Show Thread Enhancements - [1e2] Gravatar as Default Avatar for users without image: auto generate random avatar

With this very sipmple plugin you can display a Gravatar icon as default avatar for users that don't have any avatar saved or selected. But if an user has its own avatar, this one will be used instead of Gravatar. So you can continue to use your forum's avatar system, and this plugin will be used only when an avatar is not present.

The Gravatar is unique and automatically genereted based on registration email address choosen by the user. And the avatar created is used in every other website that use this method, like Wordpress blogs.

Users that are registered to gravatar.com can upload their avatar image so that every website that uses Gravatar will display the uploaded personal image! So you can save your personal avatar one time and have it spreaded everywhere Gravatar system is used.

Images are hosted on gravatar.com website, so you don't have any increase to your server load or bandwidth.

In this way every user (old users and new users) will have an avatar image, and to recognize the author of a post will be simplier for all because unique images are assigned to each one.
Your forum will be more userfriendly and nice looking!

Demo Link
Demo Link for Gravatar in Sidebar

How To

1- Go to Plugins & Products -> Manage Products -> [Add/Import Product], then select the xml file downloaded, click Yes for Allow Overwrite and click Import button

2- Go to Settings->Options->User Picture Options and you will find three new option at the end of the page (see screenshot) where you can:

* Choose the Gravatar Type (choose between different Gravatar icon):

• 404: do not load any image if none is associated with the email hash, instead return an HTTP 404 (File Not Found) response. But if an user has its own avatar saved on gravatar.com, that image is displayed.
• mm: (mystery-man) a simple, cartoon-style silhouetted outline of a person (does not vary by email hash). But if an user has its own avatar saved on gravatar.com, that image is displayed.
• identicon: a geometric pattern based on an email hash. But if an user has its own avatar saved on gravatar.com, that image is displayed.
• monsterid: a generated 'monster' with different colors, faces, etc. But if an user has its own avatar saved on gravatar.com, that image is displayed.
• wavatar: generated faces with differing features and backgrounds. But if an user has its own avatar saved on gravatar.com, that image is displayed.
• retro: awesome generated, 8-bit arcade-style pixelated faces. But if an user has its own avatar saved on gravatar.com, that image is displayed.

* Choose the Gravatar Dimension from 1 to 512 pixel square (default is 80) accordingly to your theme. You must write only numbers without characters or punctuation (so for example 120 and not 120px nor 120,5).

* Choose the Gravatar Dimension for your Sidebar from 1 to 512 pixel square (default is 30) accordingly to your theme. You must write only numbers without characters or punctuation (so for example 120 and not 120px nor 120,5).

*- Choose the Gravatar Ratings. All images are rated default as "g":

• g: suitable for display on all websites with any audience type.
• pg: may contain rude gestures, provocatively dressed individuals, the lesser swear words, or mild violence.
• r: may contain such things as harsh profanity, intense violence, nudity, or hard drug use.
• x: may contain hardcore sexual imagery or extremely disturbing violence.

Note: uninstall Geekydesigns default avatar hack to make work.

A manual edit for 4 files is needed if you want gravatar also in Blog and in ForumHome Sidebar. It's a simple search and replace, you can do it in 1 minute.

As soon as I have time, I will make automatic the manual edit and I will add gravatar support also for CMS.

The plugin adds a footer link to author website as copyright mark, but I don't require you to keep it. To remove the copyright info just disable the plugin for footer link:
go to Plugins & Products->Plugin Manager and search the plugins for Gravatar as Default Avatar and delete or disable the one named "Profile Hooks". Consider a donation if you do so.

Remember to Marsk as Installed
and to Nominate as Mod Of Month

vBulletin 3.8 version, please, download HERE

Changelog:
v 1.0 Initial release
v 1.0.1 corrected a bug that makes the gravatar all the same in user profile
v 1.1.0 Added a rudimental menu option to choose gravatar type, dimension and ratings
v 1.1.1 Improvements in option menu to prevent errors and make it easier
v 1.1.2:

• Added option to choose dimensio for gravatar in sidebar.
• Added a file called "gravatar in sidebar and blog.txt" with instruction to manual edit 4 file in order to have gravatar also in Sidebar blocks and in Blog.

v 1.1.2p1 updated manual edits for VB 4.1.4 and 4.1.5
v 1.1.2p2 update for VB 4.1.8 and added HTTPS version
v 1.1.2p3 updated for VB 4.1.10

[Brandon Sheley]

nice!
Looking forward to the XML
[high]* Brandon Sheley tagged it[/high]

[galerio]

XML file uploaded. But I need to create only one xml file with a page option where you can select directly the Gravatar type and the dimension.
I need some free time... but I will do it.

[starman?]

Installed and working. Thanks. Please note that if you have Geekydesigns default avatar hack installed then you must uninstall it for this to work.

[Juggernaut]

Installed.

[Juggernaut]

Is there a way to use images that we've uploaded to gravatar.com, to save bandwidth?

[galerio]

Every user must register to gravatar.com and upload his personal avatar, you can't do a bulk upload.
When you register on gravatar.com you can add other email addresses to your account and associate an avatar to each one, but you must add emails one by one and you must click on confirmation link sent to each email.

If you want, you can advise your users about gravatar.com and tell them to register and upload their avatar

[galerio]

I have just added a rudimental menu option in User Picture Options. Now I have to learn more about xml language to make multiple choices options.
Anyway, now you can select dimension, rating and type of gravatar in your control panel without editing any xml.

[Juggernaut]

Thank you for this great mod.

[mitch84]

thank you for this update