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sinucello

Customer
Hi,

we made good experiences with your Advanced Post Thanks / Like pro version and so we consider to switch from photopost pro to your new gallery product. What we don`t like about photopost pro is that it is not fully integrated into vBulletin. If users would like to create a new thread/post with pictures, they will have to upload the images to the gallery first and then create their post to copy the image into it. A lot of our users are not very experienced with the internet / browser features and so it would be much better if the upload of the images could be integrated into the process of creating a post.

What is also very confusing is that the existing vBulletin gallery system runs parallel to photopost. So we have a lot of work with explaining why users shouldn`t upload images to the vBulletin gallery system but instead to the photopost gallery, which also has user albums.

We run a cooking community where mostly recipes are posted. Often the threads got cluttered with images so we banned all images from the thread and told the users to add the link to the thread to the image description when uploading their images. Then a cronjob script scans the image database and assigns the images to the threads in a special table and then the images get displayed above the thread with an ajax/lightbox box:
Fotorezept - Morgenmuffelchen
This works OK but it is still very confusing for the users having to use to browser windows: one to upload images and one to create the thread so they can copy the thread link into the image description.

So our requirements to a new gallery would be:

  • Import of existing photopost gallery
  • Product is fully integrated into the existing vBulletin Photo Albums system - or take care of completely disabling/replacing the vB system it with your product
  • Comfortable und user friendly image upload directly in the create thread/post dialogue
  • Possibility of displaying all images connected to a thread above the thread (lightbox) or in a central place (sidebar) when viewing the thread instead of showing the images directly in the postings like you can see in this example:
    Fotorezept - Morgenmuffelchen
  • Display latest images above forum home or in sidebar

Can you tell me if your product meets this requirements? If not, would you consider this features as useful and add them to your product if we pay for it? If we pay for those "custom" features, would you add them to the official product so we can be sure that a long term support is guaranteed?

thank you - all the best,
Sacha
 
Last edited:
Hi,

we made good experiences with your Advanced Post Thanks / Like pro version and so we consider to switch from photopost pro to your new gallery product. What we don`t like about photopost pro is that it is not fully integrated into vBulletin. If users would like to create a new thread/post with pictures, they will have to upload the images to the gallery first and then create their post to copy the image into it. A lot of our users are not very experienced with the internet / browser features and so it would be much better if the upload of the images could be integrated into the process of creating a post.

What is also very confusing is that the existing vBulletin gallery system runs parallel to photopost. So we have a lot of work with explaining why users shouldn`t upload images to the vBulletin gallery system but instead to the photopost gallery, which also has user albums.

We run a cooking community where mostly recipes are posted. Often the threads got cluttered with images so we banned all images from the thread and told the users to add the link to the thread to the image description when uploading their images. Then a cronjob script scans the image database and assigns the images to the threads in a special table and then the images get displayed above the thread with an ajax/lightbox box:
Fotorezept - Morgenmuffelchen
This works OK but it is still very confusing for the users having to use to browser windows: one to upload images and one to create the thread so they can copy the thread link into the image description.

So our requirements to a new gallery would be:

  • Import of existing photopost gallery
  • Product is fully integrated into the existing vBulletin Photo Albums system - or take care of completely disabling/replacing the vB system it with your product
  • Comfortable und user friendly image upload directly in the create thread/post dialogue
  • Possibility of displaying all images connected to a thread above the thread (lightbox) or in a central place (sidebar) when viewing the thread instead of showing the images directly in the postings like you can see in this example:
    Fotorezept - Morgenmuffelchen
  • Display latest images above forum home or in sidebar

Can you tell me if your product meets this requirements? If not, would you consider this features as useful and add them to your product if we pay for it? If we pay for those "custom" features, would you add them to the official product so we can be sure that a long term support is guaranteed?

thank you - all the best,
Sacha

Hi Sacha,
Right now we don't have an importer from photopost. I would like to create one but I don't have access to files/database from photopost.
I'm not sure why you would need to replace the album capabilities in vB? You could just disable it in the usergroups and don't allow attachments of image types.
I'm not sure if we plan on having users able to submit images from a thread. I do plan on having the ability to attach images to a thread that are already uploaded to the gallery if that helps.
If I do have it associate images to a thread I will probably make it so the admin can specify a few different places to show them. Above the thread and inside the post are a couple options.
Right now the images show on a forum sidebar block and CMS widget, I plan on making image show on the forumhome as well

I hope that answers your questions
 
Hello Dylan,

Right now we don't have an importer from photopost. I would like to create one but I don't have access to files/database from photopost.
if I can help without getting in conflict with copyright laws just let me know.

I'm not sure why you would need to replace the album capabilities in vB? You could just disable it in the usergroups and don't allow attachments of image types.
we already have disabled attachments. I think the problem is that the vBulletin system lacks a lot of things, you can`t really build a community gallery with it, that`s why 3rd party products like yours exist. But on the other hand the vB system is very well integrated into the forum. You have the user`s albums in the profiles, you can attach images to social groups etc..

So in many forums you have some kind of main topic like cars, horses, whatever - and all aspects of this main topic are covered by the 3rd party gallery. But it`s a natural process of a community that users get to know each other, discover similar interest outside your main forum scope and also have a growing need for self-expression.

And that`s what the social groups and profiles are for. But in those areas the integration of 3rd party products is weak. This is why we tell our users to upload all pictures related to the main topic of our forum into the gallery but if they want to post pictures of their cats, gardens, fetish, whatever... we remove those from the gallery and ask them to add those to their profile albums. So we can`t just disable them. And as we have them enabled, users tend to upload stuff there which we rather want to have in the main gallery, which keeps our moderators pretty busy with explaining and moving things.

This is why I have a need for a product that covers not only the typical gallery functions but also can either replace the vB albums or make it somehow transparent for the user where to upload what - a seamless integration.

I hope I could make myself clear. Maybe we are just handling the image stuff wrong and don`t see the light.

I'm not sure if we plan on having users able to submit images from a thread. I do plan on having the ability to attach images to a thread that are already uploaded to the gallery if that helps.
Anything that makes things comfortable for the user is good. Please keep in mind that there are lots of people that don`t know how to copy a link, handle browser tabs or different browser windows. So if "attaching images to a thread" means a button that opens a pop-up window where the user can select a topic with a mouse click that would be nice. But if it means that they have to copy the thread URL in one window and paste them into some text input field in the upload/edit image dialogue in another window, that would be just like the unsatisfying situation we have now.

If I do have it associate images to a thread I will probably make it so the admin can specify a few different places to show them. Above the thread and inside the post are a couple options.
Right now the images show on a forum sidebar block and CMS widget, I plan on making image show on the forumhome as well

I hope that answers your questions

that sounds good. I`m looking forward very much to your product and also hope that some of the stuff I wrote finds an open ear on your side. I know I`m not the only one in need for em:
Cel Photo Popup - Insert pictures from vB Albums, Attachs, Photopost, vBGallery - vBulletin.org Forum

all the best,
Sacha
 
Hello Dylan,


if I can help without getting in conflict with copyright laws just let me know.
I'll tag Cosmic so he knows what we can do without violating that, I'm not positive on what their licensing allows

we already have disabled attachments. I think the problem is that the vBulletin system lacks a lot of things, you can`t really build a community gallery with it, that`s why 3rd party products like yours exist. But on the other hand the vB system is very well integrated into the forum. You have the user`s albums in the profiles, you can attach images to social groups etc..

So in many forums you have some kind of main topic like cars, horses, whatever - and all aspects of this main topic are covered by the 3rd party gallery. But it`s a natural process of a community that users get to know each other, discover similar interest outside your main forum scope and also have a growing need for self-expression.

And that`s what the social groups and profiles are for. But in those areas the integration of 3rd party products is weak. This is why we tell our users to upload all pictures related to the main topic of our forum into the gallery but if they want to post pictures of their cats, gardens, fetish, whatever... we remove those from the gallery and ask them to add those to their profile albums. So we can`t just disable them. And as we have them enabled, users tend to upload stuff there which we rather want to have in the main gallery, which keeps our moderators pretty busy with explaining and moving things.

This is why I have a need for a product that covers not only the typical gallery functions but also can either replace the vB albums or make it somehow transparent for the user where to upload what - a seamless integration.

I hope I could make myself clear. Maybe we are just handling the image stuff wrong and don`t see the light.
I see what you mean, I just needed to make sure you know I probably can't "replace" the album functionality. Some place vB just doesn't have the hooks available to do what's needed. I'll have to look into it more and see. I know on posting, I can add another tab/button to the editor, but that's not replacing the functionality, just disabling old functionality and adding something different in a similar location :) Just wanted to be sure you know that I'd never be able to replace the image upload icon so that instead of going to albums/attachments, it would go to the gallery. I just don't think something like that is possible. It would be more like, if you want to add a zip file, use the normal attachment button, if you want to add an image that's in your gallery, click this other button and find the image.

Anything that makes things comfortable for the user is good. Please keep in mind that there are lots of people that don`t know how to copy a link, handle browser tabs or different browser windows. So if "attaching images to a thread" means a button that opens a pop-up window where the user can select a topic with a mouse click that would be nice. But if it means that they have to copy the thread URL in one window and paste them into some text input field in the upload/edit image dialogue in another window, that would be just like the unsatisfying situation we have now.
I was going to do something like you have in your next quote. Where they can add images to their gallery and then select them when they are creating their post. I agree though, if a user has to create a thread then add their images to the gallery and put in a thread id or thread url, it's just a PITA the users would rather not deal with.


that sounds good. I`m looking forward very much to your product and also hope that some of the stuff I wrote finds an open ear on your side. I know I`m not the only one in need for em:
Cel Photo Popup - Insert pictures from vB Albums, Attachs, Photopost, vBGallery - vBulletin.org Forum

all the best,
Sacha
I understand where you are coming from, although some of it's not in there now, it's in the works. Once I get it going it'll be installed on here and you can see if it meets your needs :)
 
Hi Dylan,
thanks for the feedback. Interesting to hear about the missing hooks, I understand the problems better now. Your way of dealing with customer feedback just feels good, was missing that a lot in other places ;-).
all the best,
Sacha
 
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