Image Gallery/Customer based Image Upload functionality and maintenance

[jmsilva]

Hello fellow Alphaholic developers,

I am currently building an application that requires Image Gallery functionality, been considering Alpha's Image Gallery vs building the functionality myself using grids. Done a bit on both equations already. But like always there are pros and cons to both approaches.

For this application the customer requires his designs be secure, nobody must be able to copy this pictures (at least must make it hard), for that reason alone, think the Alpha Image Gallery is better suited, thought a real hacker will probably find how to copy the customers designs, I have found it pretty well secure. on the other hand maintaining the upload and maintenance requirements of the Image Gallery is going to need lots work.

The image gallery configuration requires of a directory containing the full size images to be displayed with a maximum recommended resolution size of 1024px X 768px and a thumbs sub-directory with its images named the same as the full size ones at a recommended maximum size if 75px X 75px.

In order to display image information pertaining to an application you must build a table containing 3 fields;

1. directory name field storing full size image directory name
2. file name field storing a short file name of the image(eg. pic0001.jpg)
3. a description text field to contain the HTML code to be display at user request

Here lies my dilemma, in order to make use of it in a serious application, maintainability must be addressed and that means I must answer these questions; we have to upload twice, using different resolutions to different folders, or create a batch process to handle complete folders and converting on the server side. The upload image action JavaScript available can modify resolutions, but it only works for a file at a time, too labor intensive, not the way to go. Must use the info database, since it allows HTML it is the only way to place a link to another page and transfer information out of the Image Gallery to the application for the cart, again looks like xbasic.

Just trying to clear my ideas and get some of your ideas here, has anyone dealt with this. The Image Gallery as it stands looks very attractive, but it has a rocky road to make it anything else than a pretty way to show off pictures.

Do not know why? But I always make thinks difficult on myself, suppose it be easier to simply use grids and find how to secure the right-click event.

Have a great weekend all, hope to hear from you soon... Juan

[Keith Hubert]

Re: Image Gallery/Customer based Image Upload functionality and maintenance

Hi Juan,

This was a question I asked in V10 and Pete answered with a video.

Have look at this video

Hope this is what you are looking for.

[jmsilva]

Re: Image Gallery/Customer based Image Upload functionality and maintenance

Hi Keith,

Wish it did, but it does not even start. The video shows a dbf application using calculated fields to enlarge the display of the images, would love to have the availability of the calculated fields on the WEB/SQL environment, but we don't and it is out of scope to the problem I describe above.

Being able to show different size pictures is not the problem, storing then in the 2 resolutions needed by the Image Gallery component using a main folder and a sub-folder, named the thumbs sub-folder and storing the information on a table of picture locations is the mass of the work. I would like to include that maintenance operation as part of my application, so that web site owners can do the work themselves.

I am leaning towards creating a batch process for mass upload of these pictures into the server. It would look something like these steps.

1. gather all image files to upload into a folder (the input folder)
2. include a text control file with the names of images to be deleted from the folder
3. upload the whole folder to the server
4. loop 1
5. delete image on the deletes control file from main folder
6. delete image on the deletes control file from thumbs folder
7. update/mark associated database records as orphan
8. repeat loop 1 until eof
9. loop 2
10. convert input image file to resolution for main folder
11. copy image with replace to destination folder
12. convert image to thumbnail resolution
13. copy image with replace to thumbs folder
14. insert/update record in descriptions database table
15. repeat loop 2 until no more files

Thanks, Juan

[2ninerniner2]

Re: Image Gallery/Customer based Image Upload functionality and maintenance

Juan,

I'm a bit confused now. Whose images are these that are to be displayed? Yours or your clients? Are there just images and no other data per image other than filename and location on the server? I really am having a time wrapping my head around what it is you are attempting to accomplish :) All the apps I have ever done, in any development environment, have all involved images in one way shape or form, including the two I am now doing in A5, so I am quite interested in how you are envisioning this as described. Please offer a bit more on the "reason" for the app as opposed to the "mechanics" for now :) If you are worried about giving "it" away, be general or use an analogy :) Although I am quite new to A5, I have had absolutely no problems getting images to do what I want them to do in A5, without the Image Gallery (although I do have it), and with Grids only :)

Cheers!
Lyle

[Peter.Greulich]

Re: Image Gallery/Customer based Image Upload functionality and maintenance

For this application the customer requires his designs be secure, nobody must be able to copy this pictures (at least must make it hard), for that reason alone, think the Alpha Image Gallery is better suited

Not sure I get that? Alpha's image gallery requires that the images be in the webroot - where anyone can get at them.

[2ninerniner2]

Re: Image Gallery/Customer based Image Upload functionality and maintenance

... a maximum recommended resolution size of 1024px X 768px

In addition to what Peter said, at that resolution, "Print Screen" will do nicely

[jmsilva]

Re: Image Gallery/Customer based Image Upload functionality and maintenance

The images belong to a Jeweler that has his own exclusive designs and wants to make it a little harder for others to download his work. I know that anyone with a little computer knowledge or a program to copy monitor content can copy the images, but the customer always get his way. I did as Peter suggested and tried my own gallery using grids, worked really good after I got the hang of it (thank you Peter), but the customer did not like that when you right click on the pictures you get the option of saving then.

Peter, Alpha's Image Gallery component allows you to have your images anywhere as long as you have a parent folder with the full resolution pictures in it and a sub-folder containing the thumbnails (no thumbnail = no display), simply must set an argument pointing to the main folder, the resolutions mentioned above are Alpha's suggestions based on the IPad. I have 9 main folders already for different categories; rings, bracelets, earrings, etc...

The only other information displayed by the component besides the thumbs and the main images has to be stored on a table that contains at a minimum 3 fields. The name of the parent folder where the main images are at, the image file name and a description field which allows HTML. The plan is to have information about the jewels being displayed using the html contained on that field with a hyperlink on it to open the next page and process the clients add to cart request.

Believe me, if it was up to me I would just go with the grid, but you know another chance at learning how to do something new is always welcomed also...

Thanks you Guys,
Juan

Latest update, spoke with the customer and he has accepted the grid, that is great news, thought I was willing, it was an uphill battle.

Thank you again Lyle and Peter...