I must first say that the product is light weight, as its
total package size is less than 500 KB. The script is very easy to install
either locally or in a remote web server. The product supports both MS Access
and SQL Server. This is a big bonus for those users who do not have access to
SQL Server, although majority of web hosting providers nowadays provide support
for SQL Server. You just need to upload the contents of the directory
creadirectory_full inside the root directory of your website and load the site
by calling index.asp. You will need to enter some initial information and the
license key which can be generated from the website of the vendor. The initial
home page will look like below.
Figure 1
As you can see, the page contains various categories under
which you can file the relevant website. These categories are included with the
product by default. You can, however, delete or add more categories depending
upon your requirements and the theme of the site. For instance, if you wish to
utilize the product in a developer oriented site then you can create a list of
several programming languages and can file relevant articles and reviews under
each one of them.
The listing can be added to the directory by anyone who
access the website by entering the required details as shown below.
Figure 2
The listing will be visible to the end users only if the
administrator approves it by logging into the administration panel as shown in
Figure 3. Administrators can either approve them as such or with any
modification or can entirely delete the listing if the relevant listing is
inappropriate to the context of the site.
Figure 3
The view of the above listing after its approval will look
like below.
Figure 4
The listing will also be visible upon clicking New Listings
and Most Popular links from the top of the page. Moreover, they are also listed
on the bottom of the site along with total number of visitors who accessed the
link.
The main feature of the product is that it enables you to
create an unlimited number of categories and subcategories. You can easily
customize the header and footer by inserting the appropriate tags and can also
insert Google Adsense which enables you to earn revenue using the admin panel.
A key point to note is that the ads are automatically placed at the relevant
places and this helps administrators to easily modify the Ad formats as and
when required.
Moreover, the product provides a facility for the end user
to post reviews against each listing. Administrators can optionally place
CAPTCHA on the submission form to provide more security for the directory and
can display thumbnail images of the website beside each listing as shown below.
These features are disabled by default and can be enabled from the admin panel.
Figure 5
The vendor has nicely implemented dynamic filtering system
based on IP and Words. Administrators can manage them from their panel by
selecting the relevant link. End users will automatically receive e-mails from
the system as and when their listing has been approved or declined.
Administrators can also preview the directory from within their management
area. You can view a complete list of features of the product at http://www.creascripts.com/creadirectory_features.asp.
The vendor provides excellent support through e-mail. They
have also hosted live demos of both the finished directory and the admin panel
so that you can explore the features before purchasing for the product. You can
view a list of sites hosted with the product at http://www.creascripts.com/live.asp.
The product comes with documentation in PDF format which examines each and
every step associated with the usage of the product.
I feel that you can integrate the directory into your
existing website very easily with little knowledge of HTML and ASP. Once you
get used to the product you can step in to customize the script in an advanced
way. I would suggest the vendor provide samples of websites integrated with the
directory so that beginners can easily learn the tips and tricks involved with
the customization of the product.
