I added an image uploader for the Puzzle Moderators tonight. It will proabably eventually evolve into allowing image uploads from all users, but not just yet. I'm a little concerned about the security issues involved in allowing un-authenticated users upload files to the server.

I'd love to brag about it a little, but I'm WAY past my bedtime.

That's one major "Sandy Bottleneck" removed from the system. Yay!

Sandy

Well done Sandy! Now, can I upload a not so good picture so that maybe Sarah or Dave can make it better? Is that possible?

Okay, so the image upload I cobbled together last night was a quick and dirty way of eliminating me as a necessary step in the puzzle moderators job. I consider this script a moderator-safe first version which will eventually become much more robust, and usable by any TwistyPuzzles.com user. Currently it isn't perfect, probably doesn't handle errors very well, and should be used for the time being within it's known comfort range.

Images uploaded are expected to be edited and properly formatted. The script does not check this for you other than confirming the file extension. The image formats are described on the upload form.

Currently only images for items in the LIVE database can be uploaded. Images for new or edited items cannot be uploaded at this time. (This highly-desirable feature will be added to coincide with a site-wide Row Status / Row Auditing feature I have started.) Anything you upload will immediately be viewable in the puzzle database. Uploading an image immediately replaces the existing image, if one exists. It doesn't backup the existing image!

This may or may not answer your question, Roxanne. I'd say it depends on the urgency of updating the item and the relative quality of the "not so good picture". If you can wait, send the image to images@twistypuzzles.com and it'll get added to the queue.

Sandy

I've just seen the evidence of a rather silly mistake...

These images look a little odd because they the wrong size, which is because I gave you the wrong size details in the image upload form. The form used to say 300x300 which is incorrect. It now says 350x350 which is correct. Can you recreate them the correct size from the original larger versions?

Also, I haven't received any of the "huge" versions via e-mail, which is not surprising, since I don't think I've requested them from all of you... but I'm doing that now. I'm keeping an archive of the full-size edited images because larger versions will someday be available on the website. 350x350 used to be "big"... 7 years ago. It sure isn't anymore. So "huge" version is what I call the images after they have been edited, made square and JPG, but BEFORE any size reductions have been made. Please send those to my e-mail address when you have completed editing a set of pictures. Name them exactly the same as the identical (but smaller) large images.

Sorry for the mistakes, I hope it's just that one puzzle that requires fixing. And thanks in advance for the huges.

Sandy

Oh no....... alright so 350X350.....

I'll fix it, I think that there are another 4 or so like that. I'll get on that tonight.

In photoshop it shouldn't be too hard. You can set an action to resize to 350x350, save, and close. I personally copy the larger files to a folder called "small" and then use a batch file renamer to append a "small" or "s" to the end of the file name. Then I open photoshop, go to FILE>AUTOMATE>BATCH and select the action made and select the small folder. It runs through them in no time.

Thanks! That should make things easier, haha.
My photoshop knowledge seems to be pretty limited... even though I had a class in it.

I could make a video up of it. I used it just to add a stroke onto signatures a while ago. It's not hard to put a stroke on, but it's easier to get them all done at once.

Thanks in advance for taking the following as well-intentioned advice and not criticism!

I have an image editing tip when creating the 60x60 and 100x100 thumbnails: Always do image resizes in JPG mode, as GIFs don't resize very well. The "blockiness" of the following thumbnails (from this entry) was caused by resizing GIFs. If you take the 350x350 JPG image, resize it to 100x100 and 60x60 then convert to GIF and save, the thumbnails will look much smoother.



If you have to resize a GIF, convert to JPG, resize, then convert back to GIF. The results will speak for themselves.

Thanks for putting up with my standards!

Sandy