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make photo albums easy to access
 
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whollycow



Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Posts: 21

PostPosted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 7:11 am    Post subject: make photo albums easy to access Reply with quote

Hi John, I would like to suggest that Blog Harbor make some changes to the way photo albums are accessed. As I understand it, the only way to view picture albums currently is to go to the catagory tree component on the side bar. This system is rather obscure for unfamiliar viewers to find. Especially since the catogory tree does not automaticly display all the subcatogies, instead, one has to first click on the catagory, and then, after a brief refresh, (which leaves you at the top of the page) the subcatogory photo album is displayed. You hve to reallyknow what you are looking for. Not something a casual visitor will find.

I DO really like the "Display recently updated photos" component/feature which comes up on the side bar. This is a nice touch. Is there any way to set which specific photos from the album are displayed on the side bar? (because sometimes one photo would be more appropriate for the side bar to encourage visitors to visit the photo album). ..And even better, would be if there was a component which displayed one (custom choosen) picture from each album and then had a link which would automatically take you to the photo album? rather than only to the one selected photo?

Is there any way to make viewing the photo album from the dashboard a little easier? I am having trouble figuring out how to get to the photo album, once I get beyond the stage of adding pictures. Sometimes I want to preview the album, and in the process get lost in the maze of the dashboard. What I have been attempting to do is to put links to the photo albums right into my articles. But it is a labrinthian process getting to the photo album from the dashboard 'view blog' feature, finding the photo album, copy the url, and then creating a link in the post. Is there an easier way to figure out what the URL for the photo album is so I can create the link more easily?

For some reason, I have still not ben successful at making working links to a few recently created photo albums. You can check out my blog at equalvision.org to see what I mean.

One final problem...my sons tried to make a "custom view photo albums component" for me. Which would do some of the things I suggested above. (except I would have to manually add each album as I create them. This component is up there in the side bar, but it is not working yet, because at the time they made it, I had not created any photo albums. I do not know where to go to access this inner workings of this component so I can confugure it. Can you please direct me to the right spot. I also need to change some of the links in my custom catogories. (there are a few links that still lead to the old host's photo adds. I assume the place to change those links is the same place I need to go to change the custom component for photos. Is this correct? Thanks very much for your help.
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john
Site Admin


Joined: 16 Mar 2004
Posts: 3434

PostPosted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 10:00 am    Post subject: Re: make photo albums easy to access Reply with quote

As I understand it, the only way to view picture albums currently is to go to the catagory tree component on the side bar.

That is one of the ways for you to direct your users to a Photo Album. Another method, as you pointed out, would be to use the Display recently updated albums option to display a box at the top or bottom of a category page which displays images from recently updated albums. In response to your question, "Is there any way to set which specific photos from the album are displayed on the side bar? " No there is not, this feature is designed to display images from recently updated albums, not specific photos.

And even better, would be if there was a component which displayed one (custom choosen) picture from each album and then had a link which would automatically take you to the photo album? rather than only to the one selected photo?

You have the ability to create your own custom components for your blog which display anything you want, so while we may not have such a prebuilt component for you, you can create a custom component which displays an image of your choosing. If you need help with the HTML, create a new thread here in the forum and ask a specific question about an issue you are having. Explain exactly what you want to create, show us an example URL of what you came up with, and we'll try to help you fix it up to look like what you want.

Is there any way to make viewing the photo album from the dashboard a little easier?

The only real way to preview your album is from the blog itself, not from the control panel. If you're using a browser like Firefox which supports tabs, you can open your control panel in one tab and your blog in another tab, that's probably the best way to be managing your blog posting process.

Is there an easier way to figure out what the URL for the photo album is so I can create the link more easily?

I don't think there's an easier way than just copying the URL from the address bar of the browser, hence my suggestion above.

This component is up there in the side bar, but it is not working yet, because at the time they made it, I had not created any photo albums. I do not know where to go to access this inner workings of this component so I can confugure it. Can you please direct me to the right spot?

Not sure I completely understand the question, but I think you are asking "How do I edit a custom component I created previously?" See this page in the user manual for the steps to create, edit, or customize components.
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whollycow



Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Posts: 21

PostPosted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 8:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK thanks for the info. I am glad that I did indeed understand how the photo albums work. I will create a custom component and post a new thread as you suggest.

Am I correct in my understanding that the "display recently updated album" component shows random images from the photo album, and that the link under these photos in the side bar takes you to the individual photo, rather than the whole album?

When I get the component working I will ask for suggestions.
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john
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Joined: 16 Mar 2004
Posts: 3434

PostPosted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 9:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Am I correct in my understanding that the "display recently updated album" component shows random images from the photo album

This feature does not show random photos, it shows the most recent photos from the most recently updated album; you can select the number of recently updated albums to display from the Albums to display dropdown list.

and that the link under these photos in the side bar takes you to the individual photo, rather than the whole album?

The link does indeed take you to the individual photo, rather than the album index page. Please let us know if your experience indicates otherwise.
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whollycow



Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Posts: 21

PostPosted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 8:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This feature does not show random photos, it shows the most recent photos from the most recently updated album; you can select the number of recently updated albums to display from the Albums to display dropdown list.

Is there one main place to set the "number of albums to display" or can this be done from any of the photo album catagory settings pages?

The link does indeed take you to the individual photo, rather than the album index page. Please let us know if your experience indicates otherwise.

It does indeed take me to the individual photo. I would like the link to lead to the album itself. I did not know I could customize system components. That is great. If it works right, I will not have to worry about manually entering in each new photo album into the custom photo album component I was planning. Thanks
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john
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Joined: 16 Mar 2004
Posts: 3434

PostPosted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 8:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Is there one main place to set the "number of albums to display" or can this be done from any of the photo album category settings pages?

Remember that this Display recently updated albums feature is a setting on a category. You can select a particular category to Display recently updated albums via the settings in your control panel at Post Manager > Category Settings. Configure which category you want to add this feature to by clicking on the Category Tree on the left side.

So there is no "main place" to set the number of albums to display, if you enable this feature on the Main Page category then you would configure the number of albums displayed on the Main Page category through its Category Settings page.

It does indeed take me to the individual photo. I would like the link to lead to the album itself. I did not know I could customize system components. That is great.

This is not a customizable component, it is a feature that can be enabled on a per category basis. It is not a component like the components that can be added to your blog sidebar, and its output can not be customized.
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whollycow



Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Posts: 21

PostPosted: Sat Sep 09, 2006 8:36 am    Post subject: photo albums Reply with quote

Remember that this Display recently updated albums feature is a setting on a category. You can select a particular category to Display recently updated albums via the settings in your control panel at Post Manager > Category Settings. Configure which category you want to add this feature to by clicking on the Category Tree on the left side.

OK I understand. Each catogory has its own settings. That is a very helpful feature. The one problem have is that the photos in the albums are displayed in reverse order / or scrambled order - and not in the order I arranged them in the photo album. This must be because the last photos to be added are the ones to be displayed first... Sigh...(Yes I do realize that i am picky). But it would be nice to have the albums displayed in the order I arranged them. Some of my albums show a sequence of events and when it gets scrambled it detracts from the album. It was a lot of work to use the custom arrange feature. (Drag and Drop would be sess time consuming).

This is not a customizable component, it is a feature that can be enabled on a per category basis. It is not a component like the components that can be added to your blog sidebar, and its output can not be customized.

There is a Side Bar "Display Photo Albums Component." Is it possible to customize that component?
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john
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Joined: 16 Mar 2004
Posts: 3434

PostPosted: Sat Sep 09, 2006 5:32 pm    Post subject: Re: photo albums Reply with quote

That is a very helpful feature. The one problem have is that the photos in the albums are displayed in reverse order / or scrambled order - and not in the order I arranged them in the photo album. This must be because the last photos to be added are the ones to be displayed first...

Yes, that is by design... The feature was specifically created to show the most recently updated images from the most recently updated albums, as a way to assist publishers in alerting their visitors to new content. Since it is designed to show the most recently updated photos, it will always display the photos in reverse chronological order. I don't expect we will alter the functionality of this component to show the photos in the custom order shown on the album itself.

There is a Side Bar "Display Photo Albums Component." Is it possible to customize that component?

The "Recently Updated Photos" component will display exactly what its title implies, the most recently updated photos across all albums. It is not possible to specify which albums and the component will always display the most recent photos in reverse chronological order.
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gristgal



Joined: 05 Jan 2006
Posts: 209
Location: Mississippi

PostPosted: Sat Sep 09, 2006 7:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

John,

If whollycow deleted and re-uploaded the images in reverse of his(her) desired order, would that then make Blogware display the image that (s)he desires on the index page?

It's a nasty, nasty kludge, and I realize that it would be a lot of work, but it would then make Blogware's Photo Album feature offer the viewing experience desired by the author. And - under the assumption that each time there are new photos, it's a new album - in future, (s)he'd know what to do, until/unless an alternative method is devised.

Reading various other bloggers' photo problems makes me soooo glad I do words, and not photos. I'm still shaking my head over my misunderstanding of the sticky button issue, but that's just clicking one stupid box for each post. Lots easier!

gristgal
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john
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Joined: 16 Mar 2004
Posts: 3434

PostPosted: Sat Sep 09, 2006 8:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's a nasty, nasty kludge, and I realize that it would be a lot of work, but it would then make Blogware's Photo Album feature offer the viewing experience desired by the author.

Technically speaking, it's not the Photo Album feature that the poster is having an issue with, it is a feature which doesn't really have a name per se but we'll call the Display recently updated albums feature, which provides the ability to display thumbnails of the most recently updated photos from the most recently updated albums on a category page like the Main Page.

If whollycow deleted and re-uploaded the images in reverse of his(her) desired order, would that then make Blogware display the image that (s)he desires on the index page?

I guess that could be done, but I wouldn't recommend it as a particularly useful way to spend one's time. I would think it would be far easier to create a block of HTML containing the desired images and add that to the header or sidebar...
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whollycow



Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Posts: 21

PostPosted: Sun Sep 10, 2006 7:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

gristgal wrote: If whollycow deleted and re-uploaded the images in reverse of his(her) desired order, would that then make Blogware display the image that (s)he desires on the index page?

Blog Harbor/John wrote: I guess that could be done, but I wouldn't recommend it as a particularly useful way to spend one's time. I would think it would be far easier to create a block of HTML containing the desired images and add that to the header or sidebar..

Actually I was seriously considering trying the reverse order thing. at least for new photo albums. Not sure I want to deleate and re-enter all the old ones. But the idea of making a block of HTML containing the desired images would be easier. Except - I would have to do this every time I made a new photo album. It would not update automaticly like a built in feature would. Is this correct?

If so please explain where in the dashboard I need to go to add the HTML to the header or sidebar. Please also explain the difference in result between adding it to the header vs side bar.

Change of topic

whollycow wrote:There is a Side Bar "Display Photo Albums Component." Is it possible to customize that component?

The "Recently Updated Photos" component will display exactly what its title implies, the most recently updated photos across all albums. It is not possible to specify which albums and the component will always display the most recent photos in reverse chronological order.

I want to customize the sidebar component to display links to the albums themselves, rather than to the individual photos. Is this possible? And if so how?

If this can be done then it would be easy enough for me to just add a selected image to each of the photo albums I want to display on the side bar. By the way, how many newly updated photo albums will this component display?
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john
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Joined: 16 Mar 2004
Posts: 3434

PostPosted: Sun Sep 10, 2006 9:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Except - I would have to do this every time I made a new photo album. It would not update automaticly like a built in feature would. Is this correct?

That is correct, you would have to update it every time.

If so please explain where in the dashboard I need to go to add the HTML to the header or sidebar.

Please see Create a Custom Component for information about creating custom components for use in your sidebar. The process would be the same for creating a custom component for use in your header, except you wouldn't want to use the "wrapper" code we show in those instructions since that code is used specifically to make your component match the sidebar look and feel.

Please also explain the difference in result between adding it to the header vs side bar.

Unless I am misunderstanding your question the difference in result would be that in one case your custom component would appear at the top of the blog page in the header, and in the other case would appear on the side of the page in the left or right sidebar column...

Change of topic

Going forward, please post questions which change the topic to a new topic on this forum. That will help all of our users, present and future, find answers to their questions more efficiently.

I want to customize the sidebar component to display links to the albums themselves, rather than to the individual photos. Is this possible?

Sorry, but that is not possible.

By the way, how many newly updated photo albums will this component display?

If you are referring to the Recent Photos component, it will display 5 of the most recently updated photos from all of your albums. You can customize this component to cause it to display up to 10 of the most recently updated photos.

If you are referring to the Display recently updated albums category option, you can control the number of albums to display from the Albums to display dropdown list.
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