OK.

I've read and and reread all of the threads on modifying the image upload mod to allow auto generation of thumbnails when a user uploads an image.

What I've gathered is that the ONLY way to do this is to have imageMagick or perlMagick installed on your server. Is this correct?

Also, are any of you experts/veterans out there (JPDeni, Elliot, Mark123, Benseb, Karen - and anyone else I've left out) any closer to writing a mod for this for mere mortals?

Just waiting.

Thanks, Mike

OK...perhaps I should rephrase my question.

Has anyone out there gotten automatic generation of thumbnails with the file upload mod to work using anything other than imageMagick?

Any help here is greatly appreciated.

Michael

Michael,

Unfortunately Perl does not make it easy to do this. Because it is quite a complex problem you need a program to do it.

I use ImageMagik. You can also use the JPGTN module. If you have Imagemagick you can use the mod I posted, otherwise there is a thumbnail script on PerlArchive.com for JPGTN.

The bad news is, that without either of these you cannot do it. BUT Your ISP, if they are any good, should install ImageMagick for you. I had some hassle with this as they wanted me to do it (in my own area!!) but eventually they gave in!

GOOD LUCK!!!!


Cheers!
Ben
------------
http://www.travel-experiences.com

Ben,

Thanks so much for the info. I'm gonna go the imagemagick route. What sort of difficulties problems did you run into when you tried to intall the program your self?

The reason I ask is that I'd like to not hassle my host if I don't need to. Can I screw up something on my hosts' server? Will they be pissed at me for messing around with out their permission? I just don't know the ethics regarding something like this.

If anyone out there has installed imagemagick...what's the deal...is it a pain in the butt or super easy.

Thanks, Mike

YES it is real easy to install Image Magick.I am not a network literate ,I AM NEW,and I can do it myself just type 2-3 commands with default config, and it run fine.. You can asking your host to allow you install it on you own root maybe.

Regards,
Act.
Thank for all help.

Its OK, as long as you are not manipulating huge images, as ImageMagick can use up to 80Mb of RAM for each process. Fine if you just use it to thumbnail 30kb images one at a time, but dont try anything too huge or you may crash your server!!!

Installing in your own area should be fine. You may need to create some sym links to make the thumbnail script work -- see what JPDeni had to say on this in the previous threads.



Cheers!
Ben
------------
http://www.travel-experiences.com

Thanks to both of you!

I'm gonna give it a go today. I'll let you know how it goes.

Mike

Uuugh what a drag.

I tried doing the quick install method (default config) of imageMagick right from the root of my website. (My site is being hosted). No luck. SOmething ain't working and none of the imageMagick commands ("display" "convert") are working form the command line (I assume this means it isn't working- when I type "whereis Display" it returns "DISPLAY:" and then returns to the command line prompt.

Anyway, I check with the host to see if they would install it for me and SLAM! right in my face. They outright refuse to do it. Too many clients, too little time, security issues, server issues, blah, blah.

So here I am back to square one. I see that I have a few options and which one I choose will depend on any input I can get from people here:

1. SHould I keep tying to install this program? Are there things I should investigate as to why it won't work? Is there anything anyone knows about a greenhorn like myself installing imageMagick from their own root? My host is of no help here.

2. Should I look for a host has and supports imagemagick? Anybody know one?

Thanks for any help,

Mike

With one last ditch effort trying to get ImageMagick going on my system I've tried installing the binary as opposed to compiling.

The last stem in the intruction for installing a binary says the following:

ImageMagick will install on your system. When it is finished, RUN ldconfig OR IT WILL NOT WORK! When you install new libraries, you must notify your system so it can generate the proper links and cache.
ldconfig does that for you. "

Anybody know how to run "ldconfig"?

Mike

What I have to do when installing modules in my area, is specify the prefix.

If you just compile, it will try to write to /usr/bin or whatever, which you do not have write access to. Lookup the command in the Imagemagick manual but it should be something like:

commandhere -prefix=/myarea/where_to_put_it

Like I said, look in the manual for the exact command


Cheers!
Ben
------------
http://www.travel-experiences.com

If your server is Unix
Try 2 command in the same path
1. ./configure
2. make install
Then type whereis convert,if it show path of convert not just convert: then it is successed.
You will see some thing like convert:/usr/bin

But if your server doesnot allow you to write to /usr/bin or root server,try to -prefix=PATH
Regards,
Act.
I am new to cgi, Thank you for your help.

Act and Benseb,

Just to update you...I finally got imageMagick going. My host totally pooched me so I had to install it locally on my dedicated server something I wanted to avoid. What a hassle epecially I you aren't a linux stud. Now I'm gonna try to get your script set up.I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks for all the help. Mike