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Photo/Gallery Organization

Started by Bknapp, February 11, 2016, 03:17:09 PM

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Bknapp

I belong to a forum (currently running SMF) that uses photos regularly to help people identify issues with the specifics of their cars. I can use a computer, but beyond that I am naïve and helpless....so "coding" is way out of my league, as is my understanding of how the SMF program even works.

I was hoping someone might have an answer or solution to the following request. It would be ideal if we could grab information about the photos as they are uploaded within the various threads. By having the forum member click a couple of radio buttons and select options from a couple of drop down boxes, it would be great to "tag" each photo in this manner. Then have a gallery that is populated with all photos throughout the Forum, which could be searched and filtered by the particular information that was captured on the upload. This probably doesn't make any sense in a written narrative, but it all seems so clear in my mind:)

If something like this exists or is even remotely possible, any input would be greatly appreciated. Again, I don't know how the photos and galleries are even captured and stored within the forum database. Please PM or email with any ideas, or if this is something that could be developed.

Thanks
Bill

Kindred

why not just use one of the gallery mods instead of misusing attachments?
Слaва
Украинi

Please do not PM, IM or Email me with support questions.  You will get better and faster responses in the support boards.  Thank you.

"Loki is not evil, although he is certainly not a force for good. Loki is... complicated."

Bknapp

I am not sure what you mean by "misusing" attachments? I also don't know what type of gallery mods might be available that would accomplish what I am seeking. I am attaching a link to a forum thread that might help illustrate my objective.

hxxp:www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?topic=9922.msg58750#msg58750 [nonactive]

(for some reason I cannot get the hyperlink to work?)

What you will notice in the thread is that there is a lot of narrative and dialogue, accompanied by pictures to illustrate certain questions or facts. There are a number of pertinent facts about the cars in each picture...the year, model, area of the car being depicted, factory it was built at, etc.. However, these pictures are scattered throughout various threads, and each thread may have pictures of different cars that could address several areas. Ideally, it would be great if we could capture specific information about each photo as it is being uploaded (as an attachment) and have those photos also available in a gallery or library of sorts. Having the ability to search the "library" for specific" criteria to filter just the pictures you want to see, would be very powerful....very similar to something like Home Depot when you are searching for a light fixture.

It would be important that drop downs or radio buttons be used to capture this information in order to avoid inconsistencies in how information is phrased...thus aiding in the searches. Plus, I don't know how much effort and typing members would be willing to endure to upload pictures. Knowing the information in this specific forum is really not applicable to other non-automotive forums, maybe the drop down or radio button fields could be built with the flexibility to allow the moderators to actually identify what goes in the drop down list or radio field, thus allowing for the "mod" to be useful to other forums. What I am asking is probably not possible, as I mentioned I have no background in programming nor do I have an understanding of how the forum platform operates. I have a clear picture on what it would look like and how it would function, but that doesn't mean it can actually be done.

Any ideas are appreciated!!!

regards,

Bill

vbgamer45

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Bknapp

Quote from: vbgamer45 on February 11, 2016, 10:11:06 PM
Somewhat related is http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=555 but that is an old mod for an old version of SMF

That really sounds like a foundation for what I am seeking. Hopefully others might show some interest in this type of functionality. Unfortunately I don't have the time or skills to see how all of this works. I enjoy the logic and problem solving aspect of it, maybe someday I can get a deeper understanding of how to create something like this.

Siirist

Quote from: vbgamer45 on February 11, 2016, 10:11:06 PM
Somewhat related is http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=555 but that is an old mod for an old version of SMF

This MOD does parse for SMF ver 2.0.11 so it could be added to the forum with the Package Manager (remember that all MODs are written for the SMF Default theme) though you may need this http://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/How_can_I_install_a_mod_that_doesn't_work_in_my_SMF_version if you get a failure when installing.

Quote
hxxp:www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?topic=9922.msg58750#msg58750 [nonactive]

(for some reason I cannot get the hyperlink to work?)

http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?topic=9922.msg58750 (works and is something about a hood)

Here is another gallery MOD that is installed on our forum that is open to guests http://www.asanctuary.net/forum2/index.php?action=gallery

Here is a link to the MOD we are using http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=473 called SMF Gallery

Best Wishes,
Siirist
Needed information:
- What's your SMF version?, What MODs are installed? What Theme(s) are you using? Have you backed up your database?

--> At least 50% of the questions asked are answered in the Online Manual <--
Mods for ver 1.x will NOT run on ver 2.x

Bknapp


[/quote]

hxxp:www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?topic=9922.msg58750 [nonactive] (works and is something about a hood)

Thanks, Siirist. If you scroll through the entire thread you will see pictures of the hood of one car, emblems on another car, the wiring and lighting of yet another car. There are hundreds of threads containing a variety of pictures. If all these pictures centralized in one location (while still appearing in the thread), that would be a great start. I will have to become more familiar with SMF, as I don't administer a site and have no idea what "installing" that would do to the functioning forum....I'd hate to crash it or something.

There is probably little that can be done for previously uploaded photos. However, having a predefined set of "tagging" options for newly uploaded documents would be the next step. The last step would be the search function. I will look at the link you provided to the sanctuary. However, my quick review indicates the search is done by typing their criteria. I know from experience on our forum. not everyone uses the same words and terminology, so a filtering system like a lot of retail stores use (radio button & dropdowns) would be ideal to avoid inconsistency.

I am really just thinking out loud. I don't want to reinvent the wheel if something already exists...but I have no idea how to code or tweak something that might not quite meet our needs?

Regards,

Bill



Siirist

Hi ya,

Okay, I don't know why the your link to your forum keeps appearing with hxxp://.... that is why it does not function.

Regarding (for me) it would have been far better to post a good link (that goes to the first post, or explain to us to go to the first post).

Quote
Ok....I do believe this has some of the information those may be seeking. Unfortunately, I can't find away to imbed the pictures/info into this thread directly and can only provide a link. Please feel free to correct. The one bit of information I did not see is the distance up from the front edge of the hood.

www.mustangandfords.com/how-to/paint-body/28798/photo-10.html

Hope this is correct and helps!

This makes it appear that you may want the image or images to be within the topic attached to the poster's post
{I do not believe that the attachment is ever, or could be made searchable}
OR
you want them
to be in the post itself (referred to as inline(?))
Like this post -> http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?topic=483.msg2787
{Note that the poster used an OUTside link (source) for the photo ~ https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-qZGjDpATFp8/SnzmDmf7nrI/AAAAAAAAAks/jm6E9iVLz8s/s800/P1010052.JPG
I do not believe that an OUTside link (source) will ever, or could be made searchable}

So, by my understanding, it is UN-likely that a photo / picture gallery will fulfill your needs.

Why not have things as is, the Topic, and the text within the topic / replies throughout the entire forum ARE searchable.

So if I am wanting a picture of a chromed water pump on a '67 Mustang, I would search "1969 Mustang chrome water pump".

Seems better than trying to re-code the software.

Just my thoughts,
Siirist
Needed information:
- What's your SMF version?, What MODs are installed? What Theme(s) are you using? Have you backed up your database?

--> At least 50% of the questions asked are answered in the Online Manual <--
Mods for ver 1.x will NOT run on ver 2.x

Illori

Quote from: Siirist on February 12, 2016, 10:47:11 AM
Okay, I don't know why the your link to your forum keeps appearing with hxxp://.... that is why it does not function.

anti-spam measure.

Siirist

Quote from: Illori on February 12, 2016, 10:55:01 AM
Quote from: Siirist on February 12, 2016, 10:47:11 AM
Okay, I don't know why the your link to your forum keeps appearing with hxxp://.... that is why it does not function.

anti-spam measure.

*nods*
Well that's cool.
Then that means my links work because I am an established member.
---> No need to reply to this reply <---
Needed information:
- What's your SMF version?, What MODs are installed? What Theme(s) are you using? Have you backed up your database?

--> At least 50% of the questions asked are answered in the Online Manual <--
Mods for ver 1.x will NOT run on ver 2.x

Bknapp

Hi Siirist -

Ok, I am starting to get a handle on this and beginning to see there will certainly be limitation that may keep my vision from becoming a reality. I guess I now understand that Outside link sourced photos cannot be captured and logged into a gallery...that makes sense to me. However, I just pulled a thread of the hat and didn't really know what to look for.

The following link may better represent what I am referring to...(again, the link will likely need to be edited as I don't have proper permissions to imbed a hyperlink)

hxxp:www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?topic=12556.0 [nonactive]

This particular thread has a number of pictures that are "in-line?", or attached within the thread (I am not sure of the correct terminology). There are hundreds of threads with this type of narrative and illustration. It would be nice if all of these types of photos could be captured and populate a "gallery", while still remaining in-line (in the thread). As the photos are "uploaded?", the idea would be to collect specific data. So, when someone goes to the "gallery" they can pull up pictures specific to their needs.

I understand the search function and searching the forum threads. However, if you search "1967 water pump", you probably get about 20 different references, some with pictures, some without, and no easy way to compare the pictures between the various threads...searching through all of the threads to find a certain photo or two is very hard, especially when the searched criteria differs ever so slightly from the original poster's wording.

It sounded like the mod referenced earlier might take care of this and I have no way of "testing" this. Am I able to just download SMF and play with it? That might an option to learn more about it. Unfortunately I am 15 years from retirement and don't have a lot of spare time. If it does work, I wouldn't think the tagging of uploaded (attached) photos and having the ability to search a "gallery" would be that hard. Again, I used Home Depot as an earlier example...when I go to their site to look for light fixtures, there are a number of options I can filter out by clicking radio buttons...material, color, wattage, size, etc.. I suspect they have a much different platform than SMF. Sorry if I sound like I am pushing on a rope, but I do thank you for looking at this and helping me understand it better.

Regards,
Bill

lurkalot

Why not look at this in a slightly different way.  Get them to upload to a gallery or gallery mod hosted by you. and then get them to embed those pics in the forum posts, instead of using attachments.

Posts will be searchable, as will any decent gallery script. ;)

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