiple categories anyway so using folders would make it simpler.

Laura.
The UK High Street

Excellent Paul!

I must say I was pretty bummed after reading you had decided to drop development and support of MyLinks. Especially after buying the plugin and not even getting to put it to use on a live site yet. I was also worried about a few problems other users were having like the multi-category issue Laura was speaking of. It made my night to see you were re-writing and improving upon your extremely useful plug.

I think I'm liking the idea of using folders to organize saved links! Here's a few ideas that may be worth throwing around....

- Have something of a Default (Main) folder which will be the defalt save location until other folders are created by the user.

- Both Admin and User should be able to change the name of this default folder.

- Once user creates new folders they can set a preference to save links directly to the folder of their choice.

- User can also have the preference option to be asked what folder they want their link saved in....

Example: User clicks "Save it" and then they are asked what folder they would like to save their link to via a select form.

- User can select if each folder is public or private.

Well maybe something like that....

I really like all the old features. The only thing I could live without would be the Font select in the preferences but the rest I'd think about keeping and improving on.

Hope to see the New MyLinks out soon so I can get it in my site before I launch in the upcoming weeks.

Best of luck Paul!

My brains fried and it's past my bed time.

Nite Nite

Thanks, there are some cool ideas there.

I am a real newbie around here but I like this idea.

CCUnet
my Christian web

I've set it up so that the administrator can specify the default folder names that each user can select from when adding links. Admin can also specify whether users can create new folders or not.

purrrrrrfect!

I'd like to see it work with cookies. I know that I've gone to many sites to do some research, and was excited to see a "Mylinks" type of feature, but I would not end up using it because of the signup process simply wasn't worth it. A couple of bookmarks turned out to be much easier. So my vote is to have it work with cookies, even if it's feature limited.

The original version uses cookies but everyone seemed to want the database version otherwise if your cookies are wiped you lose all your saved links or if you use a different computer.

There is no additional signup process with the plugin, it uses the built-in Links SQL signup, although I guess if your site doesn't require user signups then it is an extra step.

I'll consider adding cookie ability for logged out users but I don't guarantee it will be added :(