Linking to an existing DC.com picture

[hemigeno]

Hey Troy,

Occasionally I end up trying to post a picture that I've already uploaded before.  I get the usual "that name has already been used" message, which is understandable.  I have tried to do a site search to find a particular photo name, but going that route doesn't seem to work.  If I can't remember where I posted the original picture, I'm not even able to post a link to the thread where I uploaded the picture in the first place.

My usual solution if all else fails is to rename the photo and re-upload it, although that hasn't happened terribly often.

Is there a way that we can (search for and then) link to a site-hosted photo for use in another thread, or is there wasted bandwidth issues that I'm overlooking?

 

[Khyron]

if the picture was uploaded the safty features in the software will not allow you to link. It comes up as an INDEX.JPG file everytime. I would say rename the file and re upload it.

[Troy]

if the picture was uploaded the safty features in the software will not allow you to link. It comes up as an INDEX.JPG file everytime. I would say rename the file and re upload it.

Actually, that's not true. I'm going to post a tutorial here in a bit.

Troy

[Troy]

Ok, here goes...

let's say I wanted to upload a picture like this:

[Troy]

The picture name is "tp_test_pic.jpg" which you can see under the picture next to the paperclip. However, if you hold your mouse over the name you'll see something like "http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=19303.0;id=28886". If you click on that you may be asked if you want to open the file or download it depending on your browser. In this case, it's a file you would have uploaded so there's no need to download it all over again. If you're using Internet Explorer and you right-click the name you'll see a drop down menu with an option to "Copy Shortcut". In Firefox you'd want to choose "Copy Link Location" from the right click menu. If you choose this option then it adds the link to the image to your clipboard and you can paste that into another post (just like I did above). Be sure to add the [ img][/img] tags (no spaces though) and you'll see this:


After telling you all that, there's a simpler method...
All attachments are stored in the same directory soooo if you know the directory name you can link directly to a file you've already uploaded just by using the file name. In this case, the file name is "tp_test_pic.jpg" (as stated) and the path to the directory is "http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/attachments". Put the two together and you have "http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/attachments/tp_test_pic.jpg". Put it in between img tags and you get:



Unfortunately, this allows people to link to images stored here directly from other sites. This is called "stealing bandwidth" and if I catch anyone doing it I'll not only delete the images but I'll most likely ban the user. I'm not sure it's any worse than people uploading the same image 25 times though since each copy would have to be downloaded by every person every time it's done. Browsers will cache (store internally) images by name so if you've already downloaded the image once then you don't have to download it again if you view the same page or even another page containing the same image. When you change the name the browser thinks they are different images so it downloads every copy as well.

Troy

[hemigeno]

Thanks for the tutorial Troy!!!

Now that I know how to re-link to the same stored picture (for DC.com threads only, of course    ), is there a way to search for the name of a stored picture to find the thread that contains the picture, or do we just need to use your "shortcut" method?

[Troy]

Hmmmmm, I don't think the search will return images/attachments - but you can probably get Google to do it for you. If you think you've uploaded it before then try the alternative method and "preview" your post to see if anything shows up.

Troy

[Charger_Fan]

I think we need MORE tp test pics!

[Khyron]

I suck

[AKcharger]

Look Look I did it!

[gilbie&hisSE]

Look Look I did it!

MOPARTS is MUCH easier!She's hot but getter off the damn car!

[gilbie&hisSE]

This site absolutely fucking sux!!! All I want to do is put up a different picture.You gotta be a fucking rocket scientist to do that more than one time.Get some real fucking software! Delete my ass if you want,it sux and I'm goin back to MOPARTS anyway,where there is more than 20 people on at one time,and where I can put up a pic anytime I want as many times as I want.C-ya!

[Troy]

This site absolutely fucking sux!!! All I want to do is put up a different picture.You gotta be a fucking rocket scientist to do that more than one time.Get some real fucking software! Delete my ass if you want,it sux and I'm goin back to MOPARTS anyway,where there is more than 20 people on at one time,and where I can put up a pic anytime I want as many times as I want.C-ya!

Don't let the door hit you in the rear...

This site is free and not ad supported so in order to keep my costs down I can't host gigantic pictures for everyone on the internet. The software works perfectly fine for the other 3,000 members so I'm sorry if you are not satisfied. You fork over the cash and I'll buy better stuff.

FYI - use that language or diss the site on Moparts and they'll ban you. However, I believe everyone is entitled to their own opinion and should be allowed to make a fool of themselves whenever the need arises. I might also point out that if you're going to act like a complete ass that you should take your phone number and email addresses out of your posts.

Another interesting fact (at this exact moment in time):
Moparts: 14 registered and 22 anonymous users are browsing this forum.
DodgeCharger.com: 24 Guests, 28 Users

Troy

[Brock Samson]

Aye Maybe he needs to change his name to "gimmie my hissyfit!" 
besides he's trying to fix a 400 "boat anchor" with a two bbl. and A/C,..   
                                                               so it's no wonder he's all frustrated...

[69-DodgeCharger]

lmao i love people who are assholes, they think they are the tightest ever and it just cracks me up, lol! The last two posts also highlight his ''assholeness'' but people gotta learn that the internet is the internet. if you dont like coming on here, then shut the f*ck up and dont come here. frankly, no one cares if you like the site or not. if you dont like it, you dont need to be here, pissing and moaning how much you hate it. just exit out of the browser, and never come back to this site again, its that frickin simple!

[Khyron]

Link to this asshat....

[Brock Samson]

lotsa folks here are on moparts too...   

[Khyron]

not commenting on the board, just some of the MODS 

[Charger_Fan]

Besides pouting, whining & pissing-n-moaning like a little 4 year old, it sounds like he's not very far up there on the 'ol IQ charts either, if he can't figure out how to post pics here.
WHAT A PUTZ.

[MorePwr]

Wow! Gilbi must be on dial up   ya did kick him outa here didn't ya

[Troy]

Wow! Gilbi must be on dial up   ya did kick him outa here didn't ya

Nope. People are free to have an opinion - and even express it around here.

Troy

[bull]

Why is it a banning offense to link to pictures from other sites, aka, "stealing bandwidth" as you put it? Is it a copywrite violation of some sort? I can see it being a problem if someone actually took the picture and posted it but what if it's a pic from the Yahoo or Google photo links that allow you to simply copy the url?

[Troy]

Bull, not linking to pictures from other sites - I mean embedding a picture that is hosted here in a page hosted somewhere else (ie. putting 40 pics in the text of an eBay ad using our address to avoid the higher picture posting fees). The reason is that even though you see it on another site it is permanently stored on this server which means every person that views it is requesting it from here. Using a URL from Google or Yahoo is the reverse - the picture shows up here but is physically hosted somewhere else. Since every request for the picture comes here, it uses our bandwidth and slows our server down by having to respond to all the requests. When our bandwidth usage passes a certain point I get charged overage fees - just like going over on your cell phone minutes. When the site gets overloaded we suffer from dropped connections and pages that don't load (remember that?). Since the people linking to the pictures are costing me money to support something that isn't even related to the operation of the site it's stealing. Not only that but it's rude - kinda like expanding your party into your neighbor's backyard and pool without asking just because it's convenient and easy for you.

Sort of related, this is also why we have size limitations on attachments. Not only do all these pictures take up space (10 GB so far), when 1,000 people request the same thing it uses up 1,000 times more bandwidth than it did for the person to upload it. Places like Picturetrail and Photobucket have been a huge help and it isn't as rampant as it used to be. The main drawback is that people host large pictures off site and it they ever close the account or delete the picture then we lose it in any threads. This can be a major bummer when it happens in a "How to" thread.

I hope that was clear but it can be confusing so ask any questions that you need.

Troy

[bull]

Ok, I gotcha. I know I have posted links here to pics from other sites and I didn't want to get 86'd. Usually now I just save relevant pictures tomy  desktop long enough to post them here and then I delete them.

Now that you mention it it seems to me I remember a guy doing what you described a long time ago and he was shown the door rather quickly. Isn't there a way to prevent people from doing that with automatic security software of some type? But, if there is a way it probably costs too much.

[daytonalo]

Can we see the chick with the big BOOBIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[rickhemi]

Can we see the chick with the big BOOBIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

what year is the chick? lol ..all matching huh?

[280bb0]

how do you attach a thumbnail to the left colum??

[Troy]

how do you attach a thumbnail to the left colum??

That picture is usually referred to as an "avatar" but in this forum software calls it your "Personal Picture". You can add/edit this within your profile under the "Forum Profile Information" section. You can choose one of the preloaded pictures (like mine), link to one somewhere else, or upload your own. Here's a few links with instructions:
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,27.0.html
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,46.0.html
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,8517.0.html
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,12546.0.html

Troy

[70charger_boy]

Alright, first I would like to know if what I am doing is wrong?  Whenever, I post pics on this site I copy and paste a link from my photobucket account to this site.  Does this steal bandwith from this site, or is it good for your site?

Oh, we need more pics of the Daytona Chic.  SHE'S HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Charger_Fan]

Linking pics from Photobucket & others like it do not use/steal bandwidth from this site, it uses the bandwidth from Photobucket's site. If you link a pic that has been uploaded to this site to some other site, THAT is what steals bandwidth from this site.

I usually link my pics from a pic hosting site like you, to help keep bandwidth usage down on the forums I visit. The only bad part is that if I ever delete the pics from the host site, or close the account, all the pics I've posted everywhere will go dead.
That's not too bad though, because I tend to post a lot of pics that wouldn't be terribly missed anyhow a year from now.

[70charger_boy]

Linking pics from Photobucket & others like it do not use/steal bandwidth from this site, it uses the bandwidth from Photobucket's site. If you link a pic that has been uploaded to this site to some other site, THAT is what steals bandwidth from this site.

I usually link my pics from a pic hosting site like you, to help keep bandwidth usage down on the forums I visit. The only bad part is that if I ever delete the pics from the host site, or close the account, all the pics I've posted everywhere will go dead.
That's not too bad though, because I tend to post a lot of pics that wouldn't be terribly missed anyhow a year from now.

Got ya..Thanks

[quapman]

Thanks for explaining the stealing bandwidth thing. I never knew anything like that existed or would be an issue. I have considered linking an ad from here to another site, but never did. YES, because I am lazy.

Good place to say THANK YOU for taking the time and $$$ to host this site, too.

Thank you Troy.



Steve

[hemigeno]

Troy, I've noticed since the new forum software has been installed that the shortcut method of linking to an existing picture doesn't work.  Some of the examples in this thread that USED to work now show the dreaded red "X" in a box.

Is there a way to enable this feature again, or do we have to learn yet another shortcut method?

[Troy]

Ummm, I noticed that when I got the new forum running. I know why it doesn't work but I can't decide if disabling it is such a great idea. The example using the parameters still works but the direct link to the image files won't (it's a security "feature").

Troy

[hemigeno]

I won't begin to tell you what should and should not happen with security features, since you understand the downstream implications of things like this better than any of us.  However, one of the problems I mentioned in my original post still exists.

Occasionally, there is a picture that answers a question - but when I go to post the picture, I find out that I posted it somewhere before.  The question is, where...

When the shortcut feature was enabled, I could re-post (link to?) the same picture file already stored.  Quite regularly, I cannot find the original thread that the picture was posted in.  If that's the case, I cannot go through the steps you first outlined which uses the parameters.

Another downside to having direct links disabled is that there are SEVERAL threads which already contain direct links that now do not work.

Again, I'm not the one who has to deal with the problems of enabling direct links, so do what's best for you and the site overall.