Importing remote images ?
 

I run a small, niche interest forum (www.antique-locks.com) and offer users the ability to upload really quite large images to my server if they wish. However many have images in other places (photobucket et al). The problem I am having is that over time many of these links are ceasing to function which can make threads disjointed etc.

Does anyone know of anyway or mod to import all those existing remotely linked images into the database, and then a way to prevent remote images being used for new posts ?

So, you're saying that your users upload an image as an attachment, but they stop working after a while?

Or they use the [img] tag, and then if photobucket deletes the picture, the picture doesn't appear anymore?

Uploaded images (to my server are fine). The problem is remote images are outside of my control and if the OP deletes them in can make a mess of a thread that they were part of.

So I can have two options to consider :

1 - If possible if a remote image is used is there anyway I can automatically have it imported to my server

or (more likely)

2 - Prevent posters from including remotely hosted images in their posts and if they try to do so prompting them to re-upload the images to my server.

Thanks

Anyone have any thoughts ?

Anyone ???