avatars as files? coded to http?

[TECK]

vB have an option to upload your avatar from an url location. does that mean it will upload the actual .gif into the database? or just the link? if it uploads the graphic file (i'm pretty sure it does this), then it becomes a big problem. if you have a large board, it will eat your space in no time.

now, can it be done to have the avatars pointing to a location? the same way as the [img]? so basically when you enter the url, it will grab the image from your url you entered, instead of storing it in database. the rest of rules aply the same way (size, dimension).

if i'm correct, none of the hacks available here can do this. let me know if i'm wrong.
thank you for taking the time to answer this post.

[Admin]

If you hotlink avatars people can easily abuse it, e.g upload the link then replacing the image with a 800x600 px image.

[TECK]

ic.. so there is no solution arround this. i must load the avatar table with images. i guess the only solution is to run the avatar to files hack? can i aply this hack several times? or i can do it only once? let see that i transfered several avatars into a folder. will i be able to transfer again the avatars from other (new) members?

[Psychdrone]

there is a hack that alows you to use url of the picture you want as an avatar