13 replies to this topic

[Kay]

If this is discussed somewhere I couldn't find it. The search helper didn't do it's job using every word I could think of either. So if this is covered somewhere else please point me to it.

How do I upload pictures to the forum? For the life of me I can't figure it out. When I click on the little "my media" icon at the top of the post box I get this message:
Your Media Library

Media you have uploaded to the community is available here for sharing.
Content you share will be visible by all members who can view this topic.

Select a media type to choose what to share.


But it doesn't say HOW to upload media to the community nor is there anything to "select" from so I can choose what media type to share.

When I click on the "image" icon at the top I get a box asking for a URL. And that lost me.

Help??

[buglips*the*goblin]

Depends on the section. If it's down in show off or WIPs there's an attach bar below the text window. Then you can browse your picture directory, pick it, and attach it to the post. If you have multiples, you can click "add to post" and it'll put a header line in that you can move around and type around like a normal link.

In the other parts of the forum, it gets a bit more complicated. First you have to find an offsite photo host. I use photobucket.com. They give you a lot of space and downloads (individual views) before they start harassing you for money. All my Cobra comics were done that way, and they haven't started begging yet.

Once you've registered there, then click the green upload button. This will take you to a screen that has another green button that says "select photos and videos". This then does the same browsing feature that the reaper sit does. Pick your pick and press open. Then it'll play a stupid advert, so it might take a couple of clicks on "view album" to get back to the screen you need.

Still with me? Lol. Ok, once back to view the album if you hover the mouse cursor over a photo you'll see a box of links come up. What you want is "Direct Link". When you click on that, it should automatically copy.

Now, go back to Reaper and your post (you can do this in edit mode as well). Up on the top bar under the smiley face is a green box. Click that and it'll bring up a small window with a white box area. Paste your direct link code in here. It should appear in the post right away so you can check it's position. It'll appear by default wherever your cursor is in the window.

If you want to add text after it or around it, it gets tricky. This drives me nuts with multiple pictures so what I did for the cobra ones is put a vertical line of periods along one side like this:
.
.
.
.

Those are my markers. I put my text in around these, then click on the dot to set my cursor position. Then add image as normal. This allows me to double-space the dots to give some white space between multiple pics, too.

And that's the "short" answer of how you do it. It's more complicated in explanation than in practice, but if you're still a bit iffy then just try a post with only one picture first.

[Kay]

Buglips you're my hero!! I guess you don't ever sleep either... You are everywhere on these boards and always helpful. I sincerely appreciate the help you have given me on the various threads. Now... let's see if I can make this work. I have created a photobucket account. I have uploaded my pictures and filled in information about each of them. (though I'm guessing that isn't a required step) and now let's see if I can make this work....

.Dots down the side to hold my place- check.

.

.Picture #1 is GIANT... NEED TO LEARN HOW TO FIX THAT!!!! (*edited to insert a smaller version- I hope it worked, it still seems big to me but my information says it is under the 150k limit)

.I see what you mean about the dots down the side being helpful. I'll have to remember that trick.

.

.My Baby!!! (*edited to insert a smaller version of the pic- which also still seems big to me but again, my side says it's under 150K too)

.Ok... need to write down the steps... or get some sleep.... perhaps both. I kept just pasting the link in the post window and that just pastes the written link, it doesn't show the pictures. <sigh> .... stupid learning curve....

Ok... I think I have it down now. Well, at least this part of it. I'll have to try out the other way so I can post in our WIP threads. Thank you!!!

Wait..... "..........Then you can browse your picture directory, pick it, and attach it to the post." Where is this "picture directory" that you speak of?? Is that on my computer or at photobucket too??

Edited by Kay, 04 September 2012 - 08:20 PM.

[buglips*the*goblin]

I do sleep, yes. In August I had severe insomnia and my sleep schedule was ruined. That's why I'd be around at all sorts of weird hours. But now it's straightened out and I can live like a normal human being.

Or at least pretend well enough to fake it.

ETA: your picture directory is wherever on your computer that you store your pictures. Not everybody uses My Pictures (or even windows) so it's just easier to say that.

[Kay]

Gotcha- on a good night my insomnia lets me sleep about 3-4 hours.... right now I'm dealing with a painful infection that is preventing me from sleeping at all. Hopefully I can get to see a doctor today, sleep would be nice.

So how do I make the pictures smaller? They seem ginormous (omg that didn't get a spell check notice... but "omg" does...) compared to everyone else's. I made one smaller at photobucket but when I posted it here it was still giant.

[buglips*the*goblin]

If you're using windows you can do it in paint. Just open the picture in that program and up top on the left you'll see a "resize" option. Just enter in the percentage you want, and then "save as" jpg/jpeg.

That's also something you should do if you're using Reaper's upload because you don't want to eat up lots of the bandwidth they generously provide for us to use.

[Kay]

Ok, one more question and I think I'm set- what is the maximum size I should shoot for?? I'm guessing that smaller is better in general, but knowing the max that I shouldn't/can't go over will be helpful.

As soon as I have them resized I'm going to try to edit the ones I have already posted. That should be a trick all on its own. :)

[buglips*the*goblin]

The old rules from 2006 set the limit at 150k in Show-Off and WIPs, etc. I'm not sure if they still apply or just haven't been updated (6 years is rather a long time in computerland). When I resize I try for around this number if I'm using Reaper's bandwidth, as a courtesy. I'm a little more flexible if it's my own offsite bandwidth since it's not a drain on forum resources. This is less considerate of people who might be on dial-up, but I'm not sure how many of those are left anyway.

So to resize a picture from my camera I'll either go 50% reduction and then another 50%, or 50% and 70% if I want it a little bigger. If it's a single mini and a lot of the picture real estate is background I'll select the "select" rectangle in Paint, drag that over the mini/subject so that everything I want is within that zone, and then select "crop". This will cut out the extraneous, and usually that's enough along with the resize to be well below 150k.

I think my Dwarf and Elf are bigger than 150kb, but that's because there's two of them and I reasoned one picture with two is probably less use of resources than two separate pictures.

I think the rule mostly exists to discourage resource hogging anyway, so I aim to be within the spirit of it.

ETA: 150kb is 150,000 bytes approximately, and this is the "size" that matters - not the actual dimensions of the image.

For example, the pictures you posted in this thread are:

162 kb for the balrog and

222 kb for the workbench.

So even though the display size is the same, the balrog is much closer to the rule spec. Also, this illustrates how "size" is affected by how much stuff is in the picture. Simpler = smaller, so it's helpful to use a neutral background when you photograph your miniatures (this helps lighting, too).

My backgrounds are the foam from my Takhisis box set until I create something better.

[Kay]

Ok, my photo editing program says that they are both under 150k but they still seem pretty big to me.

In the future the pictures will have a plain background. I took these to test the camera but didn't intend to share them. I posted two in another thread about cameras that I need to go edit to smaller versions. Hopefully what I did actually made a difference in their size even if it doesn't look like it did.

Thanks so much for your help!!

[Pole]

Kay, the 150k Buglips is talking about is file size and not picture size. The file size limitation is simply to help people with slower internet load your pictures faster (and help Reaper host more pictures without slowing down the forums).

What photo editor are you using? I might be able to point you in the right direction for changing the actual display size of your photos.


(Warning, I may be completely off what you are asking for here)

[Kay]

As per Buglips suggestion I have uploaded the pictures to PhotoBucket. I use ACDSee as my photo manager and editor on my computer. I don't see how to check either the file size or the picture size, nor do I know the difference to be honest. I thought the picture IS the file.

[Pole]

Having the pictures on PhotoBucket is a great way to go about things. I use PhotoBucket for my photos as well.

The picture is the file, but the size of the picture on your screen and the size of the file (how much room the photo takes up on your computer's hard drive) are two very different things.

I will look into ACDSee and see if I can't get you some instructions for modifying the picture size (the size on the screen). It shouldn't be too hard. Are you using a MAC or a WINDOWS computer? It will probably be a bit different for each.

[Kay]

Windows. Current everything.

In ACDSee I go to edit the picture and tell it to make the file size so it meets the requirements for here and it says that it is. But still, when I post it to Photobucket and to here it's giant on the screen. So I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong or if it just looks giant on my screen.

[Pole]

Hey sorry it took so long to get this for you. I haven't been feeling the best lately. Anywho the following should help you change the size of the pictures that you are posting with ACDSee. This will change the size they appear on the screen, not the file size on your harddrive.


How do I resize an image in ACDSee?

You can resize an image by adjusting its dimensions in pixels, percentage, or actual/print size. While resizing, you can also choose an aspect ratio and a resampling filter to adjust the resized image's appearance. You can save your options as a preset for future use.

To resize an image by pixels:

• In Edit Mode, on the Edit Panel, click Resize.
• On the Resize tab, select the Pixels radio button.
• Do one of the following:
  
  • Clear the Constrain aspect ratio check box, and type the image's new dimensions in pixels into the Width and Height spin boxes.
  • Select the Constrain aspect ratio check box, and select an aspect ratio from the drop-down list. Type a new dimension into the Width or Height spin box; ACDSee updates the other dimension automatically based on the selected aspect ratio.
  • Click the Filter drop-down list and select a resampling filter.
• Do one of the following:
  
  • Click Done to apply your changes and close the Resize tool.
  • Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tool.

To resize an image by percentage:

• In Edit Mode, on the Edit Panel, click Resize.
• On the Resize tab, select the Percent radio button.
• Do one of the following:
  
  • Clear the Constrain aspect ratio check box, and type a percentage into the Width and Height spin boxes.
  • Select the Constrain aspect ratio check box, and select an aspect ratio from the drop-down list. Type a new percentage into the Width or Height spin box; ACDSee updates the other percentage automatically based on the selected aspect ratio.
  • Click the Filter drop-down list and select a resampling filter.
• Do one of the following:
  
  • Click Done to apply your changes and close the Resize tool.
  • Click Cancel to discard all changes and close the tool.

Please let me know if you have any questions. I would be happy to help anyway I can.