How to Implement Members-Only Downloads for Attachments

[⚡JFarrow⌁]

So I made a change to my network this week that I think could be very beneficial to other creators.  I noticed that some of my forum posts have between 5k-7k views but not very many replies, so with a little investigation, i realized that these posts where ones with uploaded attachments such as manuals and guides.

I wrote some javascript to require non-members to be forced to sign up in order to download files from my surveyors network.

Here is the code, which must be placed inside your custom code section at the bottom under all of your other scripts.

<script>
x$('.attachments li a').click(function () {
if (x$('#xn_signout').html() != "Sign Out" || x$('#xn_signout').html() == null) {
x$(window.location).attr('href', 'http://yournetwork.com/main/authorization/signUp');
return false;
}
});
</script>

What happens when yo are not signed in and try to download an attachment is it automatically redirects members to the signup page.  Take a look at this post and try to download the attachment and you'll see what I mean.  Tell me what you think!

By the way my network just crossed the 8200 member mark this week!  Hoo-Ray!  I am very picky about my members...

[Patrick Chappelle]

This is a great tip, but unfortunately I can't use it.

[⚡JFarrow⌁]

why not?

[Patrick Chappelle]

Well, I don't have any files for anyone to download.

[⚡JFarrow⌁]

thanks bro..found this to be extremely useful

[John Valentine]

I was able to download it? But a good idea, anything to make lurkers sign up has to be a good thing.

[David Deubelbeiss]

I have done this for 3 years after repeatedly asking Ning for this capability (the usual/norm for how other networks work).  Well done and it should be a setting (IMHO)

There is a downside - your members won't persistently be signed in when they visit the site and many will appear as anonymous. At least, that is my experience. 

David 

[⚡JFarrow⌁]

glad it worked for you David

[John]

Very nice!

[Cherry]

Hi JFarrow,

I went to your site to see if it worked. I have a little bad news for you, it didn't work. when I first went to the page, I clicked on the link and it redirected me to sign up. I returned to the page without signing up and I clicked the link again. The file downloaded before I knew it.  

Here's a screenshot of what I saw. 

[⚡JFarrow⌁]

all good cherry im making some adjustments today which is why you could do that probably...thanks though