11. How To's

     11.1 How to Create Your Front Page or Index Page in 10 Minutes or Less
     11.2 How to block automated submission services and spammers from using the 'Add URL' forms.
     11.3 How to block automated submission services and spammers from using the 'Comments' forms.
     11.4 How to enable Reciprocal Link Checking
     11.5 How to let submitters upload images
     11.6 How to add Extra Fields
     11.7 How to configure your ADD URL templates when you have extra fields/keys
     11.8 How to configure your MODIFY templates when you have extra fields/keys
     11.9 How to Set Up Advanced Searches to Search Extra Fields/Keys.
     11.10 How to block automated submission services and spammers from using the 'Broken Link Report' forms
     11.11 How to charge for standard listings
     11.12 How to provide RSS feeds from categories
     11.13 How to embed Videos with link listings

11.1 Howto: How to create your Front Page or Index page in 10 minutes or less

In this Howto we will use JavaScript includes to create your front page. This tutorial uses the easiest method of creating your front page and will give you a very good idea to use the functions explained to create category lists of your categories for example. There are a couple of other methods to create your front page. They are explained here: 5.11 How to create your front page

Step 1. Set up your main categories for display Go to your PowerSeek Control Panel and click on the Plug-In's tab. After that click on the 'Category Includes' link. A popup window will appear. Click the button called 'Add Category Include'. Now supply an Include Name. In this example, use the name myfront Now enter the Category ID as 0 (zero). This will indicate that we are going to display the Root categories of you Directory. After that, go through the settings. You can also leave the rest of the settings as they are to change them at a later stage. After going through the settings click the 'Add' button. Now you have just created a Category Include so that you can include your front page categories inside any web page.

Step 2. Create a Front Page (Html File)

In the previous step you have set up a Category Include which you will include in any ordinary HTML file.

Now start up your web editor and choose to create a new HTML file. Save it as myindex.html or any name you choose. You can also use the following HTML code and save it in the file called 'myindex.html':

Step 3. Insert JavaScript Code Into Your Front Page to include your front page categories

Now you should have created a file called myindex.html

Go back to the Category Includes popup window where you added the new Category Include in Step 1. You will see the Include Name, myfront with edit, delete, etc. options next to it.

Click on the Generate / Get HTML link. After that you will be presented with Scrolling Text Boxes containing JavaScript Code. Copy and paste the JavaScript code into the page (myindex.html) you have just created. The myindex.html will then look something like this:

Save the file and upload it to any location on your web host. After the file was uploaded, load the file inside your browser window and you will see that your main categories is included inside the page automatically. When you generate HTML files, this include is automatically updated to reflect changes of your main categories if there was changes.

11.2 How to block automated submission services and spammers from using the 'Add URL' forms.

If you have PowerSeek ver 2.4+ then image authentication will be turned on by default. If you have an earlier version then you will need to follow the steps below to turn on image authentication.

The image authentication function will enable you to display images where submitters need to type the matching letters displayed on the images. This ensures that automated software are unable to submit submissions because the automated scripts will not be able to read the images to supply the matching letters displayed as images. In other words the image authentication creates a situation where the 'add url' form needs to be completed by hand.

1. To enable image authentication go to the Control Panel >> Settings >> Global Engine Settings - then scroll down to the 'New Submission settings' section and set 'Enable Image Authentication:' to 'Yes'.

2. Now go to the Control Panel >> Template Manager.

Edit your 'Add URL' template & 'Premium Add URL' templates to include a fill-in-box with the name 'letters' and a variable called %%imgbox%% as the value - also add a hidden variable with the name 'ia' and value !!ia!! - see the add_url_med.html and add_url_medp.html (it comes with the latest version of PowerSeek) for an example of what needs to be included in the 'Add URL' and 'Premium Add URL' form.

If you are unsure on what to do in this step, just take the add_url_med.html and add_url_medp.html templates from the latest version of the .zip installation archive and re-customize them and use them instead. If you are using the 'Add Url Form' for large search engine support (add_url.html and add_urlp.html) then you will need to edit add_url.html and add_urlp.html instead of add_url_med.html and add_url_medp.html

3. Go to the Control Panel >> Settings >> Text Configurations - Under the 'Add URL' section the last fill-in-box will be blank. Enter the following text inside this fill-in-box: The letters you typed, did not match the image letters displayed to you.

How to turn off image authentication

1. To disable image authentication go to the Control Panel >> Settings >> Global Engine Settings - then scroll down to the 'New Submission settings' section and set 'Enable Image Authentication:' to 'No'.

2. Now go to the Control Panel >> Template Manager. Edit your 'Add URL' and 'Add Premium URL' templates and remove the fill-in-box with the name 'letters'. Also remove the %%imgbox%% variable from the templates. If you are using the 'Add Url Form' for large search engine support then you will need to edit add_url.html and add_urlp.html   instead of add_url_med.html and add_url_medp.html

11.3 How to block automated submission services and spammers from using the 'Comments' forms.

If you have PowerSeek ver 2.4.2+ then image authentication for the reviews/comments pages will be turned on by default. If you have an earlier version then you will need to follow the steps below to turn on image authentication.

The image authentication function will enable you to display images where submitters need to type the matching letters displayed on the images. This ensures that automated software is unable to submit because the automated scripts will not be able to read the images to supply the matching letters displayed as images. In other words the image authentication creates a situation where the 'comments' form needs to be completed by hand.

1. To enable image authentication go to the Control Panel >> Settings >> Global Engine Settings - then scroll down to the 'Comment/Reviews and Submission Settings' section and set 'Enable Image Authentication:' to 'Yes'.

2. Now go to the Control Panel >> Template Manager.

Edit your 'Link Info' (linkinfo.html) and 'Main Review Page' (review_it.html) templates to include a fill-in-box with the name 'letters' and a variable called %%imgbox%% as the value - also add a hidden variable with the name 'ia' and value !!ia!! - see the linkinfo.html and review_it.html (it comes with the latest version of PowerSeek) for an example of what needs to be included in the 'Link Info' and 'Main Review Page' form.

If you are unsure on what to do in this step, just take the linkinfo.html andreview_it.html templates from the latest version of the .zip installation archive and re-customize them and use them instead.

Remember that if your running a static directory you will need to regenerate the html files for the changes to take place.

How to turn off image authentication

1. To disable image authentication go to the Control Panel >> Settings >> Global Engine Settings - then scroll down to the 'Comment/Reviews and Submission Settings' section and set 'Enable Image Authentication:' to 'No'.

2. Now go to the Control Panel >> Template Manager. Edit your 'Link Info'  and 'Main Review Page' templates and remove the fill-in-box with the name 'letters'. Also remove the %%imgbox%% variable from the templates.

 

11.4 How to enable Reciprocal Link Checking

The reciprocal link checker will check if a submitter placed a link to your web site when he/she does a submission. You can have this enabled when visitors submit standard and/or premium links. If you are new to PowerSeek then it would be best to first customize the look and feel of your Search Engine and Directory before you enable the reciprocal link checker. This will ensure that you are familiar with the terms and references in the instructions below.

Follow the following steps to enable reciprocal link checking:

Step 1 - Enabled the Reciprocal Link Checker Settings

Go to the Powerseek Control Panel >> Settings >> Global Engine Settings >> Submission Settings

Look for 3 settings that reads:

Enable the reciprocal link checker for standard URL's?
If you would like to check for a reciprocal link when a visitors submits a standard link then set this to 'Yes'.

Enable the reciprocal link checker for premium URL's?
If you would like to check for a reciprocal link when a visitors submits a premium link then set this to 'Yes'.

If you answered 'Yes' above then specify the URL that should be looked for at the submitters web site:
On your submission forms you will need to provide the submitter with HTML code that he/she can place on his/her web site. This HTML code will need to include a URL to your web site. Specify that URL in this setting. The reciprocal link checker will connect to the submitters web site and download the page and look for this URL inside the page. The page it downloads will be the the reciprocal link the submitter provides on the Add URL form.

Step 2 - Edit Add URL forms

Go to the Powerseek Control Panel >> Template Manager >> Edit your Add URL forms. These are the forms that is displayed to visitors when they need to enter their link details to do a submission.

If you enabled reciprocal link checking for standard links then edit your standard Add URL form. Add the following to the form:

Reciprocal Link: <input type="text" name="reciprocal" size="45"> (This it the URL on your web site where you have placed a link to us)

If you enabled reciprocal link checking when visitors submit a premium link then edit the Premium Add URL form as well and add the same HTML code.

Now you will only be able to accept submissions from visitors who have placed a link to your web site.

11.5 How to let submitters upload images

If you are new to PowerSeek then it would be best to first get familiar with the template system. First customize the look and feel of your Search Engine and then come back to enable image uploading. You can find out how to customize the look and feel of your search engine by clicking here. First customizing the look and feel of your Search Engine will help you understand the terms and instructions below much easier as you will be familiar with the template system.

To let visitors upload an image with their link submission following the following steps:

 

Step 1 - Image Upload Settings

Go to the Powerseek Control Panel >> Settings >> Global Engine Settings >> Directory/Category Settings

Look for a settings that reads:

If you are using an uploaded image with link listings and there is no image for the link listing then you can specify the path to a default image that will display: (Leaving it blank will results in nothing being displayed)
If you would like to display a default image with link listings that has no image then provide the path to the image here.

Would you like uploaded images displayed with link listings to have a fixed width and height? If so then please supply the width and height. If not then set the values to be zero.
Here you can set a fixed width and height for all uploaded images with link listings.

Enable image uploading from submission forms?
If you want visitors to be able to upload images with their submissions then set this setting to 'Yes'.

What is the maximum size of an image file that may be uploaded?
Images exceeding this size will not be accepted.

 

Step 2 -  Edit Add URL forms to include an Upload Field

Go to the Powerseek Control Panel >> Template Manager >> Edit your Add URL forms. These are the forms that is displayed to visitors when they need to enter their link details to do a submission.

Open the Add URL forms for standard and premium links. Look at the source of the form and find the form declaration. It will look something like this:

<form method="POST" action="!!addurlcgi!!">

Modify it so that it looks like this:

<form method="POST" action="!!addurlcgi!!"   ENCTYPE="multipart/form-data">

You need to modify the form declaration to indicate that we are now also accepting a file to be uploaded. The part you add to the form declaration is: ENCTYPE="multipart/form-data"

Now add the following to the Add URL form: (This is the upload field that visitors will see when submitting a link)

Upload an image: <input type="file" name="image" size="51">

You may click this link to see an example of how an Add URL template with upload field looks like.

 

Step 3 -  Edit Modify forms to include an Upload Field

Go to the Powerseek Control Panel >> Template Manager >> Edit the 'Modify Link Standard' and 'Modify Link Premium' templates and add the following to both templates:

Like in step 2 modify the form declaration of both templates. Change the line reading:

<form method="POST" action="!!addurlcgi!!">

Change it so that it looks like this:

<form method="POST" action="!!addurlcgi!!"   ENCTYPE="multipart/form-data">

Now add the following code inside the form:

%%image%% [imgtext]No Image Available[endimgtxt]

In the line above %%image%% is replaced by a previously uploaded image. The text between the [imgtext] and [/endimgtxt] tags will be displayed if no image is available for the link. If an image is available then this text won't be displayed. You can also specify your own text between the  [imgtext] and [/endimgtxt] tags. (It is customizable)

Now also add the following to the form:

[delbtext]Delete Image?[enddelbtext] %%delete_checkbox%%

In the line above the text between [delbtext] and [enddelbtext] will be displayed when an image is available for the link. You can customize this text by specifying your own text. (between the [delbtext] and [enddelbtext] tags). The %%delete_checkbox%% is replaced by a checkbox that users modifying their links can check if they want to remove the image from their listing.

Now also add the following to the form:

Now add the following to the form as well: (This is the upload field that visitors will see when modifying their link to be able to upload a new image and replace the old image)

Upload an image: <input type="file" name="image" size="51">

You may click this link to see an example of how a Modify template with upload field looks like.

 

Step 4 - Customizing link style templates

This section explains how to include uploaded images with links. (when visitors are browsing categories or searching for links, etc.) To include images with links that users uploaded do the following:

Go to the Powerseek Control Panel >> Settings >> Template Manager

Edit the following templates: tmplsearch.html, tmplsearch_prem.html, linkinfo.html, linkinfop.html, lsearchres_loc.html, lsearchres_loc_prem.html, whatsnew_lists.html,  whatsnew_lists_prem.html,
tophits_listings.html, tophits_listings_prem.html

The above mentioned templates are all link style templates. It defines how link listings will look like when they are displayed.

To each template add the variable word !!link_image!! - This word will be replaced by the uploaded image for links. If the link has no image and you chose to have a default image displayed in the settings as explained in step 2 above then the default image will display. If no default image was specified then nothing will display.

11.6 How to Add Extra Fields

Please see:

• 3.5 Extra Field/Key Settings

11.7 How to configure your ADD URL templates when you have extra fields/keys

This section explains how you can collect extra information via your extra fields/keys from submitters when they submit links. For example: Let's say you have two extra fields called: 'city' and 'country'. To collect values for 'city' and 'country' from the Add URL forms/pages you will need to have fill-in boxes in your Add URL forms for these fields when submitters submit new submissions.

If you have other extra fields/keys defined then you may get the names of them by going to the Control Panel >> Settings >> Extra Fields/Keys

To add fill-in-boxes for these extra fields to your ADD URL forms go to the Control Panel >> Template Manager

Now edit the Add URL and Premium Add URL templates. These are the templates that is displayed to submitters where submitters supply the details of their link. An example of the standard Add URL template can be found here.

Now we need to add two fill-in boxes named 'city' and 'country' so that submitters can provide a 'City' and 'Country' when they do submissions for example. We will add the following code to the 'Add URL' form for example:

<input type="text" name="city" size="22">
<input type="text" name="country" size="22">

Note that the names of the fill-in-boxes needs to be the names of the extra fields.

Also see:

• 3.5.1 How to add an extra field

• 11.4 How to enable Reciprocal Link Checking

• 11.5 How to let submitters upload images

• 11.6 How to add extra fields/keys after PowerSeek has been installed.
  

 

11.8 How to configure your MODIFY templates when you have extra fields/keys

This section explains how to enable submitters to modify their links which has extra fields. In this section we will use 'city' and 'country' as examples as extra fields. Let's say you have just added extra fields and you have customized your Add URL forms to collect extra information from submitters for the extra fields. To add the extra fields to modify forms so that submitters can modify the extra field values of their links, do the following:

Go to the Control Panel >> Template Manager. Now edit the 'Modify/Edit Link Standard' and 'Modify Link Premium' templates.

Let's say for example that you have 2 extra fields called 'city' and 'country'. You can get the names of your extra fields by going to the Control Panel >> Settings >> Extra Fields/Keys.

For the 2 extra fields in this example the following will need to be added to the modify template (in the scope of the form):

<input type="text" name="city" size="30" value="%%city%%">
<input type="text" name="country" size="30" value="%%country%%">

Note that the names of the fill-in-boxes needs to be the names of the extra fields. The values needs to be the names of the extra fields enclosed by: %%

Also See:

• 3.5.1 How to add an extra field

• 11.5 How to let submitters upload images

11.9 How to Set Up Advanced Searches to Search Extra Fields/Keys.

The advanced search functionality that comes with PowerSeek can enable you to create custom searches where only specific extra fields or normal fields can be searched. Follow the instructions below to only have specified fields or extra fields searched.

Step 1

Create a normal HTML page where the specialized/custom/advanced search will be done from. This HTML page will normally contain your graphics and logo's, etc.

Step 2

We will now create a form for the specialized/custom/advanced search page. Place the following code inside the HTML page: (Ignore the numbers on the left - they are there just to indicate the line numbers for our example)

Below we will analyze the advanced search form and make some changes according to your needs.

Line 1: <form method="POST" action="http://www.yourdomain.com/cgi-bin/pseek/search.cgi">

In this line replace http://www.yourdomain.com/cgi-bin/pseek/search.cgi with the path to your PowerSeek's search.cgi

Line 2: <input type="hidden" name="fct" value="advanced">

This line indicates that we are going to do an advanced search.

Line 3: <p>Your Keywords: <input type="text" name="keywords" size="59" value></p>

This line defines the keyword box where keywords are supplied for the search.

Line 5: <input type="checkbox" name="title" value="title" checked>Title&nbsp;

In this line we specify that a checkbox will be provided where the visitor can check the checkbox if he/she would like the Titles of links to be searched. If you don't want to offer this functionality then remove this line.

Line 6: <input type="checkbox" name="diz" value="description" checked>Description&nbsp;

In this line we specify that a checkbox will be provided where the visitor can check the checkbox if he/she would like the Descriptions of links to be searched. If you don't want to offer this functionality then remove this line.

Line 7-8: In these lines we specify that there should be checkboxes to search Keywords and URL's. If you don't want to offer this functionality then remove these lines. (or one of the lines)

Line 9: <input type="checkbox" name="city" value="city" checked>URL</p>

Let's say that we have two custom or extra fields/keys defined in this example. The names of these fields are 'city' and 'country'. You can see what extra fields you have by going to the Control Panel >> Settings >> Extra Fields/Keys.

In this line we provide a checkbox where a visitor can choose if he/she would like to search the custom/extra field 'city'. Note that the name of the checkbox is 'city' and the value is also 'city'. This indicates that the extra field 'city' should be searched if the the checkbox has the value 'city'. (the checkbox will only pass on a value if it is checked)

If you don't want to offer this functionality then remove this line.

Line 10: In this line we offer the visitor the option of searching the 'Country' extra or custom field/key.

Lines 12-17: These lines provide the visitor with options on how to search.

Line 18: Defines the search button.

More Options and ways to provide the advanced/specialized/custom search.

• Let's say you would only like visitors to search the 'country' field for example. Let's also say you would not like to provide a checkbox as an option but would like the search to only search the 'country' field by default. In this case you would use a hidden value instead of a checkbox to indicate that the 'country' field should be searched. An example of this can be found below:

<form method="POST" action="http://www.yourdomain.com/cgi-bin/pseek/search.cgi">
<input type="hidden" name="fct" value="advanced">
<p>Your Keywords: <input type="text" name="keywords" size="59" value></p>
<input type="hidden" name="city" value="city">
<p>Search with:<br>
<input type="radio" value="internal" name="mtype" checked>
Determine the best matches for me.<br>
<input type="radio" value="andkeywords" name="mtype">
All the keywords supplied must match a link before it will be displayed as a match.<br>
<input type="radio" value="phrase" name="mtype">
Search with the exact phrase. (The phrase must match to find a match)</p>
<p><input type="submit" value="Search" name="B1"></p>
</form>

If you would like both 'city' and 'country' extra fields to be searched then it will look like this:

<form method="POST" action="http://www.yourdomain.com/cgi-bin/pseek/search.cgi">
<input type="hidden" name="fct" value="advanced">
<p>Your Keywords: <input type="text" name="keywords" size="59" value></p>
<input type="hidden" name="city" value="city">
<input type="hidden" name="country" value="country">
<p>Search with:<br>
<input type="radio" value="internal" name="mtype" checked>
Determine the best matches for me.<br>
<input type="radio" value="andkeywords" name="mtype">
All the keywords supplied must match a link before it will be displayed as a match.<br>
<input type="radio" value="phrase" name="mtype">
Search with the exact phrase. (The phrase must match to find a match)</p>
<p><input type="submit" value="Search" name="B1"></p>
</form>

11.10 How to block automated submission services and spammers from using the 'Broken Link Report'

If you have PowerSeek ver 3.0.4 and up then image authentication will be turned on by default when visitors report problems with links. If you have an earlier version than PowerSeek ver 3.0.4 then you will need to follow the following steps to turn it on.

The image authentication function will enable you to display images where visitors reporting problems with links need to type the matching letters displayed on the images. This ensures that automated software are unable to submit spam because the automated scripts will not be able to read the images to supply the matching letters displayed as images. In other words the image authentication creates a situation where the 'Report Broken Link' form needs to be completed by hand.

Step 1: To enable image authentication for the 'Report Broken Links' function go to the Control Panel >> Settings >> Global Engine Settings - then scroll down to to the setting reading: 'Enable Image Authentication for the 'Report Broken Links' function:' - Set this setting to 'Yes'.

Step 2: Now go to the Control Panel >> Template Manager.

Edit your 'Report Broken Links' template to include a fill-in-box with the name 'letters' and the text %%imgbox%%. %%imgbox%% will be replaced by images that will be displayed. Also include the text or variable word !!problem!! somewhere in the form. This will be replaced by text telling the user that he/she typed the letters wrongly for images displayed. (In such an event)

If you are unsure on what to do in this step, just take the brokenlink.html template from the latest version of the .zip installation archive and re-customize it and use this template instead.

How to turn off image authentication

Step 1. To disable image authentication for the 'Report Broken Links' function go to the Control Panel >> Settings >> Global Engine Settings - then scroll down to to the setting reading: 'Enable Image Authentication for the 'Report Broken Links' function:' - Set this setting to 'No'.

2. Now go to the Control Panel >> Template Manager. Edit your 'Report Broken Link' template and remove the fill-in-box with the name 'letters'. Also remove the %%imgbox%% variable from the templates.

11.11 How to charge for standard listings

To additionally charge for standard listings, go to the
PowerSeek Admin Control Panel >> Plugins >> Premium Link Manager >> Premium Link Settings

Now supply the URL to your order processor's order in the second fill-in-box. (Where asked if you would like to charge for standard listings)

You can leave the fill in box blank if you don't want to charge for standard listings.

11.12 How to provide RSS Feeds from categories

To provide RSS from categories, go to the
PowerSeek Admin Control Panel >> Settings >> RSS Feed Configuration

Go through the configuration to check if there is anything you would like to change about the feed.

After that go to the
PowerSeek Admin Control Panel >> Template Manager >> Now edit the template called: defdir.html

Add the variable word !!rss!! where you would like the RSS Feed button to be displayed inside categories.

11.13 How to embed videos with link listings

This section explains how to add video files to the 'link info' or also referred to as 'more info' pages of link listings. The 'link info' pages are individual pages that are normally generated so that each link listing has it's individual page. The 'more info' pages provides you with the ability to list extra or extended information of link listings where it would not be practical to list everything with other link listings inside a category.

Note that this functionality is only available from PowerSeek Ver 3.2.2 and up.

To embed video's (.avi, .asf, .wmv, etc. files) do the following:

1. First upload a video file for any link listing you have. This can be done by editing any link.

2. Go to the PowerSeek Control Panel >> Template Manager and click to edit the 'link info' template to edit it. (linkinfo.html)

3. Inside the HTML source of this template add the HTML code indicated below somewhere where you would like to place the video that is to be played when viewing the details of the link listing on the 'link info' page. Add the following HTML code to the page:

<embed SRC="!!link_file!!" width="128" height="128"></embed>

Below is an explanation of the various elements of the HTML code above.

• The embed tag tells the web browser that we are embedding something into the web page.

• The !!link_file!! word is a PowerSeek variable that will be replaced by a path to a video file uploaded by you.

• The width and height properties indicate the width and the height of the video. Note that these have to be present.

4. If you are going to have link listings that does not contain video then you will need to have a 'default video' file displayed else a 'broken image' will apear if no video is available. To solve this problem you can make use of a default video file displaying that a video will 'come soon' or something similar. You may use this video file (right click and click 'save as' to get the file) for that purpose or create one of your own.

First upload soon.wmv to your web site.

To specify that the default video file should be used if there is no video file available for listings, go to the Control Panel >> Settings >> Global Engine Settings >> 3. Directory/Category Listing Settings - Look for the setting reading:
'If you are using an uploaded image with link listings and there is no image for the link listing then you can specify the path to a default image that will display: (Leaving it blank will results in nothing being displayed)'

Specify the URL path to soon.wmv that you uploaded.

Now also look for the setting that reads: 'What is the maximum size of an image file that may be uploaded?' - Set this setting to an exceptable size.

5. If you want users (who submit links) to be able to upload video files or any other file types with their link submissions then follow the instructions in:
11.5 How to let submitters upload images - Instead of users uploading images they will be uploading videos.

6. You should have now done everything to display videos with link listings. You can now preview the 'link info' page of the link where you have uploaded a video file as indicated in step 1. You should then see the video you uploaded playing. You can click the 'preview' link in the 'Dir Manager' when browsing through your categories to navigate to the 'link info' page that contains the video.

 

Notes:

• If you want the 'more info' pages of 'premium links' to also display videos then you have to edit the linkinfop.html template as well to include the <embed> tags as explained in step 3 above.

• You can create categories that hold video files and categories that hold other file types like .pdf files or image files. This can be done by using the custom template functionality of PowerSeek.