How to link to images on the web ? - Discuss How to link to images on the web ? on CBRXX, the ultimate on-line community for Honda motorcyclists. Read it in Site Help / Suggestions / Comments. (If you need help with a site feature, or have suggestions or comments, please post here.)

Whitey · 11-07-2006, 10:42 AM

Hi, Is it possible to include images from the web in a thread without uploading them as attachments ?

ConqSoft · 11-07-2006, 10:50 AM

Sure, just post a link to them and people can click the link to view.

We don't allow inline images, mainly because people tend to post huge images which break the forum layout and it also makes the pages display slowly for people who are not using broadband.

Whitey · 11-07-2006, 5:55 PM

thanks mate.

ConqSoft · 11-07-2006, 6:01 PM

But if you attach them, you can still insert the thumbnail anywhere in your post.

Example: Ride Report: (09-15-2006) North Carolina and Tennessee Mountains

sfarson · 11-10-2006, 1:00 AM

FWIW, the image practice here is unique among the dozens and dozens of bike boards I go to, over many years. It is the only one not permitting an inline image. I can't remember the last time I came acrossed an image at any forum, too large. Posters are largely sensitive to this. Additionally, overwhelmingly, those visiting content intensive forums tend to have broadband. Seems to be a crippling limitation enforced here for many, to modestly assist a very few, if any. Have never come across another board doing this.

Also, given this is vBulletin software, a nice vBulletin feature found at many boards is the ability to place the mouse over the post link, and get the first few sentence of the post in a bubble. Saves from needlessly clicking on irrelevant or uninteresting posts. Has this been disabled as well?

ConqSoft · 11-10-2006, 7:18 AM

Inline Images
I have tried inline images on several occasions on my previous site, and it always leads to problems.

I don't find it crippling at all. I don't want to have to load a thread with all these inline images showing EVERY time I read the thread. It just uses the bandwidth of the poster and slows down the display of the thread. I can click a link if I want to view an image. Not to mention how ugly the page looks with all the broken image links once the inline images happen to disappear off the web (which they always tend to do).

Here's another scenario... You click to vew an innocent looking thread, and all of a sudden you have a 1600x1200 image of Dave's asshole on the screen, just as a co-worker walks by... Sure, it would be cleaned up as soon as it was seen by an Admin/Moderator, but the damage would already be done. At least with a link to the image, you have control over what images you view, and when you view them.

However, the preferred method is to use the GREAT attachment system built into vBulletin. It creates a nice thumbnail image that you can place anywhere in your post (inline), and allow people to see a small preview of the image, and the image will always be there.

I appreciate your input, but I'm just basing the settings on having administered forums for almost 6 years, and from being a member on other forums for many more years than that...

Thread Previews on Mouse-Hover
Yes, this feature is disabled.

sfarson · 11-10-2006, 10:36 AM

Well as a moderator elsewhere, your choice is alone among countless forums. Haven't come across 1600x1200 images, at any forum, in years. Maybe you had an issue at Fireblades but it is the exception. Vast majority of images people are linking to nowadays are small images at public hosting sites. They only have to upload them once, to one location, and just link to them wherever they want someone to see them. Here, one must upload each image individually, duplicating the upload they've already done. And there's something visually missing in a post when one sees thumbnails and needs to click on them all to view Too manual for the poster, too manual for the viewer.

I'm a Harley forum moderator, have developed vBulletin sites, and probably work with around 50 motorcycle forums. 49 do it one way, and yours is alone eliminating the inline feature as well as the mouse over previews when vBulletin is the forum software. Never a single complaint from any user over the enabling of these two built-in capabilities.

But your call. Great to have this forum alternative for XX owners. Thanks.

ConqSoft · 11-10-2006, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sfarson

Haven't come across 1600x1200 images, at any forum, in years.

As noted in the example above, it only takes ONCE to cause BIG problems for someone.

Hard to believe that you have never seen inline image abuse if you have been around forums as much as you say, but I'll take your word for it.

Especially since it's a big topic of discussion on vbulletin.com and vbulletin.org; on ways to auto-resize inline images to a decent size using javascript. And there's still no foolproof way of doing it well. Even when it does work, it just visually resizes the image, so the full size image still has to be transferred to the user in the background.

Thumbnails are a MUCH better option. It lets you see the image enough to know if you want to spend the time to view it in more detail.

sfarson · 11-10-2006, 11:30 AM

Have not seen inline image abuse in a long time. Never a complaint from members. Have seen a marginal image here and there, but it wasn't significant enough to trash the capability for everyone. Maybe your background with Fireblades had members posting porn, and it unfortunately takes place at the other XX site, but I NEVER see it and size abuse at Harley, BMW, Ducati, MV, touring, you-name-it sites. Never. Are you the only moderator here?

Yeah, know about auto-sizing. The images look horrible when done. And has for thumbnails a "MUCH better option"... your opinion is definitely in the minority. This is the only site believing so! Every other place provides the member the choice, the option, and doesn't force it. And why no thread preview? This is another unique choice and causes manual clicking and fetching of threads just to see if they're of interest.

ConqSoft · 11-10-2006, 11:34 AM

Thanks for your suggestions! They will be taken into consideration.

John01XX · 11-10-2006, 12:18 PM

I like the thumbnail post way that Vbulletin offers myself.

I see large size images posted on a regular basis on the .org site where people say sorry for the lack of resizeing but don't have the capability to resize it properly. Giant images appear over there regularly and misalign's everything else in that thread.

If inline images were going to be allowed I would suggest a size limit that would prevent over size stuff from being able to be loaded at all.

Baketech · 11-10-2006, 12:57 PM

Inline images and signature images keep me away from an enthusiast board like the plague. They look terrible and are a complete waste of screen real estate...

ConqSoft · 11-17-2006, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sfarson

And why no thread preview? This is another unique choice and causes manual clicking and fetching of threads just to see if they're of interest.

This has been enabled, however I'll be adding a User CP option to allow individuals to disable it since many people (myself included) find it annoying for the text to pop up as you scan your mouse cursor down the page.

sfarson · 11-18-2006, 2:33 AM

Nice to have choices via the CP. While you note "many" this is the only site I know eliminating it. And for sure I'm more annoyed clicking on threads with poor subject headings, finding irrelevant/uninteresting content in the post.

ConqSoft · 11-18-2006, 10:02 AM

I do a lot of work, with a lot of vBulletin admins, and the consensus is that their users don't like it. I haven't polled this particular group of users, so the answer may be different for the current group here.

Mikey · 11-19-2006, 8:05 PM

How do you put the thumbnails within the post though?

ConqSoft · 11-19-2006, 8:07 PM

Attach your images normally, move to the spot within your post where you want it to show, then click the little Down Arrow beside the Paperclip (Attachment) icon on the message editor, then choose the image you want to insert.

sfarson · 11-20-2006, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ConqSoft

I do a lot of work, with a lot of vBulletin admins, and the consensus is that their users don't like it. I haven't polled this particular group of users, so the answer may be different for the current group here.

Well, I've developed two vBulletin sites, go to vBulletin.com for support and the community forum, and rarely observe or note any angst with mouse over previews. And fer sure, of the 14 vBulletin driven motorcycle sites I visit and/or work at, this is the only one determining it to be a nuisance. I mean, NO ONE at these sites whines about it.

ConqSoft · 11-20-2006, 12:48 AM

We can just agree to disagree. I'm just telling you my experience, explaining the way things are configured here, and my reasoning for configuring them that way.

Of course, you are free to configure the sites you set up any way you choose.

sfarson · 11-20-2006, 12:51 AM

Agree!

Mikey · 11-20-2006, 7:25 AM

I'm in no way attempting an arguement, but if people indicate they want something a certain way, are you going to provide it? Or are you going to go a way that you want (I don't mean format, I mean extras and nicities).

Again, no arguement intended, I just want to know whether people asking for something would get a result or if it's not worth the effort.

ConqSoft · 11-20-2006, 8:21 AM

It depends on if it will adversely affect the site, or the experience of other users.

John01XX · 11-20-2006, 9:17 AM

Mikey,

I think the answer to your question is better answered by checking out all the changes and work put into the site over this past weekend. A number of suggestions have been made in the past couple of weeks with the site only being in existance alittle longet than that as well and many changes have been made that i have seen including one suggestion that I asked for.

It appears, I may be wrong here, that you have an issue with the image posting procedure ? I personally would vote to keep it the way it is as over-size images are common place on many sites and I prefer not to have to deal with them here. I like the thunbnails so that I can get a quick view to determine whether I want to even take the time to open it or just skip it and move on if it does not interest me.

just my opinion

I like it here

Mikey · 11-20-2006, 12:30 PM

Thank for the insight John, but actually it wasn't any specific part that I had issue. I was more curious on what is done when I HAVE issues. Whether the management is going to be approachable or if they are going to state that it is the way they want it and I can just deal with it.

It's been clarified that things are changed as people show interest in them being changed, so now I feel that management is approachable. This is good :]

haWHYnXX · 11-20-2006, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikey

Thank for the insight John, but actually it wasn't any specific part that I had issue. I was more curious on what is done when I HAVE issues. Whether the management is going to be approachable or if they are going to state that it is the way they want it and I can just deal with it.

It's been clarified that things are changed as people show interest in them being changed, so now I feel that management is approachable. This is good :]

Good that you feel mgt is approachable - in my observations, they are exactly that. If you look at the issue Sfarson had, he wanted to see thread previews in a pop-up, and Conq obliged. Albeit, he also gave direction on how to turn it off for those who find it annoying (as I do). I also find it annoying having to scroll right and left to read text because images are so large that they screw up the layout - read: I like the inline thumbnail posting.

As John pointed out, suggestions and solutions have been made and will probably continue to be made as this site grows and matures.

John01XX · 11-20-2006, 2:29 PM

I truely believe that Conq and Warchild are both very dedicated individuals and are diffinently Not on a power trip or anything like that, IMO

Many changes have been made since the site was opened and alot of work has been put into this place. It seems to be more dedicated to the BlackBird, itself and less focused on the personal stuff.

I kind of think of this place a more serious place for the Wrenchheads and help for the interested non-wrenchheads so to speak but then that is just my own personal observation.

11-07-2006, 10:50 AM	#2
ConqSoft Ba-Da-Bing Join Date: Sep 15 2006 Location: Raleigh, NC Age: 37 Posts: 1,097	Re: How to link to images on the web ? Sure, just post a link to them and people can click the link to view. We don't allow inline images, mainly because people tend to post huge images which break the forum layout and it also makes the pages display slowly for people who are not using broadband. __________________ My Blog GPS Discussion Forum

11-07-2006, 5:55 PM	#3
Whitey photochopper Join Date: Oct 21 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 16	Re: How to link to images on the web ? thanks mate. __________________ Graham

11-07-2006, 6:01 PM	#4
ConqSoft Ba-Da-Bing Join Date: Sep 15 2006 Location: Raleigh, NC Age: 37 Posts: 1,097	Re: How to link to images on the web ? But if you attach them, you can still insert the thumbnail anywhere in your post. Example: Ride Report: (09-15-2006) North Carolina and Tennessee Mountains __________________ My Blog GPS Discussion Forum

11-10-2006, 1:00 AM	#5
sfarson Too Wheeled Join Date: Nov 04 2006 Location: Central Colorado Posts: 25	Re: How to link to images on the web ? FWIW, the image practice here is unique among the dozens and dozens of bike boards I go to, over many years. It is the only one not permitting an inline image. I can't remember the last time I came acrossed an image at any forum, too large. Posters are largely sensitive to this. Additionally, overwhelmingly, those visiting content intensive forums tend to have broadband. Seems to be a crippling limitation enforced here for many, to modestly assist a very few, if any. Have never come across another board doing this. Also, given this is vBulletin software, a nice vBulletin feature found at many boards is the ability to place the mouse over the post link, and get the first few sentence of the post in a bubble. Saves from needlessly clicking on irrelevant or uninteresting posts. Has this been disabled as well?

11-10-2006, 7:18 AM	#6
ConqSoft Ba-Da-Bing Join Date: Sep 15 2006 Location: Raleigh, NC Age: 37 Posts: 1,097	Re: How to link to images on the web ? Inline Images I have tried inline images on several occasions on my previous site, and it always leads to problems. I don't find it crippling at all. I don't want to have to load a thread with all these inline images showing EVERY time I read the thread. It just uses the bandwidth of the poster and slows down the display of the thread. I can click a link if I want to view an image. Not to mention how ugly the page looks with all the broken image links once the inline images happen to disappear off the web (which they always tend to do). Here's another scenario... You click to vew an innocent looking thread, and all of a sudden you have a 1600x1200 image of Dave's asshole on the screen, just as a co-worker walks by... Sure, it would be cleaned up as soon as it was seen by an Admin/Moderator, but the damage would already be done. At least with a link to the image, you have control over what images you view, and when you view them. However, the preferred method is to use the GREAT attachment system built into vBulletin. It creates a nice thumbnail image that you can place anywhere in your post (inline), and allow people to see a small preview of the image, and the image will always be there. I appreciate your input, but I'm just basing the settings on having administered forums for almost 6 years, and from being a member on other forums for many more years than that... Thread Previews on Mouse-Hover Yes, this feature is disabled. __________________ My Blog GPS Discussion Forum

11-10-2006, 10:36 AM	#7
sfarson Too Wheeled Join Date: Nov 04 2006 Location: Central Colorado Posts: 25	Re: How to link to images on the web ? Well as a moderator elsewhere, your choice is alone among countless forums. Haven't come across 1600x1200 images, at any forum, in years. Maybe you had an issue at Fireblades but it is the exception. Vast majority of images people are linking to nowadays are small images at public hosting sites. They only have to upload them once, to one location, and just link to them wherever they want someone to see them. Here, one must upload each image individually, duplicating the upload they've already done. And there's something visually missing in a post when one sees thumbnails and needs to click on them all to view Too manual for the poster, too manual for the viewer. I'm a Harley forum moderator, have developed vBulletin sites, and probably work with around 50 motorcycle forums. 49 do it one way, and yours is alone eliminating the inline feature as well as the mouse over previews when vBulletin is the forum software. Never a single complaint from any user over the enabling of these two built-in capabilities. But your call. Great to have this forum alternative for XX owners. Thanks.

11-10-2006, 11:30 AM	#9
sfarson Too Wheeled Join Date: Nov 04 2006 Location: Central Colorado Posts: 25	Re: How to link to images on the web ? Have not seen inline image abuse in a long time. Never a complaint from members. Have seen a marginal image here and there, but it wasn't significant enough to trash the capability for everyone. Maybe your background with Fireblades had members posting porn, and it unfortunately takes place at the other XX site, but I NEVER see it and size abuse at Harley, BMW, Ducati, MV, touring, you-name-it sites. Never. Are you the only moderator here? Yeah, know about auto-sizing. The images look horrible when done. And has for thumbnails a "MUCH better option"... your opinion is definitely in the minority. This is the only site believing so! Every other place provides the member the choice, the option, and doesn't force it. And why no thread preview? This is another unique choice and causes manual clicking and fetching of threads just to see if they're of interest.

11-10-2006, 11:34 AM	#10
ConqSoft Ba-Da-Bing Join Date: Sep 15 2006 Location: Raleigh, NC Age: 37 Posts: 1,097	Re: How to link to images on the web ? Thanks for your suggestions! They will be taken into consideration. __________________ My Blog GPS Discussion Forum

11-10-2006, 12:18 PM	#11
John01XX Vendor Join Date: Oct 31 2006 Location: So. Flo-da Posts: 1,147	Re: How to link to images on the web ? I like the thumbnail post way that Vbulletin offers myself. I see large size images posted on a regular basis on the .org site where people say sorry for the lack of resizeing but don't have the capability to resize it properly. Giant images appear over there regularly and misalign's everything else in that thread. If inline images were going to be allowed I would suggest a size limit that would prevent over size stuff from being able to be loaded at all. __________________ John Smith Proprieter of John's Bike Bits John@BikeBits.us

11-10-2006, 12:57 PM	#12
Baketech RedBird.... Join Date: Sep 26 2006 Location: Hoosierland Posts: 2	Re: How to link to images on the web ? Inline images and signature images keep me away from an enthusiast board like the plague. They look terrible and are a complete waste of screen real estate... __________________ Hmmm, my next bike... Will it be a Bird or an ST?

11-18-2006, 2:33 AM	#14
sfarson Too Wheeled Join Date: Nov 04 2006 Location: Central Colorado Posts: 25	Re: How to link to images on the web ? Nice to have choices via the CP. While you note "many" this is the only site I know eliminating it. And for sure I'm more annoyed clicking on threads with poor subject headings, finding irrelevant/uninteresting content in the post.

11-18-2006, 10:02 AM	#15
ConqSoft Ba-Da-Bing Join Date: Sep 15 2006 Location: Raleigh, NC Age: 37 Posts: 1,097	Re: How to link to images on the web ? I do a lot of work, with a lot of vBulletin admins, and the consensus is that their users don't like it. I haven't polled this particular group of users, so the answer may be different for the current group here. __________________ My Blog GPS Discussion Forum

11-19-2006, 8:05 PM	#16
Mikey Join Date: Nov 04 2006 Location: Hamilton, Ontario Age: 38 Posts: 47	Re: How to link to images on the web ? How do you put the thumbnails within the post though?

11-19-2006, 8:07 PM	#17
ConqSoft Ba-Da-Bing Join Date: Sep 15 2006 Location: Raleigh, NC Age: 37 Posts: 1,097	Re: How to link to images on the web ? Attach your images normally, move to the spot within your post where you want it to show, then click the little Down Arrow beside the Paperclip (Attachment) icon on the message editor, then choose the image you want to insert. __________________ My Blog GPS Discussion Forum

11-20-2006, 12:48 AM	#19
ConqSoft Ba-Da-Bing Join Date: Sep 15 2006 Location: Raleigh, NC Age: 37 Posts: 1,097	Re: How to link to images on the web ? We can just agree to disagree. I'm just telling you my experience, explaining the way things are configured here, and my reasoning for configuring them that way. Of course, you are free to configure the sites you set up any way you choose. __________________ My Blog GPS Discussion Forum

11-20-2006, 12:51 AM	#20
sfarson Too Wheeled Join Date: Nov 04 2006 Location: Central Colorado Posts: 25	Re: How to link to images on the web ? Agree!

11-20-2006, 7:25 AM	#21
Mikey Join Date: Nov 04 2006 Location: Hamilton, Ontario Age: 38 Posts: 47	Re: How to link to images on the web ? I'm in no way attempting an arguement, but if people indicate they want something a certain way, are you going to provide it? Or are you going to go a way that you want (I don't mean format, I mean extras and nicities). Again, no arguement intended, I just want to know whether people asking for something would get a result or if it's not worth the effort.

11-20-2006, 8:21 AM	#22
ConqSoft Ba-Da-Bing Join Date: Sep 15 2006 Location: Raleigh, NC Age: 37 Posts: 1,097	Re: How to link to images on the web ? It depends on if it will adversely affect the site, or the experience of other users. __________________ My Blog GPS Discussion Forum

11-20-2006, 9:17 AM	#23
John01XX Vendor Join Date: Oct 31 2006 Location: So. Flo-da Posts: 1,147	Re: How to link to images on the web ? Mikey, I think the answer to your question is better answered by checking out all the changes and work put into the site over this past weekend. A number of suggestions have been made in the past couple of weeks with the site only being in existance alittle longet than that as well and many changes have been made that i have seen including one suggestion that I asked for. It appears, I may be wrong here, that you have an issue with the image posting procedure ? I personally would vote to keep it the way it is as over-size images are common place on many sites and I prefer not to have to deal with them here. I like the thunbnails so that I can get a quick view to determine whether I want to even take the time to open it or just skip it and move on if it does not interest me. just my opinion I like it here __________________ John Smith Proprieter of John's Bike Bits John@BikeBits.us

11-20-2006, 12:30 PM	#24
Mikey Join Date: Nov 04 2006 Location: Hamilton, Ontario Age: 38 Posts: 47	Re: How to link to images on the web ? Thank for the insight John, but actually it wasn't any specific part that I had issue. I was more curious on what is done when I HAVE issues. Whether the management is going to be approachable or if they are going to state that it is the way they want it and I can just deal with it. It's been clarified that things are changed as people show interest in them being changed, so now I feel that management is approachable. This is good :]

11-20-2006, 2:29 PM	#26
John01XX Vendor Join Date: Oct 31 2006 Location: So. Flo-da Posts: 1,147	Re: How to link to images on the web ? I truely believe that Conq and Warchild are both very dedicated individuals and are diffinently Not on a power trip or anything like that, IMO Many changes have been made since the site was opened and alot of work has been put into this place. It seems to be more dedicated to the BlackBird, itself and less focused on the personal stuff. I kind of think of this place a more serious place for the Wrenchheads and help for the interested non-wrenchheads so to speak but then that is just my own personal observation. __________________ John Smith Proprieter of John's Bike Bits John@BikeBits.us