Social Group and Album Enhancements - Watermark Generator

Quick Info

This mod adds a watermark to album and attachment images.
The watermark is customizable via image files or specified text.
Processed images are cached and the original files remain untouched, so you can modify or remove the watermark anytime you want.


Features

- Intelligent Caching
- Uses standard vBulletin methods, therefore no file modifications necessary
- Settings-Preview with a sample image in Adminpanel
- Generative plugin behaviour, works with most other mods which use the same hooks or use attachment images elsewhere

Installation

Step 1)

Upload files inside upload directory according to their structure:

> forum root
	> admincp
		+ pl_watermark_admin.php
	> images
		> misc
			+ plwm_sample.jpg
	> includes
		> cron
			+ pl_watermark_cron.php
		> xml
			+ cpnav_plwatermark.xml
		+ pl_watermark_functions.php
		+ pl_watermark_imagemanipulation.php


Step 2)

Import "product-plwatermark.xml" as addon into your vBulletin AdminCP


Step 3)

Navigate in your vBulletin AdminCP to PL Watermark Generator -> Plugin Settings.
Define the settings how you see fit. The options should be self-explanatory, if you need help with certain things, ask in the modification thread.

Changelog

v1.1
- Fixed potential security flaw on certain webserver configurations
- Improved install/updatescript
- (hopefully) fixed the grey-bar bug which occured on certain webserver configurations

v1.0
- Initial Beta Release

Additional Info

The Mod is currently in BETA. This means, that we tested it on a test environment (vb 4.0.x to 4.1.3) but has not yet undergo excessive stress test.
Keep an eye out for updated versions until the final release!
If you encounter any bugs, missing or misplaced features, let us know!

F.A.Q

- I don't see changes in my live images!
> To see changes on the image files you have to clear your browser's cache!
In firefox it's enough to force a fresh reload via STRG+F5 and on other browsers STRG+F5 or SHIFT+F5 should work.
If you don't perform this step, your browser will show the old cached version and maybe the watermark won't show or changes won't apply.

- My png/gif watermark isn't transparent, instead I get a black background!
> PNG-8 is known for having transparency problems, GIF in some cases as well.
Fall back to PNG-24 with Alpha channel (all modern image tools should be able to save as PNG-24)
If you have trouble creating a working png-24 with alpha channel, you can send me a PM with a link to your watermark and I'll convert it to png-24 for you.

- I have trouble with special characters or non-latin charactersets!
> The addon is using standard php functionalities for the text. If for any reason you have trouble with special chars, I suggest using a transparent png-24 with the text from an external image tool instead.

Support / Branding

We provide quality vbulletin software modifications for zero costs. To help our mod to be well-known, a backlink is added to your forum footer by the plugin, where the plugin is used in any way.
You must not remove the copyright/backlink code!
However, if you like to support us, you are allowed to remove the footer note with a small donation (10$ minimum).
If you choose to do so, we'll contact you via the email provided by paypal with instructions on how to remove the footer note.
A link to paypal donation service can be found on the top right area of this post.

Feel free to contact an author of the mod if you have any questions or suggestions.

[RichieBoy67]

I am trying this with 4.2. Watermarking options are limited.

Does this take each image and then duplicate it with a watermark? We have thousands and thousands of images going back years. is this going to copy each one into the cache? I do not understand the Intelligent caching. The description says it does not touch the original images so what happens when images are unchached?

I really need a decent watermarking plug in. Does anyone know of another one that will not duplicate all images?

[Disasterpiece]

Originally Posted by RichieBoy67

Does this take each image and then duplicate it with a watermark?
Yes, but only as they are requested. If you have image 1-1000 in your attachment database and no new attachment requests are made, the watermark-cache is empty. If users request images 20-30, the cache now contains 10 images with a watermark.

Originally Posted by RichieBoy67

We have thousands and thousands of images going back years. is this going to copy each one into the cache? I do not understand the Intelligent caching. The description says it does not touch the original images so what happens when images are unchached?

The original images are untouched, if a user requests an image, the plugin checks if a watermarked copy is already available in the cache. If so, the cached image is shown, if else, the plugin creates a watermarked version of it and stores it in the cache. If the cache is already at maximum capacity, one older cached image will be thrown out beforehand.

It duplicates only images that are requested by the user (read: shown) and the number of duplicate images at any time is at maximum the number you defined in the settings.

Originally Posted by RichieBoy67

I really need a decent watermarking plug in. Does anyone know of another one that will not duplicate all images?

If you want the plugin not to store the duplicates, set the LRU size to 1 and/or set the cache lifetime to zero.

Altough I don't recommend that, you can still get the functionality like this.

[RichieBoy67]

Thanks!

My main concerns are server resources and storage and having images watermarked when either hotlinked to other sites or downloaded.

[Disasterpiece]

Originally Posted by RichieBoy67

server resources

Well, applying image data takes some time to process. The point of the cache is to reduce server load, so the same image doesn't have to be processed every time it is requested. Hence, the cache.

Originally Posted by RichieBoy67

and storage

That's what the LRU table size setting is for.

And besides, images aren't that huge. It is 2016, webserver storage capacity isn't weighted in gold anymore, so I don't really see the problem here tbh.

Originally Posted by RichieBoy67

and having images watermarked when either hotlinked to other sites or downloaded.

That is the point of watermarks.

[RichieBoy67]

Um yes.. I am just confused because the images are being served from the cache? Correct? I do not understand how this can still work without the cache.

And yes storage is still important on a server with multiple sites and hundreds of gigs of images.

[Disasterpiece]

The image would still be saved to the cache temporarily, yes.
With the next image request, the old one would be deleted and the new cache image would be saved to disk as well.

[RichieBoy67]

Ok, so the issue with this I am trying to understand is that a temporary image with a watermark would be hotlinked and then when the cache is full that image would be removed?

[Disasterpiece]

Originally Posted by RichieBoy67

Ok, so the issue with this I am trying to understand is that a temporary image with a watermark would be hotlinked and then when the cache is full that image would be removed?

...and be re-generated when it is needed. Yes.

[concepts]

This works BEAUTIFULLY!!!!

[cooltom]

I just install your plugin and work fine. Good to not forget setup correct write rights on cache folder :]
Question: How do you "calculate" size of transparent PNG image watermark?

-if u make it big for bigger images , it looks huge on small images
-if you make it good for smaller images it too small on bigger images

No way to resize png base on input image dimension? So u make it big as max allowed size of attachement image and when its smaller it just resize gnp wathermark to sit hight if the image (keep aspekt rato).

Now it just glue imput image and watermak png together.

The idea is have Watermark image same size on every image (doenst matter size of the image).

Thanks for ideas

Tomas