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[UPDATE] postcards script and image uploads

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[UPDATE] postcards script and image uploads
I've added a feature to the postcards script, that is tangential to the image work I've been doing for the other programs.

Rather than using the FILE fields, and such, this attaches an image to a link using the the user_home_directory field added to the User record (which is one of the key fields in my current system).

The postcards script treats a link as an image, with the URL field the public web path to the image, and a thumb path field that is the public path to the thumb image. The idea was low server load, since anyone who tries to steal images, can, you aren't going to stop them, but you can increase your loads greatly trying.

What this does is upload a binary file "pending" into the user's home_dir/temp area. Then, when the user goes to submit the rest of the link, the add routines look for a file file called "pending" in the users home dir, and validate it, make sure it's a known image, etc and attaches it to the submitted link. When the link is deleted, the images are deleted. (Oh, the image is resized and thumbnailed based on the site criteria). The image is labled ID.fileext. Once submitted, the url to the image is stored in the link, so lookups are fast.

The benefits of this is that if for any reason the database gets mangled, all a users images are in their /xx/xx/xx/username directory, and are directly attached to a link via an ID. While the /xx/xx/xx is random, it's stored in the Users table, and can be rebuilt if necessary, since the leaf node is the Username.

Anyway, it seems to be working as I need it to as a specific addon to the postcards script. I'll be setting up a few more sites and packaging it all into a plugin.

Postcards are still a great interactive add on for sites, and if you can generate your own content, a great viral form of marketing and exposure.

This image upload feature will allow adding some interactivity to the Postcards script, and is the first step to the long-shelved Ultra_Postcards program, with advanced tracking features, stats, and such that give users more access to their cards. Because we never actually sent the card, only a pickup notice, users can "unsend" and edit things. So a bunch of features have been planned and never implemented until now.


Anyway, if you have the postcards program and want to upgrade, let me know. There are many ways to attach an image to a link, this one works for the postcards script within the context of the growing profile/portfolio/etc system I'm building.


PUGDOG� Enterprises, Inc.

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Re: [pugdog] [UPDATE] postcards script and image uploads In reply to
The postcards script with image uploads is pretty well stable, it seems.

But, the GL3 upgrades have broken a lot of the attached plugins that were used since LSQL2x, so they had to be rewritten, and took time away from other things.

I have the beta/stable version running at either

http://creepycards.com (upgraded site)
or
http://pittsburghpostcards.com (new install site)

The postcards templates are still pretty ugly, but they are _templates_ and you can pretty them up any way you see fit, even cut the number of "steps" by putting the required tags in the earlier template, and calling a later display page (in otherwords, extremely flexible -- it was a great script even for the 2.x days.) There are a few quirks on those sites which are being handled by the rewrites to the ancillary programs.

I should have the ancillary plugins updated too, reccommend_it, detail_page, and my_rate (advanced ratings).
Apparantly, the my_rate plugin was *never* put into a plugin (at least that I can find) so hence the "my_rate" moniker and I'm having to write the install routines from the ground up for that. And, actually, in syntactical use, my_rate.cgi works well since the program does keep track of each users ratings, and it's visually different from rate.cgi.

In addition, the workload for the larger image upload system is overwhelming, to say the least. The list of features is growing faster than I can even add them to the lists <groan> Andy and I have been somewhat MIA, at times apparantly KIA this summer, but I know I've been working my curly little tail off.

There are 5 distinct versions of this program, not counting the basic "postcards" install, and that is creating some additional issues (but it's necessary, unfortunately). The newest version will be a "single user" system, which will be a display-only system. It will allow YOU the sysadmin, or anyone else, to set up GL3 as YOUR gallery/portfolio system, and allow others to comment. It will *not* allow anyone to upload or add or otherwise set up their own galleries/etc. (And, in keeping with the spirit, it *SHOULD* be compatible to upgrade into one of the various multi-user systems).

That version should go into demo/beta in a week or two, and obvious tangential uses would be for a catalog. I need to see which version will work better, but as of now, it will be set up as an add-on to the GL3 system, so each LINK will be an item (image, product, etc) but if it's a product, several images will be able to be attached to the LINK for different views. It will use the internal GL3 system for bookmarks, with extra comment and ratings features. It obviously will not have the more advaced comments, friends, and/or favs systems since it's a single-user (uploader) system.

I'm sorry I haven't been around in the past year or so as I have been for forum posts, but something had to give, and that has been my time on-line overall. Real life has been taking more of a bite out of my time, including the taking into our home of a 3rd foster/adoptive child. Such a big deal has been recently made out of Madonna, and Angelina, but we're on our 3rd, and I now have two 16 y/o girls a month apart; and while we are all getting along (better than might be expected) they are both special needs. Kids, especially teenagers need your time, and special needs kids need more of it. So, [lifting left hand, then right] there has to be a balance, and something has to give.

I know I've missed a few self imposed deadlines, but if you need a version of any of the new plugins (or older ones) updated, please contact me and I can probably arrange a custom install. In many cases, the install routines are what are going to delay the release of the programs longer than anything else. Once the code is done, the install routines have to be updated, checked, sync'd and tested to do what is expected and not cause any mischief with existing plugins. They are fairly complicated, and extremely boring, time consuming, grunt work :( but they make or break a successful installation.

.


PUGDOG� Enterprises, Inc.

The best way to contact me is to NOT use Email.
Please leave a PM here.
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Re: [pugdog] [UPDATE] postcards script and image uploads In reply to
The Recommend_It script is done. I haven't gotten feedback on it yet.

FWIW: I'll be offline for about a week. Should have some additional updates by then, but it's not a "disappearance" of the MIA sort. Just won't have Internet access for an odd set of reasons.


PUGDOG� Enterprises, Inc.

The best way to contact me is to NOT use Email.
Please leave a PM here.