Image Category Dropdown on "Write" Page?

mhulse · 2007-06-06 19:53:17

Hello,

Is it possible to have a “custom field” drop-down-menu on the “Write” page that has a dynamic list of all the image categories?

Many thanks in advance.
Cheers,
M

Last edited by mhulse (2007-06-07 04:11:49)

uli · 2007-06-10 19:07:35

Don’t know how you define “dynamic” and why it ought to be a “custom field”, but bas_img_selector sounds like something you could be looking for, image selection from the write tab with a category selector dropdown. Unfortunately it doesn’t support v4.0.4 at the moment.

mhulse · 2007-06-10 21:11:54

Hi Uli, thanks for the reply, I really appreciate the help. :)

Ah, sorry if I did not describe my situation better.

I have a client that wants an easy way to associate a group of images to an article/entry. The best solution I could think of was: Client uploads many images and assigns them an image category. Then, when making an entry, the client can insert the name of the image category in a custom field. Then, the template will take that value and display the proper group of images as a click-through slideshow (using php/js.)

Maybe I am going about this completely backwards, but so far it seems to work.

I just thought it would be much easier to have a “custom field” image category dropdown menu… That would be easier for my client (vs. having to remember what he named the image category.)

Thanks for the tip on the plugin though, reading about it now. :)

Have a great day.
Cheers,
Micky

Last edited by mhulse (2007-06-10 21:14:41)

mhulse · 2007-06-10 21:35:48

I guess I could use the “article image” field and then have my client insert image ID’s… I thought I saw a plugin that would allow for multiple image ID’s in that field. Hmmm, I think I need to re-think my approach here.

EDIT:

Ah, this is the plugin

That looks like it would be the best way to have my client organize images too… that way he can control the image display order and such.

DOUBLE EDIT: looks good too

Last edited by mhulse (2007-06-10 21:55:25)

uli · 2007-06-10 23:36:58

I think it could have been hak_article_image.

What you’ve described above sounds in large portions like my last site.
In case you have one picture per article there’s jk_neighbour for generating category based nav links.
Would be nice if there were an option for giving txp to understand if image categories and article categories are identical. Or something like <txp:article imgcat="xy">.

edit: I think somehow the timezones don’t get displayed properly, I have answered to what I read in the mail I received :) I couldn’t read your edits.

Last edited by uli (2007-06-10 23:40:14)

mhulse · 2007-06-11 02:26:15

Doh! Sorry about the edits. :)

Thanks for the reply, I really appreciate it.

I will look into hak_article_image… I might be helpful for my current project.

I like your idea for the imgcat… Hmmm, I wish I knew TXP a bit better… I wrote a few plugins for Expression Engine… Maybe in a month or so I will feel comfortable writing something for TXP… Then again, the plugins available for TXP are many… I am sure that whatever I could do has already be generated by others.

When I first posted my question, I thought image categories would be the way to go… Example:

Client uploads unlimited images to a specific image category, and then uses custom field to associate the image category to article entry. I actually got that kinda setup (see here ).

But, after thinking a bit more about my client needs, I realized that he wants to control the “sorting” order of images (for a single entry page with a fading image slideshow)… It looks like using the article_image field, and multiple IDs, will work well… Though, it seems clumsy… Making the client manage ID numbers does not sound like the most professional route to take.

Anyway, sorry if I am not very clear… Kinda thinking out loud here.

Thanks a million uli, I really appreciate your time and help. :)

Last edited by mhulse (2007-06-11 02:27:03)

uli · 2007-06-11 14:51:35

mhulse:

Anyway, sorry if I am not very clear… Kinda thinking out loud here.

Why not? Better than taking the wrong way silently. And my project seems to resemble yours, except the slimbox, I needed real pages.

But, after thinking a bit more about my client needs, I realized that he wants to control the “sorting” order of images (for a single entry page with a fading image slideshow)… It looks like using the article_image field, and multiple IDs, will work well… Though, it seems clumsy… Making the client manage ID numbers does not sound like the most professional route to take. [ … ] I wrote a few plugins for Expression Engine

Sounds like you could write the first wysiwyg image pusher plugin. My client could need one, too ;)
But maybe your client is not so much graphic oriented as you think? Inserting numbers can be rather meditative.
I experimented a while with hak_tinymce. With mce installed you can insert multiple images/thumbnails into the article field using a graphic choser that can display images by category, and you can see the thumbs in the text editing field. But it has one awful drawback: if you place images side by side, no separator between them, then image 2 will take the URL given to image 1 or vice versa, can’t remember that. Furthermore, you need to enter links for every image manually. Try it out if you have the time to, maybe you come up with an idea how to solve these.

I like your idea for the imgcat […] Then again, the plugins available for TXP are many… I am sure that whatever I could do has already be generated by others.

At textpattern.org I patiently loooked through the plugins that are filed under article, image, and category, but I could find none. So, for the moment it looks like creating all categories two times :/

Thanks a million uli, I really appreciate your time and help. :)

You’re welcome. Just a way of giving back what I receive here.

Last edited by uli (2007-06-11 14:53:29)

uli · 2007-06-11 15:37:34

Update:
Recently found. And not listed on textpattern.org. Take a look at the demo: counter integrated. (Unfortunately only for clean URLs)

mhulse · 2007-06-11 19:43:49

uli wrote:

Why not? Better than taking the wrong way silently.

Hehe, thanks for the kind words. :)

Sometimes I feel like a chicken with head cut off… I can’t wait until I get back into the TXP groove.

And my project seems to resemble yours, except the slimbox, I needed real pages.

Hehe, actually, it now sounds a lot like my project. My requirements recently changed a bit… Now, instead of slimbox, my client wants a new page. This is going to be a bit better for me in terms of dev work… I will have much more freedom when it comes to styling the content.

Sounds like you could write the first wysiwyg image pusher plugin. My client could need one, too ;)

Hehe, sounds good to me! Once I get a better feel for the ins/outs of TXP, I do plan on playing around with plugin development… I do not consider myself a hard-core coder (went to college for multimedia/design), but I do love to code. Plugin dev work is such a fun challenge. Also, I think it is a great way to give back to the community and pay back the kind folks (like you) who took the time to help me learn.

But maybe your client is not so much graphic oriented as you think? Inserting numbers can be rather meditative.

Ah, that is a great point.

I am noticing that it is not so hard to upload the images, write-down the ID, and then insert into custom field… I think my client will be cool with this approach.

I experimented a while with hak_tinymce. With mce installed you can …<snip>… image manually. Try it out if you have the time to, maybe you come up with an idea how to solve these.

Ahhh, sounds like an interesting plugin. I will definitely check it out. Thanks for tip. :)

I recently found upm_image_popper … Great plugin! But, I think it is a little more involved than my client wants to be.

The bas_image_selector is pretty cool too, but does not allow for multiple ID’s to be inserted into the “article_image” field… Also, it too has a bit more options than my client will want to know about.

But I am sure both above will come in handy sooner or later. :)

At textpattern.org I patiently loooked through the plugins that are filed under article, image, and category, but I could find none. So, for the moment it looks like creating all categories two times :/

Ah, yep… Well, if I get a chance to create a plugin for our needs, I will definitely let you know. :D

You’re welcome. Just a way of giving back what I receive here.

Great! I like the way you think.

It has been great meeting you Uli. Many many thanks for your time and help.

Have a great day/night!
Cheers,
Micky

mhulse · 2007-06-11 19:44:46

uli wrote:

Update:
Recently found. And not listed on textpattern.org. Take a look at the demo: counter integrated. (Unfortunately only for clean URLs)

Ah, cool! I missed that one. Looks like it has a lot of potential. :)

Thanks for pointing it out.

Cheers!
Micky

uli · 2007-06-12 01:49:59

mhulse:

if I get a chance to create a plugin for our needs, I will definitely let you know. :D

Check out upm_category_image before, maybe it’s what we’d need. I find it often very hard to understand Marys help texts, she’s on a completely different level and perhaps not aware of this fact. Don’t know whether she means image categories or not. Too tired to try anything anymore. Yup, i know what you mean, chicken … , cut off head … , cant wait to …
… sleep at the moment.

mhulse · 2007-06-12 19:47:42

uli wrote:

Check out upm_category_image before, maybe it’s what we’d need.

Ahhh, good call. Looking at that now. :)

Thanks for the tipoff.

I actually got a system going now… where the user enters-in the id numbers of images… and then I use PHP to do all the work, but I would opt for a nice plug if it were simple enough.

I find it often very hard to understand Marys help texts, she’s on a completely different level and perhaps not aware of this fact.

Yah, I think I know what you mean. Mary, if you listening… You do ~~great~~ amazing work! No doubt about it. I just wish I did not have to install plugins to read about the details. ;)

Hey, maybe I will bust-out a site… marydocs.com, and have all of her help docs in one, easy to navigate, location. Lol!

Don’t know whether she means image categories or not.

Yep. I hear ya. Not sure either… But I have yet to look at the details. ;)

Too tired to try anything anymore. Yup, i know what you mean, chicken … , cut off head … , cant wait to … … sleep at the moment.

Lol, I been there… Just woke-up from one of those nights myself. Hehe.

Thanks again Uli!

Cheers,
Micky

Last edited by mhulse (2007-06-12 19:50:07)

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#1 2007-06-06 19:53:17

Image Category Dropdown on "Write" Page?

#2 2007-06-10 19:07:35

Re: Image Category Dropdown on "Write" Page?

#3 2007-06-10 21:11:54

Re: Image Category Dropdown on "Write" Page?

#4 2007-06-10 21:35:48

Re: Image Category Dropdown on "Write" Page?

#5 2007-06-10 23:36:58

Re: Image Category Dropdown on "Write" Page?

#6 2007-06-11 02:26:15

Re: Image Category Dropdown on "Write" Page?

#7 2007-06-11 14:51:35

Re: Image Category Dropdown on "Write" Page?

#8 2007-06-11 15:37:34

Re: Image Category Dropdown on "Write" Page?

#9 2007-06-11 19:43:49

Re: Image Category Dropdown on "Write" Page?

#10 2007-06-11 19:44:46

Re: Image Category Dropdown on "Write" Page?

#11 2007-06-12 01:49:59

Re: Image Category Dropdown on "Write" Page?

#12 2007-06-12 19:47:42

Re: Image Category Dropdown on "Write" Page?

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