Here are some simple step by step instructions for uploading pictures to the "Photos" gallery or Classifieds sections of our website.

Step 1: Log in with your username/password in either the Home, Forums, Photos or Classifieds section of the site. Click the navigation bar link to the "Photos" gallery page. Look in the upper right hand menu bar and you'll see the option to "Upload Photos". Select it.
Step 2: You have the option of choosing a category where you want to post the photo. It will automatically also be included in your personal "Member Gallery". Next select the "Choose " button and locate the file on your computer local drive that you want to upload. Make sure all of your pictures all have a "different" file name. You can upload up to five photos at a time. Next type in a default title and a description about your photo. Then select "Upload/Submit"
Step 3: Depending on the size of the file it may take a few seconds to process but that is all there is to it. The Photos program can automatically reformat you photos to the screen and file size limits of our website. Finally, once logged in you can move or delete photos that you upload at anytime.

Linking a photo in the Photos gallery to a post in the Forums: If you would like to reference a photo in the gallery within a post you make in the forums, simply go the photo in the Photos section and look for the Linked Medium: or Medium Image: code under the picture. You can access these codes by clicking on the "More" button under "Linked Thumbnail:". Copy the code from one of these and paste it within the body of your post in the forums and it will show up within the post. For instance if I copy the Medium Image: code for this image (I'm leaving off the IMG BBCODE tags so you can see the link, but you have to add them in your post) http://www.ncangler.com/photopost/data/2/1Trout.jpg it will show up as:


Or I can use the "Linked Thumbnail" code to add a small version of the photo that is linked to the original photo in the Fishing Photos gallery. This makes viewing the forum post easier but still enables a viewer to see the larger image in the gallery. The same example above would appear like this with the Linked Thumbnail version:

Simply click on the thumbnail to go to the gallery to see the larger image.

Attaching Photos to a Forum Post: If you want to add a photo to a post in the "Forums" section it is a very simple process. The attached photos have to be under 800x600 pixels dimension wise and less than 250kb to upload, but the forum software can automatically resize them for you if the original image is under 2.5MB in size. If it is larger than that you will need to resize the photo to something under 2.5MB before attempting to attach it.

Step 1: Click on Post New Thread or Reply, depending on whether you are starting a new thread discussion topic or are replying to an existing thread. If creating a new thread you will need to enter a Thread Title and your Message.
Step 2: Then below the Message window in the Additional Options panel click on Manage Attachments. You must allow pop-up windows in your browser in order to see the Manage Attachments window.
Step 3: When you do see the pop-up window, select the Choose File button and select the location on your computer where the image you wish to upload is located. You can attach up to five photos at a time to your forum post.
Step 4: When you have selected 1-5 photos that you wish to attach to your post, click the Upload buttton located beside Upload File from your Computer. This may take a few seconds depending on the size of your photo file. If you get an error message that says your file is too large, you will need to use a photo resizing program to make resize it to make it smaller. Try reducing it 50% and see if that works. The program will automatically resize photos up to about 2.5 in size.
Step 5: Next close the pop-up Manage Attachments window and you will see the file names that you selected in the Manage Attachments section of the Options panel. All that is left to do is to click on Submit the New Thread or Submit the Reply. Your photos should be attached to your forum post and when you click on them they will open in a larger pop-up window.

Another tip is to make sure each of your pictures have a "different" file name. If not you may be overwriting thumbnails and pictures with the wrong photos and will be baffled in the process as to what could be wrong. And even though they may be pulled from different folders on your computer they may have the same file name when you download them from your digital camera. So come up with a system for saving your digital folders that creates a unique filename for each photo.

Finally, several folks have asked for recommendations on photo editing software. You should have received a photo editing software program with your camera if you've purchased a digital camera. Usually something like Kodak Easyshare, etc. If not maybe one of the programs below will help. I use Photoshop all the time and have no experience with the others listed below but others have recommended them. If you need a program to resize or edit your photos before uploading to the site, check out these options.

Adobe Photoshop http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/main.html
(benchmark professional user program but somewhat pricey)

Google Picasa http://picasa.google.com/index.html
(free program and looks good)

Gimp http://www.gimp.org
(free program)

Microsoft PowerToys http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/d...powertoys.mspx
(more complicated install but there are several programs included. The "Image Resizer" toy can do the job)

I hope this helps. If you still have problems with uploading images contact support email. And if you have suggestions for additional functionality or to enhance the tutorial please let me know.

Randy
NCangler

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