Image uploading issues - what can we do?

[condorman]

If all else fails just get the crayons out

[safetyfirst]

Thanks petal. I know you find it easy. But many many many people who use this forum find it non trivial.

As is evidenced on the for sale threads etc.

In this day and age nobody should have to manually resize anything, the uploading system should just do it for you.

[Blackstuff]

The software my work computer uses makes this one of THE most user unfriendly sites I go on (only seconded by the UKPSA forum which now doesn't even let me copy and paste, quote other posts or sometimes add emoticons!)

Uploading a picture/file using the 'Browse option below simply doesn't work. A new window opens with a progress bar but it never completes.

[Christel]

The software my work computer uses makes this one of THE most user unfriendly sites I go on (only seconded by the UKPSA forum which now doesn't even let me copy and paste, quote other posts or sometimes add emoticons!)

Uploading a picture/file using the 'Browse option below simply doesn't work. A new window opens with a progress bar but it never completes.

If it never completes it is because the file is too big.

5mb is the max file size.

1024x768px = max dimensions.

[ovenpaa]

I must admit resizing images is always the biggest issue I have when uploading, I use Micro$oft Paint to reduce he size however that does make me dependant on Windows and Office. Other packages are available, I have a feeling IrfanView does the same and probably with more panache.

[channel12]

I thought the issue of uploading images directly from your computer was one of capacity of the server hosting this forum? For this reason the other forums require you to use a photo hosting site because in that way the image remains on the hosting site and not on forum's servers. I am sure Alpha you being IT savvy know this.

The problem now for most of us now is that one of biggest photo hosting site, Photobucket, now requires a hefty subscription to allow 3rd party hosting on forums. As consequence hundreds of images posted on here by various contributors have disappeared forever.

However if this forum's owner is happy for users to upload large jpegs directly on here then as you say Alpha there isn't a problem.

[Alpha1]

I use irfanview and have done for years. Its free and very easy to use.
I believe Christel has all ready said up loading direct to the forum is not a problem as opposed to using a hosting site.

[TattooedGun]

5mb is plenty, but the issue is the 1024 maximum size.

It would be much more user friendly to allow slightly bigger posts (which would also give people more dtail) and then have the forum auto-resize using javascript the images to fit within the users screen resolution, rather than limit to 1024.

EDIT.

After checking, they are not standard plugins, but wouldn't be hard to code in CSS to make the images responsive.

There is a lightbox plugin which would be perfect for "attached images" since it will only display to the max size of the display and can be used from the thumbnail that already appears from the forum. Only thing needed would be a slightly bigger allowance on image dimensions.

Still, if people try and upload directly off cameras and phones, then the file-sizes will be too big, and will need compressing as they're uploaded, which this plugin does not do, either :(

[bewildered]

As someone who was recently criticised for not including pictures when I offered some items for sale I think you speak on behalf of alot of us Safety First. Good job!
As an old git who can barely find his way round a computer keyboard I have no idea what Stickies or Flickr are and unless I can just drag and drop photos from my lap top forget it. It probably took me a week just to get them on my computer in the first place
With all the technology available why can't the pictures I drag and drop just be automatically converted to the right format for the site?
It's alright for people who know their way round computers and the like to say 'oh it's easy I don't know what the problem is' but I'd ask you to spare a thought for those of us who don't find it so easy.

[Rockhopper]

I use this

http://download.cnet.com/PixResizer/300 ... 07499.html

to resize images. It'll do bulk or single images and its free.