Posting Photos

[Ray Bell]

Thanks Tom, your explanation gets into areas where I knew you were coming from. I will try to make further inroads into understanding those more 'unique' features of xat.com.

To help you understand why I posted, let me say that when I see difficulty and I feel I can help, I never hold back from trying to make things easier or better.

Let me just explain a couple of things, please.

I have never deleted pics that I've uploaded, but I know some do. I understand that part of what you've written. I also hate 'broken links'... on some of the fora that I use there are threads that get pulled out of the archives after five and six years and they are full of them.

But for the most part, threads don't last all that long and those posting the pics might well not see the need for them to remain there 'doing nothing'. I don't see it that way and clearly you agree with me in that.

So let's start with that point on which we both agree, and I suspect we agree strongly.

Okay, then let's look at one of the options I use, Imageshack.

This free hosting service guarantees to retain any image uploaded for a full twelve months after it is last accessed!

That means it would require that nobody access a thread with a picture on that server for a full year before the picture is deleted. In the vast majority of cases, surely this is enough?

So let's then move on to my next frustration, something that's take a fair bit of my spare time over the past two days to overcome (yes, I have been working on this on and off for two days, I have been determined to try and do what's right on this forum).

This is the introduction of pics to the gallery and then posting from the gallery, something which I am still to properly master.

Instructions came in a post on page one of this thread, in a post from Buzz Sawyer:

Next look to the upper right for ,"Upload file" click it




This will take you to the Forum Gallery,  "Upload Image".  Here you will see five Browse buttons. Poke one of them and it will take you back to your computer where you stored the image that you already optimized.




Click the "Open" button, then you'll have to hit "Continue" a few times until it takes you back to the Forum Gallery.  A thumbnail of your image should be there among the new images, or you can return to your own gallery and see the same thumbnail pic.

Now here is where most people seem to get lost, so LISTEN UP!   Double click that thumbnail and you'll get the real photo.  Just below and to the left of it, you'll see "Copy Image Code" and when you poke that it will highlight the image code below the pic.  You're done with the gallery at this point.

Undoubtedly you've had an upgrade in your software or something and it no longer looks like that.

But in particular (yes, I could find the new upload button), the "copy image code" doesn't exactly jump out at me when I double click on the thumbnail. This is where I'm still trying to find the answers, and I'm happy to have your direction if you can help me out.

Finally, please don't misunderstand me. Perhaps because I began by suggesting Irfanview as a simpler alternative to xat.com you have read my whole post thinking that I'm trying to tell you what to do and how to do it. Or maybe you thought that my explanation of my background using forums was me trying to appear superior rather than me, as I am doing, trying to explain that I've been around and I really don't know where I am missing out in trying to understand your forum's operations.

I am trying to learn here. Not how to resize pics, I can do that in a flash. But how to post them using your methods.

*Please also note that I added a little to my earlier post while you were posting. And I've had to edit this for the same reason!

[SwampDonkey]

I thank you Mr. Bell for your suggested program for optimizing pictures. But, without going to the site to download a file, and taking your words "It's a free download with no 30-day thing" as fact, I would like to point out the fact that you are free to use whatever photo optimizing program you wish. In order to upload images to the forum however, you will have to stay within the confines of the forum photo posting protocals set up by the Administration of this forum.  I would also like to point out that it would be proper to read the forum rules on etiquette and other matters that your fellow Administrators have set up to make this forum a pleasant experience for all members to enjoy. It is not looked upon too kindly to come on board any forum, and before you make even 10 posts, you suggest bucking our photo posting rules. Aside from this, I see you have already posted two pictures on here. Before too long I'm sure the procedure will become less painful. Oh, and if you should decide to stay on with our friendly group, welcome to the forum and enjoy your stay. 

Cheers

[Ray Bell]

One can only be friendly if those reading what one posts read it in the correct light...

I have not in any way tried to buck your systems. I actually posted: "But where there are rules, I'm happy to try and abide by them."

What I am asking for is assistance in doing that. I am awaiting an answer to the point I made about the 'copy image code' direction in the gallery.

If you can explain that to me then all will not have been in vain.

[SwampDonkey]

Ray, there was a modification of the layout/design of that page. However, the functions remain the same. What I do to copy the image code is to click on the thumbnail of the photo I have in my gallery and that loads the screen with the image in full size. Under this image is the code you can highlight with a mouse drag, copy and paste into your post. I think you may have done this already. I have not myself, personally clicked on the line that automates the procedure. There may be a difference in it's behaviour when using other browsers besides IE 6.0.


Sorry for what seemed to be an abrasive tone in an earlier post. Seems some lines have been edited since I first read your posting. Now I see a bright light shining. I just hope it isn't a train.  ;)

Always glad to help a new member.   ;D

[Ray Bell]

Thanks, yes it does seem to work right now... don't know why I didn't get this before. Yes, I do, perhaps... I was following the instruction to 'double click' but on the thumbnail at the top rather than one in the album.

Only one click is necessary too. And the image code line appears across below the pic to be copied and pasted. That's easy.

So once we've deciphered those things and allowed for the new software etc, maybe I won't see this any more?

[Tom]

Perhaps things are different in other browsers, but, this forum was built with IE in mind.

If you click on a gallery thumbnail (I don't think it requires a double click) the true, optimized image will appear.  Beneath that image will be the URL of picture with forum image labels bannering it.  Beneath that URL are two more lines.  One is "click to copy photo insertion code to clipboard".  This is just an aid to copy and paste.  If you want, you can highlight the URL and copy it, then paste it into the post.  Or, you can click that line, quoted, and it will copy for you.  You still need to paste it into the post.

The next line  will search the forum for posts where that picture is used.  This is helpful, especially when researching a picture found on the Random pictures on the opening page when you sign on.

It isn't rocket science, just an aid to folks who already know about Cntrl X, Cntrl C, Cntrl V, etc.
and a fail-safe for those who don't know.

You can put the pictures in an IM (instant Message)/(Private Message) if you want to practice.

Actually the example you gave for pictures not going away unless they are unused in 12 months, isn't good enough for us.  :D    You will find 6 years of posts on the forum.  They go all the way back to the beginning.  All content is intact, accept for posts that were corrupted by posters (some deliberately and some not) or a failure of the software that caused the loss of content, or the failure of an admin who had a fat-finger or brain burp and caused loss of content.   When that happens, we make every effort to get it back.  Sometimes, though, it is just gone.    I think you will find that the information on this forum is quite complete in comparison to other forums who keep content for only a month or maybe a couple of years.

Yep, it is expensive to do it this way, but you can't beat trying to have it all.  

Now, I have confidence that your exhibited intelligence will provide an easy path to following protocal.  It isn't difficult, just something else one must become used to doing.  Different isn't always bad.

You will notice that we have no "Archives".   We like it that way and hope that the entire forum can remain active forever.   'Course that may be an unattainable dream.  But, it's a goal to shoot for, just the same.  

[pasbuild]

I share your pain with the picture posting Ray Bell :'(

[SwampDonkey]

Ray, I'm only speculating that your album was not set up at the time, or there was some kind of error, or one of the admins was modifying something behind the scenes. I thought maybe it was caused from not being logged in, but there is no way that could happen because there would not be an 'upload file' button.

[Ray Bell]

You're quite correct... it wasn't yet set up... because I hadn't yet found the means to set it up...

When I said I'd been frustrated by this for a couple of days, I meant it. But I was determined to work my way through it and now I have.

On the subject of long-lived threads, the first forum I ever joined has these in abundance. I've been a member there since December 1999 and the very first thread in which I participated has been resurrected a few times since then. So I do understand the need to try and keep things in place over longer periods than a year.

My point about Imageshack is that the pics remain unless they are unused for more than a year.

But this is the way you do it here and I'll work along with that.

[Furby]

We have some threads that will lay there for a couple years and then become active again.
They may or may not have been accessed during that time.

[Jeff]

I have written two long posts and deleted them both. It is the Christmas season.

[Mooseherder]

Hot poker night ;D
smiley_contract_point smiley_brick hits_hardhat

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Jeff B
I have written two long posts and deleted them both. It is the Christmas season.

I answered one of them, went back and found it wasn't there and had to change my answer to suit another post that had landed in the meantime!

[SwampDonkey]

Chalk another one up for 'groaning' pains. ;D

[DanG]

Welcome to the Forum, Ray Bell.  I hope you'll stick with us, despite a somewhat frustrating beginning. :-[  I wrote the original instruction at the beginning of this thread, and the system has been updated since then.  It never occurred to me that Buzz's pictorial instruction is now outdated and could(and does) lead new posters astray.  I guess that is one series of pics that actually SHOULD be deleted, eh? :D :D  I'll see about writing a new instruction, after an appropriate period of cogitation, of course.

I suggested xat.com as a manipulation program because I feel it is easy to learn for people who aren't accustomed to handling photos.  Now I'd like for everybody to believe that statement, but the real reason is, it is the one I use and understand, and the only one I could explain. : :D

I'll reiterate what others have said about our system.  It is very important to us that photos posted here remain available, permanently.  This site is, and always has been, primarily an education tool, but it has branched out to become a large family of good friends, sharing ideas as well as the joys and sorrows of life on this earth.  I have had 2 forum members visit here within the last 4 days, and expect to see more in the near future.  You just do not often find this kind of closeness on the web.

[Ray Bell]

Thanks for the welcome...

I'm not really a timber person, I must say. As 'Big Dave' Mawer always says, "I used to think it was cheap and nasty stuff, but since I started to use it I found out that it's not cheap. And you can't weld it when you stuff up!"

No, I came on here to follow my good friend (of over 30 years ago! Is it really?) Quinton as he builds his cabin in WV.

But I have to say, there's nothing in this world (that's not human and female, anyways...) that is as warm to come home to as natural timber. There's nothing that delights the eyes as much as an expanse of forest leading off into the distance and there's nothing like the breeze under a stand of trees on a hot day to make you feel cooler.

I do recommend you try Irfanview for simple pic reductions. I find xat.com difficult to understand, so you'd have to find Irfanview easy after that. But on balance, I think there might be things about your favorite program that complement mine and vice versa. In other words a place for both.

[Furby]

I learned Irfanview after using xat and really can't stand Irfanview.
Xat was much easier to use, but I have walked folks through using both.
Half dozen one way, 6 the other way, what ever works.

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Furby
I learned Irfanview after using xat and really can't stand Irfanview.
Xat was much easier to use, but I have walked folks through using both.
Half dozen one way, 6 the other way, what ever works.

Basically, I have to thank you folks for introducing me to xat...

I'm still keen on Irfanview for most things, it's quick, it's easy and it does a lot. But it also reduces the resolution of pics without being asked.

Not a problem for internet or computer use, but for publishing it's a real issue. I came up against a problem yesterday where I simply had to crop one pic and rotate another and when I did that with Irfanview the file size dropped from 1.8mb to 180kb and the pics were no good for magazine use.

I think I've said before that I hate Photoshop, so I did some sussing about with xat and found how you do the things I wanted. Cropping, of course, is dead easy, though it's slow to save the cropped image. Rotating is too, but once again, slow to save.

From now on I'll be having both at my disposal on my computers because they each have their benefits. So, as you say, it's six of one and half a dozen the other, with each one having strong points in different areas.