New Posting Features - Thread Thumbnails

Thread Thumbnails
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Created By: Null Parameter

This mod is officially tested with 3.8.1, but has been reported to work with many other versions.

Please leave any comments, suggestions or bugs.

Description

This mod allows a user, when creating or editing a thread, to specify a Thumbnail image to be used for display next to the thread in the Thread Listing.

With this mod you can define a set of forums that have thumbnails enabled, then in those forums whenever a user creates or edits their thread they can change their thumbnail, based on the method that you choose to allow.

This image is then shown in the Forum Display, in place of the Thread Icon.
The image also appears in Search & Tag Search, and I can add it to the regular Search if somebody requests it. And possibly have options for displaying in each area.

Forum Display:
Forum.jpg

Search:
Search.jpg

ACP Options:
ACP Options.jpg

Installation

Install the Product XML File. That's it!

All Template Edits Are Now Automatic.

If you are Upgrading from the older version, see directions in the README file on how to undo the template edits.

Demo

Possible Future Features (With Request)

• Additional column instead of replacing Thread Icon
• Displaying Thumbnail within thread
• Edit thumbnail through Thread Edit
• Thumbnail Preview in Edit Window

Fixes

• Version 2.2
  • Fix Attachment + Default Thumbnail Option Combo
• Version 2.1
  • Fix DB Error when using First Attachment option
  • Fix issue with New threads not saving thumbnail
• Version 2
  • Added Features:
    • Automatic Template Edits
    • Thumbnails in Search
    • Thumbnails from First Image/First Attachment
    • Thumbnails on Sticky Threads
  • Fixes:
    • Miscellaneous Fixes

[tlwwolfseye]

Could you maybe then give me all the details for the template changes ? Is it a lot changes ? Because i think if it is, it will keep many people from using the Mod, usually Mods do automatic template edits as far as I have seen.

Update:

LOL, now i see the edits above. Sorry

[tlwwolfseye]

I did all the edits and it works now.

The only thing I see which might be a problem for users is that the Image can only be added as URL. Not anyone likes to offer Imagehosting on his Webspace and Image hosting Services out there often don?t like direct links to images but rather use their image code. And in the long run, those images will be gone because Imagehosters don?t store images for life.

Using the attachment function for that might not be the nicest but it would make it easier for people to find a place to direct upload their images instead of first searching for a Public imagehosting site with direct links allowed.

Might be thinking about offering both, direct URLs like it is now, and also using a attached image in the thread. How about that ?

[Null Parameter]

Originally Posted by tlwwolfseye

I did all the edits and it works now.

The only thing I see which might be a problem for users is that the Image can only be added as URL. Not anyone likes to offer Imagehosting on his Webspace and Image hosting Services out there often don?t like direct links to images but rather use their image code. And in the long run, those images will be gone because Imagehosters don?t store images for life.

Using the attachment function for that might not be the nicest but it would make it easier for people to find a place to direct upload their images instead of first searching for a Public imagehosting site with direct links allowed.

Might be thinking about offering both, direct URLs like it is now, and also using a attached image in the thread. How about that ?

I can definitely attempt to add support for that.

What kind of options do you think should accompany it?

Quick draft of my thoughts:

• Thumbnail Source
  • URL Only
  • Attachment Only
  • If No URL, use Attachment

Any other options you can think of?

[tlwwolfseye]

Would it be possible that the attached image, when used for that, would only show in the Thread Thumbnail and not also attached below or in the posting ?

Thumbnail Source

* URL Only
* Attachment Only
* If No URL, use Attachment

And in case someone doesn?t want to add a Image, how about also allowing that. In that case it would just show the NoImage picture. Should be up to the poster I think. He doesn?t have to.

[Null Parameter]

Well, I'm assuming that if there isn't a URL or Attachment then it would show the no thumbnail image. But for the Admin CP options, they can choose to allow thumbnails from one of those 3.

So if an admin only wants to allow thumbnails from Attachments or only from a URL, then they can do that.

[tlwwolfseye]

I just wondered why you said when no URL then attachment. But it would be good if it would also mean that if no URL and no attachment, then just the NOIMAGE thing.

[Bernd]

Originally Posted by tlwwolfseye

Would it be possible that the attached image, when used for that, would only show in the Thread Thumbnail and not also attached below or in the posting ?



And in case someone doesn?t want to add a Image, how about also allowing that. In that case it would just show the NoImage picture. Should be up to the poster I think. He doesn?t have to.

It would be nice if adding an image attachment is an optional REQUIREMENT. For example, one could create a simple gallery this way and have all the images hosted on their own site instead of annoying hosts like imageshack. Furthermore, image attachments can be automatically thumbnailed by simple adding &thumb=1 behind the url. This means, true resizing of the image using GD instead of scaling an external image using width or height (which should never be done).

Attachments can be filtered for images with the following query
WHERE (attachment.extension = 'jpg' OR attachment.extension = 'gif' OR attachment.extension = 'png')

In short,
-allow attachments.
-option that sets an image attachment as a requirement.
-allow external images.

[Veer]

I think both (URL and Attachment) options are good and should be available.

[Bill from Cleve]

Looks like a great feature! I'm going to wait for the Automatic Template Edits version though.

[nooofe]

Thanks