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[IMMENENT] Postcards Plug-in

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[IMMENENT] Postcards Plug-in
Ok,

Once I release the updated Graphic/Logo mod, I'll release the Postcards.cgi mod (the one that runs as an external script, and does not require a second links license).

If you install the Logo/Graphic mod, or have any skill hacking the Links database tables and templates at all, you'll be able to use this mod to convert one (or more) topics of your existing links area into a postcards site.

Otherwise, you can do what most sites do, and set up a page or two of images to send as postcards, and not use "links" at all as the index program.

This script _DOES_NOT_ require Links SQL to run -- it REQUIRES that Links SQL be installed, and working ie: access to the ../admin/(libs) directories -- and only expects either an ID= or URL= paramter to run. It converts the ID= into the URL= paramter, assuming that the ID is a record in the Links database, that contains a field with with the URL of the image (you can set this field as an option, it will default to the Logo/Graphic mod field if that is intalled).

The advantage of this script is that it's a single script, it will install through the Links plug-in system, and it uses the Links libraries and templates system so you can keep the look/feel of your site in your postcards area, and you don't have to learn any new template tricks.

This script has been tested well, so most bugs should have been swatted, and the only bugs expected are in the install on all the various platforms that I don't know about, and if I left out setting something that is 'default' on my system.

What that means, is that this script should set up and run almost out of the box, if you are using the built-in Logo/Graphics feature to hold your postcards images, not a "logo".

Unfortunately... as I indicated in December, this script has a price tag on it.

Cost is $125, and includes support and at least a year of upgrades. I don't expect many upgrades to this, as its 'finished' unless Alex makes changes to the 2.0 system that it doesn't work.

The upgrade path would be to the full Photo/Graphics/Picture-post site mod, or to the Postcards.Pro (which I hope to integrate with GossMail to allow you to offer multiple domains, etc to people).

-- Either upgrade -- the PicturePost _OR_ Postcards.Pro will offer you a $100 discount on upgrade, if you chose to upgrade. The costs of those programs is unknown at this time, but is going to be at least $250 each, and most likely will need a separate license of Links SQL and/or GossMail to run. These are _BIG_ program/upgrades, and add a lot more than just the ability to send postcards.

This basic Postcards.cgi program should be sufficient for 90% of people wanting to offer postcards, and it seamlessly integrates with your current Links. It probably is more than most people need, and I've been running thousands of cards a day with these scripts for awhile now.

The upgrades are only for people who want to run a full graphics library and/or postcards site, and are looking at having hundreds or thousands of images that need cataloging, searching and display.

Hopefully this makes sense. I still haven't had my caffeine, but I wanted to post that this is on the horizon, in case anyone was looking for it.

Anyone with postcards.cgi from the 1.1x version this will use the same databases, tables, etc... just the updated Links 2.0 calls and functions. Seamless upgrade

If the upload/graphics mod goes well, this postcards plug-in should be out friday or saturday.



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