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Thread: NSRA Image Gallery - Instructions

  1. #1
    Admin IanT's Avatar
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    NSRA NSRA Image Gallery - Instructions

    The NSRA Image Gallery

    At the request of NSRA Committee, we've been looking into ways of offering you some better image posting and hosting facilities here on the Forum. We're now pleased to announce the new NSRA Image Gallery!

    The Image Gallery is a Forum 'plug-in' that ties neatly into the Forum, using your regular Forum login, to provide improved image hosting facilities, but with the same 'look and feel' of the Forum. Basically, it should all look pretty familiar.

    We hope it'll be an easier way for you to upload and host your images for cars, projects, sales and wanted items, or just to show us your favourite photos.

    Enjoy!


    Viewing the Image Gallery

    You should now see links to the Image Gallery in the Forum menu, and up in the Forum header.

    If you go to the Image Gallery you'll see a list of image Categories - some with sub-categories - displayed in a similar way to the regular Forum sections.

    At the top is a special Category - NSRA Members Galleries. If you're an NSRA Member, images that you upload to this Category will automatically be filed under your Forum user name.

    The remainder are regular Categories where Members and other registered Forum users can upload images. These Categories have been set up just for starters - and they can be expanded in future.
    (NSRA Members can also add their own sub-categories*, like the 'On the Salt' sub-category I added to the 'Cool Old Stuff' Category.)

    At the top of the Gallery you'll see the 'newest' five images; and down at the bottom are five 'random' images.

    Just click any Category to view the images. If the Category contains images, small versions ('thumbnails') will be displayed.

    - to view an image slideshow, choose 'Category Tools' from the Gallery menu, and 'View Slideshow'
    - or just click any image to see the full sized version.
    - You can use 'Previous Image' and 'Next Image' links to view the images, or click the thumbnail images displayed in the 'filmstrip' below the large image.


    Uploading Images

    Before attempting to upload images, please read the 'Image Preparation' section below.

    - Click the 'Upload' option in your top Gallery Menu, or the 'Upload Image' link at the bottom of a Category listing.

    On the Upload screen you'll see your Stats, followed by your upload options.
    Under the 'Upload File from your Computer' are five boxes for you to 'select a file from your computer to upload'.

    - Just click the 'Browse' button, locate the file you want to upload, and click OK.
    - You can specify up to five images to upload at one time.
    - Make sure your image files are under 2Mb* in size - (preferably smaller - you could be waiting minutes for large files to upload)
    - Now enter a 'Title' for your file: (recommended)
    - and enter a 'Description' of your file: (an optional further description)

    Here's the important part - you must choose which image Category you're uploading to:
    - Choose a 'Category' for your image(s)
    (the list will only show categories that you are able to upload to)
    - If you want to help people to find your images by searching, add a few suitable 'keywords' separated by spaces.
    Example: jag jaguar diff IRS
    - Now click the 'Submit' button, and wait for your file(s) to be uploaded.

    (If you select more than one image for upload, you'll see an extra screen where you can specify which Category each image should be uploaded to.)

    Images are re-sized to a maximum width and height of 800x600 pixels* and an NSRA watermark will be added.

    Initially each user will have a storage allowance of 10Mb*


    NSRA Members Galleries

    The NSRA Members Gallery is a special image Category - when you upload to the 'NSRA Members Galleries' Category, your images will automatically be filed under your Forum user name.

    Great for your own personal collection of images, build pics, sales items and tech stuff.


    Creating your own Category

    NSRA Members can create their own image Categories.*

    - Click the 'My Stuff' option from your Gallery menu, then choose 'Category Admin'.
    (If you have already set up any Categories, they will be displayed here.)
    - Click the 'Add Category' button and enter your Category description, and a brief description if you like.

    - Important: select the Category in which you would like to create your new sub-category.
    (the list will show only those Categories where you are allowed to create a sub-category)

    - Important: now select your required Category Options. Do you want to
    - Allow Other Users to Upload to your Category?
    - Allow Other Users to Reply to Images?
    - Allow Other Users to Rate Images?

    If your new Category is for your own personal use (such as 'My build'), then don't allow other users to Upload to your Category.

    If you're sharing your images and inviting others to add images to your Category (such as 'Put your Supernats pics here') then allow other users to upload to the Category.

    (Please be aware that if you create a Category that others can upload to, and then decide to delete the category later, you could be deleting other people's images too.)


    Using your hosted image elsewhere

    OK, you've managed to upload a picture, and you want to include it in a regular post on the Forum - for example in a 'Sales' thread.

    - View your image (full size) in the Gallery. Below your image you will see some 'codes'.
    - Select and copy all the text shown in the BB Image Code box.
    - While adding or editing your post, paste this code into your post.

    .. and you're done! This will add a thumbnail image to your post, and the thumbnail will link to the full-sized image in the Gallery.


    Want to include a full-sized image in a post?

    - Again, view your image (full size) in the Gallery.
    - Select and copy all the text shown in the Direct Link Code box
    - While adding or editing your post, click the 'Image' button on the tool bar.
    - Then Paste the copied code into the box that says: 'Please enter the URL of your image'



    If you're not familiar with selecting, copying and pasting, please see the Beginners Guide to Selecting, Copying and Pasting thread.


    *This could change depending on user feedback, system performance, NSRA Committee decisions, and other factors.

  2. #2
    Admin IanT's Avatar
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    NSRA Other Stuff you can do

    Other Stuff you can do

    Edit your own Categories


    - from the Gallery 'My Stuff' menu, choose 'Category Admin'.
    Here you can Add, Edit and remove your Categories.
    Remember, removing a Category can remove all of your images - and potentially some images uploaded by other users. Take care here - or ask for help.

    Rate Images

    If the Gallery 'owner' has allowed it, you may be able to 'rate' each image.
    - View the full size image, and choose your rating from the drop-down 'Rate Image' menu.
    (Run your own photo competitions!)

    Edit/Delete Your Images

    - View your full size image, and choose 'Edit Image' from the drop-down 'Image Tools' menu.
    - Rotate or flip your image, or change the name and description.
    - To delete your image, check the 'delete' check box, and click the Delete button.

    Print an image

    - View your full size image, and choose 'Printable Version' from the drop-down 'Image Tools' menu.
    The image will be displayed in a plain format that is suitable for printing.

    Reply to an Image

    If the Category 'owner' has allowed it, you may be able to post a 'Reply' to an image.

    - View the full size image, and choose 'Reply to Image' from the drop-down 'Image Tools' menu. Posting a reply is just like posting on the Forum.

    Email an Image

    - View your full size image, and choose 'Email Image' from the drop-down 'Image Tools' menu.
    - Enter the recipient's name and email address. Edit the Subject and Message, then click the 'Send' button.



    Anything else in the Gallery is pretty much self-explanatory - either that or I haven't tried it yet

    If you find that you can do something that you shouldn't be able to do, (such as edit somebody elses's image) please use PM me or use the Image Gallery Feedback thread to let us know about it!


    *This could change depending on user feedback, system performance, NSRA Committee decisions, and other factors.

  3. #3
    Admin IanT's Avatar
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    NSRA Preparation of images for upload

    Preparation of images for upload

    It would be nice to think that anyone can upload any image easily to a forum or gallery, but unfortunately that's not realistic. Images from modern digital cameras can be several Megabytes in size, so could take several minutes just to upload a single image. We have to accept that some image preparation may be necessary before you can successfully upload.

    (If you know how to get your images down to less than 2Mb in size, you can skip this section)


    Easy solution

    If you don't want to mess about with image processing programs, or you're simply 'no good with computers' - we can recommend a 'fire and forget' method of preparing images for upload. We've done some testing on a simple program you can download and install for free - Shrink Pic.

    All you need to do is install Shrink Pic. It automatically detects when you're sending large photo files, and compresses them in the background .. no setup, no operating instructions, nothing. Just upload or send your photos normally, and Shrink Pic takes care of shrinking them.

    Just go to http://www.onthegosoft.com/shrink_pic.htm , download the program, install it, and set it to 'low compression'

    .. and you're done!


    For Intermediate Users

    If you'd like a bit more control over your image preparation, and you could use a free image viewer/resizer, we can recommend IrfanView.

    This is a really good quality tool - totally free - that will let you view, process, adjust, crop, sharpen, re-size and save images .. and much more.

    Go to http://www.irfanview.com/ , then download and install the latest version of IrfanView.

    Once you have IrfanView installed, double-clicking on an image will open up the image for viewing in Irfanview.

    To resize an image:

    - From the 'Image' menu, choose 'Resize/Resample'
    - Choose a size of 800 x 600 Pixels
    - Make sure 'Preserve aspect ratio' is ticked/selected
    - 'Apply sharpen after Resample' often gives better results
    - For the 'Size method', use 'Resample (better quality)' and the 'Lanczos' Resample filter for best results.
    - click OK

    Now save your re-sized image as a new file:

    - From the 'File' menu, choose 'Save As..'
    - at the bottom, choose JPG/JPEG as the 'Save as' format
    - I usually check the 'Show options dialog' check box for more control over the saved image.
    - Saving with a JPG Quality of around 85 gived good enough compression and quality.
    - Finally, save this as a new image so you don't lose your original image.
    For example, if your original image is called IMG1234.jpg, save the re-sized one as IMG1234-S.jpg or IMG1234-800.jpg


    Advanced Users

    If you're used to taking photos, manipulating images, and uploading to web sites or photo hosting accounts, hopefully you won't need much help from us. Just prepare each image to a file size less than 2Mb using your preferred image processing software.

    Good luck ... enjoy!

    .

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