Thank you for your interest in our Download Center Lite. We recommend to read this documentation carefully.
Download Center Lite has been configured in a way that makes it ready to use. You only need to upload all script files to your web server. When you intend to edit the script you should do it step by step. After each change you should run the script to monitor the effects. Doing so enables you to know what change eventually causes an error.
The HTML templates of the script have been generated by the specifications of XHTML 1.0. HTML tags like <br> or <input> contain an ending slash (<br /> or <input type=“text“ name=“field“ />).
Download Center Lite enables you to offer file downloads of any file type on your website. The script delivers the file to the visitor. Once you have installed the script, you need to put a link to the script on one page of the website. That link contains the path to the index.php file of the script as well as the file name of the download file as parameter. Example:
<a href="/download_center/index.php?file_name.txt">Download</a>
The script can be used in two ways. First you can use it, if you want to hide the real path to your download folder on your web server. You can prevent direct access to the download folder.
And second you can make sure that your visitors get the "Save as" dialogue. That prevents file types like PDF, HTML, TXT or Microsoft Office documents from opening instantly.
You can use the Download Center Lite to provide any file type you can think of. The files in the folder "downloads" are examples for the common file types.
The script provides also the possibility to log and count all downloads. The logging feature writes all downloads in a file. You will get information about IP address, host name, file name, date, time, referring site and user agent.
You are also able to count the downloads. That feature writes filename, number of downloads for that file, date and time of the first and the latest download.
The file "index.php" can be viewed as the configuration file of the script. It is possible to duplicate the file and set it up in a different manner. That enables you to run several download centers with the same script core.
The following variables can be edited:
$referring_server | This variable contains all servers that are allowed
to link to the script. If you enter the name of your
server you can prevent all downloads that are referred
by an unauthorized domain. Enter in this variable the
list of domain names and IP addresses that are
authorized to link to your download files.
|
|
If you leave this variable empty the referring server
will not be checked and everyone can link to your
download files.
|
||
$allow_empty_referer | Some tools on the user's side don’t pass the referrer
(referring site) for privacy reasons. That can be a
firewall or a web browser. You can allow the access
with an empty referrer by setting this variable to
"yes" or deny access by setting this variable to "no".
|
|
$ip_banlist | This variable can contain the IP addresses of users
that you never want to access your script. Please be
careful. Different users may use the same IP address
(proxy server). If you do not want to use this feature,
just leave the variable empty.
|
|
$language | You can set here the language. Enter the abbreviation
that also is used in the name of the language file in
the directory "languages" ("en" in languages.en.inc.php
and "de" in languages.de.inc.php).
|
|
$show_error_messages | The default value of this variable is "yes" so during
the configuration process you will get error messages
and hints that help you installing the script. Once
the script configuration have been finished you can
set off these system messages because it is not necessary
to give extern visitors a view in the system.
|
|
$log_downloads | As already described in the introduction you are able do
log downloads. Set the variable to "yes" and make sure
that the directory "log" and the file "log.txt" have
write permissions (chmod 777).
|
|
$count_downloads | If you want the script to count the downloads, set this
variable to "yes" and make sure that the directory "log"
and the file "count.txt" have write permissions (chmod 777).
|
|
$path['downloads'] | Enter in this variable the path to your download folder.
When you do not change the path and leave the default
"./downloads/", the script will use the folder "downloads".
That folder already contains an .htaccess file that protects
the folder from access by an extern visitor. A safer solution
would be to place the download folder outside of the WWW root.
|
|
$path['templates'] | This file contains the path to the directory where the HTML
template are stored.
|
|
$path['logfiles'] | This file contains the path to the directory where the log
files are stored.
|
|
$file[‘template’] | In case that an error occurs the content of that file will
be displayed. You can customize the content of the template
file and deliver your visitors a customized error message.
|
|
$file['log'] | This variable contains the name of the log file.
|
|
$file['count'] | This is the name of the file, where the downloads are counted.
|
|
$add_text | You can add further values, text, variables or other content
to this variable. That content can be displayed in the HTML
templates by using markers/placeholders within curly brackets
{ and }.
|
|
If you want to add your own values to the variable $add_text
please follow the pattern from the example entries.
|
$add_text = array( 'txt_additional' => 'Additional', 'txt_more' => 'More' );
The first part of each entry is the name of the placeholder. In case you want to use the value of txt_addition in your template enter the name of the entry with curly brackets - {txt_addition}. The name must not contain white spaces or special characters. Only allowed is the underscore ( _ ) .
Changes in the HTML template file are only needed, if you want to display a customized error message or some other information like a link to your homepage to your visitors.
The directory "templates" contains the files for the layout. You can use HTML and CSS to customize the layout as you wish.
In case you are using a WYSIWYG editor like Macromedia Dreamweaver, MS Frontpage or NetObjects Fusion please make sure that the software does not make any changes by itself.
The template files contain markers with { and } like: {txt_next_page}. These markers will be replaced by its counterparts from the language file "languages/language.en.inc.php". You are free to edit that file and change the words and phrases. You are also free to replace the markers within the template files by real words or put those markers to other positions within the template file. And you are also able to enhance the language file by using the given pattern.
Amongst those word markers exist the so called Loops. Similar to HTML tags the two parts (<LOOP …>…</LOOP>) must not be separated. If you want to alter the position within the template you move the hole block.
Create the following folder on your web server (with the most FTP clients you are able just to copy the hole script with all folders in one go):
/download_center_lite/ /download_center_lite/downloads/ /download_center_lite/inc/ /download_center_lite/languages/ /download_center_lite/log/ /download_center_lite/templates/
Copy all files to their corresponding folder. Image files (.gif, .jpg, .png) have to be uploaded in binary mode. Every other files have to be uploaded in ASCII mode (text mode).
For the answers to your questions about the script, and for the solutions to your problems with the script, visit our support forum.
You can use the script for free. If you want to run the script without the link to STADTAUS.com you can purchase the full version online.
Contact: http://www.stadtaus.com/en/
More Scripts at STADTAUS.com:
Please visit our project MetaCollection. It is a resource for CGI and PHP related script archives.