Attachment issues

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Primble said:
The attach files option DOES NOT give an option to use any of the photos that you have already uploaded. Each time you want to use that picture again, you have to upload it again. Then it counts as another picture in your allotment. That seems terribly in-efficient.
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If you know where the image was used, as I sometimes do, I just go to the thread where I had posted it, then copy and paste it in the new post.

Not saying it's a great method, but I have used it...
 
Just for context, a fairly small sized pic, by today's standards, will likely be around 500 kb (roughly 1000 pixels square).

A "gold" membership apparently allots the user 20 mb of 'gallery space' and "platinum" and "knifemaker" memberships offer 30 mb. That's approx. 40 and 60 pics per account, respectively.

I guess I need to confirm - does "gallery space" refer to our total upload allotment? I don't see any other reference to storage amounts in the membership details.
 
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Blues said:
If you know where the image was used, as I sometimes do, I just go to the thread where I had posted it, then copy and paste it in the new post.

Not saying it's a great method, but I have used it...
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And to add to Blues' comment, if you can't remember where you used an old image, just click into the attachments area we've been discussing, and it lists them all for you right there. Even has a link to the post where it was used to make it that much easier.

Smithhammer said:
Just for context, a fairly small sized pic, by today's standards, will likely be around 500 kb (roughly 1000 pixels square).

A "gold" membership apparently allots the user 20 mb of 'gallery space' and "platinum" and "knifemaker" memberships offer 30 mb. That's approx. 40 and 60 pics per account, respectively.

I guess I need to confirm - does "gallery space" refer to our total upload allotment?
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The gallery is a wholly separate area from your attachments. You have far more space allotted for attachments (Platinum = 1,000 attachments or 400MB).
 
SpyderPhreak said:
And to add to Blues' comment, if you can't remember where you used an old image, just click into the attachments area we've been discussing, and it lists them all for you right there. Even has a link to the post where it was used to make it that much easier.


The gallery is a wholly separate area from your attachments. You have far more space allotted for attachments (Platinum = 1,000 attachments or 400MB).
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Ok, thanks. I don't see that listed under "membership benefits" - where is that info?

Although math-wise, to squeeze 1,000 atachments into 400 mb, they would have to be quite small attachments. Realistically, it's going to be a fair bit less than that number for most folks, unless they are very diligent about significantly downsizing every one of their pics. The average phone is taking a 1 mb or larger pic these days.

That's not a complaint - it's just worth pointing out, because I don't think many people pay that much attention to file size. And of course, one could say that's part of the problem.
 
Steely_Gunz said:
I know this is a big issue for a lot of guys who have uploaded a ton of stuff, and I can't help with that. However, in the meantime, if you want to use a FREE hosting site with NO account needed. Check out postimages.org. It's super easy once you figure out the clicky-clicks. Here's a quick rundown...

Once you hit the site, click on the Choose Images box. You will either be able to upload a pic from your photo album on your phone/computer, or you can just snap a pic like I did of the knife in my pocket for this example.

After you do that, just left click the blue "Direct Link" button. No need to highlight/copy/paste or whatever. Just left click and it auto-copies.
Screenshot-20240305-120223-2.png
Screenshot-20240305-120700-2.png


Go to the little Image Icon next to the link icon ash shown and left click it to open the box.
marked-up-insert-image.png


Right click in the box to bring up the options menu.
right-click.png


Hover over "Paste" and left click to copy it in the box.
left-click.png


Left click the "Insert" button.
insert.png


Boom... pic is posted with a permanent link that will not eat up Spark's space.
ta-dah.png


None of the Post Image nonsense will be around your pic. These were just screenshots i took off my phone.

Edit to add: There are faster ways to do this, but I tried to tease out the steps to make it easier for the less keyboard inclined ;)
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Be aware that you basically give away the copyright to your images like that. On some other sites as well. There’s no free lunch.

… you grant PostImage a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable worldwide license (with sublicense and assignment rights) to use, to display online and in any present or future media, to create derivative works of, to allow ...
 
ferider said:
Be aware that you basically give away the copyright to your images like that. On some other sites as well. There’s no free lunch.

… you grant PostImage a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable worldwide license (with sublicense and assignment rights) to use, to display online and in any present or future media, to create derivative works of, to allow ...
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Good to know. I would then suggest that folks looking to guard proprietary shots of their custom work probably need to find a different way. Those people like myself that are basically just saying, "Luk at mah naff!" are probably not giving up much. Excellent point that i did not know about, though.

Much appreciated.
 
Smithhammer said:
Ok, thanks. I don't see that listed under "membership benefits" - where is that info?

Although math-wise, to squeeze 1,000 atachments into 400 mb, they would have to be quite small attachments. Realistically, it's going to be a fair bit less than that number for most folks, unless they are very diligent about significantly downsizing every one of their pics. The average phone is taking a 1 mb or larger pic these days.

That's not a complaint - it's just worth pointing out, because I don't think many people pay that much attention to file size. And of course, one could say that's part of the problem.
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I'm just quoting what I see in my own profile in the attachments area, and I don't think it's quoted in the membership sign-up page.

You're right though, even reduced to ~500kb (below that and there's significant quality loss IMO) you'll not hit the 1,000 image limit before you're over the data limit.

ferider said:
Be aware that you basically give away the copyright to your images like that. On some other sites as well. There’s no free lunch.

… you grant PostImage a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable worldwide license (with sublicense and assignment rights) to use, to display online and in any present or future media, to create derivative works of, to allow ...
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Excellent point! 👍
 
SpyderPhreak said:
I'm just quoting what I see in my own profile in the attachments area, and I don't think it's quoted in the membership sign-up page.

You're right though, even reduced to ~500kb (below that and there's significant quality loss IMO) you'll not hit the 1,000 image limit before you're over the data limit.
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Ok, so then it looks like the attachment limit for gold membership is 200 mb, as far as I can tell.

Odd that this isn't listed under the various membership level details - seems like a much more important detail than some of the other 'benefits' listed.
 
Well the return to imgur is unwelcome but I don’t think deleting all our uploads is a good plan moving forward. That would make all historical threads obsolete imo and would take the fun out of it.

I’d rather upload to imgur moving forward than do that
 
Primble said:
The attach files option DOES NOT give an option to use any of the photos that you have already uploaded. Each time you want to use that picture again, you have to upload it again. Then it counts as another picture in your allotment. That seems terribly in-efficient.
Click to expand...

Blues said:
If you know where the image was used, as I sometimes do, I just go to the thread where I had posted it, then copy and paste it in the new post.
Click to expand...

SpyderPhreak said:
And to add to Blues' comment, if you can't remember where you used an old image, just click into the attachments area we've been discussing, and it lists them all for you right there.
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Also, from your attachments list you can copy the URL without going to the post where it was originally attached.


Bob
 
rjdankert said:
Also, from your attachments list you can copy the URL without going to the post where it was originally attached.


Bob
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This is true, from some devices. Also, that link you get there with "attachment manager" in the URL will only show the photo for members signed in. It will not show up for the rest of the world viewing from the outside looking in. FYI.
 
Spark said:
Right now I'm investigating solutions including new servers and additional paid subscription levels that will allow unlimited photo hosting. If you guys are willing to pony up for that, I'll provide it. I just can't do it for free.
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Glad I checked this other thread.

Yes Spark, please add a membership level(s) to allow for that…

Pictures are what many people here like best about this site. :)
 
Spark said:
I am unsure if deleting old for sale threads will delete old photos but I'm more worried about deleting people's feedback scores by deleting the threads
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It probably won't. The images are hosted somewhere on the server and there is a link in the post that displays the image, just as if it were hosted on Imgur. Deleting the post will delete the in-line image in the thread but the original image file will remain in the image source file. You need to delete the image file from the source to remove it from the forum storage space allotment.
Primble said:
The attach files option DOES NOT give an option to use any of the photos that you have already uploaded. Each time you want to use that picture again, you have to upload it again. Then it counts as another picture in your allotment. That seems terribly in-efficient.
Click to expand...
Every other forum I have been on has a link on the individual member account page that leads to the members uploaded image gallery so the images can be used in more than one post by simply posting the image link in subsequent threads. If the link worked in the thread where it was originally posted it should work in any other post.

For what its worth, if the sum total of images stored on the forum server is indeed only 500GB and that is causing a problem with disk space, something is very wrong. 500GB is nothing in todays world.....I have 151GB of images just in the Pictures file on my laptop for gods sake.....
 
Arathol said:
For what its worth, if the sum total of images stored on the forum server is indeed only 500GB and that is causing a problem with disk space, something is very wrong. 500GB is nothing in todays world.....I have 151GB of images just in the Pictures file on my laptop for gods sake.....
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This. Storage is stupid cheap these days.

I would also suggest putting the storage limit in the "Benefits" descriptions for each subscription level, so that people understand what they're getting with a subscription, and removing the "number of attachments" since that is meaningless.
 
Smithhammer said:
removing the "number of attachments" since that is meaningless.
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Not necessarily. The number of files allowed is more easily understandable than file sizes. At one time the forum might have had a auto re-sizing feature that determined the file size and the number of files allowed was based on all the files being the same size. I don't know if that still holds true.....?
 
Arathol said:
Not necessarily. The number of files allowed is more easily understandable than file sizes. At one time the forum might have had a auto re-sizing feature that determined a maximum number of files allowed, all being the same size. I don't know if that still holds true.....?
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Currently, or as of two days ago....there was a 'maximum allowable size' for file uploads, but I don't believe it corresponds with the stated storage limit for that subscription level. If I uploaded all of my attachments at the max allowable size, I'd exceed the storage limit well before I reach the stated number of attachments I'm supposedly alotted. For example, at the Platinum level, one supposedly has 400 mb of storage/1,000 attachments. But that's only true if each attachment is 400 kb or less, or else you're exceeding the storage limit well before you get to 1,000 attachments. The average phone camera these days is taking pics at 1 mb or more, so one needs to be really diligent about downsizing all of their pics if they truly want to get the stated number of attachments claimed with their membership level.

With that in mind, I think the storage limit is really all that matters - whether you choose to have 1,000 attachments at 400 kb or 500 attachments at 800 kb, etc. is up to the user.
 
Smithhammer said:
This. Storage is stupid cheap these days.

I would also suggest putting the storage limit in the "Benefits" descriptions for each subscription level, so that people understand what they're getting with a subscription, and removing the "number of attachments" since that is meaningless.
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First of all, I’m not trying to be argumentative. But, storage may not be as cheap as you think when you are talking about servers. This likely isn’t a matter of buying a $79 2TB drive from Amazon and plugging it into the computer.

Are you 1/2 TB short (or getting there)? That means that you are looking for 2TB more. At least. Don’t want to be doing this again next year. :)

Last week I spec’d and ordered a new server for one of my larger clients. A single, 1.6TB NVME SASS drive in the machine was well over $2K alone. But, with servers, you need at least two identical drives for a RAID 1 to gain redundancy and you get no additional, usable space. So, we are talking $5k for drives alone. And, if you go a more traditional route and want at least three identical drives for a RAID 5…$7k. Want four for a RAID 10 to get a very fast setup that can instantly serve photos on demand and have some redundancy (and double the storage space)? $10K. For the drives only. Plus RAID cards. Plus increased offsite backup costs. Plus a lot of configuration changes that must be done in a live environment (probably).

The total cost of the server I ordered was a little over twice the cost of a similar server five years ago, though it does have twice as much storage space. Thanks inflation. :)

Yes, storage can be much cheaper. But that means it will be slower or less reliable. Would slower storage options have a negative effect on our daily usage of BF? Maybe. I’m not a web guy. Can you imagine the threads like this that would pop up if the issue was fixed and it notably slowed down the speed at which image-intensive pages load? Ug.

Making changes like storage capacity in a server environment is not quick, trivial, or cheap. Ever. I’m just shooting the stuff here and have no idea how or where the forum is hosted.
 
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