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

[Null Parameter]

Originally Posted by 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.

I just meant that both are supported, but if a URL isn't specified then the Attachment will be used.

Originally Posted by Bernd

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.

Thanks for the bit about being able to automatically thumbnail the attachments, that will come in handy.

Originally Posted by Bill from Cleve

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

That will be out in the next version hopefully, so stay tuned.


Thanks everybody for the positive and helpful comments, I'll try to get these changes out as soon as possible.

[mindhunter77]

I'm not speaking to your MOD specifically, just mods that do this in general. This is a neat feature to have but unfortunately it ads some high overhead as all the thumbs on the page are usually served up by php, requiring more php processes and on large forums that's an issue.

If you could figure out how to serve the image thumbs through direct links, that would be much better.

Take a look at this, he has the right idea here, though this will only work with nginx

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=207566

[Null Parameter]

Originally Posted by mindhunter77

I'm not speaking to your MOD specifically, just mods that do this in general. This is a neat feature to have but unfortunately it ads some high overhead as all the thumbs on the page are usually served up by php, requiring more php processes and on large forums that's an issue.

If you could figure out how to serve the image thumbs through direct links, that would be much better.

Take a look at this, he has the right idea here, though this will only work with nginx

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=207566

If you use the URL option (which is actually the only option as we speak), then it is served through direct links. The only things that will go through PHP would be if you decided to use the Attachment Thumbnails (future feature).

Because right now, it is just an img html tag with the url for the src.
Like this:

<img src="http://www.google.com/intl/en_ALL/images/logo.gif">

No PHP at all.

[twitch]

great idea. option to upload the thumbnail to be used would be perfect

[Sayid]

Wow I can't believe it @_@

I was searching today for something like this

installed+nominated

[Dr.LoVe]

thanx ,

good job

Great mod! It would be cool if it were also possible to have the thumbnail display in the RSS2 feed somehow, in addition to the forumdisplay page.

[Null Parameter]

Originally Posted by Etab

Great mod! It would be cool if it were also possible to have the thumbnail display in the RSS2 feed somehow, in addition to the forumdisplay page.

Interesting idea! I'll look into it.

[aztecboi2003]

This mod looks sick, I will tag and wait for the auto template edits.

[mktrilogy]

It would be nice to show the preview image when you hover over the thread. And also auto assign image. gets the first image available, that would be really nice. subscribing to this thread.