PhotoPost integration hack - photos uploaded to gallery / auto thumbnail creation

[boatdesign]

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Following this post on the PhotoPost site, http://www.techimo.com/forum/showthr...threadid=20492
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A fantastic mod would be one which further integrated TechIMO Photopost with vBulletin, replacing vBulletin's upload function with a gallery upload function.

What I would love to see would be as follows:

1.) When a user posts, instead of the upload to sql databaes function, they have blanks to upload 1 or more photos to the PhotoPost gallery.

2.) Photopost then generates either a thumbnail or specified width version of the uploaded photo (it does this already).

3.) Then after the photo is uploaded to PhotoPost this mod inserts [ url ] and [ img ] tags into the post to calll either the thumnail or the medium resolution version into the thread (these versions are generated by PhotoPost already using ImageMagick) and to link them to the full res version.

4.) The user could also have the option to insert any existing photos in their gallery, as well as to upload new photos.


Some of the advantages would be:

1.) All photos are automagically thumbnailed for faster display

2a.) Thumbnails can be added to posts instead of link icons so you can see what it is you are downloading (if you choose not to display inline)

2b.) If you do choose to display inline, PhotoPost creates a medium resolution version at the width specified so no more images stretching the thread table out of wack. The medium resolution version PhotoPost creates would be linked to the full resolution version with simple url and img tags.

3.) All photos are organized in one place by poster and can be also organized by gallery. At the same time photos can be quickly uploaded / placed as either forum-width images or thumbnails in relevant threads you're replying to at will.

What do you think?

[Andy R]

There is a PHP version of PhotoPost. Since many of the vBulletin.org Master hackers are PHP gurus, this should make it easier to code a hack like this... One of the gurus (I forgot his handle) works with vbPortal and he could probably help us with this.

There are so many advantages to having a hack like this that I hope someone will step up to the challenge!!!

Original Example:
http://www.airstreamforums.com/photopost/

Andy

[Jadelit]

that would be a great idea, or you can just use ImageMagic

[Dolby]

I think the only real hard part in this hack would be makeing the java script that inserts the [ img] tages and links. The php for uploading and displaying the gallery would be easy.

I have not purchased photopost yet but this hack would make me buy it with out a 2nd thought.

[Andy R]

I am going to have some time this week. I will see if I can put together some detailed info.

I agree, it can't be "that hard". I bet Michael P can help us with the PHP page to access the photos for each user stripped down from the normal templates. Then all we have to do is add the javascript that closes the window and applies the [IMG] code.

I think having a custom uploadphoto.php file would really keep it tight by allowing the user to upload there images then redirect them to their gallery so they can include the uploaded photo.

Look forward to "making it real"!

Andy

[custsrvcrep]

My ideas and suggestions will be after I recap some of the threads ... this helps me comprehend what some of you are after as well.

1. As you know, vBulletin ads attached images into the MySQL database. This means that it grows very quickly when you have lots of attachments. This feature wouldsave a tone of spacein the forum DB.

2. Actually, if you use the <IMG> and </IMG> tags to enclose a hyperlink to the image in question, the only thing that VBulletin stores in the database is the URL -- not the image. The problem is that non-technical members have a tough time going to the photo application just to right click and copy and paste the url. I would like to automate that process.

3. boatdesign - you have an incredible idea ...


Ok guys - I am worthless at writing code. But I do have an idea that might solve this problem -- although not as easily or as well as boat design's prototype.

I want to make this clear ... so I apologize if I make it LONG ...

First, remove the upload/browse box from the post or reply form and substitute a hyper-link to the photopost upload page (uploadphoto.php) which opens in a new browser window.

Second, when the image is uploaded into photopost, and the image is shown on the success page, an option exists that says "ATTACH TO POST". This option would also exists in the photopost display pages under EACH thumnail shown. So that someone could easily grab images to include in posts.

(I realize this isn't the EASIEST method there is ... but it appears to be a workable solution. I did notice while experimenting that you must call each image directly and NOT through the showphoto script to make this work).


Third, when you click on "ATTACH TO POST", a javascript pop up box appears with the following message:

"It is easy to add this image to your post! Using your mouse, left click at the beginning of the code (shown by URL), and drag your mouse to the end of the code (represented by /URL) so that the entire code is highlighted. Then right-click your mouse and highlight "copy".

You may return to your post, right click where you would like the image to appear, and highlight paste.

A thumnailed version linking to your full-size picture will appear in your post when you are done.

[U-R-L=http://www.techimo.com/photo/data/500/49bbconcert1-med.jpg][I-M-G]http://www.techimo.com/photo/data/500/49bbconcert1-thumb.jpg[/I-M-G][/U-R-L]


Sorry guys, I'm not smart enough to know how to display the code without the software trying to interpret it ... so I changed url to U-R-L and img to I-M-G ... ... hopefully you get my point.

THIS IS WHAT SHOULD BE PRODUCED:




Which would allow the users to insert hyperlinked thumbs into their post -- keeping the pics out of the db, making the thread load faster by displaying thumbs first, and possibly keeping bandwidth down by previewing images ... users don't have to click to see whether it is an image that interests them.

Any thoughts? $20 says someone out there can write this hack in photopost (php version) ...

[Dark_Wizard]

Nice idea....as soon as I have the money I will look into it if no one else has...

[Erwin]

It is a good idea. I may look into it when I have a bit more time. I'm still trying to get the headers and footers to work properly in the newest version of Photopost.

[boatdesign]

Ya, I'm still trying to get the PHP version of PhotoPost to install without any issues and thus have put any further integration on hold until I can get it. The perl version of PhotoPost was so easy to install that I was disappointed by the difficulty and number of issues I've encountered trying to get the PHP version of PhotoPost to work But in time I'm sure I'll get it.

[Erwin]

I agree. I can get Photopost to work with static headers and footers, but can't get the vB variables to work.