Kindly Suggest (except vBulletin)

[Mujahid Taban]

Hello,

I have a vBulletin Forum Script for providing PDF books since three years. It is a good forum software BUT is not good for uploading and downloading of files.

I have searched a looooooooooooooot but I cant find any script/cms/blog/etc which could accomplish some features of what I need. I tried Wordpress, Joomla, Drupal and some others but...

Requirements:

- Uploading Progress (like xF have)
- Download Resume (like vB have)
- Uploaded File shown with its size (like every Forum Script have)
- SEO Friendly URLs (like vBSEO, xF, WP, etc)
- Limitation based on usergroup: number of downloads per hour/day/week/etc (vB have addon to do this)
- Limitation based on usergroup: data size can be downloaded per hour/day/week/etc Must (I have seen this only on file sharing websites like rapidshare, megaupload, mediafire, etc. I dont know if ANY script have it or not. If there is any, please tell me the URL.)

I am going to start a new site which will have more than 800GB PDF files. I want to limit/restrict the bandwidth based on usergroups (e.g; Bronze, Silver, Gold). I dont want a user to become a Premium Member for a week and overload my server by downloading all 800GB within week.

After going through a lot, I have decided to ask here with the hope of getting suggestions.

 

[Floris]

Sounds like you're a click away from buying XenForo .. then.

 

[Digital Doctor]

MercDownloads is being created/revamped as we speak. Beta1 here.
That being said, downloads sound like a very very important part of your site.
Downloads sound more important than forums for your site.

I would suggest finding a php script dedicated to your specific download requirements and bridging that script to Xenforo.

or see if MercDownloads could fit your needs.

 

[Mujahid Taban]

MercDownloads is being created as we speak.

Thanks! I will be watching news about MercDownloads.

That being said, downloads sound like a very very important part of your site.
Downloads sound more important than forums for your site.

Yes, you're 99.9% right.

I would suggest finding a php script dedicated to your specific download requirements and bridging that script to Xenforo.
or see if MercDownloads could fit your needs.

It seems MercDownloads dont have the features I am talking about.

php script dedicated to your specific download requirements

This is exactly what I am looking for and need suggestions.

 

[Lucas]

Custom made script? Sounds like you know what you need, sometimes to accomplish that you must put your resources elsewhere rather than an already made script. Or use one already made and have someone code you a mod to do it your way?

 

[Digital Doctor]

When I google: php download script limit per day [google]
I see lots of information.
hotscripts often has many scripts, some of which are good.

I would look at vBulletin.org and .com and see which scripts people migrated to after not finding a vBulletin addon that met their needs.

You might want to also post your requirements on some of the forums listed in the above google.

I added the word php which I felt might make the download script more bridgeable with xenforo ... but possibly the best download script is not php-based .... so you might drop that search term.

The script you are looking for is probably best described as a: file hosting script. Google that.
I see the first hit in that google is digitalpoint ... they are usually a non-biased source.

 

[Sadik B]

I have a download section on my main site which does exactly what you want. Check out Oracle Documents Download.

I am using DownloadsII with vbulletin. DownloadsII allows you to set download limits per usergroup. I have written a plugin myself to check whether a user has downloaded before uploading. It's just a one line if condition in a hook. I have also integrated DownloadsII with Scribd, which is a lot more work though. This allows people to see docs before downloading. I have disabled printing, copying, selecting text etc. all of which is possible with scribd's excellent API.

My suggestion is that if you already have a VBulletin forum and need great download support you should go with DownloadsII. You may have to do some customization of the script but DII is an excellent Mod, one of the best ever written in my opinion with it's own hooks which you can use.

Another suggestion is that you should wait for Kier to release the Resource Manager. I will consider moving my main site to Xenforo once I have evaluated the resource manager and seen how much effort it would take me to customize it for my need.

 

[Mujahid Taban]

When I google: php download script limit per day [google]
I see lots of information.
hotscripts often has many scripts, some of which are good.

You might want to also post your requirements on some of the forums listed in the above google.

I added the word php which I felt might make the download script more bridgeable with xenforo ... but possibly the best download script is not php-based .... so you might drop that search term.

The script you are looking for is probably best described as a: file hosting script. Google that.
I see the first hit in that google is digitalpoint ... they are usually a non-biased source.

After reading your post, I have searched a lot but there is not even one file hosting script which could be used to have a nice website. Some scripts were found having some features I want but they were with too ugly interface. Forum software interface is my favorite (especially xF's).

I would look at vBulletin.org and .com and see which scripts people migrated to after not finding a vBulletin addon that met their needs.

Thanks a looooooooooooooooooooooooot for this suggestion!! Due to this, I have found a solution. This should have been my first approach.

 

[Mujahid Taban]

I have a download section on my main site which does exactly what you want. Check out Oracle Documents Download.

I am using DownloadsII with vbulletin. DownloadsII allows you to set download limits per usergroup. I have written a plugin myself to check whether a user has downloaded before uploading. It's just a one line if condition in a hook. I have also integrated DownloadsII with Scribd, which is a lot more work though. This allows people to see docs before downloading. I have disabled printing, copying, selecting text etc. all of which is possible with scribd's excellent API.

My suggestion is that if you already have a VBulletin forum and need great download support you should go with DownloadsII. You may have to do some customization of the script but DII is an excellent Mod, one of the best ever written in my opinion with it's own hooks which you can use.

WOW! Your customization of DownloadsII is excellent.

Using DownloadsII some features are very possible with vbulletin but I dont like vB4. This is why I mentioned "(except vBulletin)" in the title.

The ONLY reason is that I am NOT happy with vB4. I was quite happy with vB3 BUT since I upgraded blah blah blah (same things discussed a lot at vBulletin.com Community Forums)

When I purchased vB, I loved it more than any other script BUT ...........

Another suggestion is that you should wait for Kier to release the Resource Manager. I will consider moving my main site to Xenforo once I have evaluated the resource manager and seen how much effort it would take me to customize it for my need.

There is almost NO info available about Resource Manager. I have seen ONLY one screenshot here and thats all. If there are more updates, kindly tell me.

 

[Digital Doctor]

Thanks a looooooooooooooooooooooooot for this suggestion!! Due to this, I have found a solution. This should have been my first approach.

No problem good luck.

 

[Sadik B]

WOW! Your customization of DownloadsII is excellent.

Using DownloadsII some features are very possible with vbulletin but I dont like vB4. This is why I mentioned "(except vBulletin)" in the title.

The ONLY reason is that I am NOT happy with vB4. I was quite happy with vB3 BUT since I upgraded blah blah blah (same things discussed a lot at vBulletin.com Community Forums)

When I purchased vB, I loved it more than any other script BUT ...........

There is almost NO info available about Resource Manager. I have seen ONLY one screenshot here and thats all. If there are more updates, kindly tell me.

This is obviously not a place to discuss vbulletin, but I will just say one thing. For all it's flaws, VBulletin is still the most feature rich and versatile forum script out there with the largest no. quality of addons. You most certainly don't need to go with VB4, VB3.8 will do the job just fine. VB is good software no doubt, but in the hands of a skilled programmer, it becomes exceptional. Look at digitalpoint or allnurses.com. They are examples of everything you can do with VB. My own humble Oracle forums have a great deal of customizations which are not immediately apparent. If your need is a great forum and a great downloads community, VB and DII present a very compelling case.

Another option we have not mentioned is IPB's Download script. I have personally not tested it but IPB have a very good reputation in producing quality software. You may like to try out their Demo.

About Xenforo's Resource Manager, my feeling is that it will be quite long time coming. First they will release it on xf.com for addons here. Maybe after few months of that we may see it released. So overall I do not see the resource manager coming to the public for at least another six months. However, I have seen Xenforo's code quality and Kier and Mike's attention to detail and ability to understand market needs. My strong opinion is that Xenforo's Resource Manager will be absolutely kick ass and every bit exceptional. Those are the kind of standards the team here have set.

Final word based on my opinion is, if you are in a hurry, go with VB3.8 + DII or VB4+DII. If not, wait for XF's Resource Manager.

 

[Mujahid Taban]

This is obviously not a place to discuss vbulletin, but I will just say one thing. For all it's flaws, VBulletin is still the most feature rich and versatile forum script out there with the largest no. quality of addons. You most certainly don't need to go with VB4, VB3.8 will do the job just fine. VB is good software no doubt, but in the hands of a skilled programmer, it becomes exceptional. Look at digitalpoint or allnurses.com. They are examples of everything you can do with VB. My own humble Oracle forums have a great deal of customizations which are not immediately apparent. If your need is a great forum and a great downloads community, VB and DII present a very compelling case.

• Actually I'm an electrical engineer not a programmer thats why I'm looking for a script otherwise I would have developed my own. I started websites just for fun as a hobby but later I had to keep them going because of the response from members.
• I dont want to listen anything about vB and dont want to say anything about it. As webmaster I ONLY know basics of html, php, css which I learned from w3schools. With this little knowledge I cant even think about digitalpoint or allnurses.com and documents section of club-oracle.com too. digitalpoint sure have a skilled programmer because since vB4 was installed on digitalpoint, he was removing all of vB's securities flaws and bugs on his forum himself (before vB did) which I cant do thats why I want to pay to a script developer who handles it in a satisfying way.

Another option we have not mentioned is IPB's Download script. I have personally not tested it but IPB have a very good reputation in producing quality software. You may like to try out their Demo.

• Earlier I said, "I have found a solution". Thats actually IPB's Download script. It is currently the best download script I have come across. Also, I am quoting a reply of IPS Staff which made me think a little more about IPB's Download script.
  

  I would not be opposed to looking into such controls in a future version.

About Xenforo's Resource Manager, my feeling is that it will be quite long time coming. First they will release it on xf.com for addons here. Maybe after few months of that we may see it released. So overall I do not see the resource manager coming to the public for at least another six months. However, I have seen Xenforo's code quality and Kier and Mike's attention to detail and ability to understand market needs. My strong opinion is that Xenforo's Resource Manager will be absolutely kick ass and every bit exceptional. Those are the kind of standards the team here have set.

Final word based on my opinion is, if you are in a hurry, go with VB3.8 + DII or VB4+DII. If not, wait for XF's Resource Manager.

xF is no doubt the best. I have my hopes up for xF Resource Manager. And, yes, I'm in a hurry thats why I'm going with IP.Downloads BUT I will move to xF Resource Manager if it will have features I need.

 

[Digital Doctor]

VB3.8 will do the job just fine.

Isn't vB3 EOL ? ie. no support ?

 

[Sadik B]

Isn't vB3 EOL ? ie. no support ?

They have discontinued updates. Security patches are still released if and when flaws are discovered.