ULTRANERDS

Plugin Description

Admin Panel: http://www.gossamerlinks.com/cgi-bin/imagesql/admin/admin.cgi 

User Side: http://www,gossamerlinks.com/cgi-bin/imagesql/page.cgi

Please note, that static pages are also possible, but if you want to use that kind of feel, then mod_rewrite is recommended, as this gives better search engine rankings.

Live Site Demo: http://www.newbys-nova.com (nb: this is using an OLD version of ImageSQL, the most current is the above link)

Plugin Requirements

System requirements are:

• A current version of Perl 5 (version 5.004 or better),
• Perl database modules: DBI and the appropriate DBD module for your database. If you have database access, these modules are almost always available.
• Database Server.  We recommend MySQL 3.22+ -- a lightweight, free and very fast SQL server. However for Windows users, Image SQL will run under MS SQL just fine. Image SQL has been tested on MySQL, Postgres, Oracle and MS SQL servers.
• Optional: Image SQL will work under mod_perl for the best performance.  However, this usually requires a dedicated server, and some co-operation from your hosting company.  It's not trivial to install or set up. We can offer dedicated servers with mod_perl setup and configured.
• Optional: To use the PHP front end, you must have PHP v4.02 or better with track_vars and short_open_tag turned on as well as the appropriate database support.

Why not use a host that is set up specifically for ImageSQL?
If you are interested in outsourcing your Image SQL directory, we can provide you with shared or dedicated servers that have been tuned to run Image SQL.  [ See More ]

Features

Directory Features
 

• Image SQL is a versatile directory management system that can manage a categorized database of links, images, resumes, press releases or any other form of information.
• Ability to organize information into unlimited depth of Categories and Sub-categories makes it easy for a visitor to navigate through the database and find the relevant information quickly.
• Completely template based! All the htm/Language is inside our easy to edit templates. This gives you the ability to create multi-language directories, or to brand your content and sell it to other sites, or just to create a completely different look to your site without editing code. CSS support allows you to make site-wide design changes by modifying just a single file.
• Payment Support: Receive payments from users in exchange for adding their links to your directory. Payment options and terms are completely customizable. Supported payment methods include: PayPal, WorldPay, 2CheckOut, Moneris, and Authorize.Net.
• Built in File Support: You can easily add file uploads to Image SQL, making it ideal for any sort of image gallery.
• Automatic Updates: Your current version of Image SQL is auto-detected, and updated files are downloaded from our server automatically.
• Gathering of Information: Visitors to the site can add resources to the database, helping it grow, via a form that inserts the information directly into the database after gaining approval from the site admin.
• Detailed Pages: You can have Image SQL create a separate page per resource, making it ideal for large amount of information like press releases, or product reviews. 
• Multiple Language Support: Because of the ability to use multiple sets of templates, Image SQL can be set up to display information in multiple languages.  Language separate from the code and isolated means that translation of the application is much quicker and easier.
• Multiple Brands Support: Depending on the referrer, you can display different template sets, which allows for branding of the same information for different websites, with the need to maintain only one database of information.
• Category Templates: Each category has the ability to display a different template, giving the administrator the ability to customize the look and feel of each category to match up with its general theme.
• Plugin Interface: Add custom code to the program without changing any core program files.  Lots of user-contributed plugins are available, plus many free plugins contributed by Gossamer. We also have a few paid plugins for features like Banner Management, and Spidering the Web. More plugins are being created all the time!
• Image SQL can be powered by most major databases like Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, Postgres or MySQL and works on almost any platform (Windows, Linux, BSD, Solaris, Unix).
• Auto Install: The program comes as two files, an install file and a data file, and the installation process is completely automated and web based (with optional shell support as well). We also include free installation by our staff if you desire.

• Searching the Database: Image SQL comes with a sophisticated indexed search engine which offers both the traditional boolean search as well as AltaVista style search syntax. You can also search within categories, as well as search on specific fields.
• Powerful Review System: Image SQL comes with a built in review system allowing anonymous reviews or validated reviews. Also available is displaying a users review summary, displaying how helpful a review is and displaying a summary of the votes.
• You can enable a user to register before adding a resource, or let them add one without registering. All resources must be approved by the admin, or a category editor.
• Users can sign up for a newsletter that forwards all new records added in a specific time period.
• New Links: Users can quickly and easily call up a list of all new records added to the database by clicking on the "New Links" hot button.
• Cool Links: If enabled, users can see at a glance what the administrator of the site has tagged as a "Cool Link".
• Top Rated: Image SQL offers visitors the ability to rate a record, and the highest rated records can be quickly displayed by clicking on the "Top Rated" link.
• Random Link: A user can call up one random record if desired by selecting "Random Link".

• Full and complete control over the program's functions, complete web based setup.
• Browse: A familiar "tree" structure showing the categories and the subcategories and the records within the database.
• Validate Records: After a user adds a record, it gets stored in the Validate section of the program where it awaits the scrutiny of the administrator.  If approved, the record can be validated and added to the public display.  If not approved, the admin can choose to simply erase the record or email a reason to the user who added it.
• Validate Users: The administrator can choose whether or not a user needs to be validated before being allowed to add a record to the database.
• Verify: A powerful multi-process link checker. Allows you to make sure your links are still valid. Will even check FTP links!
• Completely Customizable Templates: Incorporates a WYSIWYG editor to aid the administrator in the modification of the program to suit the look and feel of the website into which the application is to be integrated.
• Languages: Easy to edit language sections and Template Globals make Image SQL supremely adaptable to translation.
• Bulk Email: Choose either the entire user-base or a selected few based on search criteria and bulk email everyone on the list, database tags giving you the ability to insert a user's name and other pertinent information into the emails.
• Plugin Manager: A good selection of plug-ins designed to alter the functionality of the program not requiring direct modification of the code is available for free download and install.
• Extensive online help and users guide.
• Integrated SQL Manager to manage your Mysql database (see MysqlMan).