Improving TXP Image Management

jameslomax · 2006-04-27 15:20:13

Wow, this is looking great!

First thoughts: I think the styling is fine, but I’m not sure about the one central column. Its one of the problems with the existing image handling: you have to scroll way too much, and its bad use of empty white space.

What about stacking the left and right column options, then making 2 image columns?

The left coumn categories are fine for me – it probably would be a problem if I had 50 or even more, but short of making that display collapsible or extendable, I can’t see how that can be improved.

Last edited by jameslomax (2006-04-27 15:29:32)

mrdale · 2006-04-27 16:00:59

I’m stoked about this one, like everyone else.

As I think about it, you could make all the filtering items AJAXy and have a totally kick-ass plugin. I imagine that this would be a major feat so… it comes as an icing on the cake suggestion (I suppose I can wait for a damn page reload :) ).

I don’t see one central column as a problem if you can collapse dividers.
I don’t see 30+ categories as a problem, although if you wanted you could make it a scrolling multi-select like the stores in th esidebar here .
Author’s name is not important to me, although it may matter to others.
The upload does not yet work for me, and in firefox mac there is a cosmetic issue with the “upload” and “browse” running into eachother.

Skubidu · 2006-04-27 16:13:29

The upload does not yet work for me, and in firefox mac there is a cosmetic issue with the “upload” and “browse” running into eachother.

It’s not the only thing that doesn’t work yet ;o)
If there is a html forms and CSS champion who has any idea how to style the file upload textfield or – at the least – how to get it displayed with the same size in all browsers, please email me! Today I had the chance to look at it on a Mac and it’s looking awful in Firefox…

I have to say, that this really is a preview (the code looks chaotic and many things doesn’t work yet). I’m writing my final thesis at university at the moment so I don’t know how much time will left for this plugin, but: is there anything that is really missing?! Okay, the upload has to be added (it’s just a input field by now) and there will be an import function, too, like in nhn/aba/fpx_image_import. There are some cosmetic things to do.

Anything else?! What is needed for image editing after uploading?
Any help is welcome – ideas, code, cheese… oh no – that was somebody else ;)

mrdale · 2006-04-27 18:32:39

>skubidu

floating the elements works, but the “generated thumbnail” label will need a p-tag or an id to attach a style to.

<code>#nhn_img_upload_form #thumbnail{
float:right;clear:both;margin:5px;
}</code>
<code>#nhn_img_upload_form .smallerbox{
float:right;clear:none; margin-top:5px;
}</code>

Last edited by mrdale (2006-04-27 18:35:21)

jameslomax · 2006-04-27 21:55:40

I think building in bulk upload is a great idea, so we don’t have to mess with other plug ins. Re. the image resize feature: I think this definitely needs it, for auto thumbnial generation as an option, and would add that setting the size of the thumbnails should be easily altered/configured.

Other than that…..I wish to repeat that one central column for images is, IMO, very bad design. It looks nice, and elegant, but is not good for use-ability.

Skubidu · 2006-04-27 22:15:09

Other than that…..I wish to repeat that one central column for images is, IMO, very bad design. It looks nice, and elegant, but is not good for use-ability.

Can you post a visual sketch how it should look like in your opinion? Thanks!

jameslomax · 2006-04-28 11:08:40

I was thinking of something like this

Notice the way it ‘breaks up’ the limitations of the one column, and how you feel you’ve got more control over the interface – which you have. The one column style dictates to the user, and limits him/her, which is undesirable.

Last edited by jameslomax (2006-04-28 11:14:03)

soulship · 2006-04-28 17:27:25

I hate to just jump in……but ;)

Nils this is really looking promising. I was thinking something like what James is thinking, but there is one thing that it is really missing. I want to see check boxes on the images for multiple file deletion. I was hoping for roughly something like this

It really is looking like the right direction though.

The ability to change cat with a drop down selection or delete with a do ______ with selected would really improve the way images become so unwieldy when you start getting into multiple multiple pages of images on a site.

Last edited by soulship (2006-04-28 17:30:38)

squaredeye · 2006-04-28 18:00:44

Nils, wow. I hadn’t thought you would want to take on all the wishes that have come up in this thread, but hey, I love it.
I agree with Soulship on the multiple deletion, (possibly, multiple author change as well?)

At some point, the idea of handling images more like articles seems to be the most intuitive approach to me.
I really like what you’ve come up with.

Matthew

Skubidu · 2006-04-29 07:55:37

@ James & Jamie:

Thanks for your sketches. So am I right when I say you like to have a more Adobe Bridge like style?

@ Matthew:

If I got the postings right in this topic there are 3 main things that have to be done to improve Textpattern’s image handling:

improve the image inserting process
improve the image tag to behave more like an article
improve the image organisation (that’s what I’m trying, but there are things left like multiple categories or tags for images etc…)

Should all three point make it into the core? If yes: How do we manage this? These are really huge topics and I’m not a programmer. I’m just hacking things together and hope something works. And I know that my time is limited over the next months – is there a way we could split up the work so that more people can work on it simultaneous? Perhaps a special “improve image handling” folder in SVN or something – I’m not sure what the best way should be.

Who could and would contribute? If I look at the image organisation there are people needed with PHP skills but other to simply do the HTML and CSS and other knowing how to add javascript or ajax features.

And if we are improving the image management, we should keep in mind that these improved things should be transferable on other parts of the interface like the file, link or article organisation.

Nils :o)

Last edited by Skubidu (2006-04-29 07:59:44)

squaredeye · 2006-04-29 13:46:55

Skubi ubi doo wrote :)

If I got the postings right in this topic there are 3 main things that have to be done to improve Textpattern’s image handling:

improve the image inserting process
improve the image tag to behave more like an article
improve the image organisation (that’s what I’m trying, but there are things left like multiple categories or tags for images etc…)

Should all three point make it into the core?

Yes.

If yes: How do we manage this?…Perhaps a special “improve image handling” folder in SVN or something

That could work? I’m not as well versed in that end of the world as you might be.

Hakjoon has been working extensively on the image tag stuff (or trying to inbetween work sessions and tinyMCE stuff).
Alexandra has mentioned that she may be interested in working out a “write up” of the ideas and needs of a new system, and the problems/limitations of the current system. I believe she is also “cataloguing all of the current gallery plugins (see table half way down the thread)

Who could and would contribute?

It appears that Hakjoon, Bastian, Possibly Mary? (considering her work on upm_img), and maybe Wet (and yourself?) would be in line for helping understand the PHP/Ajax work necessary. (did you see Bastian’s img insertion plugin (alpha))

I am apt to help with the write up and troubleshooting. Alex seems eager/available to work on this too. I have an email into her asking what the status is.

and anybody else for beta testing?

Plugins are great, but I’ve been told by Mary and others that if we want to see something like this come together it really ought to be developed for core, or atleast brainstormed for core. Apparently its harder to take something from plugin to core than it is to take it from idea to core? Or something like that.

Thanks for jumping into the discussion Nils,

Matthew

marios · 2006-04-29 14:18:09

I actually don’t have the time to go through all the thread and read all the posts, so please just ignore my post if this has allready been addressed.

1) I think it is important to leave an option to the TXP backend, ( Could be done through a radio option in prefs) whether the User prefers to leave the whole image managment (especially for bulk inserting) to the backend, or wether some procedures are left to the User, I am thinking here mainly about thumbnail generation, that would lead to double image instances.
The problem that I run into for the second option , is that if I’d rather prefer to :

A) Generate three (or even four) instances of each image, which are article Size, full Size and thumbnail.
If I prefer to leave those tasks to PhotoshpCS and Automator, how can I tell TXP not to generate thumbnails, but still

B) use the forth instance to insert as a thumb in the database ?
C) Or would it even be possible to tell it just to generate one thumbnail after a specific naming convention ?
If I prepend the “t” to an Image ID, will this mean, that Txp will automatically recognize as a Thumbnail ?

regards, marios

Last edited by marios (2006-04-29 14:32:16)

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#121 2006-04-27 15:20:13

Re: Improving TXP Image Management

#122 2006-04-27 16:00:59

Re: Improving TXP Image Management

#123 2006-04-27 16:13:29

Re: Improving TXP Image Management

#124 2006-04-27 18:32:39

Re: Improving TXP Image Management

#125 2006-04-27 21:55:40

Re: Improving TXP Image Management

#126 2006-04-27 22:15:09

Re: Improving TXP Image Management

#127 2006-04-28 11:08:40

Re: Improving TXP Image Management

#128 2006-04-28 17:27:25

Re: Improving TXP Image Management

#129 2006-04-28 18:00:44

Re: Improving TXP Image Management

#130 2006-04-29 07:55:37

Re: Improving TXP Image Management

#131 2006-04-29 13:46:55

Re: Improving TXP Image Management

#132 2006-04-29 14:18:09

Re: Improving TXP Image Management

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