New Image Gallery at Planet-Love

[Dan]

The post is to alert you that we made a recent upgrade - actually, it was a wholesale changeout - of the PL Image Gallery software (accessible from either the left frame or top menu).

This new script is FAR more capable and represents a major improvement in the important features available to our members. We simply outgrew the old software and needed something more robust and capable - and now we have it. Some of the features available to our members with this new script are:

* Allows you to load a photo in a Public Album, or to a Personal Gallery that you create with one or more Albums.
* Public Albums (10) already established are:
 - AP: China
 - AP: Japan
 - AP: Philippines
 - AP: Other
 - LA: Argentina
 - LA: Brazil
 - LA: Colombia
 - LA: Other
 - Wedding/Reception
 - Family/Friends
 - General

* Members retain full control over their photos, whether in their Personal Gallery or in the Public Albums
* Uploaded photos are automatically 'watermarked' both visibly and hidden, to deter pilfering of the photos
* Members have access to a 'slideshow' for viewing photos
* Members can send a photo as an 'e-card'
* Members can 'rate' photos with zero (0) to five (5) stars
* Members can add 'comments' to photos [Note: comments are subject to bad word filtering, so please keep the comments clean]

There are several features of the new script we are working toward implementing, as follows:

* We hope to be able to provide a link in each member's RWD profile that will lead to their Personal Gallery.
* We are evaluating the use of Private Personal Galleries for members. There are already some restrictions a member can place on their Personal Gallery such as disallowing comments and/or ratings, and we are considering allowing even more privacy controls for members to utilize.

As expected, we have run into a few glitches as we learn more about this script and its many improved capabilities. We are slowly working our way through those, and it should be fully operational within just a few days, at the most (hopefully much less). The Gallery is open for viewing now, and members should be able to scan through the 300+ photos currently in the Gallery at your leisure.

- Dan

[Dan]

Here is a small tutorial on how to use the new Gallery. The numbered steps are directly related to the attached screenshots. I am re-using the same screenshots used for the announcement at RWD, and the steps here at PL are identical. Please post any problems or questions.

There are two (2) primary steps to uploading photos to the new Gallery.

First step is to create and configure your Personal Albums.

Second step is to upload photos to the either the Public Albums, or your Personal Gallery.

Specific steps are as follows:

1-1. Click "Create / order my albums"

1-2. Click "New" button, and you will see "New album" appears in the list.

1-3. Click "Apply modifications". You will see a popup asking; "Are you sure you want to make these modifications"? Click "OK"

1-4. The system will display a message "Creating album 'New album' - Click "Continue"

1-5. Click on "Modify My Albums"

1-6. Change the Title of the Album by replacing 'New album' with the title of your choice

1-7. Add a description of the album (optional)

1-8. In 'Permissions for this album' you can select from the dropdown menu if you want the photos viewable by the public, or by only Registered members of PL, or by you alone.

1-9. You can also decide if you want to allow photos to receive comments (from PL members only) or be rated (by PL members only).

1-10. Click "Update album". You are likely to see a brief screen appear to confirm the update, and then it returns you to the Update Album screen. Your album is ready to receive photos.

Continued in next post.

[Dan]

Once your Personal Album is created, you are now ready to upload photos into your photo album(s).

2-1. Click "Upload file"

You can upload files that are resident on your PC, or that are already visible on the internet with a URL. You can upload as many as 5 files at a time.

2-2. Assuming the file is on your PC - Click "Choose File" and navigate to the file you want to upload.

2-3. Click "Continue"

You should see a screen that says, "1 uploads were successful. Please click "Continue" to add the files to albums."

2-4. Click "Continue"

2-5. Select the Album where you want the photo to appear from the dropdown menu. Please note that your Personal Gallery(ies) are listed above the Public Galleries, and you can elect to submit your photo to either.

2-6. Add a title and description and click "Continue"

2-7. You should see a screen to confirm your photo was placed correctly. Click "Continue"

2-8. Click on "User galleries" (assuming photos were placed in your Personal gallery).

Your photo/s is/are now uploaded and available for viewing.

Please post here if you encounter any problems.

- Dan

[Ray]

Sounds good to me Dan!

[opensource]

I'm not sure if I am missing something, but I cannot view any photos in the image gallery. It's saying that it's empty. Does everyone have their photos private or is there something else going on I'm not aware of?

[piglett]

YA EITHER THAT OR IT ASKS FOR A STUPID PASSWORD
WHAT'S UP WITH THAT ?

[robert angel]

Yea-that thing seems like a mess. I wonder where my old pics went--why they show up on the side bar still (although I can't call them up myself --apparently w/o downloading the new software--which I don't want to) and why I can't delete them. I say bring back the old version....

[piglett]

1 step forward & two steps back
I hate most changes, I say go back to the horse & wagon days  ...he he he


just kidding
piglett

[robert angel]

How is this new system going?

Getting a lot of pictures posted lately?

Would you call it a success thus far?

Can I have access to the pictures I posted here before this new system was implemented given back to me?

[Dan]

Hey guys - just relax. The problems will get sorted out as soon as we have time.

- Dan

[robert angel]

Thanks!

[opensource]

Thanks, I am eager to see it up and running 

[z_k_g]

Wanna see pictures!!

[Dan]

Try the Image Gallery now.

I think the major bugs are resolved.

I noticed a few members created personal albums, but there are no photos uploaded to those albums. If you want to keep the albums to upload photos, please let me know. Conversely, if you do NOT want to keep the albums, please let me know that so I may delete the albums.

Post here with any problems.

- Dan